getting ready for the winter

every winter it's a struggle to find a hat that i like, is comfortable, not kiddie looking and doesn't let wind in my ears. so last year i bought a hat that was long and slouchy, it covered my ears, and was good but not tight enough around my ears. so i took what i liked about that hat, searched around at other hats for some inspiration and knitted this up by modifying an existing pattern i have for a ribbed hat:

it was pretty easy, if you like this hat and would like the pattern just leave me a comment!

printing elbow and much more.....

my elbow is killing me. i can only think that it's from a print job i did for a local church here. 200 shirts in one day all by myself, woe is me (it took me a couple tries to spell woe).

in other news, i'd like to share the process in which i make new screenprints. as you know they are mostly if not 100% inspired by my surroundings and in keeping with that here is the story about building houndstooth:
i really love the houndstooth pattern. i have a pair of flip flops from reef that are houndstooth patterened and they rocked, super rocked. but one of them broke......le sigh.
so i created a new pattern, it's houndstooth but the shape for the pattern is made from this picture of the dayton towers building in my town of rockaway:

so from here i used my trusty computer to create a houndstooth design and cut it out from a spot on the picture:

the next step was to take this and turn it into a pattern:

after that i printed it out on transparency film, and used the film to create a screen, which i used to screenprint this design onto my fabric and then i sewed my fingers to the bone to create bags like these:

and that's that!

rest your pretty little head

i had a lunch meeting with my business manager (aka my bff since kindergarten) complete with arroz con pollo lovingly made by her mom. we decided i need to simplify things a little. taking on too much is making things confusing for me. there are some super women who can work, cook, clean, make stuff, run a small business, etc. without losing it - not to say i've lost it - but i need to maybe be a little less complicated with my offerings for the time being.

as anyone who has been reading this smut may be aware. besides sewing, i also have an affection towards screenprinting, so lets smash the two together to produce some items that are useful and pleasing to look at.

starting with throw pillows, maybe not the most original idea, but too bad cause i like them, so whatev. it's like having a little piece of artwork on your couch.

this is my first attempt, a screenprint of and old school train with the atomsmasher from playland in the background. printed on a handsewn pillowcase i made with unbleached cotton canvas.

stay tuned for more designs and shopping details.