Wild Onion Rules!

Tha’s right!  I rool!

I neglected my blog for so long, I forgot to tell y’all the fun I had lecturing at the Ventura Handweaving and Spinning Guild.  It was pretty interesting to present my sewing/quilting wearables to weavers/spinners.

I tried to tailor my talk for them, by discussing the various ways to bring other crafts and art techniques into your work (as opposed to my current lecture which focuses on, well, sewing and quilting!).  Everyone seemed to have fun, and I was especially touched that 2 of my spinning friends from up north drove down to see me!  Hi Michelle!  Hi Felicia!

They brought me flowers and a hand-drawn sign that got held up whenever something they particularly liked went down the aisle.  It said:  Wild Onion Rules! and was drawn for me by Felicia’s graphic-artist-fiance!  Thanks Felicia’s Fiance– you rule, too!  Nice wife-2-be, btw!

It cracked me up everytime I saw it (might have been that Michelle was sitting directly in my line of vision).  Luckily, the guild is a friendly group, and everyone was up for fun and giggles.

The flowers have remained fresh and beautiful in my hallway, while the sign has been posted prominently in my studio, just in case I forget that I rule!

Lecture at Ventura Handweaving and Spinning Guild

Here’s a quick reminder that I am presenting a trunk show of my wearable art– Wild Onion Jackets, trapped fiber wearables, and some fabric-woven articles– at the Ventura County Handweaving and Spinning Guild on Saturday, January 23.  The meeting starts promptly at 9:30am, and is held at the Studio Channel Islands Art Center, Building #18 on Ventura Street, on the campus of Cal State University Channel Islands, in Camarillo.  Members (of course!) and non-members are welcome!

In the afternoon, there is a spinning workshop, conducted by my spinning teacher and friend, Susie Meach.  Susie knows just about everything about spinning and fibers, and the workshop will be focused on spinning art yarns!  I had no idea that’s what she was going to teach, and I can’t wait!  Although I recently attended Jacey Boggs‘ art yarn workshop, I look forward to seeing what Susie brings to the table.  Every artist has a different spin on technique (yes, the bad pun was inevitable).  Here’s the link to the guild’s blog, with information about me and the workshop:  Wild Onion lecture/  Susie Meach art yarn workshop.

Come on over– I’d love to see you in the audience!

Wild Onion Jacket prize winner

Recently, I entered one of my Wild Onion Jackets in an international longarm quilt show called Machine Quilter’s Exposition (MQX for short!).  I just found out that I won third place in the Jacket portion of the Garment competition!

This is the first time I have entered such a highly competitive show, and I am thrilled by the success and recognition.  I am also pleased that a simple to sew pattern like the Wild Onion Jacket can hold its own against more complicated sewing patterns!

Because this is a longarm quilting competition, this jacket features very dense quilting patterns:

My poor photography skills don’t do justice to the subtle colors and textures of the jacket.  If you are planning on attending the Quilting with Machines show in October, you will be able to see this jacket in person at the Wild Onion Jacket Fashion show!

A WAC Wild Onion Jacket from UFO’s!

Recently, Mary Norton, Lora Martin, Lucilla Warren, and my mother accompanied me to a Wearable Arts Connection meeting, in Los Angeles. The speaker was June Colburn, who entertained us with stories of her fitting woes (she is very petite, and has trouble finding clothes that fit) as well as tales of her life in Japan.

One of the highlights of the day (especially since my mom was there to hear!) was a WAC member sharing her Wild Onion Jacket. I apologize, as I don’t remember this member’s name, but she did share that her jacket was made from various parts and pieces she had made from several classes in which she had participated:

What a clever combining of UFO’s– out of the studio closet and into the hall closet… and then out into the world as a warm remembrance of delightful classes!

Unfortunately, I didn’t take notes on all of her embellishments, but I do remember that she hand dyed the sky fabric, and the pelican is thread painted. She looked lovely in the jacket, and I was thrilled that she was so pleased with her wearable art!

Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to thank all of you readers who have been publicly and privately encouraging me to get back on the blogging bandwagon! I am so pressed for time, that I have to use very bad manners and thank you with this group note. Rest assured, your individual emails and comments have served to bolster my renewed blogging energy, and I appreciate all of you. Thank you thank you thank you! Susan

Wild Onion Jacket created with recycled bags

It’s that time of year again– time for the Wearable Arts Connection of Los Angeles to have their annual wearable arts fashion show!

This year’s theme was “Road Trip Jacket”. Here’s the entry information I submitted about my Wild Onion Jacket:

Title of Entry: Flashy Trash Jacket
Fabric/Materials used: Recycled junk food bags, plastic grocery bags (to back the chips bags), 100% cotton– from my stash, of course!

When asked to recall memorable road trips, most motorists extoll the beauty of passing scenery, the interesting folks met along the way, or the out of the way diners where delicious pie was eaten. Ask any mother of young children about her road trip experience, and when she’s finished rolling her eyes, you’ll likely hear about the amount of food that was handed to the backseat! Constructed of collaged chips and pretzel bags interspersed with black and white checked fabric reminiscent of car racing graphics, this original Wild Onion Jacket also speaks to the importance of recycling. Whether the artist finds new ways to re-use materials, or just keeps trash bags off the side of the road, let’s work together to clean up the Earth!

By the way, no child was harmed in the making of this jacket. They were both forced to eat broccoli at dinner that night!

On with the show:

I backed the chips bags with ironed on plastic grocery bags (I really had to scrounge for these.  Now that I use Tee Bags for grocery shopping, my stock of plastic bags has dwindled dramatically!) This backing gave the bags more stability. There are orange crystals sparkling in the jacket, but the photo doesn’t show them.

Note: I won a blue ribbon (for Humor! So there, boys– proof that I’m funny!) Now, off to steam some veggies!

Happy Birthday, Wild Onion Studio blog

Wow! The Wild Onion Studio blog is a year old. I didn’t realize that I had three babies born in August!

In celebration of this grand event, I will be hosting a free give-away! Please leave me a comment, and I’ll enter your name into the grand drawing! The prize is something yummy and Wild Onion Studio -ish: a trapped fiber handbag featuring free-motion quilting, and a beaded button closure, and a copy of Haute Handbags magazine, so that you can peruse other wearable art handbags.

Happy Birthday to me (well, my blog, anyway!) Stay tuned for the drawing on August 22!

NOTE:  the giveaway has been given!  Thanks for playing!

Fashion shows at Long Beach

From one extreme to the next, I saw the Bernina Fashion Show and the Quilt Arts/Cloth Paper Scissors “Surviving the Runway Show”.

The Bernina Fashion show was… incredible, amazing, and fantastic! The amount of detail in each outfit– indeed, within any given part of each outfit– is stunning. Before attending this show, I had only seen photos of these wearables; let me tell you, if you’re looking at a photo, you’ve only skimmed the surface of the complexity each artist brings to her (or his) work! It was just mind-blowing to see the pieces in person, and realize how much work is involved in each piece. No photos were allowed; if you want to see some of the outfits, please click on the link which will take you to the official site.

The other “fashion show” I attended was the Quilt Arts/Cloth Paper Scissors show, called “Surviving the Runway”. I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Think Project Runway meets Survivor meets Cartoon Network. Each table of women, none of whom know each other, have to work together to create one outfit out of a few supplies given to us by editor Pokey Bolton. We were allowed to add anything else on the table (but no cutting up the napkins or tablecloth!). And someone had to walk the runway, wearing the outfit! Nope, it wasn’t me!! Here’s my table’s model, the very confident, good sport Lillian:

Note the “Applause” sign, which Lillian flashed, when she wasn’t in front of Pokey. When Pokey was watching, the pink sign got whipped out… because we were shameless in our hunt for a win. The pink sign reads: Pokey is the most beautiful, wonderful, creative, etc etc (did we win yet?) loving, fantastic etc etc. Due to this appeal to vanity our creativity, we were awarded Judge’s Choice.

Although each table was given some papers, scissors, glue sticks, and other ephemera, there were specialty items that had to be won (by acting like a looney-tune!). We were lucky enough to win some balloons, which of course, fit into our Southern California beach gal theme. Implants, anyone?

Lillian was a trooper, with a capital T! I saw her several times over the course of the show, and she always had a smile and an air of fun about her. I hope I get to meet her again in the future!

I leave you with one funny: the Quilt Art show happened during our lunch break from our beading class with Robin Atkins. Upon our return to planet Earth, we were trying really hard to bring our energy level down so that we could concentrate on our teeny tiny beads. Mary looked up, and said (loudly) “HEY–aren’t you the woman who just took her clothes off for the Runway show?!!”. Yes indeed, one of our beading class-mates, a very classy, subtle woman, who was beading a sophisticated, elegant bracelet had just participated in the Quilt Art show, stripping down to her bra and strutting down the runway in front of 200 strangers. She is forever known to us as “Nude-y woman”!

Stay tuned for the next post: SHOPPING treasures!!

Altered Couture

One of my favorite ways to update my wardrobe is to take apart an existing article of clothing, and re-invent it in a brand new way. In the fall, I took a pair of white jeans and turned them into a skirt to wear with my wearable art vest. The editors at Altered Couture magazine took a liking to the skirt, and asked me to submit it for the upcoming issue.

I recently received my magazine and I am delighted with the article! The editors devoted three full pages to my Zinnia Skirt, including one full page photograph of the skirt. I am on page 16-18, amongst pages and pages of interesting and beautiful wearable art. Here’s a preview of my skirt:

The beautiful hand dyed fabric for the flower appliques came from Judy Whitehead of Goneaway Quilting!  Judy knows I love to work with bits and pieces, and when she straightens up her hand dyes for her shop, she save the strips and sends them my way.  Lucky me!

For instructions on how to re-create my skirt, and loads of other inspiring designs– grab your purse and head out to the local bookstore– Altered Couture is on the newsstands now!

organization ho!

I have been most inspired by Vicki’s weekly t0-do list and her stash in/stash out reports. I am an avid list-maker, and by all accounts, I like to read other people’s lists, too. With all the mess and dis-organization in my life these past few months, I have decided to take advantage of the lull in my never-ending painting (walls and trim, not fabric, wah!!) duties, and apply some order to my studio.

I started with my older quilt magazines. I am the type of person who likes to reminisce, so I have quite enjoyed this look back through my quilting history. I found an old friend, Lynn, came upon several entries in Quilter’s Newsletter magazine by my fellow Fibervision member, Andi, and re-read an article in Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine about my friend Tracey Browning.

The article talked about Tracey giving quilt lessons to mum’s who got to bring their kids to her house while they learned about quilting. I was tickled to find that I remember reading that article! I recall wishing that I could participate in those lessons– my boys were toddlers at the time, and quilting time was hard to come by, let alone time for a lesson. It makes me smile to know that the article was about a quilter who is now a friend. Sadly, I don’t see her in person often enough, as Tracey lives in Australia, and I do not! Here’s mud in yer eye from across the way, Tracey!

Here’s a list of sorts. I was emailing with my list sponsor (Vicki!) this morning, lamenting that although I now have a pretty large studio, I seem to have less room. Here’s why:

Before, my studio contained: fabric (cotton), books, the beginning magazine collection, a small container of thread on spools, a drawer of quilt tools, rulers/mats/rotary cutter, a bag of batting if I was nearing the end of a quilt.

Now, my studio contains: fabric (cotton), fabric (silk), fabric (white bolts for dyeing), fabric (weirder and weirdest for chunky bits to add to art quilts or wearables), books (from traditional to art quilts to wearables to techniques), a full cabinet of thread on cones, a full cabinet of art tools, a pantry full of paint and dyes and chemicals and the tools of that trade, same rulers/mats/rotary cutter (wheee– no expansion there– oops. yes, one 1 1/2″ x 36″ ruler to measure off my batting), 2 to 3 bolts of batting at any given time, a serger (Jenny), a Featherweight (Lillian), and a longarm Gammill (Phoebe), boxes of silk flowers, boxes of silk fibers, boxes of wool fibers, clothing to alter into wearables, boxes of sweaters to full, a hanging bar full of Wild Onion Jackets, boxes of my Wild Onion Jacket patterns. Oh, and there’s the pile of rusting stuff outside my studio door– a rusted wheelbarrow, a big rusted garbage can, assorted pipes and bits and bobs, vinegar, salt, and plastic sheeting.

Is it any wonder why I tread carefully when I get in my studio? I have a new customer coming on Thursday. She is an organizational person (I almost wrote organizational therapist– hmmm. I might sign up for that!!). Maybe we can work out a trade– quilting for organizing!

OK. Bet you want to see pictures of my studio! Not on your life. Just close your eyes and picture mounds and mounds of stuff, and now picture the mounds sprouting piles. There ya go– now you know what my studio looks like. I love all the new and exciting directions my art is taking me, I really do. I just think it’s time to put some order into my space so that I can feel less claustrophobic and more productive!

La plume de ma tante

“La plume de ma tante” (my aunt’s pen) is what most people remember from their early French lessons. Is that like “run, Spot, run”? Maybe.

I began learning French when I was in 6th grade, back in the Middle Ages. In the first week, my clever teacher taught us a small “play”, in which I was to go into a forest, searching for flowers to bring to my mother. I still remember how excited I was, walking home, picking some wildflowers, and giving them to my mother with a flourish and a French phrase!

Now this little life tidbit will come into play later in this post, so tuck it away in your memory, and read on!

If you’ve been reading about the sad state of my winter wardrobe, you’ll know that I’ve been working on updating my sweater collection. I found an old black hooded sweatshirt, and thought, hmmmmmmm. Blank canvas!

I found a vintage black floral pillowcase, some black floral yardage in my stash, and some butterfly yardage. I did some collage work on the front and back of the sweatshirt, covering the various stains that magically appear on sweatshirts. It seemed ok, but it wasn’t speaking to me…

Until one morning, when my turn on the French stage popped into my head! Aha!

I finished collaging with more of a plan, including pulling off the bottom ribbing, replacing it with the striped fabric.

Pour moi, the piece de resistance is the lettering I added, which has made this one of my more satisfying and personal re-models:

Je voudrais bien aller dans le foret pour chercher des jolie fleurs (I would like to go to the forest to look for some pretty flowers)

C’est mignon, n’est-ce pas?!!