The Adventures of Zoë

Fashion show tonight...

It's the premiere of the Penland Couture collection. It's fabulous.

posted by Zoe @ 7:02 PM 1 comments

A little update...

I can't believe how quickly the time goes by when you're so immersed in your work. Here's a quick update on what I've been working on so far.


My indoor workspace - and it's far messier now! The duct tape form is what I used to give shape to the epoxied bodice during the construction process.









My outdoor workspace, and the bodice part way through construction. Notice all of the sticks and rocks helping to prop up the skirt so that it would harden in a cool shape.

The semi-finished bodice, and a closer look at some of the detail:

I have to cut down the bodice to fit me and put in new grommets on the sides; apparently the fabric stretched out during the epoxying process.

Now I just have to figure out the skirt. Maybe I'll get some of that done today... or maybe I'll just head outside and enjoy the day.

posted by Zoe @ 12:17 PM 1 comments

Welcome Back!

I'm back at Penland School of Crafts for two weeks this summer, this time as a studio assistant for E. Vincent Martinez' class, Fashion, Art, & Silhouette. It's so exciting to be back here, working on a crazy new project and surrounded by all of the amazing craftspeople. Last year I made a paper wedding dress; this year I'm also making something out of offbeat materials.

I got here late Friday night, and spent Saturday working, getting the studio ready for our class. Most of the tasks were pretty straightforward; sweeping, straightening up, going through supplies and so forth. All of the workstations have chairs on wheels, which seem to be a black hole of death for small pieces of thread and fabric.


This pile is thread I removed from ONE chair. Don't tell the studio coordinator, but this is the only chair from which I removed all most of the #$%&^@ threads. It took nearly an hour and gave me two blisters. If anyone else wants their wheelie chair to roll, they can pick all the threads out themselves.

One of the perks of being a studio assistant is getting a private or semi-private room, rather than having to stay in a dorm like I did last summer. My room is technically a single, but I have had a steady stream of roommates.











These are the more photogenic ones; I don't bother photographing the ones that bite, I just kill them.














Despite the plethora of bug life, and in spite of all of my mosquito bites, I'm having a great time! More about what I'm making tomorrow...

posted by Zoe @ 9:45 PM 0 comments