In the meantime, bear with me while I navigate the timing of naps, food, diaper changes, and Generation T posts. Happy holidays and peace to you all in the New Year.

cheers,
Megan

Giant cover displays peppered the tables, samples from the pages of the book were hung all through the rafters…

Event sponsor Singer had make-and-take tables set up for DIY drawstring bags using fabric from Spoonflower, and there was the iLoveToCreate glitter tattoo setup, with your glitter tattoo artiste, me! And I didn’t even catch a glimpse of the photo booth fun that was happening at the other end of the room.

Here I am in action, glitter brush and dish poised and ready for the next willing victim! (As you can see, I wore my sparkle headband for the occasion.)

Pink anchors, basketballs swooshing through hoops…

A recycling heart and a classic sparrow.

Black hearts and flowers for the truly badass…

And while most opted for the wrist or inner forearm, there were a few face, neck, and even underarm tattoos administered!

Like I said, there were many, many glitter tattoos applied throughout the night, while folks frolicked and celebrated the release of the next new sewing book!

And since I know many of you wanted to be there in person, but couldn’t make it on such short notice, I’m extending the party online (okay, sorry, no glitter tattoos via html) by sending one of you lucky readers off with a copy of The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook, courtesy of BurdaStyle! All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this post or on the Generation T Facebook page sharing why you love to sew before noon on Wednesday December 14. One entry per person; to have a bonus entry count, send us a tweet sharing why you love to sew, tagging both @GenerationTee and @BurdaStyle.

I’ll select a winner randomly and make the announcement later this week via the Generation T blog, Facebook, and Twitter. Here’s to sewing up a storm this holiday season!

The issue happened to coincide with Mr. Generation T’s birthday, and quite simply, he makes the top of my best of New York list! Mr. T is always behind the scenes, supporting all the work that goes into the publications, posts, products, and patterns that keep Generation T whirring, clinking, and humming along. And since his birthday fell on a Monday, and Monday is a hard day to celebrate anything, I treated him to a surprise adventure throughout the city on the preceding Saturday. Whether you live in the city or planning a visit, I hope our escapades may inspire you!

Following an “itinerary” I mapped out, based on many of the items I flagged in NY mag, we wound our way through different neighborhoods in Brooklyn, then hopped the subway for Manhattan. First up: Olaf’s, a men’s vintage boutique and the brother store to one of my fave vintage shopping spots (Olive’s Very Vintage) in Carroll Gardens. We found this charming tag hanging among the Levi 501s. And despite our distress over the conclusion of the HBO series Big Love, I decided I am not ready for sister wives–so Mr. T did not try them on.

I did, however, under the guise of buying my sister a birthday gift (Ariana, close your eyes!!), manage to secretly buy a pair of vintage cuff links he had his eye on. And now that the cuff links have been gifted (and worn!), I can share them here, along with the engraved spoon I snagged for my sis:

Since we had a late start, we stopped for a snack at the local health food store before walking to Gowanus to check out the Film Biz Prop Shop, newly minted in December. The concept is this: Movies and TV and Broadway shows come and go–but where are all the props and set dressings laid to rest? With a frequently rotating stock, you’ll find all sorts of oddities, some categorized and sorted alphabetically in boxes along one wall with others carefully arranged into “rooms” on the sales floor. To start the alphabet, an impressive feat: Asia in a Box.

Granted, it was a rather large bin as opposed to a small box. When we got to the “C”s there were Creepy Clowns in a Box, Chopsticks in a Box, Cosmetics in a Box, out-of-alphabetical-order Drugs in a Box (filled with Romeo-and-Juliet-style tincture bottles), and Chalk and Erasers in a Box…not a bad spread.

That shelf was topped only by the box of Fake iPod Speaker Docks filed under “F” — for all of your music-free needs! And yes, we checked. The box was fully stocked. With fake iPod speaker docks.

I was quite taken with the child-size model forms and the hand-blown glass sculptural pieces from Julie Taymor’s production of The Tempest. And more than a few vintage game boards that I thought would look fabulous on our walls (would-be purchases overruled by the birthday boy).

There were piles of throw pillows, layers of carpets, a pair of genie chairs, shelves of glassware, faux-glass paneling…

…racks of fabric, curtains, furniture. And shelves of dead electronics, under a sign that read “All Office Supplies FREE: Take as Much as Your Can.” Film Biz founder Eva Radke is definitely living in a crafter’s paradise!

Mr. T picked out “Porgy and Bess” record for $1.00…

And I went for a swath of fabric (enough yardage for a new summer dress!), a handful of crocheted cotton doilies for some new T-shirt inspired masterpieces, and a few colorful scraps thrown in for free!

We could have stayed at the prop shop all day, but we had miles to go yet! Next up, we hiked back to the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood to another new outpost, whimsically called Goose Barnacle (which, btw, is a filter-feeding crustacean, not to be confused with a Barnacle Goose). We traipsed down Atlantic Avenue, taking notes for future expeditions, until we found the well-curated little man cave. I spied some verrry beautiful necklaces there and we liked the vintage glasses frames, but the clothing was a little too prepster for Mr. T’s taste.

The time was ticking as we hiked all the way from Brooklyn Heights to Dumbo to feast our senses on the next destination, a gifty shop also catering to the gentlemen, Modern Anthology. (But not without a stop at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory to pool our pocket change and share a single scoop of chocolate chocolate chip in a sugar cone while people-watching on a bench on the pier. Three wedding parties went by in the duration of that single cone!) At Modern Anthology, we navigated our way through screenprinted monogram pillows, giant letters from old signage (including an oversize letter “T” that I thought would look fabulous in the Generation T workshop were it not for the price tag attached to it!), lamps constructed from rewired Tonka trucks, handmade belts, carpenter’s workbench, framed insects, art prints, and a coffee table propped up on gun stocks. Mr. T and I tried on beautiful handmade hats that we couldn’t afford and took totally creepy/cool pictures of ourselves in the mirror (with hot vintage pinup girls in the background!).

Then we excused ourselves once again, bound for our next destination…but not before stopping to admire this colorful yarn-bombed bicycle on our way to the subway! Meanwhile, the sun was getting lower in the sky and our tummies were grumbling.

We hopped a Manhattan-bound subway to Palmer Trading Company where we found ourselves both shocked and rather in awe of a handmade leather wallet complete with the cow’s branding number burned into the front flap. The selection of vintage rings was the most fascinating to us–and Mr. T picked out one for his birthday treat: an old army ring with a design that arguably looked simultaneously like a bomb exploding, a sacred heart, and a radish. Considering the provenance of the ring, we’ll go with the first interpretation, but I like rooting for the underdogs. What can I say, where Mr. T sees destruction, I see growth (yes, I’m the author the radish interpretation).

And finally, time to head to our dinner destination. (We skipped one other stop, Korin, because unbeknownst to me, Mr. T, who loves to cook, had already visited and has all our fancy chef knives sharpened there.) As we walked to dinner, we came across a curiously hungry tree — it was so hungry, it appeared to be devouring a street sign. Nom-nom-nom!

We enjoyed an absolutely delicious dinner at Rubirosa on Mulberry Street, feasting on pizza and handmade ravioli.

We stumbled just a bit farther south on Mulberry to have some custom cocktails stirred up by one of the mixologists at the well-hidden “speakeasy,” The Mulberry Project. There is no standard menu, but the chalkboard at the end of the bar announces the fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are available as ingredients in your bespoke cocktail (check out some of the options, below!). I gave the bartender an open-ended order: Something that includes fresh ginger, please.

My cocktail was delivered with the promise that, “This drink will give you a night you’ll never forget, but won’t call you back ever again.” The dim lighting doesn’t quite do them justice, but suffice it to say that they were gorgeous and delicious.

Mine was a fresh-ginger infused watermelon sour with the “sour” flavor compliments of fresh pomelo and white rum acting as the alcoholic agent. I never would have ordinarily ordered a watermelon drink, so it was a refreshing treat! Mr. T’s challenge was for something herbaceous (he’s been cooking with a lot with rosemary lately) blended with bourbon rather than vodka. Our mixologist went with a savory sipper powered with Maker’s Mark. We couldn’t resist putting our mixologist on the spot once more with a chocolate challenge. First, a chocolate cocktail that wasn’t too sweet–he answered with a shaved bitter chocolate mandarin whisky drink that he “churched up” with a splash of Grand Marnier. Then, another chocolate infusion this time flavored with anise and more whisky!

Pleasantly buzzed and exhausted after our adventure, Mr. T and I caught the train back to the neighborhood.

Christian used masking tape over the backside of his boxer briefs (pattern based on Ansty Pants, project #57 in Generation T: Beyond Fashion)

Molly wrote the initials DJB with masking tape to personalize the grocery tote (Plastic Surgery, project #42 in Generation T: Beyond Fashion) she stitched up for her mom.

Kangdi diligently cut out all of the letter shapes from a larger sheet of paper we tiled together in order to fit the back of the T-shirt. “Everybody, hands up!” (On the front of the shirt, he used his hands as stencils — one guy who’s not afraid to get messy!)

Dan wanted to spray the number 35 for his DIY basketball jersey, carefully screening the rest of the shirt from excess paint with fabric scraps.

Ben expressed his anarchist tendencies in masking tape.

Even young Lindon, son of one of the faculty leaders, stopped by in a T-shirt smock to spray a football onto an old shirt.

Anna sought out the butterfly stencils to add color to the gray base T-shirt.

More footballs and baseball stencils for this young posse.

Michael brought his Bob Marley stencil from his dorm room — to make it a veritably Marley-fest. Pillows, T-shirts…

…and tank tops were just the beginning!

Thanks again to iLoveToCreate for the generous donation of spray paints, markers, and stencils for the workshops! As you can see, all the materials were put to wonderful and creative use!

What design would you spray paint? What technique would you use?

Photography is a challenge in poorly lit Brooklyn apartment studios (as you’ve likely surmised from previous blog posts!), because you have a few crucial hours of sunlight breaking through the buildings. For this particular shoot, we also had no tripod (oops, left that at the office!) — but it was a welcome challenge and a true get-crafty, make-it-work moment. (And luckily, Mr. T and I have quite the library of thick books to create a makeshift solution!)

Book description: Twenty top stitchers take readers on an exclusive tour of their homes and studios--graciously offering their signature techniques and a step-by-step project along the way. This unique book presents informational, inspirational profiles of creative and crafty women, complete with stunning images of them surrounded by the style components that define their work and art. The profilees include best-selling authors such as Betz White, Kayte Terry, Megan Nicolay, and Kathy Cano Murillo as well as popular bloggers such as Heather Bailey.

Here’s a sneak peek inside the pages of the book…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN_Ot2gyaMM

Some nice shout-outs by the local papers made for a cozy crowd, and a handful of scissors made the T-shirt sleeves fly!

Bridie was my fabulous model for the halter top demo. Then she and her mom, Katie, who brought T-shirts from home to transform, made the Mane-iac scarf (project #91 in Generation T: Beyond Fashion) and the Outer Lace tank top (project #16 in Generation T).

Bridie peaced out, turning her discarded T-shirt sleeves into a pair of laced up Gimme Some Glovin’ glovelets (project #103 in Generation T: Beyond Fashion). Then Katie refashioned a Back in Action tee (project #101 from Generation T: Beyond Fashion) to wear to teach yoga classes next week.

Ella fashioned a Mane-iac scarf, too, and then made a no-sew knotted pillow (Pillow Talk, project #30 from Generation T: Beyond Fashion) out of a T-shirt she had outgrown (definitely keeping with the peace theme, too!).

And several Tee Party-goers went home with their own signed copy of Generation T and Generation T: Beyond Fashion!

Then it was back to Holderness School for the second week (and the second eco-fashion show) of Artward Bound.

I spoke about the beginnings of Generation T, the commitment to sustainable DIY fashion, and the concept of “ReMake It New” (the theme of this year’s Artward Bound program)–all framed by a proposed revised perspective on the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle –> Remake, Refashion, Reclaim).

Well, each day, a photo is selected by the Head of School to represent the goings-on at Holderness School… and I made it onto the front page on Saturday (March 12, 2011)–poor posture and all!

The boys shocked and awed us all with their refashioned tight-tight shorts (they used project #57 “Antsy Pants” toddler pants from the kids chapter in Generation T: Beyond Fashion as their guide, so are we really surprised?) Here, Andy cuts out the pattern. Then Gavin oversees him adding a storage pocket.

Danielle learns the no-sew lacing technique to modify her T-shirt before she takes it the spray paint table to frost the edges in blue.

Using masking tape as a freehand stencil, Ben fabric spray paints his mark of rebellion. Christian handstitches a fabric applique onto the front of a T-shirt (his third this week!).

Jeff pieced together parts of three different T-shirts to make a tie to wear for dress code!

Riggs pinned a T-shirt applique on the back of a not-so-exciting sweatshirt he brought from his room before he hit the sewing machine. Dan outlined his basketball number 35 with masking tape and spray painted it, then added some appliqued patches–he even took it for a test run in the gym the same afternoon!

On Day 3 we started to run low on our T-shirt stash, which introduced the scraps accessories challenge! Iashai and Macy responded solidly with laced-up glovelets (from Generation T: Beyond Fashion) and….a mitten!

Faculty leader Lindley made a no-sew fringe-filled scarf (“Mane-iac,” project #91 from Generation T: Beyond Fashion).

Francis M. made a ski mask, while Andrew attempted a T-shirt scrap sock…

…before abandoning it for a black-gray-white sleeve scarf (tutorial to come!).

And, in the non-wearable department, faculty leader Merilee stitched a giant stuff sack (using project #38 “Clean Machine” laundry sack), Hannah worked on a knotted throw (#63 “Roll it, Patch it, Mark it with a Tee!” no-sew quilt) from Generation T: Beyond Fashion.

GP stitched up a #42 “Plastic Surgery”grocery tote (as well as a drawstring bag with scraps!) that he personalized by hand stenciling his name with masking tape and white fabric paint. Kendra made a no-sew knotted pillow #30 “Pillow Talk.”

The garment racks are full, so now it’s off to rehearsal!

If you’re in the area, the student performance will start at 7:30 in Hagerman Auditorium (in addition to the “ReMake It New” eco-fashion show, there’ll be live drumming, dancing, and slam poetry!). For the rest, you’ll have to wait for the pictures.

Here’s the report from T-shirt refashioning workshop Day 1 (we just finished Day 3, but it’s been such a crazybusyfun time that this is the first chance I’ve gotten to post!). The challenge: 10 days.  -2 degrees outside, with windchill. 32 students. 4 sewing machines.  Hundreds of T-shirts. Can we create two upcycled eco-fashion lines before [cue dramatic music] time. runs. out? You be the judge!

Below, Aiden worked on a shirt covered with pockets (think project #35 “Final Countdown” softie advent calendar from Generation T: Beyond Fashion, only wearable).

Faculty leader Kathryn made a variation of “Back in Action” (project #101, also from Generation T: Beyond Fashion), applying the technique around the neckband of the shirt (also a variation of the Generation T sewing pattern).

Frances stitched a pocket (refashioned from a yellow T-shirt sleeve) onto the front of a striped T-shirt. Then he used masking tape and fabric spray paint to paint stripes over the pocket to match up with the stripes on the shirt.

A young seamstress learned the advantages of a seam ripper!

Aiden discovered a duplicate of his own T-shirt in the tee donation pile…to cut or not to cut?

Addie and Libby set out to make two twirly dresses (the “Fun in the Sun” sundress, #20 in Generation T: Beyond Fashion) for warm vacation in two weeks.

A couple hours later, Addie was done! Well on her way to the catwalk…

In the evening, we took a break to hang the artist show in the gallery! Among the other artists-in-residence is a glass artist (check out those gorgeous platters and bowls), a mixed media paper artist (leading an altered book workshop), a blacksmith (not pictured are some amazing serving utensils, letter openers, and a door latch), a social media artist, a spoken word poet, a drummer, and a dancer/choreographer.

A massive shoutout to iLoveToCreate for the donation of the fabric paints, brushes, and stencils; to Prym Consumer USA for the donation of rotary cutters and cutting mats; to Workman Publishing Co. for the sewing machine loan; and to everyone who dipped into the recesses of their closets to offer up their tired tees for the workshop. Stay tuned, more news and pics to come!

And, if you’re still reading: Please note that the time of the bookstore event at Bayswater Bookstore in Center Harbor, NH has changed to 1 pm-3 pm. Hope to see you there!

First off, Sonya and I met up with mixed media artists Alisa Burke and Traci Bautista, and graphic designer Alexa Westerfield at the iLovetoCreate booth.

Sonya and I just had to drop our bags and park ourselves at the iLovetoCreate make-and-take that Alisa was running–coloring a craft apron with Tulip and Crafty Chica fabric markers! The results are below–a Generation T especiale with measuring tape, scissors, T-shirt, and pin cushion by me–and two platypuses in love by Sonya.

The mannequins at the iLovetoCreate booth had some crazy-mazing get-ups thanks to many of their creative staffers and bloggers!

Then I learned to crochet for the second time (here was my first attempt) at the Simplicity booth with Drew Emborsky, aka the Crochet Dude. I completed a silver and black sparkly necklace in about 20 minutes = success!

We met up with fellow iLovetoCreate bloggers, Kathy Cano-Murillo, Margot Potter, and Avalon Potter.

I bumped into Sublime Stitcher Jenny Hart, who was at CHA to cover the event for Craftzine, and met Cathy Callahan, author of the forthcoming Vintage Craft Workshop (due out Spring 2011). We couldn’t resist posing beneath this cheery paper flower arbor.

Speaking of colorful settings, Sonya and I hug it out at the dreamy Red Heart lounge where they were celebrating 75 years!

In the “innovation hall,” make-your-own silly bands at Shapelets were a hot stop. And while we noted that Silly Bandz are so over in an even-the-SillyBandz-company-was-selling-snap-bracelets-at-the-recent-NY-Gift-Show kind of way, making Shapelets was refreshing for its DIY spirit of self-expression. Those are my star-shaped bands cooling on the pegboard along with Sonya’s completed mushroom bands!

I stopped for an impromptu interview with Cathie and Steve on Plaid Craft TV — they have a new web show coming out soon, so check it out!

And look, while they were interviewing me, Sonya’s segment from Plaid Craft TV was playing on the lower right monitor!

Here we are with Cathie and Steve — along with Amy Anderson, chief blogger at Mod Podge Rocks!

We stopped in to play with Melody Ross’s ChipArt tools–but forget chip board, we hammered words and initials to personalize leather bracelets at this make-and-take!

Everybody remember everyone’s favorite 3rd-person-speaking, faux-hawked contestant on Project Runway Season 5? Suede was at the far end of the Simplicity booth, signing copies of his new patterns and–what have we here?–refashioning T-shirts. Here we are with two of his laced-up, fringed-up, tied-up tees.

Non sequitor: I’m just in love with these framed disembodied hands and lanterns. I want them for my wall. (P.S. They’re from Tim Holtz‘s Idea-ology booth.)

Blogger meet-up! Stefanie Girard of Sweater Surgery, the Creative Craft Goddess Vicki O’Dell, Jenny Barnett Rohrs of Craft Test Dummies, and Jon Lee of Provocraft.

One of the finalists from So You Think You Can Dance Season 4, spinning on his head in a dance-off at the Provocraft 5-year birthday celebration for the Cricut. I think that’s a solid way to wrap up the round-up, right?

Oh, but while he’s spinning on his noggin, I’m not quite done… I’ve exhausted my photos, but the other sweet happenings included meeting Heather Mann of Dollar Store Crafts, the VP at Colonial Patterns (the company responsible for the Aunt Martha’s robot embroidery iron-ons), Kristen Turner of Threadbanger’s VainGlorious, and Ohio Knitting Mills author Steven Tatar.

And, the make-and-takes kept coming: from paper flower brooches, to etched glass, to paper-wrapped bangles, to old-school friendship bracelets. Another highlight of the weekend was the flip book that Sonya and I made at the entrance to the Cricut birthday party–it’s like a party photo booth turned up to 11–lots of costume props, plus 7 seconds to move around and goof off, then it’s printed, cut, and stapled into a mini personalized flip book!

So that’s it…until next CHA!