Terrific Textiles

Yesterday started out as a really rotten day for me. It had nothing to do with any of my friends or family, just a really foul tempered nurse. After shedding a few tears of frustration I did what anyone else in my situation would do... I went out for a little retail therapy. Thankfully Hobby Lobby wasn't playing the banjo revival music, or the funeral home cd that makes you want to cry. They had on a nice soft saxophone disk, which gave me a sigh of relief. Yes, me and all of my art buddies at the college are regulars up at Hobby Lobby, they have the largest selection of supplies in town. That is how I know their music selection. Besides everyone in town who's been there knows they tend to play their background music a bit too loud. (Side note... Did you know they started putting Christmas decorations out over there a month ago? I guess they didn't get the memo about at least waiting until "Christmas in July.") When I couldn't find what I had been looking for, I began to walk through the fabric department. I just love looking at textiles! I have even designed several patterns that I think would make neat fabric. Suddenly the shutterbug bit, and I decided to start taking pictures. There were so many beautiful pieces, and of course they look awesome all mixed and lined up together. Looking at these things helped me to relax and not feel so rotten. I just couldn't decide which pieces I liked best. "Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy."~Anne Frank

Lee Jofa Diamond & Baratta Silhouettes

Sometimes people pick up a magazine while standing in line at the grocery store, and most of the time nothing happens. But, sometimes a person stumbles upon something that makes them think, "Where have you been all my life? I've just got to make you mine!" So far in the past 2 weeks I seem to have stumbled upon a particular print of wallpaper that is also a fabric in 3 different magazines. Veranda, The Oprah Magazine, and one other that I can't remember have all featured this silhouette pattern by Diamond & Baratta for Lee Jofa in one form or another. Veranda had it as pink fabric curtains, Oprah magazine had it as yellow wall paper, and the other magazine had it as blue pillows. I am in love, and I have put myself on a mission to find some of this stuff. So far it seems everyone else has had the same idea because it is sold out every where. The only place I have been able to find some is from a fabric shop in London, they only have the pink, and they want $59.99 per meter, and that is before shipping! What could I do with just 1 meter? The only thing I can think of is a pillow- 1 pillow. It would be the most expensive pillow in my house. If I went to such lengths I think I would be tempted to put it in my china cabinet because I wouldn't want anyone to sit on it or throw it on the floor, or heaven forbid one of the animals get a hold of it. For the time being I have decided to make myself content with painting the picture out of the Oprah magazine, but I still want some. I don't know where or how I'll put it in my house, but that has never stopped me before.

Fabric

When I was little I would play in my grandmother's fabric scrap bag. She was a Coco Chanel caliber seemstress. There was absolutely nothing that she couldn't look at, and make. She had to do a complete reconstruction on my wedding gown the week before the wedding because the cleaners had shrunk it in the whole cleaning process (it had to be cleaned riding bare back on a thorough bred for some of the bridal pictures my mom took in Kentucky had given it a very Man of War smell). May-may taught me a few things on the sewing machine, and she taught me how to crochet, but I was too impatient for the darn sewing machine. I used to get so mad at her for constantly making me rip out seams and pull out lines of crocheting just because one little spot might be slightly off. She would never settle for making anything that wasn't complete perfection. I find myself missing her all the time. I still love looking at fabric, and I love painting it. Everytime I see a pile of beautiful embroidered hand towels, pillow cases, dresses, blankets, and aprons I think about her. She rarely made anything simple, I think she liked to challenge herself, but I always think of her when I see simple things because that would be the kinds of things she would try to teach me to do.