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Melanie Testa

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Noodles, eat, shop, play.

Yesterday I went to the Fashion District to poke around in trim shops. This was the first time I brought my video camera and I was shy to whip it out. M and J Trimming was all for it, I asked if they were OK with my filming, yes. No questions. In fact it was almost as if they were saying, ‘No need! It is all on the web anyway!’ย 

I love M and J, they have so much stuff packed into that store, it is arranged and managed beautifully. It is where I go to find stuff, then I try to source it elsewhere to get a better price. Yesterday I went for the clip closures I am using on the Sew-plies purse. They also have these snaps that I have my eye on. But I think I can find them at Pacific Trimming at a better price. Pacific trimming had these safety pins that I find adorable and have been using in the Sew-plies purse, so those came home with me too.

Both stores had stuff that I would like to mull over. I like to mull over and process how I might use a thing before I purchase.

I would like to do this again, let me know if you think it is fun.

When I was flying to Arlington Texas last week, I traced off an image on an airplane and embroidered it to the center back of the Female Magazine blouse. The blouse is piling up the embroidered stitches. The fabric is changing to the touch. Very nice. I will post overall photos soon.

Last week I went and played with Victoria Findlay Wolfe (whom I love and sorta have a crush on, she is creative, gentle, awesome, smart and she is coming out with a book!!). She keeps a site called 15 Minutes Play (also the name of her upcoming book). She sat me in front of a machine and got me sewing without specific purpose in a playful way. Oh my goodness! This was so good for my soul. I have been moving away from intense dye use in my work and using cloth in this way-piecing and playing, really helps to loosen a girl up.

So this weekend I put the idea to the test. I gave myself 15 minutes to play (it turned into hours and hours). But. Here were the ideas I applied to the 15 Minutes of Play:

Use new materials, in this case wool batting

Use stitch in an unexpected way

Combine one piece of hand made cloth with mostly commercial prints

This sew-plies purse is so yellow, it glows! As I have said before, I want to make one for everyday of the week. I may need one for each day of the month. I think this is going to become something for me. I want a piece of clothing to embellish, embroider, print and surface design to go with each purse! I am going to take the Gather your Sew-plies purse off the web and update and fix it, so if you want version 1, download it now.

June 6, 2012 By Melanie Tagged With: 15 Minutes Play, Female Magazine, Gather your Sew-plies!!, NYC, Sew-plies, Victoris Findlay Wolfe, Video

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deborah

    June 6, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    I love that little backwards section. You silly girl! I have beautiful hand dyed silk ribbon from my last trip to M&J.

  2. Jeannie

    June 6, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    Wow! I mean really, WOW!!! A girl could get lost in all of that color filled CRAP! I absolutely love the yellow fabric with bird – one of your creations? I love how embroidery changed the weight and feel of clothing. It adds substance and warmth. (Folding wontons is fun and yummy! Your noodle bowl is so pretty and I bet yummy too!)

  3. Caatje

    June 7, 2012 at 6:33 am

    My jaw just dropped at even the idea of such a store existing! There is nothing like that over here where I live anywhere (I live in the Netherlands). For trimming my choice is basically limited to one market stall in a nearby city en a small part of a wall in a fabric store I sometimes visit. This is like the Walhalla of trimming to me. I may want to move to New York now. I may have no choice. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  4. marsha

    June 7, 2012 at 11:17 am

    wow- I LOVE LOVE LOVE that bird fabric….where on earth did you find it(or how did you make it)????
    If I can convince my dog to sleep for a few hours today I will make one of these purses today

  5. Cindy

    June 7, 2012 at 11:19 am

    Oh my gosh, what a fantastic store! I love your video editing … you made me laugh with the backwards part and the look on the wonton maker’s face when she realized you were filming her?!! Thank you for sharing your excursion!

  6. jackie

    June 7, 2012 at 2:59 pm

    Amazing, made me swear out loud – its just not fair! So much fun in one small area.

  7. Lisa

    June 9, 2012 at 4:00 pm

    Such wonderful eye candy! Do you get overwhelmed with all the beautiful things around you? Where do you start?!? Thanks for the link to Pacific Trimming. Looks like a fun place to waste some time. ๐Ÿ˜‰

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