Day 1- Poetry and Clutches

Today is the first day of my 30 day project, a challenge to create a new piece (a garment, accessory, or another product) every single day, and to emerge with 30 finished pieces.

2/24/14

This morning I called my grandmother to chat. She is struggling with memory loss, so sometimes the conversations are choppy and sometimes she uses conversation to try to make sense of her surroundings. This morning, as we both drank our coffee, she methodically described the back yard at her house:

"I have a big tree,

And it stands in the middle,

And I'm very proud of it."

She said it just like that, almost as a poem. 

I was lacking inspiration today before that conversation so I was grateful for the poetry with my morning coffee. My project today is an illustration of my grandmother's words.

. 

I began by cutting paper at random, folded in half, (a la Rorschach, however I'm sure I was highly influenced by my trip to the Museum of American Folk Art yesterday which featured a piece by Fabio Costa that included symmetric pieces in a similar form*) to create a quilted applique to a oversized t-shirt I was imagining. I cut about 10 designs and appliqued a few to test them out. 

Paper applique mock-ups

An attempt at some layered applique which looks far too futuristic for today's efforts.

For this project I pulled out a variety of muslin and twill tape in different shades of white. I had intended to use the waffle-knit fabric on the dress form, but I didn't end up using it today. It was, however, one of the reasons I chose to work in white. 

Applique placement

Bodice piece, quilted front and shoulders

I worked on the shirt for a while after deciding on the applique shape. I added stripe-quilted shoulders to help balance the weight. I wanted to finish a piece by the end of the day though, so I opted to make a clutch using the same concept and leave the shirt to be completed another day. 

Part of the objective of my 30 day project is to use up most of the materials I have in my apartment, for the sake of both thrift and creativity. I had some scraps of mattress ticking that I thought would look great with applique. 

The final piece is made out of mattress ticking, muslin, twill tape, navy blue leather, and features a large glass crystal in the center. It functions as a foldover clutch, and I will add magnetic closures as soon as I buy some.

Finished piece. Lined with muslin, base is leather.

The crystal was a last minute addition, but has a pretty fantastic affect. 

I'm loving the quilted effect, particularly over the patterned fabric. Next time I will try a leather applique, although I imagine the sewing process will be much more complicated.

One work in progress and one final piece. 

Some ideas based on today's work:

1. Using a sheer fabric such as organza and quilting beads into the applique (my sewing machine is crying already...)

2. Appliqued hearts using the mattress ticking...on something. I don't know. It's February. I can't help but make a few hearts. 

3. Stitching on paper. Tested my zigzag stitch on paper and was surprised at how well it sewed. Actually saw some like this in the museum gift shop yesterday. Considering some sort of drawing-with-thread decoration on a card stock accessory; maybe a reinforced clutch or a bib necklace... backed with felt?

xo

Arielle

*http://fashionandfolkart.tumblr.com/exhibition?

PS- This item is now available for sale in my Etsy shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/SalkinAccessories