Thanking You and Holiday Sale

  

I want to take a moment and thank the many many folks who have purchased my eBooks this past year.  It was a long process in writing them, but I can be proud of this accomplishment.  I wanted to share my knowledge of garment making and feltmaking to help others create a felt garment that would fit once they completed their work.  There are no real patterns for felt garments, just generic shapes.  Everyone felts a bit differently, everyone uses different fibers and different fabrics.  These factors all effect the final fit.

The holidays are approaching and the shopping season is underway.  The Saturday after Thanksgiving small business shopping day.  It is a day in which you can support your local and online small businesses.  With that concept in mind, I am putting my two eBooks (Seamless Felt Garment 1 -2) on sale for 10% off when you purchase both.

Here is a description of the eBooks:

Make your own seamless felted garment patterns!  In these two eBooks you will learn the process for creating seamless felt clothing.  No more guess work. No more ill fitting garments.  No more wasted materials. 

The intermediate feltmaker will find each eBook contains more than 50 pages of text, graphics and photos. The instructions are clear, step by step and will guide you through the process. These eBooks are like a personal workshop experience while sitting at your work table!  Work at your own pace and in the comfort of your own studio.  No need to travel to workshop locations.  

Make garments for yourself, friends, family or clients that will fit properly.  Worksheets are included to record and perform correct calculations.


Here is the Table of Contents from eBook 1 - Template Pattern and Resist.
Table of Contents
Forward
Chapter 1 Introduction__________________________ 7
Chapter 2 Materials____________________________ 9
Chapter 3 Sample Making ______________________ 10
Chapter 4 Shrinkage __________________________ 14
Chapter 5 How to take Measurements _____________19
Chapter 6 Determining Ease_____________________33
Chapter 7 Making the Template__________________ 35
Chapter 8 Making the Pattern and Resist for A-Line Top or Dress  46
Chapter 9 Conclusion__________________________ 52
About the Author______________________________ 53
Appendix____________________________________ 54

Here is the Table of Contents of eBook2  Making the Garment
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction_________________________________4
Chapter 2 Making the Garment using Standard Layout_______ 5
Chapter 3 The Reverse Layout _________________________ 21
Chapter 4 Making the Vest_____________________________ 34 
Chapter 5 Finishing the Felt Garment_____________________46
Chapter 6 Additional Garments__________________________47
Chapter 7 Conclusion_________________________________58


You will find clear images that show detail of applying wool and fabrics, a thorough explanation of how to take measurements, a sound explanation of shrinkage and its effects on your garment, and worksheets to help with calculations.  

If you would like to purchase my eBooks at the reduced rate, please visit my site at http://kathyhaysdesigns.com    I will keep the 10% discount until Nov 30.  So give yourself a gift this holiday season!  

It's Fall in Florida

There is something about Fall in Florida that makes you feel alive.  Could it be the temperature is 63 degrees at night and 75 during the day?  Or is it the Gulf breeze that is actually cool instead of hot air.  It is delightful and a great time to get outdoors.

I have been doing some dyeing now that the weather has cooled.  I need small batches of color to inlay into some works.  I also have been Eco printing. This fun activity is getting crazy at times.  A week or so ago I found a different species of Euc in a yard.  I really wanted some of that tree.  I took my business card to the door and offered to trim his tree.  Luckily for me he said 'help yourself''  So I took my nippers and pruned away.  I am so very lucky that all my print materials are less than a mile radius from my house!

I also have been working with some raw fleece.  I am plucking locks from a few fleeces to be used in some garments and accessories.  This is a tedious job, but I don't mind that I can sit at the work table, look out at the lake and enjoy the fresh Fall air.

Even Barney is enjoying the cool breeze, the warm sun and fresh air.

Eco print scarves

Last week I printed several scarves using Eco print technique.  It is so much fun, results are always a surprise!  

The rewards of teaching

            

The rewards of teaching, at least for me is not found in the explanation or contribution to a students arsenal of techniques. Or the joy of watching them open their bundles.  The real joy for me is to see what the students go on to create and how they feel a month after their workshop.

In Sept I taught a basic Eco print workshop.  The students were thrilled and excited with their new found knowledge.  This past week I was able to meet with those who participated to see their samples once dried and pressed.  I was able to speak with them about how they enjoyed learning.  Each an everyone returned for a brief meeting and they were ready to do more.

One student, Arlene printed the following pieces after the workshop.  I love what she created.

I too have done some printing as well.  Below is a raw silk shirt that was printed a few days ago.  I do love wearing this shirt!

The Leaves of Fall

Oh, the joy and excitement when we open bundles!  Some are quiet, some are anxious while others think waiting a few weeks until opening is a good idea.  Then I open mine first, suddenly there is a flurry of activity to gather around for first glimpse.  There are gasp and oooohs and ahhhhs.  Suddenly there is a fever traveling around the table.  One squeal, two squeals, another gasp.  These are the sounds and conversation heard around the table.  A fun afternoon was had by all.

Here if Florida we have many plants, but there are a few that give up such lovely prints.

And of course there is always the strong power of eucalyptus.  Such lovely works by wonderful students.

Summer is past

Wow, the summer has passed quite quickly.  I have not posted here during the summer months, simply too curious.  Yes I have been curious on many fronts.  I am always amazed how one idea or source of curiosity can lead down different paths.

One of my curiosities was with Eco print.  Living here in Florida we have many plants to sample but I chose to stick with my favorite trees and plants.  Most of my sources are within a quick bike ride of less than a mile radius.  I toyed with different combinations of iron water and  iron vinegar solutions.  Each with different concentrations and dilutions.  Some were successes while others were simply failures.  I have used a wide variety of fabrics and continue to play with materials.

I have also been stitching of felt.  I love to make felt and I love to sew.  I can use a machine quite well to make stitches but also hand stitching adds depth to felt.  How can there be so many ideas to explore and so little time to do them all?  I know that is the lament of many textile and fiber artist.

So what about my E Books for making seamless felt garments?  I plan a third installation but will be video based and go through how to design with a custom template.  The  video will not revisit how to make the template and subsequent pattern.  But the third installation will be high emphasis on garment design, how to create those designs to fit you, and inspire.

Discussion will include:
1) directional wool layouts and its effect on design
2) how to create breast circles in garment design for better fit
3) how to add different sleeve and collar types to the basic template
4) how to draft a personal design that is well suited for your body type


The first two eBooks can be purchased at http://www.kathyhaysdesigns.com

As fall arrives I will be teaching felting and eco print classes.  I will be also doing more and more stitching on felt.

Cheers to a wonderful fall!

Eco prints and Lagen look

The past two weeks I have spent some time eco printing on cotton and linen.  The process is different than silk and wool.  I wanted to challenge myself because I was going to attend a a three day workshop called "Cut Up Your Closet" by Kim Sherrod aka Calamity Kim.    In the workshop we were to purchase thrift store clothing and cut them up into a dress.  Well .... if anyone knows me, I don't seem to follow directions very well.  I want to do my own thing.  I wanted to print my fabric and use my fabrics.  I did purchase a lot of thrift store garments and printed on them so I was not too far off the class plan!   Fortunately, Kim is a great mentor to spark creativity and she had no problem with me taking the workshop and doing my own thing!  Kim loved the eco prints and was awaiting the product.

I decided to make a Lagenlook top and a skirt before the class began. I was unsure that a gored skirt would fit with the loose top style, but I think it worked.  The natural prints with that styling seemed quite appropriate.  I had no pattern, but I am pretty good at drafting and fitting. After all it is Langenlook and not meant to fit but to drape.   I had a lovely assortment of fabrics in which I could chose from.  It was just a matter of putting them all together.

I liked the idea of two pieces.  They can be worn together or they can be worn as separates.  I have other eco print scarves and wraps in which to mix and match.  For the top I wanted to keep everything linen and cotton but needed to add a few more pieces to complete the design which ended up being silk.

Here are some close up shots of the patterns.  Note that I used a sleeve in a panel to hang of the back of the skirt.  The front skirt closure is the button front placket of a shirt.

I was able to print designs such as dots and lines with the plant materials and I liked that control.

Above is a close up of an eco printed lace inset that I used around the hemline.

I am very pleased with my skirt and top.  They are summer weight and will be fun to wear.

Happy Memorial Day to all.  I do have my eBooks on sale this holiday weekend through Monday.  They are $5 off for both books.  Do stop by and take a look.  https://www.kathyhaysdesigns.com