Weekend Review: Bojagi

 

Bojagi / Sara Cook
London: Batsford, c2019
128 p.

I love Batsford books; they are tactile and lovely, with nice fuzzy covers and lots of great photos inside. This one is no exception. It's a look at Bojagi, a traditional Korean textile art. Written by a British woman, her authenticity to write about this subject is addressed in a foreword by a renowned Korean artist, who vouches for Cook's study of the technique with Korean teachers and her skill at using it. 

The book is beautiful, for sure. And it's full of very specific instruction and technique for you to learn the ropes yourself. It shares traditional techniques, from whole cloth to patchwork to embroidery to household goods. And it also shares beautiful images of how these techniques have been used in contemporary textile art. 

The book is broken up into chapters that logically follow on from one another; from history to technique, with projects showing you how to try things out yourself. 

Something I found really interesting was a bit on Jewel Pattern, what we in the West know as Cathedral Windows. She notes that the first documented appearance of this pattern in the US was at the 1933 World's Fair, but that the pattern appeared in Korea already in the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) There is a project for this pattern if you haven't tried it before.

And the book talks about more than simply the patchwork style that we often think of when talking about bojagi -- she also delves into seam treatments, embellishments (like knots and folded points of fabric), & quilting styles. There is history and  cultural context, illustrated with many wonderful images. From clothing and household uses to art pieces, these techniques are used for everything. 

Traditional household items - cloth covering and caddy

I really loved how detailed this book is, sharing so many techniques and explaining, with examples,  both former and current usage. And there is such a depth of knowledge and respect for the cultural source of all these styles. It's a really dense read, with each page full of interest. From the history to the craft to the bright, large images, this is one to pore over. I really loved it and could go on and on but it would be best for you to check it out yourself :) 

Modern bojagi inspired pieces

This was a book that I found surprisingly compelling - it's so full of information that I could read it numerous times. And the structure and progression of the chapters is really well done. Plus I can't say enough about the quality and number of clear, bright photos. This was a big hit for me. Recommended.

Weekend Review: The Art of Mixing Textiles in Quilts

The Art of Mixing Textiles in Quilts / Lynn Schmitt
Lafayette, CA: C&T, c2018
111 p.

 Another quilting book this week, full of beautiful images and inspiration. I picked up this one because I'm interested in the idea of mixing textiles in projects -- I am certainly not a quilting cotton purist, especially since I sew with so many different fabrics, and want to be able to scrap bust all of them! 

This book is a great resource. The first section talks about the different non-quilting cotton fabrics that the author uses, like wool, silks, linen, or upholstery fabrics, among others. She goes over the best ways to use and combine these fabrics -- tips on seam pressing, stitching, interfacing/stabilizing, and so on. One good example of a basic tip is when sewing heavier fabrics like wool or upholstery weights, don't press the seams to one side. Press open to reduce bulk, and you can also grade seams. This is something garment sewists will probably know but it's a great tip for someone new to incorporating these fabrics.

I'm mostly interested in this topic because it seems to me that this book has lots of great ideas that can be used in garment sewing, especially these days as patchworked and quilted clothing is becoming a little more popular once again. And I feel like there is a lot of useful content here. Plus beautiful images, did I mention that already? 

Her style of eclectic piecing as she calls it is really eye-catching, as is shown off with 14 projects here -- pillows, quilts and small projects which feature piecing, applique and some wonderful quilting designs too. One piece that uses both traditional blocks and more modern design is this beautiful little wall hanging. I love the combo of colours, techniques, and the overall finish.

There are also practical or useful projects included and this "Market Tote" is one example. It uses the same mix of traditional blocks and more general piecing as the wall hanging, and on the other side of it there is actually some applique as well. It's a great use for the sturdier fabrics that she uses in the mix.

I also admire some of the quilting on these pieces. The wall hanging has a spiral motif that contrasts with the square blocks, and there is one piece, shown on the cover, with a circular medallion quilted onto an area of green silk, right among the flying geese blocks, and it's really stunning. The shape of it and the way it catches the light are both very pleasing to the eye. There are many little details in these projects that are very inspiring. 

I really enjoyed going through this book. Other projects include table runners, pincushions, pillows & throws, and while I might not be planning on making many of them they were a delight to look at. The initial section of information on textile use is the most applicable to my sewing habits, and I think her experience and advice would be useful to anyone wanting to blend fabrics in a pieced/quilted garment. If this kind of stitching appeals to you, I'd recommend checking your library to see if you can take a look at this book too.  

Weekend Review: Making Scrap Quilts To Use it Up

Making Scrap Quilts to Use It Up! / Lynne Edwards
Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles, c2003
128 p.

One of the ways to sew more sustainably is to make sure you're using as much of your fabric as possible, and wasting very little of it. Making quilts has always been a traditional way of doing this. However, I'm not really a quilter, well, not a traditional one anyhow. So I don't end up using a lot of my scraps in this way. 

But, I recently saw a book review on PatternReview for this book, Making Scrap Quilts to Use It Up by Lynne Edwards. The reviewer mentioned that along with quilts this book includes two other small projects, in particular, a bag that she was interested in.

It sounded so intriguing that I quickly requested this book on Interlibrary Loan and have had a chance to read through it over the last week or so. It is a good collection, with a variety of quilts (16 patterns) using small pieces, arranged either randomly or in set quilt patterns that give great visual effects. There are good photos and clear diagrams and instructions for the projects as well. 

One of my favourite kind of quilts is the random scrap style, and the first one in this book is a massive postage stamp quilt -- all made of 1.5" squares. It's really appealing, the kind of scrap celebration I love. There is also a quillow pattern, I recall making a bunch of these for Christmas gifts many years ago! 

But as I am mainly a garment sewist, I have to agree with the original reviewer that the highlight of this book is the very unusual bag pattern. It's a pleated bucket bag style, with an interior drawstring closure. I haven't seen a style like this before, and there are examples both in solid fabric and in patchworked fabrics. I don't make many bags but this is such an interesting design that I'm eager to give it a try. 

This book is out of print as far as I can tell, so you'll have to find it second hand or via your own local library if you are interested in investigating it as well. 

Weekend Review: Last Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts

Last Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts / Joelle Hoverson
NY: STC Craft, c2007.
160 p.

This is a book that really lives up to its title. Even if you started something today, you could finish it in time for gift giving, by using the time commitment ratios that this book is organized by.

And the quick gifts are NICE ones. Ones I'd be happy to give someone, or to have someone give to me! The book is organized into 3 sections: Intro, Basics (techniques, sources etc.) and the Projects. The project section is further organized into "Less than 2 Hour", "2-4 Hour", "4-8 Hour", "8-12 Hour", and "More than 12 Hour" gifts. (the last is mostly because they are hand quilted items; machine quilting would cut that down a lot). The estimates seem very realistic, not like the infamous "2 Hour Dress" sewing patterns we've all tried.

elegant pillows

Each section has pretty and useful ideas that would fit into the time slot suggested, from start to finish of a project. From very simple but lovely gifts like quilted coasters or the bird ornament on the front of the book, all the way to a fully hand quilted crib quilt, they cover a range of ideas. Pincushions, pillows, pencil rolls, napkins and/or table runners make way for a variety of quilt projects big and small. There is nothing totally unexpected or utterly unique about the projects, but they are all really nicely done, with special touches to make each one really nice -- for example, the pencil roll is colour matched with scraps to reflect the coloured pencils. A lovely touch.

The photos (by Anna Williams) are clear and engaging, giving lots of project detail as well as attractive staging. And the writing in the book is also readable for its stories as well as instructions. Overall a charming book that I'd recommend finding in your own library to experience the peaceful tone and pretty projects. If you like sewing little gifts and have lots of scraps, some of the shorter projects might be just what you are looking for.

Refashioning Shows and Contests, oh my!

I made an upcycled project in April, all because of a local Refashion Show that was happening as part of a local week of sustainability in fashion events, our first ever, called Trashion Week. I signed up for this event, and then also realized it was the same dates as the Pattern Review Upcycling Contest, so I've also entered this project into that contest (you can see my entry here, and of course you can vote for me if you are a PR member and so wish!)

On to the project. I went back and forth with ideas for this project, but finally decided on my design mostly due to the availability of raw resources. I found a polyester damask tablecloth at the Goodwill that was just perfect - I loved the spiral swirl in it, and the colour was just right - the theme of the Refashion Show was "water".

I looked for a pattern in my stash that would be easy to sew with this material, which wouldn't take much pressing or fussy design lines. I was going for a formal look, and finally chose Simplicity 8213, a Project Runway pattern which only has bust darts and otherwise no darts, gathering etc.

I extended the skirt to ankle length, and most fortunately, the tablecloth was just big enough for me to cut the bodice and skirt pieces at their extended length, using the punched edging of the tablecloth for the hem. There was only about an inch of fabric left between them. I also used the extra edge bits to cut the small flange for the sleeve, with the edging used for sleeve hems as well. This sewed together quite straightforwardly, with simple construction methods and basic seams. I sewed carefully so as not to snag this fabric, and tried very hard to press the bust darts flat, though I was only partially successful. I trimmed them on the inside and used my pressing ham, but they need to pressed prior to wearing every time as the press doesn't hold well, thanks to this fabric.

I also inserted the invisible zip carefully, as I didn't think this fabric would take to much ripping out and redoing. Thankfully it went in perfectly the first try, and when I put the neck facing on, the edging was also nice and square and matched up, whew. One of the judges for the show complimented my zip insertion, haha -- yes, that's what I was going for, never mind the whole "look" ;)

The dress was solid and unadorned so that the cape could shine -- that was the main design idea. I used a tutorial from Amari Designs which was exactly the style I was looking for. I made one from an old length of knit to test it out, and then used that piece to size the patchwork block I made from strips of two dresses, two skirts, and one scarf, all of which came either from a thrift store or my closet.

I sewed them together with curved seams to give a better impression of water -- this was time consuming, each seam was nearly 60" long, and took me about 40 - 45 minutes to cut, pin and sew. When I finally got the 5 ft by 5 ft block sewn (like 20 hours later), I cut and bound the neck opening and then decided not to hem the edges. I was planning on using a narrow hem, but the way the cape fell was just right, the edges rolled in slightly, and I didn't want a hem weighing down the floatiness of the finished cape, which was the entire point of it. So I left it raw edged. It works.

I had a great time at the show, since my model was a friend of mine with a great sense of humour. We enjoyed all the other designs (much more elaborate) and laughed a lot. I was pleased with my wearable design, though, and learned quite a bit making it. My friend is also planning on wearing this dress again!