Upcycled origami bag

In my stash was bits and pieces of jeans. I had salvaged them from a bin at the fashion institiute I used to teach at in another lifetime. 

I found a pattern for an origami bag which I could hand sew and decided to use the bits of denim and make an applique and patchwork bag. 

Blanket stitch all around and a whip stitch for the parts which had to be joined. 

The pieces of denim have been appliqued onto part of the king size bed sheet which I still have pieces of .

It's a very large and roomy bag. 

I've appliqued some rust dyed circles onto the bag.

                                                   

I rediscovered sorbello stitch and couldn't stop doing rows of it as a form of embellishment all over the bag.

Will keep this bag for shopping. I need something smaller that will work like a handbag.

The Cocoon

The Cocoon will emerge from a torn bedsheet. A cotton sheet made soft and with use and washing for more than a decade.

The idea to repurpose the sheet as a kimonoish robe came from Spirit Cloth - Jude Hill's blog as well as the Instagram account @ragmates2020 where like minded people are showcasing their work.

I'm no dressmaker so the kimonoish robe is the result of research on Pinterest.

The king size sheet allowed me to get the kimono as a single piece garment.

I couldn't wait to attach a couple of patches.

A rust dyed patch was the first addition. I attached it to the base fabric with my interpretation of sashiko. The second patch was from an experiment with bleach. I did blanket stitch around the bleached out splotches.

There is no plan as far as placement of patches, it's just whatever strikes me at the moment. So while planning the next patches I decided the sleeves ought to be symmetrical. The rest of the robe will be asymmetrical. That's the plan at the moment.

Started attaching other bits of fabric. The patches overlap and I do running stitch, almost like darning through the patches and the base fabric.

This project of The Cocoon really ties in well with my effort to adopt more sustainable living practises. To reduce the consumption of resources, and see the potential of reusing and recycling things and materials which I already possess.

I'll be looking at Kantha, Japanese boro and Sashiko for inspiration. I want to embellish the Cocoon with things in my environment -  the flora and fauna. I hope I can capture the balance and harmony of the natural world which surrounds me and constantly inspires and leaves we wondering and delighted.

June TIF

June's challenge in a simple sentence would be "stories that are and stories that are possible" The colour palette and challenge details are here.
I spent sometime trying to figure out what the challenge meant for me and then I don't remember how or when the idea emerged but it was ready to execute and I'm done with this month's challenge and its not yet the middle of June.
On the left is the source or the story called Plantation House. Plantation House is the label under which a close friend who shares the same design sensibilities as me sells her garments. She takes inspiration from the japanese kimono or african garments so her garments have simple cuts and are impeccable for the detailing and finish. She uses fabrics made of natural fibres and the styling is relaxed , the look is one of layered textures. The whole story is one of understated elegance much like life on a plantation, therefore the name - Plantation House.


On the right is a story born from the cutting waste of the garments made for Plantation House. I use the cutting waste to make one of a kind patchwork scarves and stoles embellished with simple embroidery, geometric forms and applique. All handmade and hand finished with impeccable finish and detailing.


Shalini's garments are a perfect foil for my scarves and stoles. We had a show of our work two years back and we hope to have another this year. Its intersting to see how two stories can come together and complement each other so well. Immense possibilities which I need to explore if that show is going to happen.
Now I need to catch up with the Take a Stitch Tuesday group on Stitchin Fingers. I have to do both the Herringbone Stitch and the Buttonhole stitch.

Cyber Fyber

I was alerted to the fantastic Cyber Fyber Exhibition while reading a post by Anna on her blog Serendipity .I was apparently not the only one because from what I've seen most people participating in The Take it Further Challenge are also participating in the Cyber Fyber Exhibition!

"CYBER FYBER EXHIBITION is an international event scheduled at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios, 808 Lady Street in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, USA from January 8th through 20th, 2009. The focus of this exhibition is to highlight the influences of Internet access for today's fiber artists."

Well, my participation in the exhibition is certainly the result of internet access and blogging. Blogland has opened up vast new vistas for me. Interacting virtually with people through their blogs who are geographically living half way round the globe is an enriching experience.

I'm trading ATC #81 and Postcard# 132 with Susan Lenz. By the time I got round to putting in a request to trade almost all 130 ATC's and 163 Postcards had been spoken for but I'm glad I'm participating. Now by some stroke of luck if I can be in South Carolina between Jan 8th and 20th 2009 the whole virtual to real experience will be complete!

Here are the ATC and Postcard I've created for the swap

The ATC is a little landscape - I think I was influenced by all the description of miniature paintings in "My name is Red" by Orhan Pamuk which I have put down for a while. The landscape is made of bits of tussar silk,embroidery and sequins. All hand embroidered and finished. The reverse has hand embroidered details of name, place, year and blog address on muslin.

The postcard has hand pieced tussar silk patchwork embellished with embroidery and sequins.The entire piece is handmade, the reverse has hand embroidered details of name, place, blog address and year on unbleached muslin.

Well I hope Susan will like them.I've had fun creating my first ATC and Postcard.I'll be visiting the post office in a day or two.