Recent Wearables…

After returning from a Gala and then regurgitating that atmosphere to celebrate World Art Day at the FAC Powerhouse, I have now returned to personal projects.

I received a ‘hand-me-down’ bag of iron on patches that were a pretty close match in size to campaign button-backs that I found at the Powerhouse. They posed a dilemma since the surface was covered with heavy beads and chain, so I used an embossing gun to activate the adhesive on the backs of the patches to glue them to the metal buttons. A friend designed and 3-D printed a jig that allowed me to drill through the buttons without caving them in (thanks Seth!).

Once the pieces were drilled, I used a dress form to lay out my design. I had originally planned to intersperse the embroidered medallions with plain ones, but changed my mind when I downsized the piece to a more street-wearable configuration. The pieces are wired together and backed with fake fur to bury the ends of the connecting wires and make the piece more comfortable to wear. I have submitted this piece to the Seattle Recycled Arts Juried Art Show at Fogue Studios & Gallery. I’ll announce on Facebook if I am accepted to that show.

I’ve also started a Peacock Coat. The coat is very loosely based on a Model T Duster pattern from Folkwear, the peacock is inspired by the Peacock Doors at the Palmer House in Chicago, which I visited in 2018 and have been wanting to commit to a textile ever since.

After seeing embroidery being done on a Chinese gauze coat somewhere on Instagram, I decided to work on net, so I can applique the finished peacock, rather than embroidering directly on the coat which would then require the coat to be lined. The tail wasn’t as challenging as I expected, though I think the body of the bird will be embroidered on a piece of the suede cloth due to the complexities of the pattern.

I’ve also started making my own undies, using a 1913 brassiere pattern from Wearing History. I made some mistakes on the first one, which I corrected on the second, including the addition of boning at the sides and front closure. The blue one is linen and lace, the green one is brocade lined in cotton sheeting, with lace trim and ribbon straps. Both are made from second-hand materials I already had in my shop. I found that crossing the straps in back keeps them from falling off-shoulder.

I will not be offering these for sale, but recommend the Wearing History pattern company should you wish to make your own. They are far more comfortable than their modern contemporaries (and infinitely cheaper) and work really well in tandem with my under-bust corset. They have also become fun day-wear around the studio.