On saving things

Haven't been here in yonks.

Memory is a house. The more complicated the path the more I remember.

Saving this link here for future reference:

http://www.operagloves.com/Classicstars/LisaFonssagrives/lisa.html

Davey

This one just made itself. It's one of those silly tube scarves, pinched off and stuffed.

This has kind of become the hat a week blog. Running out of Far Away hats. Not sure where I'll go next, if I do. Getting kind of busy in the fall.

Tractators

It is what it looks like. I go back on forth on whether I like this one. I think I do. The title is from an old Dr. Who episode, but at this moment I can't for the life of me remember why.

Life Support

Been taking a breather from blogging--apologies to any of my faithful readers.

In the movie Dune (the David Lynch one) the Fremen of Arakis wore suits that allowed them to completely recycle all of their bodies fluids with tubing rather like this.

The Cape

I think I said elsewhere--50 hats, one month, small budget--not all will be masterpieces. Real sponge, something decorative (I'm not sure what it's really used for), on hat. Reminds me of pictures of dunes and the fences that keep private beaches private. I''ve never been to the Cape and I've lived here 10 years.

A Hat Blog

Today, a link to a hat blog I found and the fascinating woman I've begun to correspond with:

Fashion Musings

Gloves

I love rubber gloves as objects--I really do. In college I designed costumes for a show called "The Swan" where a character turns from swan to man. The director and I discussed all kinds of swan costumes and one of the things I made was a swan wing made from a broken umbrella and rubber gloves (the love interest was a nurse). I also made a life size origami swan out of batting. In the end nothing was used and the actor simply rolled out of a basket of laundry and transformed through acting--it was the best choice for the show, but I was always kind of sad that none of those great images had made it to the stage. I ended up using the origami swan in a window display. I believe I have the glove wing around in storage. I love the way rubber gloves look like discarded skin--yup, I'm weird that way.

Cobra

Another one of those Dollar Store pillowcases. Pretty straightforward, stitched to a small cap frame and a ribbon added. Should have painted the markings on the back.

Chinese Gymnast

I named these as I made them, and during the run of the show. I understand why I named this Gymnast, but I can't for the life of me remember why Chinese?

Aggghhhh!

And alas, Blogspot will not let me upload pictures at my chosen time of 11:15. Till tomorrow then.

Foreign men and American Flags

Just struck me as funny tonight.

Drat, Blogspot!

Have a post all ready except for the photo and Blogspot will not let me load the photo! So never fear--back tomorrow (this isn't one of those nights where I just forget).

A Fashion Triumverate

Here it is:
Lisa Fonssagrives Penn in Balanciaga photographed by Irving Penn. Doesn't get much better than that. I worship her--always have--perfect beauty, fascinating woman.

CD

Like I said, they can't all be masterpieces. This is hat base, cheap scarf, and bright blue AOL CD on top. Nothing profound. This was briefly called Head Wound.

Drunken Garden

This was to be a variation on the Garden Party Hat. But on some of the flowers I removed the wire stems so that they flopped listlessly over.

Tissot

Sargent is a better artist in many ways (and I based my wedding gown on Madame X), but Tissot is the best to use as a source. I did a paper project of Midsummer's Night Dream where the Greeks were in Tissot gowns and the fairies were in trompe l'oeil.

Rakish Raffia

The hat is one I've worn. It's a sleeve from a medieval coat with one end gathered up. The raffia I had left from a window dressing job and they just seemed to go together.

Another person I'd love to be, or at least know

Isabella Blow

(and no, I did not mean for that to rhyme).

Ombre Ribbon

This one doesn't have a name because it's in progress. It's made of woven wired ribbons shaped to form the crown and stiffened with a spray on fabric stiffener.

Cushion Your Fall

I've been saving this one. This was the showpiece from "Far Away." The main character has to make it on stage and then it has to be in the parade, so there were four versions of this--three in various stages of development for her to work on and this one. It is, obviously, a top hat base, with three small handmade silk pillows stitched on top. The green fabric is patterned in leaves and I used it for the apron that her aunt wears in the first scene when she's a child. It's stiffened with iron on interfacing and the edge is cut to follow the shape of the leaves. This was a completely planned hat (see the early for designed vs. found), but when it was done I still felt it needed something. At the time I was working during the day as a visual merchandiser for a fabric store and I ran through the aisles looking for something to embellish it. The four points are knitting needles of translucent plastic in various gauges. The title comes from a certain style of ladies riding helmet (the top hat would have been lined in metal to protect during falls) that were worn with a sweep of netting tied round the band often creating the bell shape echoed above. Obviously one would like to fall on pillows and not knitting needles.