Friday, April 21, 2006

Barter baby pants

Every two years, the Whitney Museum of American Art installs an enormous exhibit showcasing some of the new, important artists of the day. Carolina Caycedo is one of the artists featured in the current Biennial. Her work is conceptual: she barters goods and services she can offer in exchange for things she needs.

This sounded like a fun way to participate in the Biennial, so one Saturday, Todd and I went out for breakfast together sans Bebe, and Carolina and her daughter came to play with the kiddo. In exchange, I opened my fabric stash and Carolina selected a print, which I made into pants for her baby.

We had a great time at breakfast, and Carolina liked the pants I made. But the best part of the exchange was that our daughters got to play together twice: once while Carolina was sitting for us and once to pick up the completed pants. I forgot to take a photo of the pants (and the baby), but here is another pair I just finished making for Bebe.

summer
These are two of the pieces from Bebe's summer wardrobe. I'm not entirely satisfied with them, but I'll tweak the patterns a little more and make them again in a different fabric. Speaking of which, I'm really not happy with my fabric choices. This is what happens when you act of impulse and select fabric for a project long before you need it: by the time you actually start the project, you detest your selections. Initially I wanted to mix lots of bright prints together in a sort of Oilily style. But it was difficult to find attractive coordinating prints, and later I worried that the combinations I selected would be too garish. And I was right, but mixing muslin with the bright colors isn't really working either. For one thing, the muslin is going to get dirty really quickly. More than that, however, I just don't like the bright prints I chose.

On the other hand, I'm still liking my initial concept for the summer clothes. I love layers, especially tunics over trousers. And I can hardly wait to finish the little mock-wrap pieces because I know they're going to be really cute. But I promised my sisters I'd read this book for our sisters' book club, and I'm late. Must stop sewing and start reading. Quickly.

Incidentally, several people have asked me about the pattern I used for my skirt. I draft all my own patterns, so I'm afraid I can't give you a simple reference. On the other hand, if there's a lot of interest I would be happy to write a tutorial on altering a basic A-line skirt to add a scalloped hem. Leave me a comment if you're interested. I'll show you how to make my favorite no-waistband skirt treatment as well. They're amazingly easy and more flattering than a waistband, I think.

18 comments:

  1. I'd love a tutorial - there's always a lot to be learned from seeing how others make their patterns. Count me in!!

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  2. Anonymous8:48 PM

    a tutorial would be great!

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  3. that is SO cool that you participated in one of Carolina's "pieces"... soo sooo cool....

    and um yes... tutorial please!

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  4. I loved the scallop-edged skirt, and have been thinking on and off all day about how to go about it. Me too!

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  5. Anonymous9:52 PM

    I'm just getting back into sewing (and just recently found your blog, too!). A tutorial for the skirt would be great--educational as well as inspirational.

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  6. Anonymous10:54 PM

    I'd definitely love to see the skirt tutorial. I'm also particularly interested in the no-waistband skirt treatment.

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  7. Anonymous8:59 AM

    Yes please on the tutorial! I've just started using my Japanese skirt and blouse pattern books (because I like the patterns so much better than any I've seen here) but I'm beginning to think I'm going to need to learn Japanese--or at least 'sewing Japanese'!

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  8. I wandered over from Pozy's blog...please, please post a tutorial for that gorgeous, amazing skirt!!

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  9. Anonymous1:18 PM

    A Liesl tutorial will never go astray--would love to see it.

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  10. Anonymous8:25 PM

    I'd love a tutorial! I was inspired and asked you about the sewing machine. remember? Anyway, I started looking at the sewing machines this weekend. There are too many options to choose from...

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  11. great blog -- such lovely projects! i love bright colours, and your summer wardrobe ideas are fabulous. i'm a real novice when it comes to sewing, but am having a lot of fun coming up with ideas for my daughter.

    p.s. a tutorial would be wonderful, thank you.

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  12. Anonymous12:01 PM

    I'd love to see a tutorial. Broadening my sewing skills is one of my main goals for this spring/summer.

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  13. I have an old Singer guide on scalloped edges, but it is quite unclear. I would also appreciate your take on it!

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  14. Anonymous4:27 PM

    A tutorial will be AWESOME. Please do it.

    Thanks kindly.

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  15. Anonymous12:54 PM

    That is the cutest little outfit in the whole entire world. I want one just like it and I would even wear it in that size (which would be way to small) just to have the oppurtunity to wear something that cute! I am in love!

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  16. Anonymous5:56 PM

    I loved your skirt and would love to see a tutorial.

    Your baby clothes are darling. But you are right, the muslin will get so dirty so fast. Make the bottoms some shade of dirt. And as a mother of three kids, I would suggest care with the tunics on one this age; make sure she can climb in her clothes and not step on her hems.

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  17. Anonymous6:10 PM

    Yes, please on the tutorial. I'm not sure I'm talented enough for scallops, but it'll be a great goal. I just finished my first "Sew Betsy Ross" a-line skirt ("One Hot Skirt"). Not perfect, but I learned a lot.

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  18. Anonymous12:16 AM

    I agree about the waistband/no waistband question. I remember being very excited about the first no waistband skirt I came across, and keep being excited that it wasn't just a fad. How long has it been now? Ten years? More?

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