Barfing in Style

I completed my first commission, which is this set of six burp cloths- inspired by the work of Ellsworth Kelly. I know A LOT of burp cloth designs are inspired by pioneers of modern minimalist painting, but I still couldn't resist. I thought it would be nice to have a set of colorful (though not in too dark colors) cloths to mix in with the otherwise utilitarian ones that will no doubt abound. They are for a set of triplets, so these will end up in a load of wash with likely 20 other cloths per day. I hope they bring a little sparkle to that chore.

As for me, I used to be an art dealer. While I was admittedly pretty small time, I did have my share of glamorous escapades and was involved a few rather high-minded projects over the years in sophisticated locations around the world. Now I sew rags for babies to puke on. A decidedly dramatic improvement in quality of life.

I'm Going To Get Stabbed With a Knitting Needle

It Has Begun. I knew it would happen, I reported on this prediction a couple of months ago. Quilt. I want to straight up admit that I have some weirdly negative connotations with that word, which is a load of boggle, because my grandma used to make me quilts. And I have seen quilts (usually modern) that are beautiful.

They require a lot of skillz (which I do not have) and I respect quiltmakers- I do! I have just always associated quilting with a type of standard issue stay-at-home old school kind of craftsperson with usually a limited view of possibility beyond badly matched calico fat quarters. I know it's wrong okay, so back it up, Crazycrafter13@aol.com. I'm just trying to be honest. As penance, I will right at this moment go and find three quilts I admire, and post them here as evidence that I can be rehabilitated from my snobbish, artly ways. (I will then make a snobbishly artful quilt as my predictable relapse.)

See here the bounty of scraps that are wending their way from being sweatshirts, trimmed down into tunics, trimmed down into baby bibs, trimmed down into baby cravats, trimmed down into these most succulent leftovers.






I am sorry already for the terrible mess I plan to make over the next couple of months. Julie, you are a saint.

A Good Thing, Cashmere

It's not me. I didn't make these. They are by Aqua, sold at New York Design Room.

I love them. It's nice to see things made of re-purposed cashmere that are well styled and don't smiggity smack of being re-purposed. What I want to know though, is where did they get such quantities of consistently colored and textured cashmere? I smell an overrun at the factory. Does that count as "upcycled"? With things like these and like the wares designed and produced by LooptWorks, I think maybe "Rescued" materials might be a more accurate term.

It doesn't matter, they're lovely. I found them at Haute Nature.

Baby Hobo is Born!

A lot has been going on in the House of Solar lately. A lot of work, very little product.

First, I am redesigning my baby cravats with a break-away velcro enclosure in the back.

Secondly, I have been working on a brand identity for all my wares, with the plan of marketing them for sale on a broader scale. Thus is born Baby Hobo (TM)! We have a logo. Thanks to the amazing designer Libby Vanderploeg of Libby Vanderploeg Design, New York for being a great friend and artist. I mean, lookatit!:




Problems in the development of a tiny little line of upcycled clothes and accessories for babies and children have included but are not limited to:

1. Anaseli the Nanny backing out one day before her scheduled start. That is two weeks of anticipating some uninterrupted sewing/ business time. Now I'm moving on to Yoli.

2. Marc from AllCity labels in New York is a hack and is trying to take more than 5 weeks to get my ordered twill labels to me. He failed to recognize that a.) I understand the printing process and know it should take very little time to send me a layout approval and b.) if your printing press (in Kowloon, Hong Kong) is going to take a vacation for a week and delay my order, you should know that and disclose it in advance, and c.) the Chinese NEVER take a weeks vacation- even for the New Year. So stuff it, All City Labels, you are CANCELLED. And when Baby Hobo (TM) makes it big, you will be sorry. Okay, maybe you won't be that sorry, but in my petty imagination, you'll be a little bit regretful that were so unprofessional, my friend.

3. I'm going to have some helpers. My dear friend Steve Hettrich is going to work with me on some creative ideas, and hopefully, his lovely wife Stephanie on some marketing ideas at some point. I couldn't ask for better people to be on board with Baby Hobo (TM)- (That is annoying, that little TM, but you know, you have to stake a claim (in print) to your Hobo in order to have it all your own.)

4. And the last of the problems is that The Bachelor Jake Pavelka has wittled down his final choices to a crazy virginal churchfreak that looks and acts like a mouse from An American Story, and a coked up hooker with a lazy eye. I've spent some time trying to understand what's going on there.

Amidst all this, I managed to finish this here baby girl's tunic. It is constructed from some old sweatshirts and t-shirts, of course. Sadly, my bebe is a little, umm, portly to have it fit properly and the neck opening hugs up on her and makes the shoulder flaps look like military epaulets. Oh well. Can't help it if my milk's so gooooooood. I'm working on a modified cut already.

Here's a pic though:



And the lining for the top half:

Picking a Winner...

Oh, and I'll draw a winner for that custom hat later today! Stay tuned...

Except For That Egg Lump On Top...

Okay, I think this is it. The Final Cagoule. Okay, I might need to smooth out that protrusion on the top there, but otherwise, I think I have a pattern to work with. But what if she want's to smuggle an egg into playgroup? Maybe I should leave it.

Old cashmere blend sweater + collar from old sweatshirt = the most thorough coverage of baby head and neck that $2.90 can buy:

Hi Ania, You Won a Hat!

We drew a winner. Now I will make that winner a hat. And that winner will discover, wherever she may be, that I'm not that good of a seamstress. But her little person, or her, if she wants, will have a non-perfectly sewn hat unlike any other.

Make yourself known, dear Ania, and e-mail me. Congratulations.

Alchemical Jacket

I made this freaky little Japanese inspired jacket out of an old kids sweatshirt from Old Navy with a giant number 33 on it. I considered leaving the '33' visible, but reminded myself not to fall into that common habit of having an object's former life be some kind of proud style element in the new garment. That's just not my way.




I say KILL the old thing. Kill it dead. I rather like to usher things through a more complete transformation. And I think turning a lame Old Navy sweatshirt into this little number is practically alchemical in that sense. Practically speaking, it's probably almost too "styled" (good or bad) for a baby to wear.

Here's a not detailed at all run-down of what I did:

Divested the sweatshirt of its cuffs and seams except the raglan arm attachments...



Opened that bugger up like a fish filet so I cut trim it into a big ol' single piece kimono pattern...



As seen here...


Then I added some extra fabric to the neck, since the shirt was originally too large. I added sopme twill tape to the edges and haphazardly finishes the sleeves and whatnot.

I will try it on the bebe and let you know how crazily it does not fit.