Fabric sources

Today has been a beautiful rainy day, full of heavy showers, wind and some lightning. It was a good day for staying inside and working on projects, so I finished a shawl/capelet that I've been working on. It's too dark for proper photos, so those will be coming in a couple days, along with a pattern. Instead, I'll share with you my favorite place to go fabric shopping.

For a long time, my only source of fabric was Jo-Ann. It was what we had always gone to, and they do have a decent selection (and lots of lovely colors and prints in cotton). I knew that there were such things as fabric warehouses where you could find all sorts of beautiful and exotic fabrics, but I had never seen one.

I've still never been to one. Instead, I've discovered the treasure trove of thrift stores. Yes, thrift stores. It's easier if it's a bigger one, like Goodwill, or around here we have Savers. However, I've also seen good things in smaller places, so it just depends on how patient you are.

Of course there are things like skirts and dresses that you can buy and take in, cut up, or alter. I recently cut the top off of a hideous prom dress because it had a really wonderful skirt, took in the waist a bit, and it became part of a costume for a friend. But what's also great is to head to the linens section. Sheets and curtains come in all sorts of colors and fabrics, and are usually pretty cheap. Pillowcases are also wonderful - you only need two  for a double layer Victorian-style corset.

These are some pieces I got a while ago at the thrift store - the orange and green are silky sheets, approximately queen-size. They will be enough for a dress each. The purple brocade-type fabric is actually from a couple of chair covers. I had to cut them up to access the flat pieces of fabric, but it's being turned into a fitted skirt with ruffles.

The thrift store is a great place to look if you're open for the fabric you want to use in a project, but it can also work if you have more specific guidelines. It's a great place to have fun looking for fabrics, and the prices are amazingly cheap.

Happy hunting!!

Spock on a block

A friend and I collaborated to make a present for a mutual friend. The recipient of the gift recently got into yoga, and she's a huge fan of Star Trek. So, naturally, we decided to try and decorate a yoga block for her.

It was surprisingly easy, if a bit time consuming due to the complexity of the design. The secret? India ink. It's easy to brush on in thin or thick lines, creates an even coat, and most importantly, it's waterproof! I had originally thought of using a sharpie, and you could probably use one anyway, if that's all you have on hand (especially if your design was simple and mostly lines). But india ink is not too expensive, and lasts a long time. It really made filling in the large black areas a lot quicker and neater than coloring with a marker.

Since our block was a medium purple (and maybe also due to the foam material), the basic go-to of a graphite transfer for the design didn't work. So instead, after the image was on a piece of paper, I held it in place on a side of the block, and used a small sewing needle to prick along the outlines - closer together in more detailed areas, farther apart where the lines are straight. After that was done, it was just the simple, if delicate, process of painting in the lines that were created by the needle. The small holes left by the needle do still show, but only if you look at it very closely.

The block hasn't been used yet, so I don't know if the design would wear off quickly or at all. However, it's a fun way to individualize your yoga block.

A different direction

So it's been almost an entire year since I last posted here. I left Ireland, spent two months in England, several at home, and then my senior year at college.

My plans for this blog have changed. Originally, after my time abroad, I thought I would just let it sit, and forget about it. After all, I had nothing I wanted to post. But I'm thinking of starting it up again, and this time it will be a little different. I'll be sharing my art projects as I go along - finished work, ideas, step-by-step guides on how to do things... Hopefully something will serve as inspiration for someone else, and that will be good.

Of course, if I travel anywhere, or see anything exciting, I'll maybe post about that, too (thus why I'm keeping the "other" in the title!).

Best,
  Caitlin

Inverness

So we made it up to Inverness and Loch Ness while we were in Scotland!!!!!

Inverness is a beautiful town, and was a lot of fun to walk around. And of course going to look for Nessie was a must! We lucked out and got a fairly cheap tour that included a bus to the loch, a 1/2 hour boat ride on the loch, a visit to Urquhart castle for about two hours, and then a bus back into town.

The River Ness at night

Inverness Castle - unfortunately it's currently in use as government buildings, so it's not one you can go exploring in :(

Me in my cool hat from Germany

The river and the cathedral during the day. It was lovely along the banks of the river - really nice paths, with lovely plants and flowers, especially since it's spring!

The black waters of Loch Ness

Urquhart Castle from the water

And from the other side...

This is back in Inverness, at the cathedral - all the trees around it were blossoming, and really lovely!!

We saw the most adorable little bunny on the hill under the castle in Inverness. I think he might be some sort of escaped pet, or descendant thereof, because he doesn't look like the normal wild rabbits you see.

End-of-term Show

All the students, undergrad and postgrad, set up a show of our work, open to the public, etc. We cleared out our studios, and turned them into the gallery space. It was A LOT of hard work, but it ended up looking pretty professional. It was all very exciting, as I hadn't been in a show before.

The first two photos are of my space and work, and the rest are ones I got of some of the other studios. There was so much incredible work, I didn't get good photos of it all :(

1820s Dress

So I think I may have mentioned a while back that I was making a dress for a project. We went on a weekend trip to Charleville Castle (supposedly haunted) and were to get essentially free run of the castle. Only thing was, we had to have a project that we were working on while there, instead of just running around looking for ghosts!

I decided, as soon as I heard about the castle, that I needed to wear a dress while there. I mean, what's the point of being in a castle if you can't pretend to be a princess?? So I did some research about the castle, and decided the appropriate time period would be the 1820s. I then did a whole lot more research, about patterns, and modern versions of period dresses, and what was wrong, what was authentic, etc etc.

Let's just say that I can now pretty much tell you the fashion of any given year from 1800 to 1825 or so.

Through all this research, I decided to not use a pattern, because there weren't any in existance that I liked, or that were properly period. I figured the dress was easy enough to figure out, since there shouldn't be a lot of panelling anyway. It's not like Victorian dresses, with the super fitted bodices.

I found some awesome fabric when we were in Berlin, for really cheap, and then proceeded to spend approximately four hours a night for about three weeks cutting out pieces, basting them together, figuring things out, and then sewing it all by had. All while watching whatever strange shows came on Irish television at night!

I also had to make a corset, in order to have the proper shape under the dress. Which was actually easier than it sounds, because corsets at that time didn't pull in the waist much, they essentially acted more like a modern bra, just with a different profile.

Anyway, now that I've bored you with the technical stuff (which I find extremely interesting, so if you want to know more, let me know!), I'll get to some photos of me at the castle. All of these are taken by other people, since my photos were with pinhole cameras, and so it's harder to see the details of the dress.

Here you can see the back, and the lacing (no zippers back then!). Also, it's meant to be a ball gown, thus the shorter length for dancing in. Day gowns would have been a little longer, and evening gowns not meant for dancing would have brushed the floor, and might have had a bit of a train.

Scholarship

So.... guess who got a scholarship sponsored by one of the most famous potters alive??



yup, that would be me!!!! I applied for the Art Department scholarships, and just got my confirmation letter that I received the Brown-MacKenzie scholarship. Yes, that would be MacKenzie as in WARREN MacKenzie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I get to meet him.

This fall.

At a reception for all the scholarship recipients and donors. I can only hope that I don't hyperventilate and faint in front of him!

Anyway, just needed to share.

This is me right now.