Doggie Jacket revisited

"Puppy Loves and Doggie Comforts"

One of the members of my quilt guild asked me about a quilted jacket I made in 2004. It must have made an impression if she remembered something from... (yikes!) 8 years ago.

This piece, entitled Puppy Loves and Doggie Comforts, was created in response to a guild Challenge. From there it traveled to shows and exhibits and received an Honorable Mention at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt and Wearable Art Festival XVI in 2005, a 3rd place award at the Smoky Mt. Quilt Show/Dogwood Arts Festival, and was juried into Artwear Celebrated, an artwear exhibit and fashion show at the Studio Channel Islands Art Center in Camarillo, California.

So, for all the animal lovers and those that appreciate light-hearted wearable art pieces, here is a revisit of Puppy Loves and Doggie Comforts. I hope it makes you smile!

Wearable art jacket, front view.

The jacket is pieced and quilted with cotton flannels, has a cotton lining and is trimmed with a hand-knit collar and cuffs in a novelty eyelash yarn. It is embellished with hand embroidery, dimensional folded fabrics (prairie points, fabric origami and flat piping) and buttons. It has looped buttonholes and front button closures.

Jacket back view.

This was one of those guild Challenges where you blindly pick 3 crayons from a bag and you must use 2 or 3 of the colors somewhere in your piece. I recall that two of my colors were turquoise and dark brown. The third may have been the burgundy red (or the one that I dismissed). I think the turquoise was very successful in this piece—it offers a punch of color.

Back detail of "dog" houses.

All the houses have dogs which can be seen in the windows, doorways or in front of the houses. The idea behind this piece is that it was created from the perspective of a dog. The "puppy loves" and "doggie comforts" (things that dogs like, or like to do)—walks, big yard, chase cats, chew toys, dog treats—are embroidered around the mid section of the jacket.

Back yoke with piping.

Other details include functioning front pockets, dog-themed cotton fabric for the lining, and bound edges.

Left: front pocket. Right: lining of left lapel.

I pieced the flannel fabrics used on the bound edge so they would match the jacket fabric. It was a challenge to make sure the piecing aligned. The fabrics used for the button loops correspond with the color of the base fabric. I did not want a contrast between the loop and the jacket to be a distraction to the eye.

Bound edge, looped buttonholes and hand knit collar.

The left and right sleeves are different. Bone buttons are sewn to folded origami puffs on the right sleeve. Prairie points and more buttons adorn the left sleeve. Three red hearts are pieced into the left sleeve—one for each of my dogs.

Jacket sleeves.

The interior seam allowances are bound as well. Below shows the shoulder seam allowance bound with a novelty dog collar fabric. Another novelty fabric (black with dog bones) is used as a lining.

Inside lining with bound seam allowances.

The jacket was quilted in pieces (fronts, back, sleeves) and then assembled. The label is sewn inside the jacket on the back.

Jacket label.

I hope you like my wearable art doggie jacket. It was fun to collect the fabrics and then share the finished piece. I hope seeing it makes you want to hug one of your furry friends.

Wearable Art in Spring

Yarn Fabrication Vest workshop

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, today! The quince is in full glory and the bumblebees are buzzing on overload. I'm teaching my Yarn Fabrication technique in a Wearable Art Vest workshop tomorrow. This gorgeous weather surely inspires creativity!

Inspiration from the Sewing Expo

My good friend, Pat, and new friend, Sonya, and I did a one-day rendez-vous at the Atlanta Sewing and Quilt Expo this weekend. The temptation at Laura Murray's booth of hand-dyed kimono and paint stick creations was too tempting for Pat and I to pass up. Here's my souvenir from the show.
The fabrics are over-dyed kimono silk panels and the two buttons were in the sale basket. A lovely combo: hand-dyed silk, buttons and sale.

Wearable Art Vest workshop
Saturday, March 19

I'm teaching my Yarn Fabrication Wearable Art Vest workshop this coming Saturday, March 19 at Chattanooga Sewing. With my recent purchase, I'm inspired to combine the yarn technique with the silk panels—somehow.

I'll have to let this concept germinate... Ideas??

There are still a few open spaces in the class, so come and join in the creativity! Call (423) 899-3664 to register.

Tennessee Presents Textiles, November 13

Student work
Thailand Fashion School

Student work from the Thailand Fashion School just arrived and will be part of the wearable art fashion show, Tennessee Presents Textiles, next Saturday, November 13. These innovative, show-stopping garments were created by fourth-year students from Thailand's premiere design school.

Contemporary folk artist, Rachel Clark, is the guest speaker at the event and will have over 20 pieces from her collection presented on the runway.

Tennessee Presents Textiles is a unique wearable art runway show and sale. The artwear is elegantly presented by professional models giving the audience an "up close and personal" experience with the fashions. Fiber art garments will also be on display in a special exhibit and competition entitled "The Power of the Pocket."

Hope to see you there!

Pocket Power in Artwear Exhibit

My fiber arts guild, the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild, had a wonderful wearable art exhibit and awards ceremony yesterday! It was an exhibit of the pieces from our first Guild Challenge, called "The Power of the Pocket." The most exciting news of all: my entry, "The Power of Panthera Leo," won the Best of Show award!

"The Power of Panthera Leo"

This piece is made from hand dyed silk dupioni using shibori stitch resist techniques. The collar is a hand dyed, single-twist handspun yarn that was free-style crocheted. The inside of the vest and the two side pockets (a pocket was a Challenge requirement) were lined with hand dyed silk dupioni.

Side pocket

Artist's Statement: The matte surface of the yarn collar contrasts the reflective properties of the silk. The collar suggests a lion’s mane—surrounding the face and neck and cascading down the garment’s front and back. The lion’s mane is his secret defense. It makes him appear larger and is used as a powerful intimidation tactic during confrontations with other animals.

The judge for the show was a Chattanooga fiber artist whose work I much admire. Her judge's comment about the visual impact was: "unbelievable—took my breath away."

So, the completion of this piece was worth the uncertainty during the design stage and all the construction struggles I encountered. We should all take to heart Anita Luvera Mayer's words, "Don't stop too soon. It is important to stick to an idea, to be willing to take risks. There really is no such thing as failure; you're only smarter than you were before."

The piece will also be in the Tennessee Presents Textiles show in November. Contemporary folk artist, Rachel Clark is the featured speaker.

Wearable art exhibit scheduled

I'm putting the final touches on my entries for the upcoming Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild wearable art exhibit on September 11. The exhibit, entitled "The Power of the Pocket," was conceived in November 2009 and issued as a Guild Challenge to guild members in January 2010. We've been working all year designing our entries that adhere to the Challenge parameters while still expressing our personal styles.

Here is a breakdown of the timetable I generally follow for projects such as this:

• 75% to research materials, techniques and percolate ideas;
• 10% to sketch, swatch, audition, sample and fit;
• 15% for production, finishing and paperwork.

As Abe Lincoln might say, "6 hours to sharpen the axe and 2 hours to chop down the tree." For me, there is nothing like a deadline to keep one motivated and on task!

To provide inspiration as well as technique and construction information, several guild programs were presented throughout the year that focused on pockets, pocket construction, and various embellishment techniques.

As this year's Guild President and emcee for the awards presentation, I'd like to invite everyone to come to the event to celebrate the innovation and beauty of fiber arts with the guild.

The exhibit, a unique collection of wearable art garments, will be on display Saturday, September 11, at Senior Neighbors, 10th and Newby Streets, downtown Chattanooga, from 10:30 am. to 1:30 pm.

Wearable Art Vest Workshop

Is it yarn? Is it fabric? Is it woven? It's Yarn Fabication. 

On February 20, I'll be teaching my yarn fabrication technique at a workshop sponsored by the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild.

In this workshop, we'll be doing an easy, no-knit stitching technique to create a soft-sculpt artwear vest like the one shown here. Yarn and a sewing machine is used to stitch up a "yarn-fabric" base to make the vest. Garment pieces are easily assembled using flat seams, and simple shaping is achieved with a slash-and-join method. Additional interest, texture and color can be achieved with contrasting yarns, trims, threads, embellishments, buttons or beads. This soft-sculpt vest can be customized for any occasion.

The vest workshop will be held at Alexian Brothers/Senior Neighbors, 10th and Newby Streets, in Chattanooga. It is a full day class from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost of the workshop is $45 per person. Make checks payable to "Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild." For additional information or to sign up, send an e-mail to veronicaquilts@gmail.com.

A black-and-white inkle woven shawl collar was added to the lime green vest.

The brown vest (below) showcases a novelty button for a front closure. Use your imagination to embellish and customize your wearable art creation!

The vest pattern is a modified version of Rachel Clark's "Picture This" vest pattern.