Print Topics Exhibiton at Ohio University's Cube 4 Gallery

Today, the Print Topics class at Ohio University installed their show in the Cube 4 Gallery in Seigfred Hall. Each student created a multiple of a unique object and marketed it at their own discretion. Here is some of the work:

Cat Lady Press D.I.Y. Sewing Kits:

Handbags by Casey:

Card decks by Pete:

Handmade paper by Kaci:

Recycled notebooks with printed covers by Kerry:

The show will be up until the morning of Wednesday, June 3rd.

ACRN Lobsterfest 2009

Cat Lady Press makes its debut at

2nd annual Craft Bazaar on June 6th

Located in Athens, Ohio, Lobsterfest an all-day free music festival hosted by ACRN. This year the festival will include its 2nd Craft Bazaar, featuring 20 D.I.Y. vendors from around the area. Cat Lady Press will have a table at the event; printed t-shirts, handmade apparel & accessories, sewing kits, and more will be sold!

Saturday June 6, 2009

South Green - Front Four

Athens, OH

Craft Bazaar: 12 pm - 7 pm

Live Music: 12 pm - 10 pm

For more information on the event, visit

http://www.acrn.com/lobsterfest or email

lobsterfestcraftbazaar@gmail.com 

Music Line-up (Main Stage)

1:45 pm: She Bears - energetic indie folk

2:45 pm: Kaslo - Athens folk rock

3:45 pm: Kyle Sowashes - fun indie pop

4:45 pm: Kid, You’ll Move Mountains - Illinois folk

5:45 pm: Earwig - Columbus indie rock

6:45 pm: Ruckus Roboticus - ACRN Alumnus DJ now

                  based in Columbus

7:45 pm: Blueprint - Columbus hip hop

9:00 pm: Jay Reatard - danceable new wave punk

                  on Matador Records

Side Stage:

1:00 pm: Who Knows - Andrew WK cover band

2:15 pm: Donner Party Dinner Party - noise duo

3:15 pm: Five Deadly Venoms - Athens experimental

4:15 pm: Joe Anderl - friendship folk

5:15 pm: The Ghost of Asa Phelps - Lawrence Arms-esque

                 punk

6:15 pm: Order of the Spur - newly formed Athens folk

7:15 pm: Russenorsk - Athens indie folk

Skeleton Tutorial Feedback!

Today I'm posting documentation of a shirt made with the Skeleton Skirt tutorial! My friend and fellow printmaker, Casey, used the tutorial to make a variation of her own. Here it is:

Casey hand-printed the design on the front at the Inkahoots! event earlier this May.

I love the back on this one! I've used this method a few times, but never made the slits so small. Casey tells me that her roommate has made a Skeleton Shirt as well, so expect to see pictures of Annie's shirt soon!

Stitch for Senate

The Stitch for Senate initiative was a project started by knitting enthusiats to make a statement about the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Each member of the project crocheted a helmet liner, articles which are used by combat soldiers. Fifty members created liners to be sent to members of the United States Senate, whose 2002 vote resulted in the invasion of these countries. When the helmet liner was received, the Senator had the option of sending the garment to a soldier in combat. This project honored the “tradition of wartime knitting, a practice dating back to the American Revolution.” (stitchforsenate.us) The participants in this project took the idea of knitting circles, and instead of focusing on its potentially oppressive nature, created a virtual arena in which they could share stories and discuss ways of fueling activism.

for more information on this project, visit http://www.stitchforsenate.us/

How to Make a Bow! New Tutorial

Here is my newest tutorial, "How to Make a Bow!" This video is part of a larger project, called "Save Your Scraps." Stay tuned for more on this piece.



This tutorial is also available on YouTube.

Underwear Tutorial by SuperNaturale

I've seen this tutorial posted in many different places, but I love it so much that I had to share! This tutorial by SuperNaturale allows readers to take their unused t-shirts and make them into something far more practical - underwear. On the right side column there is a downloadable .pdf pattern for both underwear and boxers!

Here's what you'll need:

-a t-shirt

-thin elastic cord (48" or enough to go around both legs & your waist)

-6"x4" of clean fabric, a thin cotton knit (optional)

-sewing machine, thread, scissors, etc.

-a big piece of paper (2' x 4' -ish) or enlarged pattern printout.

Make Your Own Damn Dinner

Introduction

"Gay & Lesbian Couples Adopting" by Kristen Paul

"Changing Communication in Families" by Brooke Sparks

"Single Dads in the Online Community" by Elaine Healy

"Is There Such Thing as a 'Good' Divorce?" by Lee Heintzelman

"Changing Household Roles" by Hannah Southern

"Make Your Own Damn Dinner" is a limited edition publication made for Women & Gender Studies 200, Spring 2009. The zine aims to educate readers of the incorporation of feminist parenting through the 21st century. By distributing "Make Your Own Damn Dinner," we hope to be activists for these ever-changing roles.

Copies of the zine are currently available at the Ohio University Women's Center in the Baker Center.

Skeleton Shirt Tutorial!

Here is the newest edition to the Cat Lady Press tutorial list, the Skeleton shirt!

Post your results under the comments, or email them to me at elaine@aqualungdesign.com

Happy crafting!

A Call for Participants

I am currently looking for more participants to help with a project, which I am very excited about. If you choose to participate, I will send you a yard or so of printed fabric. What you do with this fabric is up to you. If you think it needs to turn into a shirt, turn it into a shirt. If it needs to be a bookcover, make it a bookcover. If you think it would live a fulfilled life as toilet paper, I want you to turn it into toilet paper. This project is about YOUR response to imagery generated by me.

If you are interested:

-Comment on this post, or email me at elaine@aqualungdesign.com. Please include the address the fabric should be sent to.
-Wait patiently for fabric!
-Turn your fabric into something new.
-Document your new object "in its home." (If the fabric is now a pillow, take a picture of your couch. If it "lives" outside, take a picture of it outside.)
-Email your documentation to me at elaine@aqualungdesign.com

I appreciate your interest and hope you choose to participate. I will provide all fabric and costs (although donations are happily welcomed), so it shouldn't cost you more than a bit of your time.

Happy Crafting!

Sewing Basics - brought to you by Instructables

I have stressed from the beginning of this project that I wish to appeal to all levels of DIY-ers. Much of the feedback I have received tells me that this blog needs to have resources for beginners who have absolutely NO knowledge of sewing. Luckily, I found this great tutorial from Instructables to help!


How to Sew. - More DIY How To Projects

Miranda July

My Miranda July girl-crush is escalating. I have been studying her more in depth for my media class this quarter - mostly her online assignment based project with Harrell Fletcher - Learning to Love You More. The following is a critique of the project.

July’s wistful and intelligent approach to her artworks create a comfortable forum in which viewers can interact. This idea of relevant art is evident in her online project, Learning to Love You More. In conjunction with Harrell Fletcher, July posed assignments for readers to complete, document, and post to a web forum. As Jessica Santone stated in her article, Learning to Document More, July and Fletcher created “a new kind of archive as it teaches participants how to document and encourages cross-engagement between these documents.” It is imperative to note this change in “the archive.” Although the idea of the archive is traditionally regarded as a stagnant documentation of the past, July resurrects past projects by cross-referencing them, publishing them in books, and displaying them in exhibitions.
The collection of July’s work is important in the way it challenges viewers to re-approach activities in their daily lives. She states, “we have archived some of the work that has commanded us in some way…. In the same way that the ocean gives the assignment of breathing deeply, and kissing instructs us to stop thinking.” Through the critical thought process July poses, her work is sweet and thoughtful, with a humorous element of being clumsy and self-deprecating.

Success at INKAHOOTS!

Anyone who was able to attend Inkahoots! this past weekend can attest that it was a truly remarkable event. The collaboration between OU Printmaking, Clinton Reno, visiting graphic novelists, and the public made for two days of frantic, but fantastic, printmaking. Thanks to everyone who came out to support the event. If you have any feedback about Inkahoots!, comment on this post. Documentation of Inkahoots! t-shirts are also welcome!

Here are some pictures from the weekend.