Memories of Chile: A Weaving and Sewing Adventure

     A time for celebration!

Front View of "Memories of Chile" Coat

One Back View of Coat with Hat and Purse

Variation of Coat Back

         Thank you Dear Reader for tuning in again.  I  hope you are enjoying your passions!  Let me know.

        I have just completed an undertaking that goes back almost forty-seven years.  It officially began in 1965 when we joined the Peace Corps and headed to live and work in tiny isolated villages of Codpa and Socoroma and in northern Chile, bordering on the stark Atacama desert and the fascinating Inca weaving world.


     On with the story.  After a year in northern Chile, we were transferred to an agricultural farm south of Santiago where we taught such subjects as Chilean history, folk dance, art, math and shop. 

Remnants of Yarn That Filled My Loom in 1965

    One day I came upon a weaving loom in an empty school room.  And then I met a Chilean village woman who know how to operate the loom.   The possibilities for learning to weave became apparent.  And in my spare time, I became a weaver day by day, week by week, learning how to dress the loom with my design and yarns (Chilean, of course), use a boat between the warp and weft to create fabric, and keep an even tension.  

      Upon finishing our year there, I measured the weaving results and found 17 yards of lovely woolen fabric.  I had no idea of the resulting quantity as I was working.  What a shock!

     Fortunately I put it in a large trunk and stored it in many locales as we attended graduate programs in Indiana and California,   taught in Oregon, worked in Cairo, and twenty- five years later returned to Yakima.  

Seventeen Yards of My Loom Weaving

     Then in April 2013 forty-six years later years I dug into the bottom of that trunk came upon my weaving and said:  "Now is the time to bring this unique fabric to life." 

     Thus, another creation had begun.  Writing in my sewing journal at the time I said: "I know it will be a time-consuming activity, but that is the fun for me.  I love the imagining, dreaming, and thinking about all the possibilities".  And it certainly was a huge undertaking.  Below are more step-by-step descriptions of the"Memories of Chile" process taken from my journal. 

How To Begin Is the Question

April 17, 2013

    Decisions on basic line and style....It must have few seamlines since the hand-woven wool is a rather thick loose weave and more difficult to manipulate than other fabric.  Fabric is twenty-six inches wide with sufficient length to make a coat - showing off as much of the fabric as possible.   Should I add sleeves?  Difficult to know at this time -  seems that there would be too much thickness  

     The Pavillion Coat by Judy Bishop appears to be a great possibility for a basic structure.  And, there is plenty of room of much embellishment and variation.

A Basic Plan with Simple Lines To Use As A Base

    Search all bins of fabric and embellishments to find unique companions for the project.

 Stash of  Embellishment Possibilities

Silk Dupioni and Miao Chinese Embroidery

Dyeing Silk to Match Turquoise

      There is one major challenge -- finding the deep midnight blue and turquoise dupioni fabric.  I have small amount of great colored remnants seen in these pictures, but need more yardage.  I tried dyeing silks as illustrated in the photo,  but difficult to produce the tones desired.  Emailing around the country finally resulted in securing Vogue Fabric yardage of their midnight blue and New Teal.     At last I am able to begin the coat making activity.

Pakistani Embroidery
Could This Work?

      Now is the time for designing and drawing my mental visions and dreams.


        I drew several variations of fronts and backs of the the Chilean dream coat as well as views of the lining designs in my drawing book.   (It's always fun to review the drawings created at this dream stage in order to compare with the final results!)

4/25/13.   Now to actually begin sewing...and as usual I start by creating embellished trim to accentuate the principal fabric.  In this case I sew the midnight blue and turquoise dupioni together creating a brilliant striped fabric (seen below) that will serve as the front bindings.  

It is Fun to Sew These Dupioni Strips

  The dupioni diagonal look works great.

5/5/13.    The real work is finally about to begin with the cutting of the backs and fronts using the hand-woven fabric.  What a scarry moment.  I'm always a little tense at these times....

The Big Moment Begins!

View of Back Pieces with Fusible Interfacing 
Attached To Stabilize Edges

     

The Creating Element is About to Begin!

Now prepare the 4" collar binding from the dupioni diagonal fabric I stitched.  Cut and piece strips of the striped fabric onto the 5"wide neck binding.  Embellish the binding with stippling and  multi-colored metallic threads. A time-consuming activity!

The Beginning of Neck Binding Piece
103"long x 5" wide
Diagonal/Bias Is Great

Do You Like the Bindings?

6/4/13 Journal entry:

     Coat is cut out and front and back pieces are stitched, but not joined at side seams yet.  
     Make the backing for the Pakistani hand embroidered rectangle rectangle- allowing it to button onto the coat back.  Attach a beaded fringe to the bottom.  

6/12/13  Finish collar binding stippling and tomorrow cut the lining pieces. Yeh

6/17/13  The Pakistani featured piece is totally complete and can be buttoned onto the back of coat for a variation of style.
     The lining is cut and.... now for the lining design and embellishment.  Also, must remember to include two pockets with lining.

7/1/13  Drew lining design plan.  Began cutting and sewing lining embellishment strips as seen below.

Strips of Dupioni Bias Attached to Lining 

Miao Decor and Ribbon Stitched to Lining



7/14/13

Sleeveless Coat is almost complete!

Joined Lining to Coat and Attached Collar Binding

     But, second thoughts question the final look.  It really needs sleeves to provide an elegant piece!  Here we go....

     But first I will make a purse and hat for fun.  I feel a need to change the project intensity!  Will add more embellishment to coat: Japanese braided Kumihimo on front band, Gram Black's yoyo, stitched name of coat to the lower lining, and Uzbeki hair extension pieces to hand from Pakistani decor.

Hats Are Fun to Make

Purse, Hat, and Back of Coat

Detail of Front with Decorated Binding and Japanese Kumihimo Braided Ties

Now for the Sleeves.......

Coat Sleeve

Sleeve of Lining Fabric

One Sleeve Connected

Still Needs One Sleeve

Both Sleeves and Another Style Variation

Uzbeki Hair Extension Tri

July 29, 2013 was Celebration Day
 Completion of 
Memories of Chile!!!!!