Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Sewing Lockdown - Hodgepodge Farm Residency #2

Sewing in front of the fire...

This past October, I spent about 10 days at my annual Hodgepodge Farm Residency. This year the theme was "Sewing Lockdown". 
In the 10 days, I think Cal and I left the house maybe once or twice and both times were on a sewing related errand. We spend our days drafting patterns, trying out patterns we'd been wanting to make, drinking gallons of tea and cooking fantastic meals. We ended our lockdown with a totally glamourous photo-shoot showcasing our new wardrobes. 
I totally feel so much more confident with my seaming and construction techniques now - thanks to my advisor, Cal. 
Always make a muslin for fit, even if it's hideous xmas fabric!

Before I left for my trip I spend days shopping for fabric online and quite nearly "broke the bank" on organic jersey, sweatshirt fabric and other must have goodies. I really feel like I had to walk away from my "shopping cart" several times and snap myself back to reality before I continued paring down my purchases.  I think I ended up with a good base to make loads of sweatshirts, long-sleeved tees and leggings - the staples of any wardrobe (in my opinion). 
All in all, I drafted and tested patterns for: leggings, a sweatshirt, a shift dress, a smock dress and a tee-shirt. 
Long sleeved tee and crocheted Coral Cloche hat.

Cowl neck sweatshirt.

Shift dress, leggings and tee.

Smock dress.

I also made the Painted Portrait Dress by Anna Maria Horner and got to incorporate an amazing batik print I purchased at Rhinebeck by Amity Farms Batik for the yoke. The last thing was a Wiksten Tova out of a double gauze Nani Iro print - amazing. So, 7 garments, 5 of which I drafted the pattern for - to fit ME - in 10 days... Not so bad!

Painted Portrait Dress with sheep themed batik.

Wiksten Tova in Nani Iro.

As usual, I had an amazing time with Cal and being upstate NY during the autumn and meeting her new chickens, visiting Gertie and other friends. I have to admit, my favourite chicken is now "Minky"...

Cal and I posing 70s style in our Painted Portraits...
Were we to have a band, this would be our album cover.
Minky is the creamy white one...