Things are Looking Grateful Dead

Finally I have finished this design! Weeks ago, we were assigned two pieces on silk for a Batik project. Of course, making this hard on myself, I chose to do a skeleton theme. The assignment was to have one be a scene, and the second be a closeup of that scene (the best way I can describe this). I always tell myself I'm going to keep it simple, but I never learn, because that never happens.

So I chose to do a skeleton, and then a spine - using cool and warm colors on each. I wanted the effect to be a bit more like watercolors, but since this was my first time doing Batik, that didn't really happen. However, with some silk resist, wax, and a little bit of patience, I was able to pump them out.




The Skeleton is shown all dry and hanging up on the clothes line finished! The spine here is an older shot, still wet and unwashed, with the wax still on - but you get the general idea.

In the end, I decided it looked rather Grateful Dead. However, this is only one more reason to like it. :]

I Hate the "Busy" Excuse.

But it is so true. Literally counting the days until school is over, I've had so much work. Barely had a weekend this weekend, but stories on that later. For now, I need to compose myself. And work. Some more.

In other news, I'm back into Ebay. Uh oh.

Not by Any Standards is this Well Made

But I still like it.



For one of our final projects in textiles, we were to make a wearable garment. Months ago, we dyed and printed on four yards of fabric, trying to keep in mind it'd eventually become some article of clothing. Though I went out to purchase a pattern for it, little did I know I wouldn't have enough time to use it, and it was more complicated than I thought once I actually read the directions. Returning the pattern, I set out to make a dress all on my own. It's a bit hazardous at the seems, but besides a slightly crooked zipper and a few misaligned seems, it's pretty wearable.

I started off with a straight cut top I made two thick straps for, seeing it as a halter dress. Once that was finished, I made a skirt designed to be poofy and wrinkly, which I will wear a tulle slip under to make it more fifties style. Once I scrunched the fabric enough, I sewed over the folds and came out with something that looked quite like this:



When I was finished, one of the last steps was to attach them. Taking a strip of fabric and sewing it to the shirt, I then sewed the skirt to that strip that way all of the wrinkles would show in this little cute border. The zipper was the hardest, and not centered I realize now (aka too late), but it wasn't that difficult to sew on, just had to be careful as always. The end product, with my belt, looks like this: