This clever bag unzips to become a dining or playing surface, so it would be great to take along on summer trips to the park or beach. For your chance to win, answer the following question in the comments section below: What’s your favorite summer project to sew?

We’ll choose a winner at random on Tuesday! For other Memorial-Day project ideas, don’t miss the free how-to-sew instructions and template to make the adorable bunting tablecloth featured on the June/July cover. Jessie even posted the red, white and blue berry trifle recipe, which would make a very welcome addition to any barbeque!

Plus, we’re all lucking out with the great Memorial Day sale going on in Shop Sew it All! Stock up on sewing tools and save $10 on any order over $50 with the code SSIAMD.

Have a happy and safe long weekend!

There is something for everyone at DAM’s SPUN exhibition. It delivers on all levels. Make your way to the contemporary art portion of the exhibit, Material World, for some unexpected brilliance. This show may not be your grandmother’s textile exhibit, but I bet she had a hand in passing on some serious sewing knowledge to the artists.

I was lucky enough to see some of the featured artists speak about their pieces with curator, William Morrow – who, may I say, seems to be fantastic. With his genuine understanding and sensitivity to the artistic process, he put together an excellent show. While viewing the exhibit, I also got a glimpse into the relationship between artists and curators. It was quite interesting to see these contrasting personalities so strongly drawn together through art.

Artist, Oliver Herring, was on hand to speak about his piece Doublerocker. It is a sculpture of a human figure in a rocking chair made from knitted mylar. It captures the motion of rocking with repeated forms of the chair and the person in it – as if in stop-motion. Oliver began experimenting with knitted mylar in response to the passing of an inspirational friend and actor. He told us that he had never made his art in this way before, and quite possibly never will again. And yes, during his process he asked his mother to teach him to knit. Then he chose to do it in a very non-traditional medium: Mylar. A material that is both colorless but also reflecting all colors. Next to Doublerocker is another one of Oliver’s pieces – an open coat on the floor made from knitted transparent tape. Transparent, but again very reflective.

We see true art here and feel a strong sense of the importance of the journey to the finished piece. It is collaborative, expressive, emotional, inventive, there’s a story, a process, relationships are built and lost. This exhibit is a must-see. And for all you artists out there, expect to be inspired to dig things out of the junk drawer, construct something, deconstruct it, and then construct again. And not just your work, but yourself as well.

Find magazines issues, tools, kits, books and more from our very own shop!  Hurry offer ends May 28th at 11:59 pst!

Use the promo code SSIAMD at checkout!

which sounded absolutely fascinating for the four minutes I was listening, but then I had to investigate the most amazing piece of hand dyed silk used for a Indian ceremonial robe displayed on a wall in beautiful endless folds.

And, look at this amazing Ikat design here! The colors are so bold and contemporary.

And, this beautiful spun silk kimono from the 1800’s with a stunning children’s kimono in orange (all I could think was that no child of mine would I allow to wear that, EVER).

Then there was this awesome hand embroidery for a woman’s coat from Romania.

But, wait look at this sweet sewing kit!

In the same gallery there was a scarf from Raymond Duncan who was the sister of Isadore that was immense and beautiful and more than slightly foreboding in its size.

I got side tracked and separated by my group by the Pattern Play exhibit.  In this exhibit textile artist/designer Jacqueline Groag is displayed through out the area. But, what I gyrated towards was the vintage dresses. Made from post world War 2 rayon they had such wonderful drape, still perfect in the 21^st century.

Did I mention the Thread Studio? This is a lovely place to go and relax and take in all that you’ve seen.  But there is plenty to do here as well.  You can do some hand embroidery, or some contemporary weaving with bungee cords and nylon.  Or just get lost in all the wonderful artifacts, sewing and crafting tools and the sweet sentiments that people have loaned or donated to the museum to proclaim their love of textiles, craft and sewing.

My favorite piece here was this quilt block made by Amy Gibson from silk the artist’s grandfather had bought for his wife but she never used.  This artist made the dress from the silk and then in the background she used the handkerchiefs from her grandmother.  Such a brilliant and touching tribute to her grandparents and all things handmade.

And, there is so much more to see!

The SPUN exhibit is big and amazing. I can see myself going multiple times to get it all.  I would recommend that if you do go to check the Denver Art Museum and find an exhibit or two that strike your fancy.  Take your time and savor it all.  Then come back through the summer for more exhibits, lectures and beauty.

It’s heartening to walk through an exhibit like Denver Art Museum’s Spun: Adventures in Textiles. As a designer, I’ve long identified with the human desire for adornment – an inclination to make oneself and one’s home a beautiful, decorated space. For me, and I imagine many of you, taking pride and ownership in what I use, display and wear in my life fosters an ongoing sense of creativity and joy.

In exploring the exhibit’s “Cover Story” gallery, it amazed me to realize just how long our human impulse has been to push textiles beyond simple function. In learning to dye, weave and stitch in complex and ingenious ways, we’ve taken cloth from a basic use of cover/carry and elevated it into art.

One exhibit example was a Japanese fireman’s coat from the late 1800’s/early 1900’s. Made of thick layers of quilted cotton and soaked in water before use, it was as functional as cotton could be in at the time. But the inside and outside of the coat both feature vibrant paste-resist decoration – on one side, a bold design that made the wearer visible and on the other side a gorgeous scene depicting the wearer’s homeland to be worn for ceremonial use. Even in something as utilitarian as a fire uniform, we upped the function ante with style.

Another lovely piece was a Mexican bedcover called a Colcha from 1750-1810. The cover is embroidered with motifs from as far as Europe and Asia in cultural design blend. I immediately identified with this piece – it’s a centuries-old duvet cover of sorts. Why wouldn’t people in 16^th century Mexico want to decorate their sleeping place just as I do now? I suppose that folks born without the adornment gene can cover their beds with burlap – but the rest of us have, and will continue to feel the need to make things pretty.

The exhibit was an exuberant reminder that the desire we feel as craftspeople and as artists to create is both intrinsic and important. When we sew and craft, we’re creating artifacts that will serve as cultural touchstones for the museum-goers of the future – while clothing ourselves in beauty and style along the way.

Nicki, Erin and Courtney posing near the chiffon panels.

The foyer of Material World is filled with her artwork. She created a series of bright pink chiffon panels with shiny iridescent beadwork. Mary informed the group that the sequins sewn to the panels were holographic and don’t reflect the real world. This panels shift and dance as you walk in, inviting you into the larger modern exhibition.

Can you find the hiding handle?

Mary’s sculpture Molten Meteorite is a gilded lump covered in luxe bag handles and snake-skin patterns. There’s something slightly creepy about the piece, but the gold seems so tantalizing at the same time. During the introduction to the exhibition the audience was asked to consider if humans are somewhat like raccoons in that we’re drawn to shiny objects. I was clearly living up to this metaphor, I couldn’t take my eyes off the meteor.

Mary gesturing to the feathery piece.

However the piece that made me melt was Purple Python Pool, a large purple oval covered in  luxurious ostrich feathers. It begs to be cuddled. Yet, posted next to it is a large sign informing viewers that touching it is not allowed. Mary said it was the first time she’d seen the piece in a decade. As it turns out, the Denver Art Museum had Purple Python Pool in storage until recently when it was brought out for Spun. According to Mary, attaching the thousands of frilly feathers took an incredibly long time and required the aid of an assistant. The python in the name comes from the faux-python skin stretched across the wooden panels holding the feathers. Somehow this seemed appropriate, all that fluff and fanciness disguising a reptile underbelly. Like a strange creature that had come home to roost, Purple Python Pool is a must see at the Spun Exhibition.

The doorway seems innocent enough.

But don’t stop at the foyer to Material World. Continue inside to discover thrilling textiles presented in ways unimaginable. If you’re truly daring, take a step into the installation by Ernesto Neto known as Walking in Venus Blue Cave. From the outside it looks like a white beanbag spilling from an alluring blue doorway. Then you notice someone carefully stepping inside and you realize you too can walk into this mysterious cave.

Inside the cave.

The entire floor of the cave is a large amorphous, nylon bean-bag-like cushion that eats your foot with each step. Hanging from the ceiling are squishy stalactite that look a bit like uvulas. Along the seams there are these pretty little white buttons.  Stepping inside made me feel like I was exploring uncharted territory on a planet far, far away.

Ultimately, the Spun exhibition left me flabbergasted. I’m a fan of art in general, but this experience was so much more than an average visit to the art museum. My love of sewing and textiles made every square inch fascinating, from the ancient tapestries to the surreal knit sculptures made from mylar. If you have the time to visit Denver, be sure to stop in and take a peek at Spun.

Trifles are essentially a bit of custard, a spot of cake and a pile of fruit. The variations are limitless. The recipe I used to create the cover trifle will follow. Today, everyone’s a winner because the recipe is totally free. Plus the directions and template to make the Red, White & Blue Bunting table cloth are free as well. Click here!

But here’s a chance to win a fabulous gift pack and be featured in an upcoming issue of Sew News. Simply answer the following question in the comments section below for a chance to win.

What was the first project you ever sewed?

One winner will be chosen and contacted via email Tuesday, May 21st.  Good luck and have a lovely Monday.

Cover Worthy Trifle

Ingredients

Three 4 oz boxes of instant pudding mix, french vanilla

Two pounds of strawberries

Two pounds of blueberries

Two tubs whipped topping, defrosted

Two packages of lady finger cookies

Directions

Wash all the fruit and allow it to dry completely.

Mix up the pudding following manufacturer’s directions. Let chill in fridge.

Slice the lady fingers in half width-wise.

Slice the strawberries from tip to top creating 1/4″ slices.

In a large glass bowl or trifle bowl, cover the bowl bottom with pudding. Carefully place halved lady fingers around the perimeter of the bowl, sticking into the pudding for support. Place lady fingers atop the pudding layer inside the bowl. Layer another section of pudding atop the lady fingers until the pudding level is slightly higher than the lady fingers, touching the outside of the bowl.

Cover the pudding with blueberries. Add a second row of blueberries atop the first. Layer lady fingers atop the blueberries then pudding atop the lady fingers, allow the pudding to fill the bowl, touching the outer glass.

Carefully place strawberries along the outside of the bowl. Place lady fingers behind the strawberries for support. Add more pudding atop the lady fingers, and then place a layer of strawberries over pudding. Cover that layer with pudding.

Fill the bowl nearly to the top with pudding and lady finger layers. Add the whipped topping to the top, then layers of blueberries and strawberries in circular rows on top. Add lady fingers to create a small poof of whipped topping. Artfully add strawberries and blueberries to the top.

Refrigerator up to 3 hours then serve.

So, on to the winner.  Carol W. is our winner for Free Stuff Friday.  She too was lucky when she was able to view the Gee’s Bend Quilt exhibit.  Congratulations Carol please send me your mailing address at sewnews@sewnews.com and we’ll get these book out to you.

Please join us again on Friday for Free Stuff!

Jill

Textiles have been used throughout history and all over the world for different uses, including currency for trading, talismans, ceremony and status indicators. It was so interesting to see rugs and wall hangings up closethat were created hundreds of years ago by someone halfway across the world. It brought me a sense of unity in the world.

One of my favorite pieces was from the Material World portion, which showed contemporary uses of textiles in art.

This piece by Agustina Woodgate, called No Rain No Rainbows, is created entirely of stuffed animals that were deconstructed and restitched together in this amazing, symmetrical shape. I love that the materials were all recycled and changed into something completely different from its original use, and yet it kept the warm, fuzzy aspect you associate with stuffed animals. If you look closely you can see the shape of an orca whale stuffed animal at the top.

It’s quite large, measuring 114″ x 192″ inches. The combination of textures and colors makes this endlessly interesting to me. Each stuffed animal had different pile, and different wear (the animals were previously owned by the artist’s friend’s children) and results in varying dimension.

The individual scraps get so small, but you can still definitely see every little change of color and pile. Can you imagine stitching all those tiny, oddly shaped bits together? The timing that must have gone into planning how to cut each scrap from the stuffed animals is just fantastic. The finished shape is not exactly symmetrical, which adds to the sort of worn, well-used and loved feeling.

If you’re going to be in the Denver area while this exhibit is running, it’s definitely worth the trip. Plan to spend at least a few hours looking and learning about textiles throughout history and all over the world.

Everyone on our team took something different away from the experience. Stay tuned on the blog this week for more insider looks at the exhibit from Jessie, Beth, Jill, Sue, Erin and Courtney!

We were lucky enough to go to a preview for a new exhibit from the Denver Art Museum, SPUN Adventures in Textiles.  This exhibit runs May 19 – September 22, 2013 and is a can’t miss exhibit for textile lovers, seamstresses, quilters and crafters.  Next week the editors and designers from Sew News, CME and Sew it All who attended the preview will be posting on all the wonderful things we saw while there.  I hope that you tune in!

For this Free Stuff Friday giveaway it will be two books from Martingale & Company, Sew the Perfect Gift and Homestyle Quilts: Simple Patterns and Savory Recipes.

Answer this question in the comment section below to be entered.

What has been your favorite museum or art exhibit as a child or adult?  What was so memorable about it?  What would you like to see exhibited at your local museum?

Thanks for reading and we’ll announce one lucky winner on Monday!

Jill