I Am In Love With Fabric Beads

What fun I had today! I felt like a 5-year old because I had a play date with a good friend.

I belong to a Yahoo Group called "The Altered Art Divas." We are a small group and many of us have belonged to this group for over 5 years. Needless to say, we have become very close friends even though we may have never met in person. On Monday, I met one of the Divas, Bev, and we shopped in the Garment District of NYC (see previous post.)

Today, another Diva friend, Santa came over so that we could experiment making fabric beads together. This is something I have always wanted to do but I never got around to it. Knowing how much "stuff" we'd need to work on this project, I dragged a bunch of supplies down to the dining room so we'd have plenty of room to spread out.

Here are a couple of pictures of what was strewn all over the room.

Everything looked very neat to start with, but you should see what the room looks like now! We don't have earthquakes here in NJ but it looks as if one just shook the house.

It was great to bat ideas around with Santa and we explored and experimented the day away. Here's Santa busily gluing her bead.


A few months ago, I bought Fabulous Fabric Beads by Kristal Wick. I am a bookaholic as are many artists. However, I usually buy a book, look at it, promise myself that I'll make every project in the book, buy everything I need to make every project in the book, and then never get to it.

However, this book was exceptional. It kept calling to me and I could not ignore its siren song. The song kept getting louder and louder until I listened and I'm glad I did.
I suggest if you have any interest at all in making fabric beads, you purchase the book. I know Amazon has the book. If I've done everything correctly, you should be able to follow this link to see the book at Amazon. Once there, you'll be able to click on the cover of the book and see some of the inside pages.

http://www.amazon.com/Fabulous-Fabric-Beads-Create-Jewelry/dp/1596680776

The photography in the book is superior. I wish I could say the same about my photos, but unfortunately I found it extremely hard to get good photos of the beads even though I was using my brand new light box. I think it was because the beads are shiny. So this is the best picture I was able to get. If you click on it, you should be able to see more detail of the beads.
All in all, it was a great day. As an aside, since I have everything out, I am planning on making more beads in the days to come. I'll be sure to post pictures of any new beads I make.

Eye Candy That Will Make Your Heart Go Pitter Pat

What a lovely adventure I had today! I hopped on a bus near my home and I was in NYC in less than 45 minutes. It's hard to believe that I live so close to the City and yet I rarely go there. I guess that it is so readily available to me that I take it for granted. Yes, I know that those of you who live far away will probably find this hard to believe. I am embarrassed to admit this and am hanging my head in shame.

But today was different. Bev, one of my online art friends from Modesto, CA was visiting NY along with her friend, Cindy, from Miami. We had arranged to meet today so we could wander through the famous Garment District and shop in the wonderful stores in the area.

The Garment District has been the center of our country's fashion design and manufacturing since the early 20th Century. New immigrants to this country, who entered via Ellis Island, usually wound up settling in one of the five boroughs of NYC and many of those from Eastern Europe wound up working in the garment district's factories (sometimes called sweat shops).

Coincidentally, my first job was working for Modern Bride Magazine and I had to walk through the garment district every day on my way to work. Forty plus years ago, it was a bustling, noisy, smelly place with double-parked delivery trucks blocking the streets and messengers pushing clothing racks on the sidewalk with the latest fashions being transported from the factory to the showroom. For about two years in the late 60's, I walked through the Garment District every day and never paid any attention to all the store fronts displaying fabrics, beads, buttons and baubles. I was busy trying not to get run over by the craziness going on around me.

A lot has changed during these 40 years. The original wave if Eastern European immigrant workers has been replaced by some of our country's newest immigrants who are mostly from Asian countries. Almost all of the manufacturing of garments has been out sourced to foreign countries so you no longer see the fashions being whisked past you as you walk on the sidewalk.

Perhaps most important, I now covet every single accessory, frilly piece of lace, sequined fabric and feather which is displayed in the stores. Manufacturing may be a thing of the past in the Garment District, but the fashion designers still work and shop right in that one square mile of NYC between Fifth and Ninth Avenue and 34th to 42nd Street.

And so, today, Bev, Cindy and I walked our feet off exploring many of the famous, and not so famous, shops in the area. As an aside, today was the hottest day we've had so far this year. The temperature coupled with the humidity made it feel like it was 104 degrees. But we were undaunted, and had a wonderful time exploring to our heart's content.

Our first stop was M & J Trimming. Now I know how Dorothy felt when she landed in OZ. This store is definitely in technicolor.


Ribbons, silk flowers, buttons and lace were displayed from floor to ceiling.
There were walls lined with ribbons all beautifully displayed by color and type of fabric.

There were amazing buttons on display everywhere you looked.
Just when I thought I was finished seeing everything, I discovered there was another room filled with even more buttons and trim.

It was hard not to buy everything in sight. One thing that was nice was that the buttons were sold individually and not on cards. This way, you only had to buy exactly what you would need for a project. That is if you had a specific project in mind. I had nothing special in mind, so I bought a few buttons just to hold and look at and drool over after I got home.

Our next stop was MOOD. Does that name sound familiar to you?
If so, it's because that is one of the places that Project Runway (TV show) contestants go to purchase material for their creations.
If you are a fan of Project Runway and ever wondered if MOOD was as wonderful in person as it is on the show, the answer is a resounding Yes!
MOOD covers three floors of a building on West 37th Street. One floor is entirely devoted to woolen fabrics of every type and color. Cashmere, Alpaca, Flannel. You name it, they have it in an amazing variety of colors and weights. I kept thinking that this place would be a feast for moths. I wonder how they keep them from attacking the fabric. Another floor was devoted to upholstery and drapery material.
But the third floor was the place to be. Rows and rows containing bolts of every type of fabric you could imagine from mundane polyester knits to brocades and silks fits for royalty. In northern NJ where I live, there is only one store left that sells fabrics and it is Joannes. I had always wondered where the serious home sewer went to get fabric. Now I know. I wasn't in the market for fabric, but I did look at prices and they didn't seem extraordinarily high to me for what you were buying. Polyester knits were about $6 to $8 dollars.
Of course, there were some very pricey fabrics on display. But, if you're royalty, I guess you can afford the prices. In addition, to fabric, MOOD also has a variety of trims, but certainly not as much as M & J.
However, they had some very unique buttons.
They even had buttons the size of plates that were about 6 inches in diameter. I'm wondering how they will be used.
You may have heard of Tinsel Trading. I know Martha has mentioned that store on her show many times. We stopped in there for a brief visit. By this time, I was running out of steam, and I forgot to take pictures. I'm blaming my forgetfulness on the heat and not old age. Tinsel Trading is a sight for sore eyes. Everywhere I looked, I saw something amazing. Lots of gorgeous, large silk flowers that you could wear in your hair and pretend you were a starlet of the 40's. There was an amazing assortment of vintage buttons, unusual ribbons, and other assorted doodads. Their displays change constantly with the season, so you never know what treasures will be found at Tinsel Trading.

Needless to say, there are over one hundred stores, if not more, located within the Garment District. Most of them are tiny, dirty and disorganized, but if you're adventurous and visiting the area, stop in and explore a few of them. You can never tell what you'll find.

I'm planning to return to the Garment Center in early October when another friend, Kathy, comes for a visit. I'll be sure to post more information and pictures of that shopping spree so keep your eyes open for further postings.

The Ultimate Act of Creativity

We had the most wonderful Father's Day that anyone could ever have. Today Howie and I became grandparents for the second time.

Our son Matt and his wife Karla gave birth to a 6 lb 9 oz beautiful baby boy this morning. Jackson Kyle Streger made his appearance in time to be the ultimate Father's Day gift. Howie said it's the best Father's Day gift he ever got. It's going to be hard to top this next year.

Here's the little guy sweetly sleeping off the exhaustion of his long journey. His little hands are covered, but he has the most exquisite long fingers I've ever seen on a baby.

And here's Jackson's leading lady, our dear DIL Karla. I can just hear Karla thinking, "I can't believe this was inside me just a few minutes ago!"

Big Brother Michael's first glimpse of his little brother. I can just hear Michael thinking, "Oh, boy, the two of us can get into a lot of trouble together." Michael is 8 1/2 and when Jackson is 8 1/2, Michael will have just gotten his driver's license. Oh, yes, I see lots of adventures, or should I say misadventures, in the future for these two guys. Daddy Matt is looking on with pure joy on his face. Yes, life doesn't get better than this.
Gramps, AKA Howie, is absolutely glowing with happiness.
Here I am holding Jackson for the first time. No, Howie and I did not coordinate the color of our shirts when we got dressed this morning. In fact, we were in such a rush to get out of the house when we got the call at 6 AM that the baby was about to be born, that we barely spoke to each other as we rushed around getting dressed.
This is Karla's mother, Marty, beaming with joy. Speaking of rushing, she and Karla's sister, Teresa, had a 6 hour drive in the middle of the night as they flew across Pennsylvania to be at the hospital in New Brunswick, NJ when Jackson made his grand entrance.
And here is Aunt Teresa who is Karla's younger sister. Yes, Teresa, it's payback time. Now it's your turn to babysit for Jackson since Karla babysat for you when you were a baby. Look at that big grin on Teresa's face.
Here is a picture of three generations of Streger men which is sure to become a family treasure in the future. Henceforth, they shall be known as the "Tool Boys." Howie has always been a great Do It Yourselfer and Matt has followed in his Dad's footsteps. There's nothing that the two of them can't fix, build, or refurbish. Michael is quite the willing apprentice and has been getting a lot of on-the-job training. In fact, he has his own toolbox and tools. Jackson, you have great role models in your life. You're a very lucky little boy.

Global Warming?

I thought today was June 15th. In fact, I just checked both my calendar and the front page of the newspaper to make sure I was correct. Yes, it is definitely June 15th.

So why is my deck covered with hail making it look like January 15th?We were in the middle of a very heavy thunderstorm this afternoon when suddenly it sounded as if the hammers of Hell were beating on our roof. Imagine my surprise when I looked out the window and saw everything covered with what looked like snow but was actually hail. The street in front of my house looked like a river.

Wow, what wacky weird weather. How's that for alliteration?
The pieces of hail were huge. Too bad these aren't diamonds!

I'm wondering if NJ is going to be visited by the other 9 plagues this summer.

Amazingly, the weather has cleared up and the birds are back in their trees chirping away so all is well with the world except for the fact that the flowers on the deck may have been destroyed.

While I have your attention, in case you haven't heard, there is an auction currently taking place online. During the past year, over 100 artists collaborated in the making of an art doll which is almost life sized. By buying tickets for a chance to win this doll, you are supporting research for Ovarian Cancer. There is a button on the right side of this blog. When you click it, you'll be taken to the Ties That Bind website where you can learn about this project and how to purchase tickets. This is one small way that we can all make a difference!

How to Recycle, Refashion, Upcycle or Repurpose a Man's Shirt

The other day, my DH brought me a shirt and told me he couldn't wear it anymore because it had "shrunk." Yeah, right, my clothes keep shrinking, too, which is why I have a closet loaded with three different sizes of clothing. But, I didn't want to make him feel badly, so I smiled sweetly and took the shirt to add to the pile of clothing going to the rummage sale.





I looked at the shirt and no longer did I see a man's shirt. No, I saw a summer purse. Just how or why this shift in reality occurred, I cannot imagine. But I felt compelled to turn that shirt into something else. I think my brain is going Green, or maybe it's just getting moldy. Who knows?


I have a stash of lovely, new fabric. Why did I feel the need to upcycle or recycle this shirt? Maybe it was the challenge of turning something unusable into something useful. Maybe it's because everywhere I turn, people are talking about being Green. Whatever the reason, I was now obsessed with this idea.

I didn't have a clue how to do this so I Googled "recycle man's shirt into a purse." There were many instructions for turning a tee shirt into an assortment of items, but there were very few articles on recycling a man's dress shirt. Most of these had to do with turning a man's shirt into a child's dress or an apron. I couldn't find any suggestions on how to make a purse. I tried using the words "refashioning", "upcycling", and "repurposing" and got the same results. Nothing. As a parenthetical thought (I just love parenthetical thoughts), can anyone tell me what the difference is between upcycling, recycling, refashioning and repurposing? Lately, I've seen all those terms used and can't figure out if they are referring to the same activity or if there are subtle differences between them.

I decided it couldn't be that hard and set about to figure it out for myself. To be honest, it wasn't all that challenging. Should you find yourself with this same compulsion, I've written a simple tutorial. I hope it saves you some time.


Pin button placket together. Cut along the right and left side of the shirt to just below the collar.

Cut along the bottom and the top of the shirt to form a rectangle.

(Note: You can click on any picture to enlarge it)






Take both left and right piece from the front and stitch the button placket together to make one piece.

Iron a piece of heavy fusible craft webbing (I used Pellon) to the wrong side of what was the front of the shirt. I wanted to use the shirt's front pocket for my cell phone so I wanted the pocket to wind up inside the purse. By ironing the webbing to the wrong side of the front, I felt the pocket would have more strength and stability.


Place the right sides of the front and back together and stitch around three sides. Leave the fourth (small side) open so you can turn the fabric right side out.

Turn the fabric right side out. Press to even out the corners and seams. I wanted my purse to have a flap, so folded my fabric roughly in thirds to allow for the overlap. If you don't want a flap, fold the fabric in half. Iron. Stitch both sides of the purse together being sure to reinforce the top and bottom of the seam by going back and forth a couple of times.



In the picture above, you'll notice a dowel to the left of the folded piece of fabric. I decided that I needed to add a dowel to give the bottom of the purse stability. I didn't want it to scrunch up after I filled it with all my junk. Cut the dowel a couple of inches shorter than the bottom to allow for the side seams. I used my zipper foot (for the first time) and sewed as close to the dowel as I could. I then evened out the open edge (top of purse) in preparation of sewing it shut. Fold the raw edges to the inside and press.



I made a shoulder strap by braiding some thin rope I had in the house and sewing it to the back of the purse. I was being Green and using up things I already had. Hint: When sewing on the strap, be sure to reinforce at the bottom and top of the purse so that it doesn't rip when you fill your purse. Before closing the open, top edge, decide what type of clasp or closure you want. If you want to use a magnetic snap, now is the time to attach it so you can hide the prongs inside. I wanted to use a piece of elastic and a button, so I pinned my elastic in place when I was pinning the opening. Stitch closed. Add trim and button.


Voila. The finished purse. I added the trim to cover my less then stellar sewing. To the right is a picture of the inside of the purse where the shirt's pocket now holds my cell phone. That sure does tickle my fancy







All in all, I'm quite pleased with how this project turned out. I used the purse today for the first time and was amazed that I got two compliments at the dentist's office. They were quite impressed that I made it, but what really amazed them was that I made it from an old shirt. Maybe they'll think I'm poor and stop charging me those ridiculous fees. LOL

Here is what I learned from this experience:

It's was much harder to write clear instructions (anyway I hope they're clear) than to actually make the purse.

It's fun the get an idea and run with it.

No matter what Kermit the Frog says, it isn't all that hard being Green.

Thank You Cloth Paper Scissors

Here's a tidbit about me that you may not know. I love to buy magazines. When I get home, I flip through them, get all fired up, plan what I'm going to make after being inspired by an article, and then put the magazine down and promptly forget about my intentions. Can you relate to this?

The November/December 2008 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors had a wonderful cover article about decorating small jars to look like snowmen. I have been dying to try to make some myself but didn't have time until this past weekend. I couldn't get this project out of my mind. Maybe it's because I had 15 perfect jars (bought from a garage sale, of course) just sitting here calling out to me.

I'm part of a group of local artists who meet at my house about once a month. It's a very informal, non-structured group. In fact we don't even have an official name so we're known as the No-Name Art Group. Someone will get an idea and suggest it for our next get together. Then everyone else breaths a sigh of relief knowing that they're off the hook and don't have to come up with a project.

I love having the meetings at my house. I know you must be saying to yourself, "Why that Judy must be crazy. Why would she want to have everyone over? First she has to make sure the house is clean and neat (at least a little bit), then she has to gather the materials needed for the day's project."

To be honest, that's one of the best parts of getting together. I get to share my valuable Junque with people who understand my passion for acquiring. If I were a gourmet cook, I'd have elaborate dinner parties so I could share my cooking skills with friends. So what better way for an inveterate garage sale shopper to spread her joy than by sharing her "stuff."

Howie loves when everyone is here. Deep down in the bottom of his heart I know he's thinking, "Maybe we can get rid of some of this stuff." I'm thinking, "Maybe I can get rid of some of this stuff and make room for some new stuff." After all, garage sale season is rapidly approaching. Also, one more thing, if I had to take "stuff" to a meeting being held somewhere else, I'd need an 18-wheeler!

Saturday's project was to decorate bottles to our hearts content. I was worried that we wouldn't have enough jars for all of us and that we'd run out before the afternoon was over. I kept emailing everyone to bring jars since I had only 15 and we were sure to go through those quickly.







What was I thinking? We each were barely able to finish one bottle in the four hours that we were together. Gosh, it looked and sounded so easy in the magazine article. But we did have a lot of fun.



Here's the finished results. Aren't they fab? (Double left click on picture to enlarge)
Projects from left to right: Elizabeth, Roberta, Judy, Doreen, Jan

So, here's a great big thank you to Cloth Paper Scissors for publishing such an inspiring article that even I was compelled stop procrastinating and start creating.

Today's lessons learned:
1. A play date with friends is always fun whether you're 6 or 60
2. You can never have enough Junque
3. Even the bad habit of "some day I"ll get around to it" can be overcome with the proper inspiration.
4. Just because the magazine article highlighted snowmen jars, it doesn't mean that you, too, have to make snowmen jars. We were all sick of Winter and didn't want to think about snow so we let our muse take us wherever she wanted.
5. Since all the "stuff" is still spread out all over the house, I might as well go and decorate some more bottles.

Post Script: In the middle of writing this, I stopped to eat lunch. We had left-over Chinese food from last night (after all, tomorrow is the Chinese New Year.) We had one fortune cookie left so we shared it (this means that Howie got to open it and I got to eat it.) Guess what it said?
"Begin...the rest is easy." Do you think the Universe is sending me a message?