looking for ideas - seriously looking for ideas

i haven't written anything in this blog since may; very derelict of me.

the thing is, i complete 70 years on 30 december, and since the summer have been wondering where and how i am going from now on.

don't want to do many workshops.  if any.  other than the cape workshop in february as part of the wimmins' dinner & variety show.  funded by neighbourhood small grant, vancouver foundation.

i want to spend more time making, that i know.  for example, where did this lovely woman get to?  i want to make her using fabric.  

and i want to continue the mending and darning thingy, but how without workshopping it. this is where ideas/suggestions would be most most welcome.
if only to keep me out of trouble:)

karenza

SEWING CIRCLE - 9 APRIL 2015

l to r - amy, shelley,
anne k.

the first of the new form of chindi sewing circles.

it was kind of harrowing for me, being the first completely self-motivated session.  and so happy to have input of the women about the structuring of the circle, and how to communicate this.

wen zhu

my friend wen zhu, the master seamstress of our group,  did not want to receive an honorarium for the first thursdays "we will all just help each other" she said. 

and, my dear friend anne, suggested having the guidelines written out; sterling idea.   and i thought to get it translated into mandarin/cantonese script.

anne & laura

new member amy

anne brought some fabric to make a cushion cover, laura made the wonderful bag you can see, and amy made a tablecloth.  ruth worked on a nightie; and i continued embellishing my african print tunic.

next session, thursday, 16 april 2015, at carnegie center.  2:30 to 5:30.  bring your ideas, we have the materials and supplies.

TWO MARCH HAPPENINGS......

 adrienne mac came by with some lovely fabrics for chindi nation

and her best beau, jim, wanted to be included, so here he is.....

and these, these, are the lovely, long, dangly earrings, original design

made for me by
star casement,
who comes for our
thursday afternoon
sewing circle at carnegie center, in case you would like to meet her.

MARCH MENDING, DARNING & MAKING SESSIONS

free sewing drop in 

 picture from a 2014 session

open to all - mend, darn, make...

bring a project of your own, continue with something you started at a previous session, or start something new.............

thursdays - 12, 19, 25 march 2015

2:30 to 5:30 pm-ish

3rd floor atrium gallery

carnegie center, 401 main street

all materials and supplies free

for more information:

karenza@chindi-nation.net

604 708 6304

- this is a chindi nation drop in        hosted by carnegie

- materials and supplies donated     by carnegie, chindi nation and         women of east vancouver

WEN ZHU TEACHES AWESOME BAG MAKING

this is the amazing wen zhu who taught two people to make her awesome ipad case.

and shown below is the bag, outside.......

 and inner pockets - 3 pockets with a divided pocket in the middle.  lined.

made with such artistry..and love and attention to detail.............

this is 'anonymous' starting on her bag....

and lai fong who is making the outer structure of the ipad case.


in the fall of this year wen zhu will give a workshop to teach a larger group to make this bag, which can be used for things other than an ipad case.  i'm definitely going to attend this one.

and, here is the talented deirdre with her yoga mat bag made from sample drape material; with a zipper yet.  and she made it look so simple. the topic for another workshop in the fall.

what say you?  good idea?

the materials for this workshop were donated by women of the eastside and all cloths are reclaimed or remnant materials.  

thank you to carnegie center for providing us with the space and for providing us with notions and small tools.
ktw

boho curtains

the boost came from pinterest
one of the neatest social media sites ever.  

ever

the fabrics are a skirt i don't wear
any more but couldn't bear to give away

add an old bedspread that got ripped in the dryer, and i couldn't bear to give away,

put them together, and 

ta da ..... my boho style bedroom
curtain.






in all it's glory

diy topsheet & pillowcase

free fabric workshop

make a topsheet and pillow case or

curtains for a small window, or cushion covers, or.......

thursday, 5 february 2015

2:30 to 5:30 pm

3rd floor atrium gallery

carnegie center, 401 main street

all materials and supplies free

limited supplies as shown, registration suggested, space held until 2:45 

register at

karenza@chindi-nation.net 

or phone 604 708 6304

a chindi nation workshop sponsored by carnegie community centre

bizzeee bizzeee

trying to keep all the little irons burning in the correct directions and sequence, to mix metaphors.

update on workshops ----

thursday 6th november 2014, part of the heart of the city festival, at carnegie center, 401 main street, 3rd floor atrium gallery, from 2:30 to 5:30 pm - making winter festival decorations.  

templates if you want to use them, all supplies, materials, tools free.

a chindi-nation workshop funded by carnegie community center, i hope:)

vintage wool and vintage silks

beginners sewing at carnegie center, 6 sessions, all in all a success

well, the beginners sewing sessions have ended.  i feel kind of sad, but at the same time am experiencing a modicum of totally relief.  i know, a contradiction in terms.  

i think it was a success.  there were 6 people who started from absolute scratch.  had to learn sewing machine parts and how to use them.  i enjoyed watching their skills grow to the point where they each made a simple garment.

check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6xiYOrnuNc

so, this is the thing.

for the past year or two i have been making these little booklets and distributing them to whomever.

i tear recycled paper into half, then fold it over, and then write on the blank pieces.

it makes for an interesting

'textural' read because there are all sorts of interesting snippets of information on the side that is not blank.  like so

this particular booklet has some pages from northrup's women's bodies, and a page from a notice from our housing coop.

the clean green recipes are hand written, and personally guaranteed - i use these myself.

the buntings are here, the buntings are here

the buntings are here.

here are buntings.  and the dictionary says...........................
buntings are triangular shaped paper or fabric, attached to a line, and hung as decorations.

 i remember buntings from the days of yester year, when i was just a wee babbie, sucking at my

little fist, waving my arms and legs in the air at the colourful moving little flagsies.

well, it could have happened that way.

for my own nefarious purposes i have stretched the meaning of buntings - which are basically decorative streamers to be hung all over - to include bunched up fabric on a 'line' and scrunched up paper on a line.

yes, here they are - all made from fabric scraps and candy wrappers that were destined for land fill.  

yes, here they are..............................i forgot to take photos of them being made, but really, it isn't rocket science..........is it?


anon dear ones, anon
xoxoxoxoxo
karenza

allergic to labels show was smashing success, so many friends, old and new, and i forgot to take my camera………………..

not much else i can say. 
it has been a hectic 2 weeks, i have done nothing other than eat, sleep, read this weekend.
will take and post photos of the work.  the only photo i have is this, thank you rosemary.

chindi nation - allergic to labels - an exhibit of new work by myself - with wearable eco fashion in there somewhere

sketch for kali

at some point i did say that there would be a revelation of work in progress for this show.  which is part of the heart of the city festival.  and will be held on friday, 2nd november, 2012, at the w2 media cafe, 111 west hastings street, beginning at 9 pm.  at 10 pm there is a divali-eid celebration, which is just fortuitous coincidence.  but then aren't all coincidences fortuitous?  well, maybe not.

chindi needlework clinic - mending sheets

after a while sheets tend to wear and thin out at the center portion, while the edges retain their 'bounce'.

indians are a frugal people.  i remember my grandmother, josephine jacobs hackett, settling down every afternoon, after lunch and before nap time, working at this type of work.  and she did it all by hand, no sewing machine.

as a self proclaimed practitioner of the slow work movement,(google it), and in keeping with the promise in my last post,  here we are.  you can view this clinic by clicking on the youtube link http://www.youtube.com/user/kalikalimai1?feature=mhee
the reason for this link method is because i couldn't get blogspot to accept my little slide show.  

stay tuned for further chindi needlework clinics in the downtown eastside vancouver.  

toodles
:)karenza

needlework workshops by chindi

without ado, (doesn’t it sound frightfully jane austen?) these are the workshops being given by chindi nation during the summer months.  except for one, they are all in the downtown eastside (rah, rah), and also, except for one, they are free.


but first, what would you like to see chindi nation doing in the way workshops to promote the sustainable use of textiles to make beauty around us.  with tremendous emphasis on enjoyment while making.  please leave a comment in the section at the end of this post.  it will be of tremendous help in designing workshops.  thank you.

EXHIBITION OPENING AT GALLERY GACHET

it is 4:47 am, friday 25 may 2012, and tonight is the opening of the big exhibit show for the small arts grant recipients.


so, this is my invitation to you, late as it is.  you will be able to see some of the clothing that was in the eco-fashion show in november of last year.  you can check out some of these outfits here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biGpNCX-e1c
for some reason i cannot download this directly to the blog, and right now i'm really punchy from lack of sleep.


there will be mountains of good food, cash bar, entertainment and the company of some of the most exciting people in the downtown eastside.  


have to sleep,
propping my eyelids open with toothpicks.
xo
karenza


oh right, the video is a preview.

make a medicine bag–an eco friendly fabric and embroidery workshop–26 april 2012

the workshop will be at carnegie community center, 401 main street, in the basement studio from 1 to 4 pm
it is part of the aboriginal artisan program funded by the city of vancouver’s great beginnings program.  haisla collins, coordinator of this program, asked me to facilitate an environmentally friendly, eco-workshop, making fabric medicine pouches.

chindi nation interview on vancouver co-op radio

hey, monday 5 march, the first interview by myself on behalf of chindi nation.  co-op radio, 102.7fm 


i was on eastside stories with host ayisha faruk, activist, poet, mother - powerful woman. 


thank you to mary bennett of cacv who sent me the link - have never been able to get cfro online before.  


it's been a while since i posted, and have a lot of catching up to do with news for this blog.  some of the activities go back as far as november 2011.  i know.  they include chindi nation's first ever eco fashion show, using reclaimed clothing, an article in ming pao, chinese language news sheet, i know.  and an introduction to bharbara gudmundson, photographer, writer, leather worker.


happy listening, :) - love, karenza

winter workshop - handmade gifts

saved - on the brink of being chucked to become landfill, these sample books were donated to the ewma studio.
  
(thunder, lightening, eerie noises).....
read on to find out what happens next

hand made gifts for winter festivals

winter festivals coming up, a lot of people give gifts.  i am having a special workshop.  join us and make a small pouch (medicine bag, cell phone pouch) or a simple hat, or...........


the workshop is on thursday, 5th december 2011, at the ewma studio, located at 52-54 east cordova street, starting at 1:30 and ending at 4:30.  


as always, the fabrics are remnants or reclaimed. the skill level required is from beginners to ultra experienced.