100-Mile Suit

2008-04-16T17:22:00.000-07:00

2007-02-10T09:06:00.001-08:00

(from proposal)

The 100-mile suit is a literal examination of the question "where did you get your outfit?" A fiber to finish project inspired by initiatives in sustainability such as the 100-mile diet, community supported agriculture, local car-share transport and creative collectives. The 100-mile suit unravels the disconnect of consumer to product by reintegrating and reconnecting the wearer of clothes to local trades and economies.

Our clothing is in a sense our second skins, our cloth familiars, our portable shelters. This project focuses on the disconnect which exists in the most immediate of daily interactions, that of the wearer to their clothing. This work maps labor and raw material, bringing performance art sensibilities to an every day object as a symbol of connection.

have you heard of the 100 mile diet? http://100milediet.org/, Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon's project.

I have 21 regional crafters working with all locally raised and processed materials, collaborating on one grand outfit that the Curator of Lure Projects will wear during an event in March. We are brain-tanning, spinning, weaving and felting. We are making buttons, crocheting underwear and somehow making shoes out of local hide.

When I am not picking veg. matter out of raw wool I teach part-time and costume for Headlong Dance Theater (www.headlong.org)

wool:ewecandoit(ewecandoit.com)Shepards Croft (Toni Kellers)
Rocky top (Marleen Halstead)

Spinners: Marleen Halstead, Toni Kellers,Rachel Zakaiasen,Mac, Christine Flowers, Amanda Evers-Bellace,Caroline Maw-Deis, Alexandra Segreti, Amber-this list is growing as we must spin at least 8,000 yards of wool!

Brain-tanned leather-Andrew Twele.(MD)
http://www.geocities.com/insidethegourd@verizon.net/

Knitting socks: Kristine Woods (NY)

undies/knitting--Martha MacDonald (PA)

weaving shirt and slacks fabric- Mary Smull (PA)

cutting and sewing pattern of men's shirt-Ann Burton (PA)

Zipper-less slacks--Melanie Lester (PA/MD)

Patterning and stitching of a felted vest---Aimee Pflieger Dolby (bestyrosspatterns.com)

bag-murse --Nichole Berman (PA)

Woven and black walnut dyed tie-Suzie Brandt (MD)

Wooden buttons- Kelly Cobb (PA)

Bone Buttons-Michelle Edwards-Longway (MD)

Felted outer-wear: Kelly Cobb (PA)Jen Gin (PA)

Additional support- Megan Haupt (PA)

The larger project will focus on labor hours, putting a face on the
maker, determining the origins of source material, all in all a
critical view/ questioning of clothing products.

Garment/Research is accepting donations via paypal (kc@garmentresearch.org) support the wearable arts!

2007-02-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

It was hot in the greenhouse, especially in wool!

Poet Tom Devaney gives a toast.
salad....

Tom Devaney toasting the 100-Mile Suit and the Sweet Green Hangout:

In my salad days, I ate salads.

I am not going to explain this, I worked at a framer’s market at Prospect Park in Brooklyn and literally ate salads all of the time.
But what does the phrase “Salad Days” mean, I’ve never been completely sure: it’s a time when you are young and green, OK; but salad days are not only someone’s youthful hey-day, but also a time of passion. And in that, and this beautiful light here today, I’d also like to believe that all times of passion are our salad days.

One of the great and fatiguing failures of our time is a kind of an inevitable-feeling, daily, and routine failure of the imagination. Aaron’s Sweet Green Hangout and Kelly’s 100-mile suit embraces the imagination, which is why we are also here--to embrace and to toast Aaron and Kelly, and the dozens of people who worked on all of the parts of these two remarkable projects.

So--

To the builder of a sweet green shelter that shows us how to use our minds and our hearts in order to survive and to live more gracefully in the process.

To a really intrepid fabric artist, who, has gone headlong into 100 mile radius--and a 100 miles from there--and a 100 more from there--to find everything she could find--from everyone she could find--to bring together all of the pieces of this glorious 100-mile suit (and us) together.

To the ICA curatorial staff (Elyse, Jenelle, Naomi, Jill), who, brought all of the pieces together in hundreds of other ways, amidst the welter of the Locally Localized Gravity show.

To Aaron Igler and Kelly Cobb, friends and beautiful peers, who show us that DIY: do it yourself is in fact a group project, we raise our glasses, and wish you well. Aaron may you always dance in your 100-mile suit like there's nobody watching. And Kelly may you join him--and may we all join you both. To Aaron and Kelly--we salute you!

By TD (http://thomasdevaney.blogspot.com/)

T.D. eats salad:
the printed shirt circle:
Ruby Sue:
Dexter has a reflective moment:

Ann Burton:shirt designer and stitcher sewing on buttons!

0000000000000x0x0x0x0x0x0x0000000000000000000000000000x0x0x0x0x

Please come to our low key reveal/presentation and celebration!

PICS OF MARTHA ON THE UNDERS:

Between a sock and a hard place.

Good news! The socks are finished and look great. Bad news: They are in transit to us and will not reach us by presentation day. 21 collaborators have worked so hard on top of busy lives to make this suit happen. Life takes over in some instances. We have collectively put in 506+ Volunteer hours and hit a few bumps in the road: sock heels, underwear girth, time to weave, an ice storm, veg tan, combed wool, missing fleece, the flu. Success despite (and because of) the bumps! Aaron be dressed in fine philly fashion tomorrow. See you at the ICA bring your salad.

Melanie Lester is designing the slacks and stitching them up!

Deer Skin Loafer by Marie Wigglesworth (brain-tanned deer by Drew Twele)

Here is a list with the manufactures name and as much of an address as I could get. Hope this works for you. See you Sunday. Marie

Brain tanned deer skin - Andrew Twele
Maryland

Vegetable tan(heel/toe cap)- Wickett and Craig
120 Cooper Road
Curwensville, Pennsylvania

Barge cement- Barge
710 Ohio Street
Buffalo, New York

Thread/laces- Blue Mountain Industries
Blue Mountain, Alabama 36201

Rit dye(yellow)- Stamford, Connecticut

Cushion cork- Anorim Manufacture
Trever, Wisconsin

Insoling- Texon
Russell, Massachusetts

Vibram shoe sole- Quabaug
Brookline, Massachusetts

Shoe maker- Marie Wigglesworth
Hatboro, Pennsylvania

Aimee Dolby of Betsy Ross Patterns: Studio view (felted Vest)

Mary Smull, Designer and Weaver of Fabric:

Thunder's wool, shown here spun (Marleen Halstead) Is being used for the slacks.

__________________________________****____*___*___*_*_*_*_*_*___*_*

I,myself spent today felting yardage for the vest. To even out the heavy labor in the arm region Suzie Brandt suggested we go out to the roller rink. Had I planned I could have roller skated and felted simultaneously. Two birds as it were....

We stopped by Suzie's to see the tie-in-progress, wow! She is planning to send the rest of the walnut dyed wool to Kristine for sock-tie coordination.

Kristine Woods rocks the socks...with wool spun by Mac!

Shoes by Wigglesworth!
Marie is making the shoes out of Deer skin that Andrew Twele's deer skin!
see pics:

what is a suit without a tie?
Suzie Brandt is working on the tie....hubba hubba! She gathered some black walnut husks and dyed the wool, black walnut is substanitive so you don't need a mordant--local, i think she gathered from the park across the street. Caroline Maw-Deis spun the wool.

Mary is weaving away! Socks/tie/undies-working
Slacks/Shirt and Vest-concept art/mock up
Ahoes are in the works!
felted wool yardage-this is my job this week.
please send spare elbow grease.

seeing yellow!

Roughly 8 percent of the essential suit materials (thread, shoe soles, the combing process for some of the wool) is outside of our margin of 100-miles and will need to be dyed yellow-yellow being a signifier of being "outside the margins"

I am just now coordinating yellow things-tan soles, yellow warp thread and shoemakers thread. I am ikat dyeing the sock and tie skeins with weld-an electric yellow. This will give a spotty yellow effect on the finished garment.

update:
The tie weaver (Suzie) and sock knitter (Kristine) have spun goods (Nichole W. and Caroline) in hand!Spinners (Toni and Judi) are spinning away at the shirt fabric (Melanie)The weaver (Mary) is dressing her loom with slacks (Annie B.) spun goods from (Marlene) on the way!
The shoemaker(Marie) has brain-tanned leather (Drew) in hand! I (KC) am felting for a fleece vest (Aimee) and dyeing things, tinging them Yellow. Michelle is cutting bone buttons. (Megan) is helping us with a grant proposal for artist/crafter honorarium funding!

I am amazed at the outpouring of effort and support from all of the artists/crafters. All working individually or satellite groups at our crafts, aware of the larger community but not really connected to it. It is a real fiber family reunion when all of these folks get together--the fiber is a flyin'!

2007-02-07T07:38:00.000-08:00

Drew Twele our brain tanner is organizing a weekend workshop March 3 and 4th at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard. MD. Visit his web page to find out more!http://www.geocities.com/insidethegourd@verizon.net/
Kelly

2007-01-30T07:39:00.000-08:00

Hi, finally!!!

Thanks for getting some concrete info together. I have a bobin filled & will take it off to measure today & should be able to spin the 3000 yds needed by mid Feb.

The white I sent was an example of worseted prepared & worsted spun yarn. It is combed lock by lock in order to spin in the grease as it was grown - neatly packed & straight. Woolen prep allows for more air in the yarn which is used mostly in yarn today. As far as I know there is no mill in the USA producing worsted prep (top or sliver) for personal use. It must be done by hand which I do as a demo of Colonial spinning since that's what the people needed in those days to produce long lasting, sort of water tight yarn for garments. The long wool breeds of sheep were introduced into the US around 1790 in order to crossbreed to get the longer staple needed to achieve good worseted yarn. By 1836 (the Sheep Census) much (most) of the sheep in the SE PA region were of the longwool variety while New England and some other areas ran flocks of the Merino type. I have a copy of the census which describes by county the number & type of sheep in the Northeast along with info on spinning wheels & looms.

I do have white roving which you could use but it will NOT match what Toni & Judi are spinning in color or elasticity.

I'll let you know about how many yards of Thunder I am able to spin per pound of roving ass soon as I get thru the first pound. I THINK I have attached a pic of Thunder (the one in the middle of the frame)

Marlene

2007-01-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

We had a great demo day at the ICA. Look at Pics.
I want to share some correspondence with you also.

1/28-from Kristine Woods-Knitter

Hello Kelly (tired?) and nice to meet you, Mac--
Thanks for all the tips and questions. I have knit with handspun a fair bit
but I appreciate the tips b/c I'm a fairly from the hip knitter. I usually
use a top down approach but I can certainly get a pattern for toe up (much
less corporate sounding, no?). I assume you recommend this on account of
bulkiness?
Mac, why don't you send your wooly wad to me at school:

Lila' k -- You can just leave your wooly wad on my desk. No need to set the
wool, I can take care of that. Perhaps I'll do a little walnut dye with
Susie.

It's already exciting.
Kristine

1/28-from Mac-spinner

Kelly - Yes, I might be able to spin for a few hours in Feb. Just let me
know the day, and I'll let you know if I'll be in town! Of course, I
would love some chocolate Shetland - I bought a bit from Judi yesterday.

Kristine - Hey there! Sorry I missed you yesterday - we had a good time!
Kelly has two skeins of sock yarn I spun up for you yesterday - I think
there's about 170 yards. Today I spun up another 170 yards. Aaron wears
a size 11.5 shoe. As you might imagine, 340 yards of sock weight might be
stretching it for a good pair of socks.

Have you knit with handspun yarn before? If you have, you probably know
that it's quite a bit denser than commercially processed yarn and you'll
need to go at least two needles sizes larger than what you would normally
knit with for sock weight. When I knit my own handspun, I normally knit
on a size 4 or 5 needles.

Also, I'm not sure if Kelly is planning to prep the yarn I spun yesterday
prior to sending it to you. It needs to be soaked in hot water with a bit
of soap and slightly agitated to make the two plies felt together a tiny
bit. After that, it should be hung to dry with a weight suspended from
it. I will prep the yarn that I spun today, but check with Kelly about
the yarn she'll be sending you.

Do you have a construction strategy in mind yet? With the amount of yarn
we have, perhaps toe-up would be a good idea?

Best,
Mac

1/27-from me

What a great time we had! Thanks for coming out. It was a real fiber parade on the ICA. Thanks again.

Rachel and Martha connected and will meet to get those undies out!

Mac took enough fiber to spin sock stock, Kristine and you are kindred spirits and I hope you will meet! Nichole, send us your link to your 365 page!

Toni and Judi-dynamic duo spun like the wind and will spin the rest of the shirt by 2/15- (i will come to pick it up with valentine chocolates) Good luck on Tuesday Toni, I will be thinking of you.

Caroline spun our tie stock and met Suzie our tie weaver.

I have the hide-in-hand from Drew our tanner.

Mary has some weaving to do-thanks to Toni and Judi's freshly spun 100 yards.

I will be felting for the next two weeks then fashioning an overcoat.

Alexandra and Jen are on the buttons and closures out of wood and bone.

Some other folks we did not meet today are waiting or working in the wings spinning for slacks, and waiting to cut and sew our garment, as well as the shoemaker.

If you finish your spinning and want more to spin, just let me know!

The fiber-to-finish talk is March 25 time tbd. I will be forwarding pics of the day shortly and adding them to the blog, feel free to go online to the blog and write you thoughts! It was great meeting all of you. more soon, time to take it easy! Aaron Igler, the curator will be putting together a catalog for resource, if you have not given me your web info shoot me an email!
I am so grateful to all of you for helping to realize this project and for co-realizing a fabulous creative community via the suit.
all the best,
Kelly

1/25-Jen Gin-Felter and button maker

hey kelly,

i will definitely be there!

if you get a chance, i would like to look at those felting books you
mentioned before!

1/25-from Martha -Knitter

Hello Kelly,

I just got some really good advice on knitting the undies from a crazy crafting lady at Pearl Arts and I'm realizing that I should be getting the wool spun thinner than chunky, more like the green yarn I gave you. Is it too late, or can I talk to the spinner on Saturday about the size?

Martha

1/16-Alex-Felter/stitcher

Dear Kelly,

What kind of spinning tools do you use? I have used a drop spindle and
the pedal operated one. My fibers and dyeing samples are in baltimore,
but I'm pretty good. I TAed the Fibers and Dyeing class at RISD. I can
felt, too, if you need help with that. Let me know what works best. .
...I could probably have my samples shipped to Philly if you're
interested.

1/18-From Caroline Maw-Deis (spinner)

I am looking forward to whatever and wherever this adventure takes us......I can definitely commit to being there at least from 12-3.
It will be a treat to meet you and take part in this unusually exciting, creative endeavor!
~caroline

1/17-Amanda Evers-Bellace (spinner)

Hi Kelly!

The project sounds really fascinating! I love the idea! I have a few questions before I commit, only because I've recently added a few consignments to my list and will be busy spinning art yarns for them!

What weight of yarn are you looking for - worsted, fingering, laceweight? Will it be 2-ply or more (or only single-ply)? Will the fibers be all prepared for the spinners into roving or batts, or do we have to prep fibers, too? And the deadline is February 15 for handspun, right? I'm just trying to figure out how much time this will take, because I'd love to join in, but am worried that I wouldn't get it done in time (and I would HATE to not get what you need to you in time!)

Please let me know what you can!

Where in Philly are you? I'm always looking for fellow spinners who live close (I'm actually in Glenolden, so not IN Philly, but close!)

Amanda

12/27-Judi Lehrhaupt)(wool source and spinner)

Hi Kelly,

This just sounds like too much fun! Let me see if I can answer some
questions.
I live about 40 minutes from Toni's farm and yes, we love visitors. I do
have roving, raw fleeces, commercially spun yarn and sheep.
I'd love to chat with you more about your project and see what I can do to
help.

Judi

12/27-from Toni Kellers (wool source and spinner)

my schedule does not exist!

Judi Lehrhaupt asks to be in contact - The Shetland/ Master Spinner

She will be away until New Year's Day

You are welcome to come up and visit - we don't do formal tours, but for a fiber friend???? Any time! My roving always has a link to its sheep. The 50/50 is light sock weight.

I can also mail samples - but it would be more fun if you came up. I can be in center city in an hour., so it is an easy trip.....................Toni

12/21-from me

Greetings Collaborators,

There are 12 of you! I am setting up a blog for the 100-Mile Suit Project.
http://100-milesuit.blogspot.com/

If you have a web page, blog or email you would like me to put up let me know. You can also join the blog (www.blogger.com) and put in your comments. We use this form at headlong to shoot ideas around, see the cell blog on my site for examples. You can post pics, and comments relating to your 100 mile suit making experience. This nifty free page will archive our project from fiber to finish, with pics and comments. I will be presenting a workshop on felting in February and a lecture on the suit in March at ICA Philadelphia. If you are interested in doing a workshop let me know asap: today, I would love to share your skills with a larger public. Aaron our curator is making the list as we speak so email!
Marie, Andrew --you are shoemaker and tanner, your skills are very specialized and a workshop/demonstration would be fabulous.

I will have raw materials to you soon. I need before January a materials list from each of you, you can put this directly on the blog. I can purchase any materials and supplies. I am hoping you can be resourceful with additional supplies as this project is Kelly-funded only at this point.

**I expect 7-15% of the project to not be local (thread for instance) Anything that is not local will need to be orange (suggested by our own brilliant Kristine Woods)

email with questions.

Welcome to the outfit!

12/20-Drew Twele-Deer-Tanner

Hi Kelly,

I am trying to put together a tanning class in February. This would be an ideal time for you to come learn about the process. You of course would not have to pay or enroll just to come check it out. It would also benefit me to have someone taking good photos of the process as long as you're willing to share them.
I can sell you $130 worth of buckskin.
As for suggestions....I am no tailor but I can tell you about the material itself and it's qualities. I'm sure you're skill and creativity surpasses my own when it comes to making garments. Once you are familiar with the material yourself you can figure out how to use it. I could send you a small sample of the material if you'd like. I could also point you to some resources that would show you how others are using buckskin these days to make modern items.

Buckskin is the softest, most supple types of leather available. In fact it feels more like a fabric than it does a leather. (technically speaking it is not a leather) It is very easy to cut and to work with. Bead workers prefer buckskin because a needle slides so easily through it. A very small percentage of deer skins are considered "garment quality" That is you will always find a couple bullet or arrow holes and some knife marks form skinning. But I hand select my skins to minimize such defects. But I think the resulting repair stitches (which are part of my process) add character.

Buckskin has an interesting history. It was the textile of Native Americans. The skins they used were almost exclusively brain tanned. In fact the use of similar tanning methods seems to have been a common thread throughout all prehistoric cultures. Early explorers quickly adopted the material as their own European cloth garments were not suitable to the harsh terrain and quickly wore out. In early America it was such a valuable commodity that it was used as currency. This is why we still today refer to dollars as "bucks" or "doe." In England it became the clothing of the elite. In America buckskin continued to be the most common dress for common laborers and for outdoorsman until the invention of denim during the beginning of the industrial age. As brain tan became obsolete the knowledge of how to produce it was almost lost completely. Fortunately a few Natives retained some knowledge of the process. In the 1970's there was a sort of rediscovery of this ancient practice as many non Indians and natives alike went about trying to learn the old ways. They found scanty references written by explorers and some accounts from natives but had to figure out alot of details on their own. Today this ancient art is alive and well as there are many groups and individuals such as myself who are interested in preserving our ancestral knowledge.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kelly Cobb
Date: December 19, 2006 8:59:17 PM EST
To: Michael Twele
Subject: Re: brain-tanned!
Andrew, (michael?)

I am a textile designer, I know your plight. My last project was hand
printing 25 yards of fabric, it is a labor of love, not a lot of folks
understand the concept of process, labor and hand work. I would be
interested in buying a skin from you, and would like to know more about
the process. Are you tanning anything now? I would like to come and see
what you do if possible and purchase the skin in person. Capturing the
process of making is essential so people can understand the labor
involved.

Yes, I would be interested, I am self funding this crazy project and
could not go much above 130.00. We will be using the materials for
shoes, a bag and a belt. I know that folks in your parts braid together
the skin, is it easy to cut? Anyway, email me back you suggestions for
the objects I am making, a price and when you would be around, do you
have a visit-able workspace? Do you mind being photographed. Finally, I
will be putting together a resource so I would like to include you, is
that ok?

hope so!
Kelly

oni,

I am very interested in buying some roving and spun goods, sign me up!

I have some questions, I can call you and speak to you directly if you prefer. Also I would love to visit and take pictures of your farm, your sheep and you for the archive I am building! In addition to the suit I am making a resource for folks to use. I would love to put you and your site on. If you know which sheep shed the roving I can even put him or her on.

again, If you just want to answer on the phone just email "kelly, call me"

Questions:

Do you have a good time that you take visitors on the farm? If so, let me know.

Is your chevoit yarn spun locally? If so, I am very ,very interested. I am in touch with Wilde Yarns in Manayunk do you use their services?

Would the yarn weight you sell be appropriate for woven wearables or more for socks?

Do you have any of the thin hand spun stuff for sale or would you spin to sell? This sounds absolutely lovely!!!!!!!

I don't know the specs of how much for what yet, I need to talk to my cohorts and get there material requirements.
I can put down a deposit if you would like to hold the goods!

thanks again,
Kelly

p.s.
When I am not putting the 100-mile suits together I teach part-time at MICA fiber in Baltimore. I also design costumes for headlong dance theater here in philly. This is for a show at the Philadelphia ICA at Penn but they have no fiber program.

12/14-Rachel Zakariaasen-Spinner

A friend forwarded me an e-mail with a request for help from local spinners for your 100-mile suit project. I think this is an absolutely phenomenal idea and would love to help. I am an experienced and speedy spinner. I tend to specialize in doing really fine threads, but am also quite capable at spinning thicker weights as needed. Please let me know if you are still looking for people and what sort of time frame you are looking at.

Thanks,
Rachel Zakariasen

12/7- from Marie (shoemaker)

Hi Kelly,
My name is Marie Wigglesworth and I received an email from a friend regarding the posting you placed with the HCC. I live about ten miles north of Philadelphia and last March I went out to Washington state and took a week long workshop on the process of shoe making. In the week I was there I made a pair of costume made oxford style shoes. The process was hands on with minimal electrical equipment. It was an awesome experience. Since the workshop I've been looking to get started making some shoes of my own. I purchased a small run of shoe lasts, but I need to purchase leather and some other materials to get started. I would really like to get in touch with you and talk about what your looking for. I thought I would attach a couple photos and you could get a visual of what I had done. The files are pretty big, I hope you can open them without any problem.
-Marie

12/7-Heather House PASA

Hello Kelly, This sounds like a wonderful project! Here are some ideas for you:

The first two ladies are kind of far from you (but within one hundred miles). But they know a million fiber artists and could point you in the right direction:

1) Phyllari Ball has sheep fiber:

2) Sue Ripley has great fibers for sale...they are of great quality!!
3) Holly Moyer is a farmer in your area, and she used to do a lot of fiber for sale, but I’m not sure if she still does. Call her because if she’s not producing, she knows who is.

4) The Landis Valley Historical Museum has a really wonderful exhibit on FLAX, which was grown in great quantities in PA. Flax is the basis for linen, so you might keep that in mind as a potential medium. There are still folks at the museum who grow the flax on site, separate the fiber, spin the fiber, weave it into cloth, then cut and sew it into clothing. There are some great designs for shirts and dresses that use only a rectangular piece of cloth and require few stitches. though I’m not sure who you need to talk to. If you’ve never been there, it’s well worth a visit. In the summer you can see the flax growing in the fields, but not now (obviously).

5) Is anyone growing hemp for clothing here? I don’t know, but there is a company called Hempzels, which makes pretzel like snacks out of hemp grain. We had a booth near them at Farm Show one year, and those snack were delicious! Anyway, they seem really passionate about hemp’s many uses, including fiber. Perhaps they could help you work a creative product into your work. They are in Lancaster PA and here’s a link to their hemp info page http://hempzels.com/Company%20History%20Page.html.

I don’t know of a tannery, but have you thought of using brain-tanned leather? There are many woodsmen in PA who tan hides from the deer they harvest in the fall. My boyfriend has done this with deer and moose hide. Let me know if this is of interest...it would not exactly highlight a local business, but it definitely a legitimate way of procuring fabric for clothes making. We have a friend who made an entire suit (jacket, pants, belt, etc.) out of deer hides that he harvested, tanned, and sewed. It is gorgeous! He made the buttons out of deer horn and used really thin strips of leather for thread. Phenomenal!

I hope this helps at least a little. The fiber ladies will give you all the help you need, so don’t be shy about contacting them. You can tell them PASA gave you their numbers.

Heather House
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture
Educational Outreach

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted by
(kc@garmentresearch.org) on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 at 21:58:54
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prefix: Ms

First Name: Kelly

Last Name: Cobb

Company_/_Farm: garment/research

Mailing Address: 1228 S. broad St. set 3A

City: Philadelphia

State: PA

Zip: 19146

Referred By: internet search

Farmer?: No

Comments: Hi there!

I am a textile artist designing a 100- mile suit (inspired by the 100 mile
diet) for a Spring art exhibition on local art collaboration in Philadelphia.
This suit will be produced by over 10 crafters using all regional materials!

I am looking for local sheep farm/wool producers. Also I am looking for
regional leather tannery for shoe leather.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
I will keep you posted.
You can read more about my project at
www.garmentresearch.blogspot.com

thank you!
Kelly Cobb

2007-01-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

Kelly,Mary,Martha,Andrew,Toni,Mac,Caroline,Judi,Marie,Rachel,
Christine,Amber,Marleen,Alexandra,Jen,Suzi,Kristine,Nichole,
Ann and Melanie invite you to come, we might put you to work!

2007-01-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

Process Day at the ICA Philadelphia!(http://www.icaphila.org/exhibitions/locally.php)
within the hot house environs of LURE Projects "Sweet Green Hangout" this Saturday from 1-5 pm.We Will be spinning,felting,weaving,knittingbrain-tanning!
(http://www.geocities.com/insidethegourd@verizon.net/)

All activities will be ongoing, the brain-tanning demo will be from 2-3 approx. Around 15 of the 21 participants will be on-site working fiber to finish on the 100-mile suit!

email me for more info.
Kelly

2007-01-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

I visited Toni Kellers today at the shepard's croft farm near Quakertown. Toni raises chevoits. Brown and creamy colored fleeces. Toni suggested we visit her neighbor Karen at Sheep Selter farm right around the corner. Karen had a pot of soup and a kitchen full of friends. We visited her Karakul sheep. There were little babies, curly and black! Her dog is living the good life. Thanks for a great day ladies! Toni will be spinning with us on the 27th.

2007-01-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

This is Judi from Ewe can do it! She has beautiful shetland sheep and is a master spinner in training (haliburton school in ontario, ca)
Judi knows every sheeps name. She is petting aurora and the friendly one, I have to remember the name. Judi will be spinning for Slacks with dark black or brown shetland. Judi will be spinning on January 27 at the ICA.

Mary, I got some nice hand spun from Judi to play with.
Martha/Kristen/Suzie: still figuring out your spun goods

ATTN ALL: We could use 2 good local spinners to bust out a few yards if you know of anyone! email me.

2007-01-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hi all-

I'm the weaver of the fabric - Just wondering if the pants and shirt patterns have a yardage requirement. Also - what exact garments do you need woven fabric for? Is it just a shirt and pants? Should the pants fabric be different from the shirt fabric (ie, thicker fabric for pants, thinner for shirt?). And Kelly - if you have any of the spun yarn in sample form, I could try some different weaves out. I'm excited to be working with you all! I'll have my loom at the ICA demo on January 27th.

MARY

2007-01-09T07:21:00.000-08:00

Hello folks,
I have found an amazing spinner who is spinning raw goods for us with several of her spinner cohorts. We are using 5,000 yards of the spun stuff.
I am looking for spinners!

I need to know how much you need for each garment at your earliest convenience. I am visiting farms to buy on the 20th. If you see something local you want to use, grab it and I will reimburse you.

Suzie, do you need raw to weave? Let me know your specs...we can talk in person at mica about this if you are to busy right now to think about it.

Freshly tanned deer hide for belt,shoes and accessories after the 13th (Marie- i will mail it, Michelle/Nich-hand delivery) Our brain tanner Andrew will be at the ICA showing off his craft on the 27th. He is in the wilderness now on a medicinal expedition and cant be reached! I think he regularly wears his deer hide outfit and hope he will be in Philadelphia.

Marie, How much leather do you need normally for a pair of shoes? I am tracing Aa's foot and sending it to you. His fav shoes right now are a pair of trippen's i will send you the image. It is open, make what shoe you feel strong about.

The deadline for everything but pants and shirt is March 1. The challenge I think will be swift delivery of spun

Now, for the Pants,Shirt...It is taking longer than I had planned to get the goods. I am moving the timeline a little:

Weaver and Designer/stitchers you are in a holding patttern. I know you are busy freelancers and want to give a heads up.

Mary, If your warp is set up how long will it take you to weave, I am thinking the warp will be commercial(yellow) and the weft handspun. You can set your warp up and wait for the goods, lets meet soon to discuss. Feb 20-March 1 I know you are busy with tax stuff. Let me know if this shift is causing issues.

Ann, we havn't technically connected, i hope you are in it to win it. Please email to confirm and we will talk soon in person.
Ann and Melanie, You might only have two weeks to cut, sew and fit. March 1-15.

The coolest thing is that we will know which sheep got a haircut for the spun stuff I hope to post pictures of said sheep on the blog.
more news soon.
Kelly

2006-12-21T07:34:00.000-08:00

((from proposal)

The 100-mile suit is a literal examination of the question "where did you get your outfit?" A fiber to finish project inspired by initiatives in sustainability such as the 100-mile diet, community supported agriculture, local car-share transport and creative collectives. The 100-mile suit unravels the disconnect of consumer to product by reintegrating and reconnecting the wearer of clothes to local trades and economies.

Our clothing is in a sense our second skins, our cloth familiars, our portable shelters. This project focuses on the disconnect which exists in the most immediate of daily interactions, that of the wearer to their clothing. This work maps labor and raw material, bringing perfromance art sensibilites to an every day object as a symbol of connection.

have you heard of the 100 mile diet? http://100milediet.org/, Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon's project.

I have 21 regional crafters working with all locally raised and processed materials, collaborating on one grand outfit that the Curator of Lure Projects will wear during an event in March. We are brain-tanning, spinning, weaving and felting. We are making buttons, crocheting underwear and somehow making shoes out of local hide.

When I am not picking veg. matter out of raw wool I teach part-time and costume for Headlong Dance Theater (www.headlong.org)

wool:ewecandoit(ewecandoit.com)Shepards Croft (Toni Kellers)
Rocky top (Marleen Halstead)

Spinners: Judi Lehrhaupt,Toni Kellers, Marleen Halstead,Rachel Zakaiasen,mac: (www.peskyapostrophe.com), Christine Flowers, Amanda Evers-Bellace,Caroline Maw-Deis, Alexandra Segreti, Amber-this list is growing as we must spin atleas 8,000 yards of wool!

Brain-tanned leather-Andrew Twele.(MD)
http://www.geocities.com/insidethegourd@verizon.net/

Knitting socks: Kristine Woods (NY)

undies/knitting--Martha MacDonald (PA)

weaving shirt and slacks fabric- Mary Smull (PA)

cutting and sewing pattern of men's shirt-Ann Burton (PA)

Zipper-less slacks--Melanie Lester (PA/MD)

Patterning and stitching of a felted vest---Aimee Pflieger Dolby (bestyrosspatterns.com)

bag-murse --Nichole Berman (PA)

Woven and black walnut dyed tie-Suzie Brandt (MD)

Wooden buttons- Kelly Cobb (PA)

Bone Buttons-Michelle Edwards-Longway (MD)

Felted outer-wear: Kelly Cobb (PA)Jen Gin (PA)

Additional support- Megan Haupt (PA)

The larger project will focus on labor hours, putting a face on the
maker, determining the origins of source material, all in all a
critical view/ questioning of clothing products.

Garment/Research is accepting donations via paypal (kc@garmentresearch.org) support the wearable arts!