All The Cool Kids Are Doing It

They are all making a jacket or coat or whatever.

They are all making Lady Grey... You know, with Gertie.
Sure when the whole project launched, I saw it and I was like:
"It looks so hard. I have a nice coat.... and Jeez, I'm busy"

But then they've  all been like" Making Muslins" and "Pad Stitching" and making "Bound Button Holes" and fancy fancy tailor-y seamstress stuff.

And I got jealous.

I still don't have time right now for Lady Grey...
But I'm doing a Sort-a Kind-a sew along, but way off to the side...

A Simplicity vintage How To from 1956 and a Simplicity vintage pattern circa 1940 sumpthin'.
A simpler jacket for a complicated time.

 But I got my pad stitching on.

Not as cool as the cool kids... but working on it.

Tis' The Season

 

Well, here's what has been haunting the studio lately.

All sorts of happy faces getting ready to celebrate the Mexican Day of The Dead.

Dia De Los Muertos.

 

Some calavera charms ... 

The charms are hoping to get into the Etsy shop today.

Do you think they stand a chance?

Look how optimistic they are.

 

And finally,

WIP picture of the alter I made for the show 

at the MichaelAngelo gallery on November 5th.

Anyone in the area should come by. 

The Reception starts at 6:00 

and the show is going to be great.

I got a peek at some of the other pieces that will be in the show

and I was in awe.

The thing I love about the idea behind Dia De Los Muertos

is that our loved ones never leave us.

They are still ours, to love, to visit, and bring gifts to once a year.

Bitter Betty Recommends Fun

I have had a bit of a precocious midlife thing going on this year. I just turned 42 this month and I'm coming to terms with trying to live a bit more intentionally... Less reactionary, Less waiting for things to work out.... More grabbing life by the collar, with both hands, and forcing myself to look it in the eye. What have you got for me, Life? How are we doing here?

Now, this is, of course, relative... I am not switching to working on curing cancer or volunteering for the front lines... But I am trying new thing and putting myself out there more. ( Studio, Fashion Show, stuff like that....)

One of the most surprising, slightly oddball, but genuinely fun things I have done is I bought myself a high quality, adult size hulahoop and started learning to Hoop Dance and a few tricks.

Of all the ways to spend your life... I have to recommend fun. Have as much as you can. Play harder.
 and just Quit Worrying about showing that soft white underbelly... Life is short and no one cares about it but you.

xxoo,
Betty

The Big Reveal...

 Perhaps you might recall this lovely yet un-assuming little out fit that I posted way back in July.

It's actually something that has been a work in progress for almost 2 years now.

It is the Jane Austen Theater Dress.

 Recently titled "No Apologies to Mr. Darcy" for the FashionArt show.

 The taffeta on the skirt is hiding

 A series of loops and cords

 So that when the model raises her arms .... Up comes the curtain.

 The underskirt is appliqued with a scene where Elizabeth becomes inappropriately damp in the presence of the rather stuffy Mr. Darcy...

( Happens to lots of Jane Austen characters, actually.)

 We had a collar of vintage pearls and a fascinator made from birdcage net and the folded pages of the novel.

 As many of you may know I have a rather morbid fascination with the societal restrictions placed on the mid-century female. So, I had some fun combining a slightly risque reveal on a vintage fashion piece with a scene from Jane Austen, which I love, but also makes me marvel at the ways women were marginalized and how their very well being was linked inextricably to their marrying or being cared for by a man.

I was so lucky to get to work with Chelsea Keating as my model. She  really put everything into it and it was quite frankly totally amazing to see my creation come to life as she took it down the runway.

She was fun, and sweet and so perfect for it.

It wouldn't have been nearly as exciting without her enthusiasm and charisma!

Thank You, Chelsea!

And here is a little close up... for the crafty voyeurs.

( click the photo to enlarge...)

This is actually a w.i.p. photo.

There were silver and crystal rain drops added on the day before the show....  

What can I say? Deadlines are my greatest inspiration!

Fashion Art: Seamstress for Hire

So, it has actually been a couple of weeks since the fashion show and due to personal drama and my sloth-like nature I haven't done the Blognanza of Bloggy Good Blogness that I promised! But here come the posts.

First of all I had my own piece of wearable art in the show which I will post on Friday...
But I also worked as the seamstress for another artist and had a fantastic time collaborating in that way.

It was a really fun and challenging process as Angelo Grova and I worked out the designs he envisioned...
in the materials he picked out.

Namely, industrial clear vinyl, landscape fabric, and tent nylon.

Sewing this stuff was a kick, as it made me use my brain every minute,  but also a physical challenge.
It was sticky. or sometimes stiff. It needed weird thread. It hated to fold... and if it did fold, it hated to unfold. You couldn't iron it.
Very unforgiving as far as seam ripping and resewing goes on the vinyl.
So the actual sewing was a metaphor for life.

Be Prepared. Be Sure. Be Bold. Move Forward!

It was my first time working with fitting models and they were funny, delightful, and so sweetly accommodating.

It was really empowering and exciting to help someone facilitate their artistic vision. I hope I get a chance to do it again.