Generation T

Book Review & Project on Craft Test Dummies!

Check out the sweet review of Signature Styles by Jenny Doh (published earlier this year) by Vicki O’Dell (The Creative Goddess) over at the Craft Test Dummies site. I was one of twenty artists interviewed and invited to create a stitched project for the book–and I’m so flattered that Vicki was inspired to make my Rosette Necklace (from recycled T-shirt scraps, but of course!) in her review.

It’s a very simple yo-yo necklace that you can stitch by hand — but check out how Vicki put her own signature on it by painting the fabric first (high fives for personalization — I love that she took a yellow T-shirt she hated and made the colors so rich!) and adding some beading (seed beads, bugle beads, and some nice pearly centers) to the flowers! The finished photo is below (via The Creative Goddess herself), but click all the way so you can see her process!

As you all I know, I get positively giddy to see how other people interpret my projects — and I just love how Vicki’s version turned out! Have any of you tried making the necklace? Be sure to post the results over at the Generation T Facebook page!

[ 4 Comments | Posted on September 2nd, 2011 ]

T-shirt Projects

I Love to Create: Flower Power Picture Frame!

So often these days a photo album is an online click, and a frame may simply be the outer edges of a smart phone as you flick through those saved photos. Having just returned from vacation, I was inspired to make something a little less fleeting to display my memories of beach, sand, and snorkeling. And what better material to use to celebrate summer vacation than scraps from that all-time summer favorite: the T-shirt.

Materials:
-T-shirt scraps (in various colors)
-Circular object (about 2.5″ in diameter to use as a cutting template)
-Aleene’s Fabric Fusion fabric glue
-Fabric scissors
-Blank picture frame
-Aleene’s Tacky Line Runner (double-sided adhesive dispenser)
-Printed vacation photos to fit in the blank picture frame

1. Cut a series of circles from the T-shirt scraps. (I cut about 55 circles in order to cover a 4″ x 6″ frame.) Cut them all the same color or mix it up to add vibrant highlights to the frame — I was inspired by the colors of the corals (yellow, salmon, and raspberry hued) that we snorkeled near in Vieques.

2. Select one circle, fold it in half, then fold it in half again. Cut a scalloped edge into the open (arced) edge so the piece of folded fabric becomes heart-shaped.

3. Unfold the piece of fabric (it should slightly resemble a four-leaf clover) and squeeze a small amount of fabric glue into the center. Fold it in half, with the edges slightly askew (so the petals don’t line up exactly) and pinch.

4. Then apply a small dab of glue along the folded edge and fold it in half again to create a blossom.

5. Pinch the end and separate the petals and let dry. Repeat steps 2-4 for the remaining circles then set the blossoms aside.

6. Apply the double-stick adhesive liberally to the front of the frame. Be careful not to press your fingers into it since the oils will deplete the sticky qualities!

7. One by one, press the blossoms into the adhesive on the frame, angling and overlapping them to cover the frame and create a pleasing pattern.

8. Layer the flowers over the entire frame, and don’t hesitate to cut more if you find gaps in the coverage.

9. Now for the hard part! Select a photo to place in the frame.

Variations:
-Use strips of T-shirt scraps to make into coils to decorate the frame.
-Simply cover the photo frame with T-shirt fabric and then embellish with a small cluster of blossoms.
-Use a cluster of these flower power blossoms to embellish a headband, hair tie, or brooch!

[ 1 Comment | Posted on August 23rd, 2011 ]

More Fun

From Our Readers: Aimée!

This photo was enthusiastically submitted by Pearl and the Beard band member Jocelyn while on tour — she spotted Aimée’s sassy red tank top (and Aimée herself!) at a Washington D.C. show and simply had to snap a photo to send to us. (Editor’s Note: Good thinking, Jocelyn! We like your style.) The shirt looks to be a bit of a hybrid of #20 (“It’s My Party and I’ll Tie if I Want To”) from Generation T and #104 (“Knot So Fast”) from Generation T: Beyond Fashion with some gathered sleeve-straps thrown in for good measure.

Cheers to Aimée for her DIY savvy and impressive musical tastes (after the show, Aimée and her brother Paul interviewed the band for his blog, The Reverb Signal) and cheers to Jocelyn for her keen eye for T-shirt refashioning! Oh, and if you haven’t checked out Pearl and the Beard’s Will Smith Medley, please do so immediately. I really can’t stress how important this is.

[ No Comments | Posted on August 18th, 2011 ]

Media

New York Times Book Review!

It’s every author’s dream to see their name or book title in the New York Times Book Review. So the first thing I did was pinch myself when I read the words, Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt listed on page 22 under the heading “Inside the List” — in the company and context of Alexander McQueen, no less! — as the writer of the mini article discussed the success of the McQueen Savage Beauty book that accompanied the show at the Met that just closed two weekends ago (a stunning and thoroughly inspiring exhibit — and yes, I bought the book for my personal library). It’s a just a small mention, and way down at the bottom of the page, but there you have it folks: Generation T, as seen in the New York Times Book Review!

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

More Fun

T-shirt Riddle Answer — We Have a Winner!

And the winner of the Generation T birthday giveaway, with the correct answer that Megan has 18 black T-shirts, 11 red T-shirts, and 6 white T-shirts (if W represents the number of white T-shirts that Megan owns, then we can make the equation W + (W+5) + 3W = 35. Solving, W = 6) is Nancy Cluff! (Of course, now Megan has one less white T-shirt since it’s going into the prize pack to Nancy, but I suppose that’s the trick answer…)

Thanks to all who played and stretched your brains — well over 30 total correct answers were submitted! The next giveaway happens when the Generation T Facebook community page hits 3,000–so please spread the word to your T-shirt refashioning friends who might like to join the ranks!

—

The T-shirt puzzle was adapted from the Mensa 365 Brain Puzzlers Page-A-Day calendar.

[ 1 Comment | Posted on August 13th, 2011 ]

More Fun

A T-shirt Riddle and Giveaway!

Many of you know how much I enjoy giving gifts around the holidays and since I just celebrated a birthday last weekend, it seems as good enough a holiday as any to host a Generation T giveaway. I hope you’ll agree! To enter to win this Generation T gift pack (includes a blank T-shirt and some surprise refashioning goodies), solve the riddle below and e-mail Megan the answer (megan@generation-t.com) by 5 pm (EST) on Friday, August 12. The winner will be selected at random from those who answer correctly and announced via the Generation T website and the Generation T Facebook page.

Here goes:

Megan owns 35 T-shirts whose colors are red, black, and white. She has three times as many black T-shirts as white T-shirts, and the number of red T-shirts she owns is five greater than the number of white T-shirts. How many T-shirts of each color does Megan have?

Happy solving!

—

This puzzle was adapted from the Mensa 365 Brain Puzzlers Page-A-Day calendar.

[ 6 Comments | Posted on August 9th, 2011 ]

Media

Sew It All TV on PBS!

Hey Coloradans! Did any of you happen to catch Megan and Generation T on Sew It All with host Ellen March Saturday morning (August 6, 2011) on your local Rocky Mountain PBS station? This was an especially poignant airing of the show since we filmed the episodes in Golden, Colorado almost a year ago!

Check with your local station to see if if they’re airing the show (and if not, request it here!).

[ No Comments | Posted on August 8th, 2011 ]

More Fun

From Our Readers: Onyx!

A blast from the past, but still in time for summer 2011! Shortly after Onyx’s dad came to one of my summer 2009 book tour events for Generation T: Beyond Fashion in Portland (sadly, Onyx was out of town!), Onyx made the Pinup Girl halter top at home. Her aunt came over for a visit, and she generously gifted it to her. Instead of using a punk pin for the “pinup” part (the gathers at the front), she used a safety pin and sewed on a barrette–a very cute and creative variation!

Other viable variations include a couple of stitches to keep the gather in place, a button or two (or three!), or a big sparkly bead or brooch. Sum-sum-summertime!

[ 1 Comment | Posted on August 2nd, 2011 ]

T-shirt Projects

I Love to Create: Superhero Arm Warmers!

This T-shirt transformation project is my favorite of the accessories in my first book. They’re the Go-go Gauntlets (project #73) from Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt. They’re super easy to stitch up in an afternoon, and even easier to embellish with iron-on glitter sheets–which seriously increase the superhero factor.

These arm warmers are especially good for:
1) Completing late night deadlines (reports, papers, presentations, tax filing, etc.).
2) Healing goose-bumped flesh in the over-air-conditioned spaces of warm-weather climates.
3) Protecting long-armed folks from that pesky draft caused by the gap between the glove and sleeve in cold weather climates.
4) Shielding the knuckles of bicyclists from biting winds when they ride really fast.
5) Executing superhero power stances.

Materials:
-1 or more old T-shirts (with the bottom hem intact)
-Fabric marking tool
-Ruler
-All-purpose scissors
-Fabric scissors
-Needle and thread (or sewing machine)
-Tulip Fashion Glitter Shimmer Transfer Sheets
-Pressing cloth
-Iron

1. Measure the distance around the middle of your forearm (x). Mark a rectangle x” wide and between 11″ and 14″ tall that lines up along one of the side folds of the T-shirt and extends up from the bottom hem.

2. Use the fabric scissors to cut out the rectangle through both layers.

3. Cut open the side, along the fold of the shirt.

4. Fold each rectangle, right sides in, and make two marks along each of the open edges that measure 1 1/2″ and 3 1/2″ from the hem.

5. Stitch along the open edge, about 1/4″ from edge, leaving an opening (for the thumbs!) between the two marks.

6. Turn the arm warmers right side out and orient the thumb holes about one-third from the edge.

7. Use all-purpose scissors to cut out fun shapes from the iron-on glitter sheets (in pairs, if you want your arm warmers to match).

8. Keeping the arm warmers oriented as they were in Step 6, flip them over and arrange the glitter shapes near the hem. Peel away the shiny surface layer from the shapes, lay a pressing cloth over the arm warmers (being careful not to disturb the placement of the shapes), and press firmly with the iron for about 40 seconds. Repeat if necessary to set the glitter transfer.

9. Turn off and unplug the iron. Try on your new pair of superhero arm warmers!

10. Use all the shapes you cut out in Step 7 to make more!

Optional: Use remaining T-shirt scraps to make a matching superhero mask or headband!

[ No Comments | Posted on July 26th, 2011 ]

More Fun

From Our Readers: Stacey!

To be fair, these photos actually come courtesy of Stacey’s boyfriend, Ryan, who gets serious points for being so awesome and so proud to show off the swell work of his talented lady friend. This delightful oven mitt (project #40, “Up in My Grill,” from Generation T: Beyond Fashion) is just one of about fifteen projects that Stacey’s got in the DIY pipeline. In Ryan’s words, it is also “pretty much the first thing I show off to people when they visit my new place in Brooklyn.” Ryan also gets serious points for sacrificing his old Mets jersey tee for the cause!