Star Wars Costumes at the Denver Museum of Art

Taken from here.

Like a twit I missed this exhibit while I was in Denver. This exhibit, of course, is perfect for this blog, as it is about fiber and sewing - and costuming. I found this press release here. I was seeking information about where the exhibit will be next, as perhaps I can catch it someplace else. Alas, TBD after Denver.

It would have been really fantastic to have read about how the designers go about determining the costumes - and maybe to have learned about production, too. I mean, look at that dress there on the left - beautiful. And then to know that it goes on Natalie Portman; she has a fabulous, fit body. How did this two dimensional sketch translate to three dimensions on a woman who has an admirable body, but is not a runway model. It would be fun to see.

Fingers crossed that it will come to a town near me and I won't be such a nit-wit.

I got this photograph from the Smithsonian website, here.

Iconic costumes from “a galaxy far, far away” are presented in the Smithsonian traveling exhibition, Rebel, Jedi, Princess, Queen: Star Wars and the Power of Costume. The exhibit will begin a 12-city national tour at EMP Museum in Seattle, Wash., where it will be on view Jan. 31 through Oct. 4, 2015.

taken from here.

Culled from the collection of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Rebel, Jedi, Princess, Queen: Star Wars and the Power of Costume is a partnership of the museum, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Lucasfilm. George Lucas imagined and created a fantastical world filled with dynamic characters who told the timeless story of the hero’s journey. The costumes shaped the identities of these now famous characters, from the menacing black mask of Darth Vader and the gilded suit of C-3PO, to the lavish royal gowns of Queen Amidala and a bikini worn by Princess Leia when enslaved by Jabba the Hutt.

“Craftsmanship and artistry in costume design are valued creative components in the Star Wars Saga,” said Lucas. “The detailed precision of a design can be as bold a measure of storytelling as words on a page, leading to truths at the core of a character, situation or shared history. From initial concept drawings to complex physical constructions, the costumes featured in this exhibition serve to further define crucial aspects of worlds created to move, educate and entertain us—to inspire the imagination.”

Presenting 60 of the finest, hand-crafted costumes from the first six blockbuster Star Wars films, the exhibition uncovers the challenges, the intricate processes and the remarkable artistry of Lucas, the concept artists and costume designers. The costumes reflect an eclectic mix of cultural, historical and mythical sources that add rich texture to the story. Through nine presentational “chapters”—Introduction: Dressing a Galaxy; Jedi versus Sith: Form, Function and Design; Concept and Design for Royalty and Beyond; Symbolism and Military Power; Outlaws and Outsiders; All Corners of the Galaxy: The Galactic Senate; After the Throne: Padmé’s Journey; Darth Vader; Iconic Villain; and Droid™ Design: C-3PO and R2-D2—visitors will explore the creative process from Lucas’s vision through concept drawings by artists such as Ralph McQuarrie and Iain McCaig, to the final costume designs of John Mollo and Trisha Biggar, among others.

Featured costumes include the:

• Monk-like robes of Jedi masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker
• Intimidating suit and complex breathing apparatus of Darth Vader
• Military-influenced uniforms of the Imperial Stormtrooper, Senate Guard and TIE Fighter Pilot
• Yak hair and mohair costume of the towering Wookiee Chewbacca
• Intergalactic outfits of Senators Bail Organa, Mon Mothma and Mas Amedda
• Fierce armor of mercenary bounty hunters Jango Fett, Boba Fett and Zam Wesell
• Elaborately detailed gowns of Queen Amidala, Queen Jamillia and their handmaidens

Short films in Star Wars and The Power of Costume provide a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process and include interviews with artists, designers and actors. The visitor experience will be enhanced by interactive flip books featuring sketches, photographs and notes that capture the creative team’s inspiration and vision.

If more information is sought, and where I found this information, go here: Jennifer Schommer (202) 633-3121; schommerj@si.edu
Media website: http://newsdesk.si.edu

Patriotic Dress at Century Girl, Vintage Boutique

I was wandering down Magazine Street when I saw this lovely patriotic dress on a mannequin outside of a new, lovely shop: Century Girl. She has lovely pieces... though each one of a kind, as they are vintage, used clothing, so you  need to get lucky to find what you want in your size.

I had to laugh when I saw a Gunne Sax dress amongst her things... I haven't thought of those since middle school - when I loved them!

Because I sew, I had to check out this dress. It reminded me of the skirts I have been making which we saw here. (And maybe I will eventually take a picture of the finished product, though I am still adding ribbon at the seams.)

I liked how the seamstress used some ribbon to cover up the seams, as I was doing. You can barely see that there is a zipper up the front.

This is a double skirt - a layer on a layer. Seems like a waste of fabric... though my skirts use a ton of fabric, the bottom layer being almost 10 yards.

Happy Independence Day 2016!

Making a flouncy skirt

I bought a very flouncy skirt years ago in Jackson, WY. I never wear it; I paid a lot of money for it. I'm not even sure I love it... I love the idea of it, though. And I have saved it for years just so that I might copy it and make one myself.

I figured the best skirt to make from this skirt would be a Mardi Gras skirt. It's almost costume like, I figured. And it's great skirt to dance in... particularly with my fleur de lis cowboy boots! Of course once I got to the quilting shop I was overwhelmed by all the fabric choices... and then wandered away from the Mardi Gras fabrics. I tried to stay within the Purple, Gold and Green theme, but I wandered away from that, too, I confess. So I am not sure what this skirt is that I am making or when I would wear it. Perhaps when I go Zydeco dancing at the Rock 'n' Bowl. Other dancers would appreciate the Mardi Gras fabric and the wonderful effects the skirt would make when dancing.

I guess I need to work on impulse control. (Story of my life!)

In any event, I have created the first five tiers and I have another three to go. This feels like it has taken a huge amount of fabric - a lot of time gathering the fabric to get smaller and smaller as I go up the skirt to the waist. But really I am using what is known as 'Fat Squares' from the quilt shop. I posted here from my trip to Mes Amis with the fabric I bought for this skirt.

I think rather than just gathering I may have to cut the fabric on an angle to cinch it even more drastically. I will post again on this project as I progress.

Britain and France commit troops to operation in Salonika, Greece

Ok, so this is from 1915 - much earlier than Herb's letters. The reason I am including it is because I just finished a book titled The Thread by Victoria Hislop. I didn't love the book, but it does tie together many of my interests... The heroine is a seamstress and she is one of the people 'exchanged' from Turkey to Salonika, Greece in roughly 1924. So, I am again tying my trip to Turkey and Greece with World War 1. The story tell of Greek history between the two wars.



The following is from the History Channel's 'This Day in History' for the 5th of October, 1915.

At the request of the Greek prime minister, Eleutherios Venizelos, Britain and France agree on October 5, 1915, to land troops at the city of Salonika (now Thessaloniki), in northern Greece, during World War I.

Earlier in the war, David Lloyd George, Britain’s minister of munitions, had argued for sending Allied troops to Salonika instead of the Gallipoli Peninsula; the idea was shelved when the ill-fated invasion of Gallipoli went ahead in the late spring of 1915. In early October of that year, however, Britain and France each agreed to contribute 75,000 troops to establish a base of operations in Salonika, from which they would attempt to aid their battered ally in the Balkans, Serbia, in its struggle against the Central Powers.

The expedition had three major drawbacks, however: First, it would conflict with the demands of Gallipoli operation, which was ongoing but locked in a virtual stalemate. Second, such a large Allied force could not be fully established in Salonika until the following January, which would undoubtedly be too late to aid the Serbs. Finally, such an operation would violate the neutrality of Greece. Though many in that country, including Venizelos, favored intervention in the war on the side of the Allies, King Constantine remained steadfastly neutral; married to a relative of Kaiser Wilhelm II, his natural sympathies lay with Germany. Lloyd George, for one, dismissed the idea of a violation of Greek neutrality, arguing disingenuously that “there was no comparison between going through Greece and the German passage through Belgium.” In fact, a goal of the Salonika expedition, expressed by Lord H.H. Kitchener, the British secretary of war, was to provoke Greece into intervening and aiding Serbia against the Central Powers.

Another objective of the operation in October 1915 was to defend Greece against invaders from Bulgaria, which entered the war that same month on the side of the Central Powers. In the end, however, the Anglo-French force began arriving too late to aid the Serbs—the Serbian capital, Belgrade, was evacuated and occupied by the enemy on October 9—and was not strong enough for an aggressive offensive against the Bulgarian invaders. Against the objections of Constantine and his supporters, the Allies remained in Salonika, as yet another front in World War I became bogged down in stalemate over the course of the next year.

Harem Pants

So, who would have known that there is at least one web site dedicated to the sale of Harem Pants - of all sorts! Not that I know anything about this web site, but here it is.

What I wanted to talk about was the place I found in Istanbul where I bought some very fun pants. Two pair, actually. Los Banditos right near the Galata Tower in the Beyoğlu neighborhood.

Galata Tower

When one wanders around Istanbul - and much of southwestern Turkey, one will see tons of harem pants for sale. The fabrics are really pretty. But why I bought my pants here was because they told me they designed and manufactured their own line. I certainly didn't want something that every other tourist to Turkey bought....

I took this quote off the tag on one of the pairs of pants:

We've been partying at night running around all over the place during the day in Istanbul, so that we could design and manufacture these clothes. We wanted to keep everything natural, and make everybody happy.

I took this picture from their web site. I saw this fabric and liked it a lot, but, alas, they did not have something in my size. I ended up with a very bright multicolored pant and a standard black pant. I have been complimented on both. Their fabrics are unique, if not the idea of harem pants.



If in Istanbul and you seek original clothing, check out Los Banditos.



They claim to ship for free to Europe, the Middle East, Russia and North Africa....

Bahama Hand print

I have been incredibly remiss. I visited the workshop of Bahama Hand print back in January. I met the nicest people there and they gave me a full tour, let me ask all sorts of obvious questions and let me take all sorts of photographs - and even my first movie for the blog (which, of course is not the first I posted, because I have been remiss in writing this entry!)

Everything is designed and made in the Bahamas. The workshop is owned by two women. And you can always order custom creations, as indicated below:

At Bahama Hand Prints we offer a variety of ground fabrics that can be custom printed to your requirements. We carry fabrics appropriate for a multitude of applications including upholstery, drapery, bedding, indoor/outdoor furnishings, clothing and more… Choose from our repertoire and we can print any colour you desire!

Here you can see Rico creating the fabric:



The motivation for writing today is that I have finally started a project with the fabric I bought that day in January. I intend to post photos of the sewing project later...

In the meantime, I have many more photographs of my day in Nassau visiting Bahama Hand Print.

The frame and the screen before the paint is applied

Rico adding more paint - so as not to smear, he alternates panels

The trough with all the paint

moving the frame so Rico can fill in the pattern

Washing up

Removing the unused paint

Cleaning the screen

Clothing templates

You can barely see a seamstress on the right making a garment
Lots of pieces already made hanging

Industrial sewing machines

Removing the newly printed fabric for drying

Drying the fabric

Coming out the back end

the full length of the workshop

Adorable tunic top

Recycled T-shirts, turned into skirts - Loveworn

I met BJ McHugh of Loveworn at the Central Pennsylvania Arts Festival over the July 10th weekend in State College, Pa. BJ hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, where she makes new pieces of clothing out of recycled t-shirts. She will even make you a custom piece out of your saved t-shirts - you know those t-shirts you never wear but don't want to toss because they meant something to you once upon a time. (A skirt or hoodie seems more practical to me than a quilt, which is another idea for old t-shirts; or a rag rug, but you would never see the t-shirts anymore in the rug... Just thinking out loud)

Looking at her web site it seems that she has many more styles than she brought to the Central Pennsylvania Arts Festival. Here are a few images I took from her web site:

Little Girl's skirt - had to be fun piecing this together

Woman's jacket - wouldn't this be great made from your old t-shirts?

Women's skirt with a cute pocket

I was disappointed that she only had a few in my size - maybe that says more about me than her inventory - but I bought a lovely black and grey short skirt with a draw-string waist.

I am disappointed that I didn't find a post on another woman I stumbled upon in New Orleans who makes wrap skirts from neckties. I bought one of her fun skirts, too. I will have to see what  have in my files and introduce you to her.

Searching the term recycle, though, I found another of my fiber artists - MsCrochetJig - who uses soda top tabs in her purses.

Cely's Quilts - in New Orleans

While cruising the Rhythms Festival I admired Miss Cecelia's quilts. She had only a few on display. I wish I had spoken with her longer, but I had to run off for some previously scheduled errands. Reading her web page, I see that she is quite prolific and talented. I noticed while standing up close to her work that she uses a combination of hand quilting and machine quilting.

Miss Cecelia has traditional quilts and some like paintings; I copied these two examples from her web site to illustrate:





Taken from her web site, she provides this information about herself and her work:

Cecelia "Cely" Tapplette-Pedescleaux, a self-taught quilter, grew up surrounded with women that were seamstresses that did all sorts of handwork lace, crocheting, beading, tatting and much more. Her passion for quilting bloomed when she purchased a quilted apron/dish-cloth kit she bought to make Christmas presents in the late 1960's. From there she was hooked on quilting.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana in downtown 7th Ward New Orleans, to Jean Phillips and Albert Tapplette, Cely attended public schools in New Orleans, Louisiana State University in New Orleans (now University Of New Orleans) and Southern University in New Orleans. Cely has three children; Louis Keith, Lance Kyle, and Cheka Bahiya.

As a youth director for her church, Beecher Memorial United Church of Christ (Congregational), Cely made quilts for the youth graduating from high school, college, or getting married. As the years progressed, she began combining her quilting with African design and history. She

started quilting researching in old cookbooks, winemaking, agricultural, and architectural books that had comments on enslaved people's handiwork. Cely's love of New Orleans; which she considers a melting pot of nationalities, flamboyant colors, fragrances, and sounds serve as a catalyst for her creations. She uses brilliant colors, beadwork, and embroidery on her quilts.
Cely teaches quilting and the history of African American quilting to the public through the Beecher Memorial United Church of Christ Quilt Guild, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, The New Orleans, Jefferson and surrounding school systems as well as through speaking engagements local and abroad. Her quilts have been on exhibit in many galleries, colleges and universities, festivals and quilts shows.

Cely expanded her love for quilting in fashion when she created tor outfits for Worn Again (2009, 2010), a fashion show that show artist creativity by giving them old clothing to recycle into new garments.

Articles about her works have appeared in numerous publications. Quilter's Newsletter Magazine printed 'Missing New Orleans" in the July/August 2006 issue. Les Nouvelle- Patchwork et Creation Textiles de 1'Association France, Patchwork Magazine December 2008.

Cely has been the recipient of several awards since she begin quilting and speaking about quilts. In 2001, Cely received the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority's Artie Award for Visual Arts, an honorable merit award in the Satchmo Art Show, and the National Conference of Artist Outstanding Artist Award in 2003.

Nine of her quilts were in a French exhibit, "A Patchwork of Cultures: Traveling Exhibit from Louisiana to France," sponsored by the U.S. Ambassador to France (Paris) and the French Patchwork Association in 2008-2009. The quilts made were also in an exhibit at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum (DAR), in Washington D.C. entitled "Honoring Lafayette Contemporary Quilts from France and America in August 2010.

OMG, I started cruising the Facebook page for the Beecher Memorial United Church of Christ Quilt Guild that she mentioned on her web page. I want to get involved, but jiminey Christmas, I can't add another project to my list of things to do. I can't get done what I already have on my plate. So frustrating!

Local Quilting Artist

Ms. Cindy Grisdela is a fabulous artist - making incredible quilts that have nothing to do with what your grandmother made. She has all hand dyed vibrant fabrics and she free forms the stitching. Mostly it is geometric, but she did have a few which represented flowers. I thought her geometric and swirled pieces were the best, but art is an evolution, isn't it?

Ms. Grisdela works in Reston, VA. She makes me think of another artist I featured Ms. Judith Trager, though the colors are different and Ms. Trager's are not confined to the rectangular shape. Ok, ok, maybe the only similarity is that they are quilters....!

I saw this piece at the Washington Craft Show over the Halloween weekend this year. The colors are incredibly vibrant and the amount of stitching is impressive.

Here is what she says for herself on her own web site:

I’m intrigued by color and the way colors interact with one another. Color is such an exciting part of life--the red of a perfectly ripe strawberry, the deep blue of a summer sky, the russets and golds of fall leaves--all enhance our experience of the world. I like to use fabric the way a painter might use paint to create a mood, develop a contrast, or explore an idea.

Much of my recent work employs improvisational cutting and piecing techniques where the design evolves organically as the process unfolds. Because there's no pattern to follow, seeing the interplay of color and design is integral to my creative process. Fiber art is exciting to me because it offers a tactile quality beyond the color and line of a design. Once I’ve played with the colors and the fabric in the pieced top, I have another opportunity to add dimension to my work by quilting the layers together with whimsical free motion quilting—a process I like to think of as drawing with a needle and thread.

I use vibrant color and bold graphic design to create contemporary art quilts that have a strong visual impact as art for the wall.

I hope you enjoy your visit and come back often. I update my blog regularly with news and new work in process.

My work is represented by Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ and Chasen Galleries in Richmond, VA, and I have studio space at the Artists' Atelier at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours are 12-4 PM Wednesday and Saturday, or by appointment.

Home decor and gift items, like pillows, journals, and eyeglass cases, are available through my shop on Etsy.com.

Contact me if you are interested in commissioning a unique wall piece for a special place in your home or office, or if you're interested in having me talk about my work to your group.

New Orleans, Genealogy & Fiber Art

I was walking down Magazine Street in New Orleans when I saw a couple dresses in the window of an Optometrist. And they were spectacular dresses - silver silk painted with images of Paris, if I remember correctly. Drew me right in. A very nattily dressed man with fabulous frames and maybe even white buckskin shoes was standing outside. He and I started chatting and he was incredibly friendly. I mentioned this stroll down Magazine earlier in my post here as I discussed Theordore B. Starr silver.

I'm afraid this happened in March of this year, so I don't remember all the details, but it made an impression on me. That is when I learned that New Orleans has a burgeoning fashion week - which in 2014 was in March. But I digress.

I was charmed by the fashion and I was charmed by the artist's name - Starr Hagenbring. Starr claims that she is not aware of having Starr as a family name in her family; in fact, it was a family friend from Philadelphia, if I recall. So, drawn in by that too....


One can see the art in Ms. Hagenbring's creations - they are magnificent pieces.


Ms. Hagenbring loves silk organza - a fabric I have not yet screwed up the courage to use.


Here one can see some of the painting she does on the fabric.

She is a spectacular artist with studios in both New Orleans and New York City.

Quilt at the NYS Military Museum

I didn't expect to see any fiber art while I was at the New York State Military Museum, but hanging in the book shop was this very large memorial quilt. I am sorry the photograph is of such bad quality - I only had my archaic phone along.

It seems to be mostly for World War II, but I can't be sure.

I thought it was an interesting combination of hobbies - genealogy, history and fiber art.

Battenkill Fibers - Carding and Spinning Mill

WOW. That's all I can say.

Processing Services
Yarn Sales
Mill Tours

There is nothing glamorous about this job - you just have to be very passionate about yarn.
They are working on huge pieces of equipment which look like they came right out of the 1880s - and Karen told me that in some cases, the equipment is exactly like what they were using back then.
They need to humidify the work area so as not to get shocks. The heat can be significant inside the work space, though the other day it was cool, they were still adding humidity.
Fiber from rutting rams can be overpowering, knocking you off your feet. (I hadn't considered that as an occupational hazard.)
They will process many types of fiber - including cats and dogs! Probably not on a regular basis.... Someone even asked them about Hemp.
For the summer they employ farm raised young people for they understand the nature of 'organics' in/on the unwashed fiber.... All sorts of things fall out on the screens as the fiber is examined - bugs, sticks, grass, feces.....
The fiber is washed a minimum of two times, air dried and then sent through a humongous carding machine imported from Montreal. The pieces of loose fiber gets all over everything, gathering all throughout the machines and in the air.
Vacuuming must be a large part of the job description.... though perhaps that wasn't in the main body of the craigslist ad.


Karen, the mill manager, was very friendly and dedicated a huge amount of time to walking me through the process and answering my questions. The structure in which they are housed is a modern aluminum building - no historic building pulling power from the Battenkill river. The employees are wearing t shirts and shorts, listening to their mp3 devices with the wires tucked in to their shirts so that they don't get caught in the machinery. Karen explained to me how in the last century the women would strip to their undergarments when it was hot, but that accidents would happen when the sleeves of their blouses would get pulled in to the machinery.

Overall, my visit was a fantastic learning experience. I admire their passion. I recognize the need for the service, especially to all the farmers out there. I value the employment, especially in this fairly depressed region.

Both employees had to stop what the process to attend to the fiber - he is spinning the fiber and she is taking three spools of what he has created and winding them together to make a three ply yarn. The lengths differ on the spools, so she must change the spools on a regular basis so that there is always three threads being twisted.

This photo is taken from the other side of the machine the young man in the orange cap is working - this is from where he pulls the roving to create the threads. Nothing glamorous abut the space....

A combination of Sewing and Knitting

I am not saying I love what they came up with, but I am intrigued by the idea of combining knitting and sewing.

I was walking along a major thoroughfare in my home town and saw this in a boutique window:

Please forgive the poor quality of the image - I do not possess the latest telephone technology.

It is clearly meant to look like a sweater vest over a t-shirt, but why? Seems a rather nerdy style, but perhaps that plays in to a hipster sensibility.... but this just doesn't seem to work. And the necklace? - the stylists are trying too hard to be au courant. Look, now I am a fashion critic. (We know I have no credibility there....)

I guess my conclusion is that I am eager to see a good execution of the confluence, but that this is not it. Too bad.