#7 Sparks! Summer 2007
Diane Ericson’s Creativity Newsletter & Studio Notes
I am just back from the National American Sewing Guild (ASG) Conference in Sacramento California. It was fun to catch up with so many of you there and meet some new friends and sewing enthusiasts. If you have just joined the newsletter, welcome! The focus of my newsletter is to share the exercises and experiences that spark my creativity and inspire the different mediums I like to work in.
FASHION ILLUSTRATION CLASS
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I am a life-long artist and love painting and drawing as much as I do working in fabric. I have started sharing this love through a new class this year called Fashion Sketching or Fashion Illustration. If you are interested in this, I will be offering it in Chicago and Minneapolis this fall with the Sewing Expo (http://www.sewingexpo.com) that will be held there. The class has been well-received this past spring and I'd love to share it with you this fall.
STENCIL BOOKLET EXPANDED
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Stenciling has held my passion this spring. I just updated and expanded my Stencil Booklet.
Click this link to have a look at some the information and design ideas.
http://www.dianeericson.com/pc/stencil-booklet/STENCILS/Stencil+Booklet
MY LOVE OF RECYCLING
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I am always in recycling mode and love to remodel my clothes. Linen is my shirt fabric of choice. I redesigned the sleeve on a favorite coral color linen shirt. It started out with a traditional long sleeve and cuffs and I used the pieces to make it a bell-shaped 3/4 sleeve. I used the Calla Lilly Stencil and the Eucalyptus Leaves Stencil to create the surface design on the garment. Notice that some of the stenciled images are just the tip of one of the leave designs: I find it adds interest to vary how much of a stencil I am printing with, so just printing a corner or a tip of a design gives me a new detail. The curves shadow line was created by printing just along one inside edge of the Calla Lilly stencil. In some cases, it worked well to disguise the piecing I did in remodeling the garment.
Link to Coral Linen Shirt:
http://www.dianeericson.com/pc/recycled2/recycledDesign/Coral+Linen+Shirt
Link to Calla Lilly Stencil:
http://www.dianeericson.com/pc/Stencil-09-CallaLillies/STENCILS/Calla+Lillies+Stencil
Link to Eucalyptus Leaves Stencil:
http://www.dianeericson.com/pc/Stencil-16-Eucalyptus/STENCILS/Eucalyptus+Stencil
Remember whatever your favorite surface design- printing other detailing helps direct the eye of the viewer...creating more focus where you want it. When printing on a ready-to-wear piece, sliding a piece of cardboard into the garment will keep you printing on one side at a time. I usually replace the buttons at the end of the remodel- so they compliment the new look I want it to have.
THOUGHTS ON COLOR
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Color notes: Using the unexpected yellows, bronze with poppy red on the coral color makes the design more unique and the colors play off one another. A good color wheel, click below to see my choice of color wheels, is a very useful tool in my design studio, and a great reference for easily expanding my color thinking quickly when I am in the middle of a project. A good color wheel can be a great teacher: expanding your understanding and confidence with fabric color combinations too.
Link to my favorite Color Wheel:
http://www.dianeericson.com/pc/ColorWheel/NOTIONS/Color+Wheel
Color Mixing Tip: When mixing paint colors, adding a bit of the color opposite the color you are using (on the color wheel), will dull the intensity of the color. It can also give you another variation of your first color to use as slight contrast while staying with the same color.
MY FAVORITE RECYCLED GARMENT
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My linen vest with black trim is a favorite recycled piece. I used the Bugs in Flight Stencil, Eucalyptus Leaves (see link above) and Fall Leaves to add a fabulous pattern to this vest. I started with an over-sized, ill-fitting jacket: added the black trim fabric, buttons and unique folding to create this vest design. I like to work on a dressform to fold the shapes. Next I pin, baste and steam them with an iron and try it on to see how it is working on me. I stitched the fold as a big tuck across the front of the vest-so it became a flap for the pocket. In the back, I stitched the rest of the fold down.
Link to my Linen Vest:
http://www.dianeericson.com/pc/recycled3/recycledDesign/Linen+Vest
Link to Bugs in Flight Stencil:
http://www.dianeericson.com/pc/Stencil-20-BugsinFlight/STENCILS/Bugs+in+Flight+Stencil
Link to Fall Leaves Stencil:
http://www.dianeericson.com/pc/Stencil-03-FallLeaves/STENCILS/Fall+Leaves+Stencil
Once I am happy with the new design, I do the permanent stitching. This vest, I printed before I folded it into a smaller, more shaped garment...then added a few more accents once the folding was complete. A trick for securing raveling buttonholes: stencil a design over the buttonhole, on both sides with a heavier application of paint. This will extend the life of the buttonholes and give them more body....in addition to making the closure more interesting. To finish the vest, I stacked shell buttons through a second button with a bead to finish it on top.
NEW PATTERNS
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With the fall season in sight, I am excited to share some new pattern designs. In the next newsletter, I will share my progress and give you the inside scoop on what they will be.
Much Joy to you in your creative daily play!
Diane
