Adventures

Photo of the Day!

As you know, we’ve been busy up here in northern New Hampshire. In addition to the killer fashion show my students participated in on Friday night (I’m putting together a slide show to share with you soon!), I made a presentation to the all-class assembly on Saturday morning to kick off Week 2 of the Artward Bound workshops at Holderness School (yes, that means there’s a whole new group of students preparing for another fashion show before week’s end!).

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!

[ No Comments | Posted on March 14th, 2011 ]

Artward Bound is Runway Bound!

The countdown is complete. The Holderness School Artward Bound “ReMake It New” eco-fashion show is tonight! Here’s another behind-the-scenes look at my young designers in action.

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.

[ 1 Comment | Posted on March 11th, 2011 ]

Artward Bound: Report from the Front Lines

Artward Bound 2011 is officially underway up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (and yes, they are quite white with snow despite the steady rain all day on Sunday).

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!

[ 2 Comments | Posted on March 8th, 2011 ]

Adventures at CHA 2011

Here are some highlights of the people, places, and products I visited (along with my friend and partner in crafty crime, Sonya Nimri, author or Beadalicious and Just for the Frill of It) while exploring the floor for three days at CHA 2011. (They’re a little out of order, so forgive the costume changes!)

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!

[ No Comments | Posted on February 15th, 2011 ]

Megan Loves To Create: Refashioned T-shirts!

Amidst my recent adventures out at CHA (full round-up to come soon!), I was impromptu-interviewed by Alexa at iLoveToCreate who was dying to know what it is that I love to create. You all probably know that answer (Exhibit A: title of this post, above; Exhibit B: titles of books, right), but in case you needed more visual and verbal proof, please see Exhibit C: the video below…

I know, total newsflash, right?

PS: It took everything I had to keep my scissors (that glowing orb in the screen grab above) off that T-shirt to my left. But speaking of that T-shirt, what a great Valentine’s Day project, don’t you think? Pick up some super-glam iron-on crystals to celebrate your loooove.

[ No Comments | Posted on February 9th, 2011 ]

For Spring 2011: McCall’s Patterns!

I’m so excited to announce a very cool project I worked on in 2010: designing my first paper patterns for McCall’s Spring 2011 “Generation Next” campaign! I’m thrilled to be included in the newest pattern catalog alongside notable young designers Rebecca Turbow, the ladies at Flirt Brooklyn, and Melissa Watson. And here’s the proof (via my mom’s camera phone in the sewing section of a JoAnn Fabric & Craft Store in NH) — a spread in the catalog and the actual pattern envelopes, shown below!

My patterns are for use with jersey knit fabric, so while they’re not T-shirt designs per se — each style can be adapted for use on an actual T-shirt! And though I created all of the designs in black (what can I say, after 10 years living here, I’m a true New Yorker when it comes to fashion), I think they’d be fabulous in a dark plum, burgundy red, or teal. The envelope includes patterns for three related looks: a top, a tunic, and a dress and are available in two sizes, shown below: XS, S, M and L, XL.

So please check out the online look book or check out the real thing at your local fabric and pattern shop (and then go ahead and try them out at home on your sewing machine) and let me know what you think!

[ 3 Comments | Posted on January 10th, 2011 ]

Behind the Scenes: Sew It All TV

Excitement! Back in April, I was in Des Moines, Iowa to tape a pilot episode for for Sew It All, a new public television show premiering in the early part of 2012 with host Ellen March. See the preview below! Fast forward to several months later when Sew It All got all their fabulous sponsors rounded up and built a smart-looking new set in Golden, Colorado.

I flew out a couple of weeks ago so that Ellen and I could rework the segment on the new set, and in a slightly new format. Here are some highlights from behind the scenes! (P.S. That’s my sewing project on the dress form!) They taped for over a week straight, getting all of the first season episodes squared away–future guests include Carmen Webber (from Project Runway cycle 4), Crafty Chica Kathy Cano-Murillo, Suede (from Project Runway cycle 5), and more!

Editorial Assistant Kim Lee made sure everything ran smoothly off-set, from ironing samples to donning a headset and giving us those silent fingered countdowns to “action!” off-camera. Angela Lewis did our hair and makeup–here she is with host (and editor-in-chief of Sew It All magazine) Ellen March. Angela’s also responsible for the super curls I got to wear all over my head!

Here’s another shot from the super cute set — my tank top and Ellen’s cardigan…both made from T-shirts, of course.

Where on-set meets off-set: There were three cameras–operated by Layne, John, and Kevin–one on each side and one that swooped down from overhead to zoom in on what our hands were doing.

Flowers arrived on set for Ellen since it was the first day of taping!

Director Andi Coyle hunkered down off-set, making sure that we kept our energy up, that our mics didn’t get bumped during taping, that every shot was there and looked good! (And check out the cue cards Ellen prepared — I always love the phonetic pronunciation of my name: Meegan Nicol-eye!)

Angela and Kim also continued to keep a watchful eye over the on-set proceedings.

On the wall of the set: A simple, colorful reminder of what we are all there to do!

And, after a long day of taping, there’s nothing like ordering in a New York-style calzone to the hotel room! Yum.

Stay tuned for an air date! (Please contact your local PBS station to make sure they carry the show!  Click here to fill out a form to encourage them to make it happen!) I can’t wait to share my project with you all.

[ 3 Comments | Posted on November 2nd, 2010 ]

DIY Bouquet and Boutonniere!

Recently, I had the distinct honor of being my friends’ witness to their city hall nuptials. To make it festive, I met Sarah and Bryan on the building  steps with a bouquet of dahlias for her and a simple boutonniere for the him. And since  it was a rather last-minute DIY project the night before, my pile of scrap T-shirt hems became suddenly very valuable. Luckily, a few scraps that I had left over from a previous T-shirt project were the perfect hue for that wedding day “something blue.”

All you need are some fresh flowers, a rubber band, two straight pins, a pair of scissors, and some T-shirt strips!

For the bouquet, I arranged the flowers in one hand and, when the arrangement was satisfactory, I loosely wrapped them with the rubber band. Then I centered the stretched out T-shirt cord against the stems and gently but securely wrapped the ends around and around the bouquet, eventually tying them in a knot (oh, how appropriate).

For the boutonniere, I flattened one the stretched T-shirt cords and wrapped it around the stem, hiding the end of the fabric underneath the wrapped coils. Then I inserted a single straight pin to keep it in place. I brought a second pin to attach it to the groom’s lapel on-site.

(All excellent practice for some boutonniere-making I’ve been recruited to do for the suits in my brother’s wedding party next weekend!)

Da-dum-de-dum, da-dum-de-dum…from scraps to scrap-tacular! May they all (friends and scraps) live happily ever after.

[ No Comments | Posted on October 7th, 2010 ]

Report on World Maker Faire NY: Round 2

Now, where were we…ah yes, reminiscing about Maker Faire 2010!

Tiffany from RePlayground stopped by, showing off another colorful refashioned T-skirt!

The only kind of Coney Island Cyclone I’ll get near these days (after my last run-in with the real deal landed me in the ER — long story). Softie Cyclone only for me, thankyouverymuch!

There were chariot races! (With giant squid-like vehicles, ravens on wheels, tricked out bikes and pink tutus galore.)

Plus golden ladies on horse-bike…and more.

There were, inevitably, these:

Diana Eng‘s technology fashion show was amazing, as I had imagined it would be. This red piece with the deployable structured collar reminded me of…

The origami and paper plane folding at Workman’s Camp Make activity table.

Not only could people learn to knit and crochet (exhibit A, the crocheted wristband), they made buttons, too, at the button-making station at the Workman booth (exhibit B, the button latching it all together)!

And then, as quickly as it started, it was time to pack up…and get ready for next year!

Signing off…

[ 2 Comments | Posted on October 1st, 2010 ]

Report on World Maker Faire NY: Round 1

I’m going to keep the words to a minimum with the weak excuse that because I talked so much last Saturday and Sunday at Maker Faire that my voice is a little hoarse. (Yes, I’m choosing to completely ignore the fact that typing shouldn’t pose a problem to my vocal cords unless I read aloud to myself as I type…which I sometimes do.) Without further ado, please enjoy “My Weekend at World Maker Faire” in photos (with captions).

A nice verb that sums up the weekend.

A young fashionista generously shared sketches from her next collection.

I ate a lot of vegan paella (in the far vats). Oh, thee giant pans of paella, how I miss thee already.

Bicycle powered guitar jams! Sweet.

I refashioned T-shirts with new friend Dia in the parking lot!

I signed books for ladies wearing cool DIYed tank tops!

I spied T-shirt knitting yarn at the {NewNew} Collective!

The noisy, noisy, super amazing Jet Ponies by Madagascar Institute!

Refashioned more T-shirts with readers!

Signed more books, too!

My friend Kristina took a break from teaching knitting at the National Needle Art Association to witness the Squiggle Bot from Randy Sarafan’s 62 Projects to Make with a Dead Computer make her a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Then her daughter made this Flutter By, Butterfly from 10-Minute Puppets with author Noel MacNeal .

Stay tuned for more tomorrow!

[ 1 Comment | Posted on September 30th, 2010 ]

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