Star Wars Extravanganza

Now that things are winding down (can I really say this truthfully ever?)  I am going to actually take out the 16 projects I have in my sewing collection and finish them up.  The biggest and most involved current affair is the Star Wars quilt I have started for my baby boy.  It is an experiment for me as I have not done too much in the way of art quilts but you have to start somewhere.  So of course as per my usual M.O. I will start with the most difficult of tasks - recreating Darth Vader.  I am SO excited to see how it turns out and *fingers-crossed* the Darth Vader Star Wars quilt will be a success!  Here are a few pics of the drawing process. I did kidnap the image from Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy by Mathew Reinhart - which if I may digress for a moment, is the COOLEST book ever to enter this house.  If you have any interest in Star Wars and any little boy (or adult boy as it were - my husband is giddy) you should definitely get this book.  It is hands down the coolest pop-up book I have ever seen, not to mention the light sabers that actually light up. It is loaded with Star Wars facts and each page is a layer upon layer of hiding pop-ups.  It actually took us several passes to discover all of the folds and images. I could go on and on but I will let you discover it yourself! 

So I used the image to trace out Darth Vader and then had the image enlarged at Office Depot.  I did add in the body elements and more draping pieces which will be an experiment using different shades of grey in Batiks and Blenders.  With a touch of Michael Miller Fairy Frost for the actual "Star Wars" banner across the bottom. 

 

 

So this is the start of it and I do have a few pieces cut out and fabrics selected which I will try to post soon.  The kid's room is a work in progress and I will try to post progression pics as we get it put together and completed. 

Update on Sunday, August 2, 2009 at 08:37PM by Dillinger

With a little extra time to spare I have finished all of the painting in my house and finally gotten to the actual construction of the Star Wars quilt experiment.  It is going fantastically! I have quick-fused all of the pieces and am in the process of satin stitching the edges using Sulky single and multi-colored threads which looks amazing! Here is a glimpse at what I've done so far!

New Fat Quarter Bundles

We have been introducing more fat quarter bundles and will continue to do so over the next few weeks or so.  Fantastic color combinations make projects a cinch!!

Flights of Fancy by Paula Prass in Spring and Summer colorways!

Amy Butler Midwest Modern Collection: A gorgeous array of color this bundle has loads of potential!

Kaffe Fassett Bundle :  Fantastic for some our featured patterns by Allison Quilt Designs - gorgeous patterns for even a novice quilter!

Vintage Swimsuit Extravaganza...VivaVintageClothing.com

I am in heaven with this stunning vintage swimsuit circa Marilyn Monroe and beyond glamorous.  In my never ending quest for classic clothing and vintage inspiration I came across VivaVintageClothing Featuring fabulous era clothing in fantastic condition.  This suit is flawless and if you haven't picked up on it already, I am in LOVE!!  Keep an eye out as we start to introduce The Dillinger Ink Swimwear Collection for a close replica.  It may not be available until next summer but hopefully we can graze the masterful construction of the gorgeous vintage swimsuit.  We will post studio photos after our upcoming shoot but until then here is a peek at my new favorite addition to my ever growing closet of bombshell inspiration.

Thank you VivaVintageClothing.com for an incredible swimsuit and stellar customer service!

The Great American Pin-up: Gil Elvgren

If I can think back to the origin of my fascination with vintage fashion, I would have to give most credit to what we all love and revere as The Great American Pin-up. Iconic images of beautiful women who are sweet and seductive and who bare the mark of femininity.   As my collection of images grows I always come back to Gil Elvgren (1914-1980), one of the greatest and arguably most important pin-up and glamour artists of the twentieth century.  Perhaps I harbour some pride in the fact that he is from St. Paul, Minnesota, home sweet home - though that aside is his ability to bring the female form to life with vibrance and a playful vivaciousness.  I believe that is the draw that keeps us interested, it keeps this art and this style alive among women and men today.  It is the full skirts and fitted waistlines, the red lips and curled hair, and of course the peekaboo thigh-hi stocking and garter that shows off just enough to keep her modesty.

 Getting Spotted

Gil Elvgren left The University of Minnesota in 1933 with new wife Janet Cummins. The newlyweds headed for Chicago because of the artistic opportunity it afforded Gil.  Elvgren enrolled in the Amerian Academy of Art where he worked with a determination that his professors and peers took note of.  He completed his studies in 2.5 years and moved home to St. Paul where he would be commissioned to paint the Dionne Quintuplets who were a sensation in American media.  This painting would be for the world's largest calendar company, Brown & Bigelow whom Elvgren would produce many many works for over the years.  From this painting, Gil would become an overnight success commercially which was indeed rare.   By 1940, most of Elvgren's work was coming out of New York and Chicago so he and Janet decided to return to the Windy City where Gil would work with Stevens/Gross studio, later landing him work with Coca-Cola where he would produce some of the more infamous illustrations of American history.

Dionne Quintuplets taken from Gil Elvgren: The complete pin-ups by Taschen

In 1944, Gil and Janet were expecting their third child when he was approached by Brown & Bigelow and offered a position as a staff artist.  They would pay him $1000 per painting and an expected $24000 the first year, which would make him the highest paid illustrator in America.  After his son was born, Elvgren took the postion with B&B, but not before accepting a job from Joseph C. Hoover for which he would produce Dream Girl. It was the largest pinup he had ever produced (40x30") and became the best-selling evening gown pinup ever published by Hoover.

"Dream Girl" 1945

 I found a great Etsy site that sells reproductions of Gil Elvgren's work here.

Be sure and check out our great Pin-up Lingerie and stockings to get the classic look that made these women so famous!

Bikini Baby

Hard to believe that the modern bikini has only been around since 1946 when Louis Reard introduced his design on July 5, naming it after Bikini Atoll where the United States had begun atomic testing.  His implication was that it would cause as much stir as the bomb, and it did.  Reard had to commission a stripper by the name of Micheline Bernardini to model the suit as no self-respecting lady would find herself in one. 

Micheline Bernardini photo circa 1946

Over the following years it caught on in the French Riviera, however woman in the U.S. stuck to the tradtional two-piece until 1960 which was also the year that Brian Hyland had the hit song "Itsy Bitsy, Teenie Weenie, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini."  By 1967, Time magazine wrote that 65% of the young populus had been converted.  The swimsuit increased popularity by appearing in modern films and gracing covers of magazines such as the 1964 debut of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.  

Hard to believe that not so long ago our beloved bikini was considered risque and ostentatcious.  Still I find myself greatly drawn to the traditional two piece, then again it has become its own "underground" phenomena!

 Get this cutie at Dillinger Ink  and get the classic look of bathing beauties such as Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, or Elizabeth Taylor.  Esther Williams swimwear is designed fantastically and is ultra flattering to the figure!!

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