Old wool

One of the treasures that Kerry and I found while cleaning out some of my mom's old sewing supply stash were bags and bags of old wool scraps. The material was originally used by my mother and grandmother to make suits and dresses for themselves in the 1950's and early 60's. For some reason, they saved the pieces left over from cutting out their patterns. Perhaps they couldn't bring themselves to throw out material which probably cost a lot or perhaps they had a project in mind; I'll never know. But that brought us to the question. What do you do with old wool?

Aside from being odd shaped pieces, the fabric was in good condition. Kerry washed it all (on gentle cycle with Woolite). And then sorted the larger, usable pieces by color. And then we bagged it and put it away. Still sitting with the question, What do you do with old wool?

Even though the material is 40 or 50 years old, the colors and patterns were still vibrant and interesting. There were blue boucle plaids, several different colors of herringbone, light greens, dark greens, and tartans. We have also have vibrant reds, oranges and pinks. There are more sedate browns and greys. Some of them are more masculine, and others quite feminine. I have seen photos of my mom and grandma in dresses made out of some of these materials.

We each took some to play around with. I decided to make a few small clutch-style bags with my pieces. I liked the idea of using suiting material for a rather feminine design. I paired the wool with bright trims, satin linings, and antique buttons and broaches. I really like the results. I added pockets inside each bag, just right for a phone and a lipstick. The tassel trim isn't at all practical, but neither is the bag. It is just a special occasion bag.

Kerry made a beautiful tote bag for me using all the blue colored wools we had. Using our favorite patchwork patterns, she was able to incorporate all the different patterns we had. She accented the handle with brown and white ribbon and the result is quite nice. It has been a lovely winter bag to use.

On the web I found several others with ideas about how to use old wool. HGTV.com highlights a "Trash to Treasure" feature that recycles old wool coats to be made into placemats, photo frames and pillows. Who knows, maybe I'll try one of those projects next.

What would you do with old wool? And if you have any good ideas for wool, what about men's ties? We have a nice stash of old ties, too.

Weekend Project

Looking around my house, I am itching to bring spring inside. I am tired of the cold, the wind, the snow and mud trudged through my kitchen. I can't wait for the tulips to peek out, the robins to start singing and the birds to come to roost on my front porch. I am itching to make beautiful things to have and enjoy in my home. Making bright and beautiful things is one way I try to battle the winter doldrums.

My weekend project, which encorporates two of our goals --using our materials and living a more artful life-- was to recover two of the little foot stools I had sitting in our living room. Reupholstering furniture, wait, is that part of this blog about craft and art? Stay with me here, it is not as hard as you might think.

These stools were old and frayed, to say the least. They certainly didn't yell out, "I come from an artful home." They are the ones who put the shabby into shabby chic. Actually, there was no chic there.

Maybe I could rescue these two before they ended up at the dump. I had two fabrics in my stash that would make great new covers for these old stools. A smart red chenille and a springy yellow brocade might do the trick.

First, I gathered the tools I would use to do the job. I needed a Phillips head screwdriver, a staple gun with mid- to heavy weight staples, pliers, wood glue, new batting, scissors, and fabric.

Next, I removed the legs from the stools. Each was attached with screws. Then, I used pliers to remove the upholstry nails and staples holding the old fabric in place. I used the old fabric as a pattern template for the new material.

Each stool received a new layer or two of batting to improve it's cushy nature. I trimmed the batting and secured underneath with staples. Then I fitted the fabric. The rectangular stool was a bit more challenging, I had to sew seams at the corners to create the fitted look. Once the fabric was in place on each stool and secured with more staples, I reattached the legs.

I am pleased with the results. The ratty-tat stools have new life. The bright red chenille picks up the bright reds of our living room rug. The yellow brocade, with it's springy pattern of flowers and leaves looks lovely with my grandmother's antique chair. The touches of red, green and blue are nice to break- up the yellow background.

So, I think that I have successfully re-habed these two; they are no longer destined for the dump.

Re-Purpose, Re-Use, Re-Cycle, Reflect

Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.

~John Muir

I learned from my blog-friend Rick that today is Blog Action Day. What, I asked myself, is Blog Action Day? After following the links Rick provided, I discovered that today is a day for all bloggers to unite in a discussion about the environment.

Whether you are a "tree-hugger" or not; whether, you recycle your soda cans, or not; whether you buy organic, or not; we are all on this earth together. We all co-exist. It is a good idea to reflect on our impact on the world, large and small, around us.

The Changing Face of Colorado

The Colorado forests are under attack. The Mountain Pine Beetle has infested much of Rocky Mountain National Park as well many of the forests in the Western United States. These insects attack several varieties of pine trees, notably ponderosa, lodgepole, Scotch and limber pine. This infestation will have a lasting, significant impact on the face of Colorado. These little critters will kill hundreds, upon thousands of trees. In the photo, I took this summer, you can see the number of brown (read "dead") trees out number the healthy, green trees.

This, however, is a natural occurrence. What can I do about it? There isn't a lot I can do about this insect nuisance. But we, as people, seem to compound the problem. We cause forest fires. We use de-icers to clear our roads that make the soil uninhabitable. We build and build and build. Perhaps we should be thoughtful in the choices we make.

Unfortunately, I have no solution. Only reflection. And a wish that we are all careful with this irreplaceable earth.

In my small world, I will respond by re-purposing when I can. I will support artists and crafts people who recycle. And I will reflect on what good I see around me.

In my part, today, I hope I have joined the cause set forth by the folks at Blog Action Day.

It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

S a n d y l a n d - Handpainted Pottery

Next Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20, we have invited 4 artists to join us for our fall art and fine craft sale. I would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to each of the artists who will be joining us.

Today, you will meet Sandy. Sandy has a gentle soul, and a big heart. She is new to selling and marketing her art; it is a challenging and vulnerable position for anyone to be in. We think that Sandy's art is special because she takes regular items and turns them into magical, whimsical creations. When looking at her pieces, it's hard to even imagine that they had a "life" before she got her hands on them.

She says this about her work: "My work takes on many forms from pottery, painted tiles and "found" objects to greeting/post cards, prints, magnets, pins, containers, tote bags, clothing, et cetera. A large part of my inspiration comes from a desire to honor the Earth and all living Beings. I RECYCLE gently used items so that they will be REUSED, thereby RENEWING each item so that it is REBORN. Each piece has a chance to return to life rather than taking up dead space on our planet. Inventory is constantly changing as I "find" new treasures to paint/rebirth. This process also supports local agencies, charities, those-in-need as I purchase most of my items at places like the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store, Greenwood Wildlife Thrift, Ares, Salvation Army, Savers and many, many more. Most of my work involves recycled parts, some does not. My images range from the comical to the spiritual. "

Sandy redefines "recycling" and uses it as a creative outlet. Her pieces are special, she gives new life to carefully chosen pieces with her magical painting. She takes re-purposing to a whole new level. We are glad that she will be joining us for the sale. And, we are happy to be able to share her work with you.

You can read more about Sandy and see her work on her website. You can come to our studio on October 19 and 20 and see her work in person. What more could you want, a unique piece of art that is eco-minded as well?

Studio Tour....continued

We have visitors and friends come to the studio on a pretty regular basis, so we need to display our jewelry and other art items in a pleasing way. We have tried lots of different ways to provide an appealing presentation. So far, our latest is my favorite. On the wall we mounted a jewelry display board. This is actually a re-purposed item.This is the top of an old drafting table. We disassembled the table, wrapped the top in batting and then a burgundy fabric. With a coordinating ribbon, and upholstery tacks, we make loops from which we could hang our necklaces and earrings. It has been a useful fixture in the studio. Just this summer, we mounted the display on the wall, rather than using the table stand. Below we have an old cedar chest and some bookshelves to hold our candles, a lamp from our friend Linda, and our clearance items. Above, we hung our F and H collages.
Another of our display pieces is the bakers rack. We found the bakers rack at a local flea market. We spray painted the metal portions black and changed the knobs. We use the bottom portion to hold our art and craft library. The drawers hold pouches and small fabric items we've made. The upper portions hold various jewelry displays, including my favorite wood ones that Kerry's dad made for us.
Our other challenge is to be able to sort and contain all our our art materials, supplies and tools. That will be the topic of another blog....stay tuned.

Re-Purposing

I am cleaning up my sewing room--which is not part of our studio. It is actually my guest room. And the fabric, ribbon, and sewing machine strewn about are not conducive to having my aunt and uncle stay with us next week. And because I am the procrastinator that I am, I decided to take a "cleaning break" and do this blog.
Last spring, as I was trying to organize the materials in my sewing room, I searched around the house for a ribbon organizer. I had an idea. Why not use my old Stoneware Rack from Pampered Chef as a ribbon holder? It sits neatly on a table. It holds each ribbon spool in place. It is even pretty to look at. It is a tidy way of keeping potentially unruly materials in place.
I love the idea of re-purposing unused items for other uses. What interesting things do you use in your house to keep yourself organized?