Sewing with Handwoven Yardage

This summer I took a garment making workshop with the very talented Liz Spear.  Liz is an experienced weaver and seamstress who has been producing handmade artwear for decades.  I really liked her practical approach to balancing the demands of production with quality.

I wove 5yards of fabric using cotton and bamboo in record time of 7 days.  The structure is a modified M&W with a simple treadling.

Since we could choose our own pattern, I selected on that had been in my stash for a while.  I ALWAYS need to make pattern modifications for my small frame.  And this princess seam vest was no exception.  At the last minute (in class) I decided to shorten the length again.  But it still looks a little oversize to me.

 I may make another and adjust the width and length smaller.  I do like the shaping added by the princess seams and they worked out fine with my handwoven.

The class was fantastic!  I learned so much not only by doing my own garment but also by seeing what the other participants were doing.

Plus I upped my sewing skills by doing bias facing instead of lining. 

Chenille Crimp

More fun with crimp weave (woven shibori) which results in permanent texture in the cloth.   I have been looking for patterns that give "made by nature" effects.

Somehow during the wet finish this scarf came in contact with something that bleached some random spots so that means it was for me 😁

Funny thing is when I wore it to visit a friend she mentioned several times how much she liked it including the tie-dye spots SO what is a girl to do but gift it.