• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

BirdBrain Designs

  • Home
  • contact
  • online store
  • Instagram
  • Leather Gallery
  • hooked rugs gallery

sewing

THE suit

December 4, 2012 by Birdbrain 3 Comments

I am giving a talk next year to a group of fibre artists, so I have been thinking about the key events in my ‘journey with fibre’. My mother made me my first Vogue Paris Original when I was 18. I had spent hours in Eaton’s fabric department thumbing through the pattern books until I found my dream, Vogue 1313. These patterns were well beyond the standard Simplicity and McCall’s–they cost about five times as much and were complicated–bound button holes and welted seams, inset pockets and several types of interfacing. Each pattern even contained its own Paris Original label! I was sure my life would be transformed when I put on this glorious suit and in many ways it was. But it took some coaxing to convince my mother that this was the suit for me. She had never made a Vogue Couturier pattern before and was not sure she had the skill. And it was even more of a selling job when I found the fabric–Munrospun–a beautiful wool woven in Edinburgh Scotland. At that time, Easton’s carried a full line of wonderful woollen fabric. I remember the bolts laid out on table after table, Harris Tweed, fine Italian wool and so much more. The green Munrospun I chose, as close an approximation to the pattern fabric I could find, was $17 a yard, a fortune in 1966 when the average yearly wage was around $6000.

I loved that suit and felt beautiful in it. My mother said her hands were shaking as she first cut into the fabric. But she did a wonderful job. The suit looked just like the pattern picture. And this is the magic of the world of fibre and creating. She and I became so close over that wool and pattern; through the many fittings and the discussions, the pinnings and repinnings — and the courage and plain hard work on her part — we came up with something beautiful. It was made with love and to this day we both can remember all the steps with a visceral clarity. It’s like talking about an old romance. I wore and wore that suit with pride and confidence and I am still filled with warmth and love for my mother who so valiantly played her role in my journey with fibre.

It took me months to find pictures of this pattern, but here it is in all its glory, now $65 on Etsy. A lifetime away from our great expenditure of $3.30 in Canada!

Filed Under: inspiration, sewing

screen-printed kitchen things

November 21, 2012 by Birdbrain 1 Comment

These are striped denim aprons with bright screen-printed pockets. The top pocket is my favourite bird which I have had with me in one incarnation or another for over 35 years, the second pocket, the red one, is made from a piece which I got in a package of remnants from one of my favourite designers, Heather Moore of Skinny Laminx. I think the bright colours set off the denim well.

I also screened some tea towels on absolutely beautiful linen I bought at the street market last year in Limoux, France. I bought all the vendor had–and I made matching pairs of the polka dot bird and the bird with attitude.

Filed Under: sewing

colour for the weekend

November 16, 2012 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

I gave my talk on Kenya last night (more on that in another post)–and with that checked off my list I will be concentrating on sewing all weekend, getting ready for our December 2 show. Since  I will not post  here again until Monday, I thought I would leave you with some glorious colour. I had just enough of this remnant of coated basque fabric to make two aprons. However, on Michelle’s inspiration I am coming up with a leather bottomed tote out of the striped basque cotton. Such a flash of colour. I will post it on Monday, along with some other new items, I hope. Have a great weekend everyone.

Filed Under: sewing

cold weather wear…

November 7, 2012 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

I have been making some Finger Free Gloves out of recycled cashmere and boiled wool. They are great for sketching, texting or photography — surprisingly cozy. I wore mine every day in chilly Paris. And Carissa tells me it is so cold at work that she needs a pair there! 

I am also back at mitten-making. These take a lot of time as I line them with recycled wool, mostly soft cashmere scarves — but I do enjoy making them, combining the colours and textures. Recycled sweaters are such a source of fabulous colour and design.

Filed Under: recycled wool, sewing

CB2

April 27, 2012 by Birdbrain 1 Comment

I’ve been back at the sewing machine–and this small pouch with detachable wrist strap is for my favourite girl whose favourite colour is purple. This is made from a great piece of remnant leather–have enough for at least one more–with a zipper from an old jacket. The lining is perfect–bright in purple and pink with two small pockets for the things you don’t want lose like subway tokens or secret notes. The pouch is made to fit inside a bigger bag, or step out on its own. Just for her.

Filed Under: bags and purses, sewing

irresistible fabric

February 26, 2012 by Birdbrain 2 Comments

This is the stack of fabric I brought home from Kenya. I picture small pouches made of these wonderful colours as well as leather bags lined with them–and, maybe some summer tops. Some of these fabrics came from this stand in the Kisumu market. The vendors are a mother and son team who enjoyed posing for this photo. Their fabric was delicious–you can see the pieces I purchased in the foreground. We also bought Kitenge fabric for the women at the community centre in Matangwe to make bags which they will sell on the web.I am particularly fond of this piece as it was given to me by the wife of the principal of the Metangwe school when I visited her and her husband in Bondo. The colours of this all-cotton fabric are stunning; it comes from Tanzania as you can see.I bought these pouches and luggage tags in Nairobi as I couldn’t resist the patterns. They are made in Kenya of a soft durable cotton; the brand is Kanga which is the term for the traditional Kenyan wrap worn by the women.

Filed Under: kenya, sewing

owen’s work & Carissa’s surprise

December 12, 2011 by Birdbrain Leave a Comment

My son, Owen, is an avid sailor and in his spare time he makes goods from recycled sails. Below are his toiletry bags–he cannot keep them in stock. These are made from a sail that survived the Olympics. I am delivering them this afternoon.

And…today is Carissa’s 28th birthday.  We will not see her until the weekend, so I can’t show you her present. But here is a small hint. Sshhh..don’t tell her!

 

 

Filed Under: bags and purses, sewing

screen printing and bright memories

October 30, 2011 by Birdbrain 7 Comments

What an outstanding day, made all the more by the reports of snow storms to the east! I spent the morning screen printing, listening to Michael Enright and the CBC 75th Anniversary special. So many memories. This afternoon I couldn’t resist the sunshine. When I came back inside I was inspired to make the pouch below. I gathered all my brightest scraps and sewed them together–the red skirt, the green jacket and the final pieces of the glorious Wendie cobalt.  It makes me smile!

 

Filed Under: bags and purses, sewing, silk screening

new mittens

October 9, 2011 by Birdbrain 1 Comment

On the left is a sweater destined for the dye pot with some Majic Carpet turquoise on its way to becoming pairs of mittens.  I line each pair with recycled 100% woollen scarves so these mittens are cozy!

I love to combine different sweaters in the same colourway to come up with a variety of mittens. Each pair is unique. Below are the ones which were inspired by this sweater after its dye-job.

Filed Under: recycled wool, sewing

september’s end

September 30, 2011 by Birdbrain 5 Comments

Yesterday my great friend and I spent the day at our favourite places in Prince Edward County. We ate our lunch on a picnic table at a deserted Sandbanks Provincial Park watching the gulls dive bomb West Lake,

saw some outstanding photography, ate our last Kawartha dairy cone of the summer and finished off with the best cappucino for miles.

Below are some new things to come out of the studio. The first mittens of the season–they are made from recycled 100% wool sweaters and lined with recycled woollen scarves.  As well, the first zippered tote. I’ve been wanting to make one for a while–and I think this is perfect.  I’ve stacked up some fuschia and bright blue leather for the next ones! Meanwhile this tote and several pairs of mittens are available at Bookhou–and I will be there tomorrow hooking on my giant rug from 2:00-5:00.

Filed Under: bags and purses, sewing

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Available in Store


melon pouch 1

Archives

  • October 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • January 2020
  • August 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011

Copyright © 2025 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework