Printing Wallpaper with Jennifer Angus

In just under a month I will be headed to Maine to take another class at Haystack Mountain School of Craft! This is the second class I have been lucky enough to take at Haystack; the first was a totally amazing knitting class with Janet Morten. Haystack is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen- practically hanging off Maine's coast, the weathered wooden classrooms and dormitories create an artistic haven that fosters community, creativity and inventiveness. I am SOOOO excited to be going back! The class I will be taking this summer is a Screen Printed Wallpaper class taught by artist Jennifer Angus.

Screen printing wallpaper is an idea that I have toyed around with for a number of years. Note: I said an idea. Although I've wanted to try it for a while, I've never managed to make it happen. I feel like wallpaper and textiles are very much related to one another. Both are decorative emblems of domesticity. Historically and contemporarily, wall paper and textiles have helped shape the individuals relationship to the home. I think that textiles and walls are both able to create a certain sense of coziness- you wrap or enclose yourself in them, you embellish them, you make them part of yourself.


It is these feelings of comfort that Jennifer Angus challenges.
"In her work, bugs are pinned directly to museum and gallery walls in patterns that reference both textiles and wallpapers. A common theme runs through this work: the interplay of the feelings of comfort experienced when viewing familiar patterns and the realization on closer inspection that the comforting familiar is actually made up of insects, something most people feel apprehension for. " (FiberArts Magazine)


Through her many installations, Angus explored themes ranging from the odd sensation of Victorian bug collecting, to colorful Kimono fabrics, to oriental carpets: all with the aim of creating conflict between beauty and uncomfort while also drawing the viewers attention to social and ecological truths.


Swooooon.

I have already started brainstorming what kinds of wallpaper I'd like to print while I'm in Maine. Have I already said I'm excited?? I AM SO EXCITED. (Click on the links for more information about Jennifer Angus!)

Happy Basting Day!

Here's another blog post I did for lillstreettextiles.blogspot.com!

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Last week was basting day in my Traditional American Block Quilting Class!



Because basting- the temporary stitches that hold together your quilt top, the batting and your backing fabric so you can quilt through all the layers- is one of the last steps, it is also one of the most exciting. Really, it's kind of like a holiday. It's the first time you get a real sense of what your quilt is going to look and feel like and you can see the warm, cozy light at the end of the tunnel.


Or, in this case, a warm and cozy potholder. (My demo sample.)

Everyone is working on separate project and they are all coming out lovely!


Jessica basting her sampler.


Tracy's making a set of potholders that look like a picnic! Doesn't that green cordouroy remind you of astroturf?


Making a cat bed. Best night sleep that cat'll ever have


Basting her sampler lap-quilt. Ooh pretty!

Check out more photos at my flickr! And be sure to stop by this weekend's festivities to see some more quilt blocks on display in the textiles department. I'm hoping to be able to teach this class again in the fall or winter- anyone interested?

Hope you see you there!

--Nora

My Life in Teal

The great thing about being able to propose classes to teach is that then I get to make the things I want! Which is how I got to teach my Sew Your Own Hooded Sweatshirt class at Lill St in the fall! Everyone made amazing sweatshirts! And I got to make...

My ideal sweatshirt.

Like ever.

In the world.

That's right. I printed gold woodgrain onto teal sweatshirt fleece.



The sweatshirt has a cowled neck, front pockets, brown ribbing and... wait for it...



Gold woodgrain buttons! Swoooon!

I'm thinking of selling custom sized versions of these on my etsy. What do you think? Click on any of the photos to see the rest of the pics over at my flickr!

If you're interested in learning how to print and sew garments (or bags or hilarious objects) come on over and take my print & sew class this summer at Lill St! It's gonna be a blast!

Sewing Classes at Lill St Arts Center

Here's a blog entry I just threw together for the Lill St Textile's blog! So much good information over there...

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Hi everyone! Nora here...

Just finished another round of my First Time Sewing class this past week: my Tuesday night class had a blast putting together our tote bags and eating tequila-flavored chocolates...

Lindsey wearing her completed apron.

The class with their finished products!

Don't you want a great tote-bag/ apron set? Come and take a first time sewing class with me!

Meanwhile, on Saturdays my Garment Construction class is working steadily on their projects:

Emily tracing her paper pattern shapes onto the fabric for her dress.

So pleasing!

(Check out some more studio photos at my flickr stream.)

There are new classes starting next week- I'd love to meet lots of new people and see tons of familiar faces in my upcoming classes! Hope to see you there!

Priestly Robes in the Church of Prince

First there was the Clanket.... and then there was...

The Prancet

That's right, friends... a PRINCE THEMED SLANKET. Made to order for my good friend, Lisa Giokas!

NRR: So Lisa, I take it you are something of a Prince Fan. When did you first know you were going to fall in love? For example, what was your first album?

LG: Let's see- well the first Prince song I really remember is "1999". I loved it instantly and at the time (1983), 1999 seemed way far off in the future. Soon after I got hooked on "Little Red Corvette". The first Prince album I bought with my own money was of course "Purple Rain" and yes it was vinyl!

NRR: Prince has had some pretty spectacular fashion moments over the course of his career; what do you think was his high-point? His low point?

LG: I think we all know about the famous ass-less yellow pants he wore- I think it was to the MTV awards? Definitely a low point. I've never really liked his hair long and straight either. I think it looks much better short. The past few years he's been wearing some amazing custom made suits. And we can't forget the killer shoes he wears!! I read once that Prince has all of his shoes custom made for him by a cobbler in Spain. I don't know if that's true or not but it certainly sounds fancy :D No matter what Prince is wearing, he looks pretty damn good for a man about to turn 53.

NRR: What made you first interested in having a Prancet?

LG: I saw the awesome "Clanket" you made for your roommate Lucy and thought it looked so cozy and fun. My mind just started brainstorming and I came up with the Prancet idea. Having seen your work before, I knew you'd do a great job at constructing this very special garment. I think it's pretty cool that Prince has created a symbol that is instantly recognizable as his. It's like his own personal hieroglyph. I still think you should make a reversible black/white swan blanket which would of course be called The Swanket!

NRR: You've just gotten all your Prancet desires fulfilled; what are you gonna do next?

LG: That's a good question. I have some sewing projects of my own that I'd like to start working on (a long neglected counted cross stitch project, a jumper and a gift for a friend). Then I'll be doing a little traveling this spring and summer (NYC and Oregon for a friend's

wedding).

My closing thoughts on Prince- if you ever get a chance to see him play live- do it. I promise you won't regret it. He is truly one of the most talented musicians living today. He's always on those lists of most underrated guitarists. Check out his solo on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".

Thanks again Nora for collaborating on this project! It was a blast.

A hearty thanks and your welcome to you, too, Lisa! I love working on crazy awesome projects like these- especially for friends! I hope you get many cozy winters' use out of your Prancet!

Many more photos over at my Flickr stream; go check them out!

My parting thoughts on Prince? I think this video of Prince on The Muppet Show pretty much sums it up. There's something all too fitting about seeing him with muppets after spending so much time with polarfleece that was that shade of purple...

The Summer of Seamripper

The sounds of a sewing studio are part of what makes me feel at home while I'm working. The roar of the machine, the zip of a zipper... snaps, tears, slices... le sigh. Home! So, what if those sounds were recorded and combined with music? That is the question being asked by my good friends, "Rose and Jade" of Viv Pickle Custom Handbags!

Project Seamripper

Seamripper is a project designed by two seamstresses to celebrate the cacophony of the sewing studio. We've spent enough time in the studio to be considered masters of our skill, but just how much control do we have over the aural experience?

We will use unconventional instruments generally used for sewing to create experimental music. We've been calling our sound "industrial" or "stitchcore", but we're just as concerned with the process as the resulting music. Many of the individual sounds are percussive, like the click of pins on a magnet want or the swish of a pair of shears. We'll fill in the melody with our voices, and with tongue-in-cheek lyrics of the trade. Our vision is to create a roughly polished album- made with great skill, and with stitches showing.

These ladies are amazing artists and I can personally assure you that anything they work on will be beautifully crafted with humor and an aesthetic that will make you buckle at the knees. Check out their kickstarter and consider supporting this awesome project! They also have a blog, which I hear will have give-aways... swooon!

Let the Summer of Seamripper commence!

Knit with Color at Lill St!

Be not afraid! Come take my knitting with color class! You need only have a basic understanding of how to knit but the skills we'll cover in this 5 week class will open up a world of possibilities: you'll be able to tackle more complicated knitting patterns and be able to start designing your own.

Knitting with color can be as simple as adding stripes,


As traditional as a fair isle sweater,



Or as creative as drawing.

(My own Sirius Black scarf knit in alpaca.)

(Part of my knit postcard series- now on view in the Lill St. Textiles department- read more about the project here!)

Our class projects will cover all three of those options with a series of small projects. We'll also learn about what materials are best for color work and how to treat/wash your pieces once their completed. Slideshows of inspirational images, both traditional and conceptual, will be given as well.

It's gonna be a blast! Hope to see you all there!

Knit With Color: Text, Image and Structure (5 Weeks)

Level: MultiLevel (Beginner to Advanced)

Price: LAC Members $160.00 / Non-Members $165.00

Class Description

Have you ever wanted to knit colorful compositions or wonder how on earth they knit those beautiful fair-isle sweaters? Knitting with color is easier than you think! Investigate intarsia and fair-isle colorwork while learning to plan designs for independent projects. Some yarn provided; students are asked to bring knitting needles and a sense of adventure. First Time Knitting or knowledge of the knit stictch recommended.