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... 





4 comments:

  1. Great post! Love your outfits...I want some too!

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    1. You should dust your sewing machine off and get sewing!

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  2. i adore seeing creative sewing! so happy you are designing and sewing your own creations , and you look great too!

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  3. I adore farmhouses. My granny has one in the village. She invites us to visit her every summer, but I've work and can't possibly go there. She's scolding us all the time, but such is life. I can't leave my clients without help.
    Hilary

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