Thread Heads Quickie - How to Turn a T-shirt into a Camisole

t shirt surgery...

Maybe you are or are not aware of the whole Wardrobe Refashion trend...basically it's taking items you own and remaking them, or thrift store purchases that you turn into way cooler items. It's so amazingly interesting to me, even though my ideas and desires far outstrip my talents to accomplish them OR my time to see them to reality. My not-quite-cool shirts and skirts just get worn as-is, most of the time, but I have a giant shelf of items that will be sooo much better with a nip and tuck here or there.

Well, Libby at Panopolie is really making me want to dig into that pile of tee shirts. She has altered a few lately and she keeps sending me links to places like T-shirt Surgery and this article from San Francisco that make me drool.
Check out the above how-to if you are ready to cut and sew your way to fashion joy!

jewelry ideas for the book

Here is a project that I am working on for the book. It is one of the last projects, in order, but not one of the last I am making. It will be an elaborate necklace with different beading or stones all the way around.
Making all this jewelry has been fun. I am really enjoying this. For the first time in years I am spending time just creating new jewelry, beading and playing with wire and color and shapes. I am waking up in the middle of the night and rushing into the studio to jot something down on my Rhodia pad (I splurged for the book and got the big one with the grid...oh, it's nice!)
Because I wasn't designing to sell my jewelry for the last few years I have been really stingy with myself. I realized I would make a pair of earrings and a bracelet and then think 'gee, that's enough new jewelry for you, get back to your regular work now.' Now I am staying up REALLY late just making new pieces and playing with fitting shapes and colors together. I think of beading as three-dimensional collage and love trying to get the combinations just right.
My studio is a HUGE mess, however, as every day I bring home more and more parts to try out in the projects. We gotta do something about that soon or I will get buried in headpins and beads and spools of chain. That is a major perk of being the queen bee. I just got six big spools of my favorite chains today. It feels so luxurious!

just dreamin' (Carol Owen Altered Book Workshop)

Carol Owen is teaching an Altered Book workshop in Raleigh this October. Yeah. I will take it. A whole day of painting and cutting and stapling and ripping and sewing and stamping. Mmmm...