Touch up for Softies

I was contacted by a gal who has two daughters with well-loved softies from their childhood...and like any well-loved companion, time and all that love does start to show up!

I rarely do repairs on dolls, but when a child is involved- it pulls on my heart strings-how could I say no...

Understand that these are precious companions...which I can so relate to- I still have my Raggedy Andy from when I was three...so our discussion began and we went back and forth on what exactly was to be done and timing- these buddies cannot be away from each other for too long of an extended period!

We set the date, I gathered supplies for this very delicate procedure, and the dolls were brought in. Now, I have to make one thing very clear, before you attempt to repair a well-loved soul, the repair must be clearly stated on both ends!! It is after all very important to have this done right!

My mission was to repair a Lambie and a Dolly.

Lambie: Replace face

Dolly: Stabilize face and replace hands

So now that I had them in front of me, I decided to hand dye the needed fabrics to match the well-loved color...got my Procion dyes out and started mixing and testing the color match...

 ..and like any good artist, I was so involved in the process that...I stained my finger tips...

Next round...gloves...

So after carefully repairing these precious darlings...I was happy in the way they turned out...

But the bigger questions is- would they be happy???

Your answer!

Too cute- huh!?!

Dollmaking is so much more than sewing something together...it is all about the love that goes into it!

New Japanese Book

One of my new favorites is Modern Patterns of Japan: Sweet and Nostalgic, which was given to me by my friend Irene.

It filled with prints from the period 1955-1965.  Yonagadou from Osaka, Japan has been collecting these patterns for many years from paper, fabrics, kimonos and vintage clothing. She then begun to turn them into stationery and wrapping paper.

 link here to Japanese site

link here to US site

If you like Japanese design and love vintage ~ this book is for you! The book mostly comprises of pages and pages of the designs...a few pages of design application but mostly up to you to decide what to do with these marvelous and colorful  inspirations!

 
I have chosen some of the cute designs, since that is where my interest within Japanese design tends to go...but there are other more traditional designs included in the book.

I especially loved the pages of candy wrappers..

close  ups...

Inspiration comes from many areas of life and I find the Japanese culture to hold so many varied gifts...their surface design being just one!

Gone Teaching

This week I am at John C Campbell Folk School teaching. 

I just LOVE it there!

Our project for this week is the Marionette...

Can't wait to tell you of our adventures!

Embroidered Book Covers

You know how it is...you are researching for something online and one thing leads to another...another...

when I came across this blog and her discovery of book binding from the British Library.

 

Embroidered book cover with sequins. 

The Holy Bible (London, 1642)

The British Library holds one of the world's leading collections of fine and historic bindings. Numbering in their thousands, the bindings are included in discrete specialist collections and dispersed individually throughout the Library's holdings.

 So I had to check it out..old books... I refined my search to the ones that have embroidery! I was entranced with the number and the beauty of these book covers. The history and that they are revered and valued in today's world. This has touched me...in the time, love, and skill that someone took to make these glorious pieces. Especially in today's time, when even a real book with pages has lost favor...yes, I am guilty of this too and yes, I finally broke down and purchased a kindle...I so hope you can take a moment and think of the skill that went into and enjoy the beauty of these book covers...

The Whole Book of Psalms London 17c

 There is a hole which would have accommodated a ribbon 

(now lost) passing around the top and bottom cover.

 

England 17c

Pictorial. White and cream satin. In an embroidered binding with silver threads, enclosed in a bag, also embroidered. 1 ribbon tie.

England 16c

Psalmes of Confession

Remnants of 2 pairs of ties.

 Sequins and metallic threads used.

England 16c

New Testament Greek

owner: Elizabeth I, Queen of England (1533-1603)

With the arms of Elizabeth I. White Satin with silver threads.

 

England 17c

The Booke of Common Prayer

Owner: Montague, James, Bishop of Bath and Wells (1568?-1618)

2 pairs of silk ties. Red silk pastedowns

England 17c 

The Holy Bible

Owner: James II, King of England (1633-1701)

With 2 pairs of red ribbon ties

On the website there are 118 pages of embroidered book covers. This is a mere taste of what is there. As I viewed all these covers, I realized that it was just the very wealthy who had books and during that time period most of the reading was done through the church...but I think of the people who hand-made these covers..who where they? servants, court Embroiderers, were they held in high regard for their talents?

So coming back to our time period and what fits into today's world~ can't I make a glorious cover for my kindle..and someday someone might ask Who made this cover for this ancient device??

"Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.” 

Mahatma Gandhi

Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective

Paris. Madrid. Denver.

Yves Saint Laurent, Long evening dress, “Paris” haute couture collection, Fall–Winter 1983. Black velvet sheath dress, “Paris rose” satin bow. © Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, Paris/Photo A. Guirkinger.

"A sweeping retrospective of the designer’s 40 years of creativity, Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective features a stunning selection of 200 haute couture garments along with numerous photographs, drawings, and films that illustrate the development of Saint Laurent’s style and the historical foundations of his work. Organized thematically, the presentation melds design and art to explore the full arc of Saint Laurent’s career, from his first days at Dior in 1958 through the splendor of his evening dresses from 2002. The Denver Art Museum will be the only United States venue for the exhibition."

more here

As a lover of fashion, I was so thrilled that the YSL exhibit was coming to Denver...talked to other fashion gals..set a date...and bought our tickets!

Of course, I had heard of Yves Saint Laurent...who hasn't!?! As we entered the exhibit, I was at first thinking that the garments were...well nice...but as I roamed through the exquisitely displayed pieces, I soon realized the genius of this man...the clean lines, the detailed precision in his workmanship. His true love of fitting his garments on live models in lieu of dress forms for the ease and grace of movement of the fabric and of the woman.

Yves Saint Laurent, Long evening ensemble, haute couture collection, Fall-Winter 1976. Emerald and sable velvet bolero; peacock blue-and-gold chiffon; Prussian blue Ottoman skirt. © Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, Paris / Photo A. Guirkinger.

 After the great success of the le smoking tuxedo a year earlier, the appearance of a pant suit opening the Yves Saint Laurent 1967 Spring-Summer runway show presented the notion of the menswear inspired piece to be worn both day and night. 

 

Yves Saint Laurent, Short cocktail dress, Tribute to Tom Wesselmann, haute couture collection, Fall-Winter 1966. Purple-and-black wool jersey, encrusted “face” motif. ©Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, Paris / Photo A. Guirkinger.

 Yves Saint Laurent, Short evening coat, haute couture collection, Spring-Summer 1971. Green fox fur. ©Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, Paris / Photo A. Guirkinger.

All though Monsieur Laurent did not travel much outside of Paris and his second home in Morocco, he found inspiration in other cultures.

 

Russia: Yves Saint Laurent, Long evening ensemble, haute couture collection, Fall-Winter 1976. Emerald and sable velvet bolero; peacock blue-and-gold chiffon; Prussian blue Ottoman skirt. © Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, Paris / Photo A. Guirkinger.

Spain:  Yves Saint Laurent, Torero ensemble, haute couture collection, Fall-Winter 1979. Pink gazar cape; gold and pink lamé bolero and knickerbockers; bright pink satin and taffeta blouse. ©Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, Paris / Photo A. Guirkinger.

Monsieur Laurent also found inspiration from the great painters comparing the use of paint to the use of fabric. 

 Yves Saint Laurent, Long evening dress, inspired by Henri Matisse, haute couture collection, Fall–Winter 1980. Black velvet and moiré faille, multicolored satin appliqué leaves. © Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, Paris/Photo A. Guirkinger.

YSL’s famous Mondrian shift dress and Short evening ensemble, Tribute to Vincent Van Gogh, haute couture collection, Spring-Summer 1988. Jacket embroidered with sequins and pearls; green crepe blouse; purple crepe skirt. ©Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, Paris / Photo A. Guirkinger.

Other interest!

The amazing hallway of floor-to-ceiling fabric swatches and their resulting dresses. Photo by Erica Nikolaidis.

 An intricate re-creation of YSL’s workspace layered with artful curios and inspiration boards. A film clip projected on an adjoining wall covers YSL’s early years at Christian Dior. Photo by Erica Nikolaidis.

As you leave this last room takes your breath away...these tux's and all the beautiful ballgowns!

The final room with 28 foot ceilings covered with Le Smoking Tuxedo Jackets. Photo AP

 Fabrics, Sketch, Dressforms and Dress-Up...with Kathy and Ellen!

so...why not?!? 

As we were waiting for the shuttle my dear friend asked me if I got loads of ideas...thinking about it for a moment my reply was that I got a feeling...his feeling for the love of fabric and the gentleness of his spirit that flowed through each of his pieces.

 Thank you YSL for all your talent, 

inspiration, and gentle love of fabric! 

photo FranceAmerique.com

 Yves Saint Laurent, who reworked the rules of fashion by putting women into elegant pantsuits that came to define how modern women dressed, died Sunday evening June 1, 2008. He was 71.