Altar Cloth & Paraments: Dedicated!

Sunday was the dedication/blessing of the completed parament set for First Presbyterian Church! I think they looked really good in their new home. I hope they bring lots of joy to the worship there for many years to come.



(CLICK the photos to see them bigger & better!)

Working and loving it!

Busy working in the gorgeous studio.....I have a pile of cashmere sweaters from the thrift shop all washed and ready!

See the pile? so pretty!

I'm scheduled to do some arts & crafts type festivals this May & July, so I'm concentrating right now on increasing my inventory of super-soft and cuddly Kashmere Kitties....not only are they cute, but they're environmentally-friendly!


See the cut & sewn up "skins" that I made next?? They look a little creepy and forlorn like that, I know.


I've also drafted NEW patterns for cashmere plushness! I've got a pattern that doubles as either a lamb or a puppy (see the pink & blue skins lower left) and I re-patterned an Owl, mostly for Dear Daughter. That will be the argyle "skin" on the bottom right!

Stay tuned, I'll post pics as I get them all stuffed and pretty!

a little Red Panty for me!

Lately all the Red Panty clothing has been for the shop...even the pieces I made for myself have sold! I did manage to "steal" one away, then promptly got grease on it, so it's ruined, drats!

But last week, I finally had some time to myself, and dug thru my box of thrift store finds for some cool fabrics that spoke to me! Tried out a new style for summer, and now I've got 2 new pieces for me!

I started with a Coldwater Creek linen wrap skirt, in a medium, ha! Green linen with wonderful dark pink roses in a faded out print. Almost despaired of finding something to pair with it, then, Voila! A Chico's linen shirt, also a medium, ha ha, but put them together and I have something great!

I actually tested the fit out on another top for me, from a black printed jumper, not shown here, but it's fun for summer. Straps to allow me to wear a proper bra, because no one wants me without one! Me either, though!

The pink & green number is nearly a dress, although I usually wear shorts or leggings under even in the summer: hate to chafe!

What?? Ghost Kitties & Devils in a movie??

Yep! That's taken up a good portion of my time lately! Well, that and Dear Daughter's Graduation from College, yippee!

alright, movie talk: I sell my Ghost Kitties on Etsy (love etsy!) and on the evening we got back from DD's graduation, had a message asking if I could make a quantity of L'il Devils and Ghost Kitties to decorate a set for a movie being filmed in Louisiana. My response: uh, YEAH! So, after a day or two working out the details, got the order for 2 dozen assorted!

Of course that meant I had to quickly make 10 Black kitties and 10 L'il Devils. Devils made of fabric that's out of print. So I dyed some, and finished them this morning. UPS'd them to Louisiana, and am hoping I will be told the name of the movie eventually, cause I certainly want to see these guys on the big screen!

May is for Beginnings and Endings

It's May, and I'm not sure where April went!

The Red Panty trunk show at the City Art Center was a success from my point of view; lots of ladies came to check out the clothing, try it on, and purchases were made!



Trista Hill & I led the First Ladies Night ART evening at the http://www.cityartcenter.org/. We had 6 participants, and through centering, expressive movement, drawing and observation exercises, opened up our creativity! Trista & I will lead another Ladies Night ART on Friday, May 25th, so don't miss it!

Over the weekend, I spent 2 days at the College of Wooster; Friday was IS presentation day, and of course Ana was fabulous! She's so natural, you don't even realize she's reading from her notes. Then Sunday the Equestrian Team had its first ever Rodeo, featuring dressage, hunt seat, all types of stirring horse & rider drills set to wonderful music. The Western riders gave a calf roping demo, and Ana was the first to snag hers! She looked so good! I didn't get to take a single picture myself, since I was the announcer reading the script that gave the riders' bios, horse information, etc. But it was a gorgeous day, and a lot of fun!

What's up next? Well, in the next 14 days, I'll hang 2 quilt shows at work, dismantle the senior art show on graduation day at OWU, see my beloved daughter graduate from Wooster (her father is wearing full Scottish dress, Prince Charlie jacket, Wallace plaid kilt!), move said daughter back home for good (for awhile), give a talk about my art quilts to a big guild in Columbus that I used to belong to, enjoy First Friday in Delaware, try to clean, organize, sort and get rid of some stuff around the homestead. In the meantime, still trying to exercise my thumb and get it fully recovered....I had no idea it would be such a slow process. It is, however, better than BEFORE the surgery, so I don't regret it. Apparently, I am old and do not bounce back from things like I used to!

Red Panty Workshop!

Yep! I'm doing it!

If you'd like to make your very own Red Panty style garment, sign up for a 1-day workshop! Saturday, June 9th, from 10-5pm, ending with our very own little Runway Show!

I'll take you through the steps I use to create a top from recycled thrift clothes, from fabric selection, layout, deconstruction, pattern choice/making, to the actual sewing. At the end of the day, you should be able to strut down the runway looking fabulous, darling!

Sign up! you know you want to!

(I can email the flyer to you, just contact me!)

New Red Panty clothing

Surgery's over, yay! Stitches are out, double-yay! No, I did not take photos because I get a little queasy just thinking about it, let alone looking at it! I start some therapy on Monday, to try to bring the swelling down and loosen up the thumb. Right now, it's about like it was before the surgery, but this is supposed to improve from here.

I DO want to share some photos of the last piece I worked on right before I had the cutting, though: a little dress from 2 thrifted men's dress shirts! The olive green knit coordinates with the stripe in the white shirt. I've still got a few seams to finish, and I'm thinking about some sparkly embellishment for the neckline. Also trying to decide on a detail to just bring in the waist a little bit, for some figure flattering shape.

I have some more shirts to deconstruct and whip up into a couple more dresses, so those will be posted as they're finished. Using scissors right now is a challenge, they hit right where the incision was, and that's still a little tender (yes,I'm a big baby!)

Red Panty Runway Show!

Yay! I'm doing it again!

April 15th, Sunday afternoon 2-4pm (ish) at the City Arts Center in Delaware! New spring designs, of course featuring upcycled thrift finds. The timing coordinates with the City Arts Center challenge for the month of April: artists will be given vouchers to the ReStore where they can get overstocked paints, lumber, lots of stuff, to create new works for the gallery. Reduce, reuse, recycle!

Etsy Shop Expanding

With the news that Go Figure Consignment would be closing at the end of the year, I was understandably worried about what to do with all my Red Panty clothing inventory. So I've been listing it in my Etsy shop, 4 pieces last Thursday, 6 pieces yesterday.

I've already sold 3 pieces to one lucky lady, so this will hopefully bring added momentum to both my shop and myself! I need to move this stuff, people! I must make room for new pieces of spring fashion, and my rack in the studio is full to bursting right now.

Selling something to someone who likes it is definitely a motivator; I want to get in there and make lots of new stuff! Although right now, it's all about the Christmas presents I have to make....lots of them!

So try to find some peace during this holiday season, and I'll post pics of all the gifties being created in the barn!

A Day of Rest

Ana declared today a rest day, no hiking or digging! So I ventured out to the Art Barn for the first time in 3 weeks, and whipped up 2 Raglan tops that I'd cut out earlier, and took some photos of the new Yo-Yo necklaces!


Here's Ana in one of the new tops; She's so pretty! She helped me re-discover some good thrift shop finds in the Barn that I'll be recycling soon.


Here are the new necklaces; I'm very torn, should I list these on Etsy or hold them for the Block Party in July?? Go Figure Consignment and the other businesses on the block have been feeling like the ugly stepsister of the Short North lately. Even though they're all members, they never get featured and events never seem to make it all the way north to them. And they're really not that far! So July 21st they're having a block party, staying open late, and we'll have some Red Panty Models roaming the block in new fashions! Yay!

More uses for Yo-Yo's!

Much as I enjoy making pretty yo-yo headbands, I wondered if there wasn't something else I could do with them! and the answer is....YES!


I made 2 sample necklaces and took them down to Go Figure yesterday with the new tops, and Sherri was still wearing the green one when I left! I guess I'll be making more, and also listing them soon on Etsy!

Careful what you wish for!

....because you might get it with a vengeance! Was it a mere 7 days ago I was bemoaning the constant rain? Now what do we have....muggy, super warm, no relieving rain yet! Oh well!

On the other hand, I HAVE received blessings on the financial side! I made another sale on Etsy, and completed a commissioned Red Panty top, too! My ebay selling has stayed solid, and my spirits are up, hoping to avoid the greeter job at Walmart!

I'm inspired to work again in the Art Barn, making more Red Panty tops for both the Etsy shop and Go Figure Consignment in the Short North. Sherrie and I have an appointment set to talk about another Fashion Show....we need a bigger Venue! and that's the tough part.

I've found some fun skirts at the thrift recently and can't wait to rip 'em apart for something new.

What are YOU having fun with?

Working for a living

ugh, after a lovely Thursday, and a promising start to today, it's raining again! It could definitely be worse; there are so many counties under flood watches and warnings, and I'm dry for the moment!

This month is starting off well; I'll be working every single day for the next 2 weeks, which means extra hours in the paycheck before the museum closes for the summer and I start to panic about how I'm going to pay my bills. I think I will have enough to pay my bills through June without having to start a summer job!

On the plus side, my ebay sales are improving: I find the more items I have listed at a time, the better I usually sell. Also, I started raising my prices a bit last month, and do you know, I think I'm selling more? Maybe it is all about perceived value; I've heard craftsmen selling at festivals say that when they raise prices, they sometimes sell more. If something is priced too low, people think it must be subpar.

Also, I sold a Red Panty top yesterday on Etsy; I feel giddy with happiness! I think my clothing are a hard on-line sell; they are all so individual, so unique, and half the pleasure comes in trying them on and seeing how they feel on your own body. So for some in Maine to take a leap of faith and purchase one of my tops really makes me feel great and nervous at the same time. Hoping they like it when it arrives!

In honor of the rain, I snapped some pics of the retaining wall behind the museum; the moss and lichen fairly glow in the drizzle, and I just think it so beautiful!

New recycled Top for ME!

I realize I've got oodles of sewing to do for my Red Panty Line, tops that are cut out and just waiting to be brought to life. However, I wasted away Sunday and realized that I needed a new top just for ME!

So I combined a big shapeless linen dress and a graphic t shirt, and came up with this!

I really love it, the linen is a sort of gold color, and the pretty lady on the T shirt needed a new home.




Now maybe I can get back to work on RP stuff. And yes, that is a new haircut.....I'm cutting out the color, and going to my natural gray....that way the Purple dye will look every so much more shocking!

Logos and Labels

Thank goodness when I hired an internet designer to create the Red Panty Designs logo years ago, I thought to pay her to own the Copyright for the design!

I ordered my Hang Tags and Clothing Labels from her, but the last time I tried, she's apparently closed her business. I had, however, paid her for the copyright to the design, so that I could use it myself however I wished and not have to pay her for usage each time!

So, here's my first try at printing out some Clothing labels myself. Not nearly as nice as the ones she did for me, but nice and servicable!

I think Spring has Sprung!

I can see pink and green buds all over the place! and I finally saw some forsythia blooming here in town.....yay!

It looks like spring in the Art Barn, too: I finished a dozen yo-yo headbands, more of the Ruffle tops, and this pretty green Raglan top....I was VERY tempted to keep it for myself! I found a top and pants from the Willow label at the thrift, they're linen, and the pants had these pockets near the hemline. Add some nice black knit for sleeves, and voila!

Spring 2011 - It's Here!

Yay! I know, it's been so long, maybe I forgot to post to my blog? I've just been busy sewing my fingers to the bone! I've got a new style for 2011 (actually, I've featured it earlier, but I'm doing it again) and some pretty spring colors, too!

Here are a couple of the spirit-lifting colors. I'm doing these in 3 sizes, too, so everyone gets to have fun.


Here's Sherri at Go Figure Consignment, when I dropped off a fresh batch....she's modelling the new Raglan styled top, recycled from a thrifted skirt. I don't think she's going to take it off, either!

Tonight I'm watching South Park and hand sewing some scrap yo-yo headbands for the shop.

Spreading the word about ReCycling, RePurposing!

Oooo, I have a group of Home Ec teachers and students planning a Studio Visit to see what I do! I feel so semi-professional.....of course you realize, this means I must straighten up and get prepared!

I've offered to take them thru my "process".....I'll show them my pile of thrift shop finds, how I prepare them for re-purposing, layout and cutting out my patterns, and show them some finished samples. Then take them all to the big Goodwill store so they can plan their own!! Yay! spreading the word about re-cycling!

I feel like a real, downtown designer!

I do love to sew!

I love my studio barn, I love turning up my awesome stereo REALLY LOUD and singing along while I sew!

I have been saving a green velvet skirt and a J Jill matching top & skirt in a floral print, and finally put together a new pattern for them! It's a raglan sleeve top, longer in the back.

I tested the pattern first with a burgundy J Jill dress and some nice black pontelle rib knit....it turned out really cute, but it was about a size too large on me, I looked like I was swimming in it. Soooooo.....




I recut the pattern in a smaller size, as well as 1 size larger (for ALL my Red Panty ladies!) and used my special fabrics, and....voila! I love this top! I cut the sleeves alot shorter, because I prefer the 3/4 length, rather than the long sleeves, used the non-stretch velvet for the front & back, and the knit J Jill skirt for the sleeves. The size XS was just enough; I used the back of the top for the knit side panels, since the teeny velvet skirt wasn't quite big enough.



Anyway, I plan on whipping a few of these mid-winter tops up, and getting them to Go Figure Consignment in the Short North very soon!

Giddy up!

Well, my baby headed back to Wooster for spring semester after a month at home.....can you be both sorry and glad to see them go?? Yeah, I think so!

But, I'm thinking of her as I work on her new Western jacket for this semester's equestrian events.

It's a zip-up jacket with fancy collar and cuffs; it doesn't tuck in, just rides at the hips. Here the sleeves are just basted in for a fitting; the finished sleeves will also have the pink applique on them. Yep, that's a rhinestone zipper down the front; fancy, yes?