My samples for Liberty of London

MIA, I have been missing my blog but have been in full action. Last week was a very busy week for me and I feel awful I haven't had a chance to put together the DIY curtain post which I promised. However, at one of my day jobs, at Purl Soho, we had a launch for the new Liberty of London collection called Bloomsbury. I mentioned it a few times. I was commissioned to sew 6 projects from Purl Bee using the new fabric. I had a great time sewing them and wanted to share some of the pics.
Also I was working on a quilt for my nephew's birthday. Last Saturday, Caius celebrated his 5th birthday.   I made him a patchwork quilt that I designed with inspiration from a Painter Palette quilt from Design Sponge.
Here are a few photos of what's been going on!

Caius's Birthday Quilt #5

Purl Triangle Girl's Dress

Purl Rainbow Mini Quilt

Union Jack Patchwork Quilt almost done.

Purl 20 Minute Totes and the Union Jack Flag make their debut at the launch last Thursday at Purl.

The Rainbow mini quilt.

Also I almost forgot to mention we finally started construction in our basement. We met with our contractor last Wednesday and construction began today! Home office/ sewing space/ classroom will be finished in a few weeks!

The ones marked Purl in front of their title are Purl Bee patterns and copyrighted.

And the winner is...

Thank you to everyone who commented on the Liberty of London scarf giveaway!  Your comments were interesting to read and always brought a smile to my face in the past 4 days. The winner is Mia, comment #12.  Mia please email me tracey@traceytoole.com with your mailing info so I can get this scarf to you asap!

There will be another giveaway in August so check back!

Tracey

Guest blogging and the Hells Kitchen Flea

Hand stitching a phone case lined with felt

Happy Monday! Another hot week ahead for us in NYC.  Fortunately Brooklyn is a little cooler, not much but the breeze helps. I had a busy weekend here in the city. Saturday and Sunday afternoons I spent with 3rdward at the Hells Kitchen Flea Market. While they had featured members selling their wares I was giving free sewing demos on how to sew a phone case.

Barry one of the new education dept employees made himself an iphone case.

Barry's new case. Chevron on one side and a Lotta Jansdotter print on the other side.

Saw some cool things at the market.

Come visit me over on the EtsyNYteam blog. I am guest blogging over there today.

Check back tomorrow for a DIY tutorial on how to make a curtain!
And don't forget to comment on the Liberty post to get a chance on winning a scarf bandanna designed by me. Deadline is tonight.

Liberty of London Scarf Giveaway!

The past two weeks I have been working on some projects for Purl for the new Liberty Lifestyle Collection launch next Thursday.  The new collection is called Bloomsbury and is quilting weight fabrics.

The Twenty Minute Tote from Molly's Sketchbook. Visit the Purl Bee to get the pattern.

The flowers are big and beautiful and bright! Some are the classic tiny ditsy prints. Some even have a retro look.  I am sewing up some Twenty Minute Totes, Quilts and even a Union Jack pillow. Having a lot of fun doing this and definitely have Liberty on the brain. 


So I thought, I have never had a give away on my blog and have a new item in my own line of products, the Liberty Bandanna Scarves, so with this post I am giving a pink Liberty of London bandanna to one lucky winner.  This is a great piece to use as a bandanna, a scarf, or a hankie. Two pink prints put together with neon pink stitching.  


Please submit your comment to this post by Monday July 16th at midnight.  Do you have a favorite Liberty of London print? How would you wear this item? As a scarf or a head band?  What's your favorite accessory?


Please make sure you leave your email/twitter handle or that your comment is linked to your profile or blog so I can contact you if you win! 
Good luck readers!

Pink Pieced Liberty Bandanna Scarf

Designing a home design office

We have now been in our home for a little over two months. When we moved in the basement was finished but there are no rooms. This is where my studio will be. The time has come to build it, chapter 2 of renovations.   I have been researching home offices, sewing rooms, craft spaces, design areas so I can get exactly what I need, functional and inspirational.  This space will be used for designing for my menswear clients, designing and sewing my own line of housewares and teaching sewing.  I have made a list of everything that needs a home; some of them are a sewing machine, a serger, computer, iron board, work table, sewing machines for students, design board, bolts of fabric, trims, finished product, a printer....the list goes on.  I have decided more closed cabinets are better.  Here are a few pics I have discovered thru pinterest and houzz.com

Media Room design by Seattle Kitchen And Bath Canyon Creek Cabinet Company

peg board

Everybody needs a lemon yellow chair! 

corner desk space  Spaces design

Eclectic Home Office design by Vancouver Media And Blogs The Locker

Eclectic Home Office design by San Francisco Architect Feldman Architecture, Inc.

Spaces design by saidosdaconcha.blogspot.com

Love the font and type on these old cabinets

Eclectic Bedroom design by Oklahoma City Interior Designer Rhonda Kieson Designs

After all of the research and meeting with my friend John  we have taped out the basement. My studio will have lots of counter space, flip down iron board, a full wall of cork for design work, multiple sewing stations and lots of cabinets!

So I showed you my inspiration, here is the room and what we are starting with. Slightly embarrassed to show you but time to face the music! My work is cut out for me.

Stay tuned!

Watermelon - a tasty fruit and fantastic color!

Tuesday at work, at Purl, I designed a bundle of half yard pieces of fabric to sell.

6 half yards go into each bundle. And when designing them it gets tricky and challenging when you get to the fifth and sixth fabrics. Today we were cutting the bundles and putting them together. I realised I Love this bundle! I may even buy it.

from left to right
quilter's linen, remix in green, yuwa honeycomb dots, raindrops on poseys, pink quilter's linen, watermelon slices

 I love not only the watermelon print from Robert Kaufman but each piece makes me feel summer happy. Watermelon colored polka dots, bright neon pink and neon green quilter's linen and lime green gradient remix from Kaufman. I just wanted to get home to my studio and start working; mix and match set of napkins? Or a patchwork table cloth for a bbq?  A little girl's dress? A summer picnic quilt? The possibilities are endless!

What would you create?


One last note- check out this watermelon yarn from Madeline Tosh.

Madeline Tosh light in espadrille - while I was winding this for a customer  I thought  "this should be called watermelon".

Yummm....Want some watermelon items? I must have been in  a watermelon mood yesterday. Here is my Ode to the Watermelon on etsy for the Etsy NY Team.

Happy Friday!

Menswear Spring 2013

Jil Sanders, Frida Giannini for Gucci and Missoni

Last week in Milan the Menswear 2013 shows have been happening. Being a menswear designer I always enjoy checking out the latest designs. Menswear is not as popular as womenswear and many menswear designers do not even do shows in NYC anymore. Also menswear is much more fashionable in Europe and Australia. I'm not talking about mansy pansy but European clothes are always more detailed, designed and chic without looking feminine.

My sister Cindy lived in Roma for over 5 years. She was not a fashionista and even she noticed how clothing is much more detailed and cared for. Thought is put into every aspect.

This past Thursday in the NY Times style section there were a few articles on the shows. The one that I can't stop thinking about is how menswear has gone back to basics. Clean, sophisticated, classic looks with some pop. Jil Sanders who left her company some time ago, has come back and her new line is amazing!
I remember reading about her leaving her company and coming back to it. I thought how hard must it be to come back and it must have been so bad that she gave it up. And I was genuinely happy to hear she was back at her company. I love what Guy Trebay, the author of this article says regarding Jil Sanders: "...hard working fabrics in shapes that were deceptively simple, proportioned and detailed with a precision few designers could match".

     

Love this cardigan by Ms.Sanders. 

Many designers for Spring 2013 have gone with basic clothing, clean lines, proportioned correctly and stylish. Some have chosen to add pop colors. Now if you are a non fashionista or a regular guy don't be turned off by the runway pics. Remember this is for show. Look at the elements; the shorts by Missoni, blue woven shirt by Neil Barrett, great basics by Band of Outsiders. 

Neil Barrett

Nautical influences seen in Band of Outsiders.

And another fave of mine Thom Browne. His Spring 13 just made me smile.

  

I love whales.