We may long to travel to some sun-drenched vacation destination. But this year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we choose wisely and responsibly a summer stay-cation. Here in British Columbia, there are a multitude of scenic places to visit with coastal water, inland lakes, forests, and mountains. There are a variety of outdoor activities to pursue, …
Author Archives: tracyj
Reversible Bucket Hats
I’ve been having fun sewing reversible bucket hats. Each starts with the selection of two complementary or contrasting fabrics. This can be a most time-consuming step as my hat aficionado friend discovered on our fabric shopping expedition. We both liked the natural slubs of woven linen and geometrical Japanese patterns of “Sevenberry” cotton. A reversible …
Inspired by the Armed Forces
Canadian soldiers have gone to work in long-term care homes to fight novel coronavirus outbreaks. A boy fascinated by all things military has a glimpse of unlikely places troops are deployed to in peace time. This hat was made for that boy. It also gives a nod to the unique role played by the soldiers …
Cool in white cotton
You might think white is a colour for brides, Wimbledon, and not worn after Labour Day. Think again of a crisp white button-down shirt or relaxed T-shirt with jeans, an eyelet sundress, or sporty white sneakers. Wearing white keeps you cool on warm days, looks fresh, and pops other colours. I chose a soft Pima …
What’s old is new again
What might you do with a beautiful but outdated wool coat? I made my friend’s coat into a hat. First I surveyed the garment for worn and moth-affected areas, then worked around these to cut pattern pieces for a hat. In my sewing cupboard I found a complementary lining fabric and interfacing to construct a …
Exploration in Colour Blocking
I’ve been exploring colour blocking to welcome spring and bring a bit of brightness into this extraordinary time of social distancing, quarantine, and isolation. Colour blocking involves combining two or more solid colours in an outfit or a garment, in my case, a hat. When combined well, the result is aesthetically balanced and simple. Often the …
Spring Hats
I’ve been working on a collection of hats for spring. Inspiration has come from my childhood memories of learning to crochet lace doilies. Then, the yarn was white or ecru cotton and the starched doilies adorned mahogany dining tables. Nowadays, the fibres I am using are soft and luxurious and the finished hats are comfortable …
Indigo
Midnight blue, cosmic cobalt, deep violet…just a few of the many shades of indigo I saw at the Jing Jai Market in Chiang Mai. Artisans of Walk on the Wild Side explained that tribes people in rural Thai villages produce much of the fibre and fabric used in their handcrafted apparel and they use natural …
Sunday Morning Market, Thailand
In Search of the Silk Road
Beautiful Thai silk fabric comes from the cultivated silk worm. A single thread is produced by reeling multiple delicate filaments from the cocoon. The yellow threads of the Thai species are cleaned, bleached, and dyed before being woven into 1-ply, 2-ply, or 4-ply fabric. The silk can then be sewn into lightweight to suit-weight garments …
Hats by Tracy J 