On September 18 and 19 I will be teaching a workshop on making my newest creative passion – garments from recycled t-shirts. My process is all hand sewn with embroidery floss and cut up t-shirts – we will use simple patterns provided.
The first day will be focused on basic garment construction – everyone will end the day with a finished (or nearly finished) garment to wear home.
Advance T-Shirt Garment Making will commence on September 19 when we will delve into more intricate styling including gathers, pockets, button holes, and zippers. Each day starts at 10 and finishes at 5pm. Tuition is $150 per day which covers the use of all tools, materials and a healthy lunch. To register or get more information please email me at Crispinaffrench@gmail.com
If you can’t make it to the workshop, or if you just want to see more, be sure to check out all the new t-shirt garments I have been making here. I’ll be posting new things every Tuesday night so check back often!

Kat O’Sullivan came for a visit last Thursday. She is a like-minded sweater alchemist who lives over near Woodstock NY. We had been emailing for a couple of weeks and got to meet in person last week. It was immediately apparent that our connections are many. We shared sewing tips, ideas, business stories, a few great laughs, and a great lunch from my favorite Pittsfield eatery, Dotties Coffee Lounge.
Looking forward to her next visit to the Berkshires in August to load more of my mountain of sweaters into her artfully rehabbed little school bus for her fall and winter making.

Several industrial (commercial) sewing machines are ready to find new homes from my studio. The one pictured here is a Singer Walking Foot straight stitch with 1″ binding attachment (that is easily removable). It comes with the motor and table. My price is $500 – The attachment alone cost $400 15 years ago.

Also available are a couple of Consew zig-zag/straight stitch machines that were bought new five years ago for $1900ea. You can be the proud new owner of one of these machines for $800.

And finally I have a Consew Straight Stitch machine – a true work horse with nary a problem – comes with table and motor for $400.

In addition to the standard tables that industrial machines are used with I have custom-made table extensions for each machine that I am happy to add for free.
If you have interest in more information, a test drive, or additional pictures please comment here and I will be happy supply the requested info. All pricing is FOB Pittsfield, MA

Oh and for the record, I am not getting rid of all my machines – just the ones I have duplicates of – left over from my production company.

Getting Started

We had a nice group in the studio yesterday at my Sweater Making Workshop. Each person made a truly unique and lovely sweater. It empowers me to know that they each went home with a head full of inspiration and a new sweater on their back to encourage them to continue! One of them sent me this:

You GO Cynthia! That is the sweater she made yesterday and a copy of my book. Her sister lives “down under” and visited the studio on her last trip to Pittsfield.

Lorimer Burns Ceramics Booth Sign

Lorimer Burns Ceramics – Booth Sign

My friend Lorimer Burns makes beautiful ceramics that she has sold at our Handmade Holiday Festival for the last two years running. She needed an adaptable booth sign to hang at the shows that she does and asked me to make her one. It was a really fun project that inspired me to make more signs. Keep your eyes peeled in my shop for OPEN/CLOSED signs and maybe some others. Email me if you like the look and have any signage needs to discuss. Crispinaffrench@gmail.com

Sundance ordered and used my rug for their set at their world-renowned festival held in January. This 5×7 foot Potholder Rug was featured in my shop where it caught their attention. Kudos to Sundance for shopping handmade and to Etsy for the visibility they give their hundreds of thousands of makers all over the world!

On Wednesday night, Saint Patrick’s Day, A Life Of Colour will be screened at Alchemy Initiative located at 40 Melville Street in Pittsfield (Shire City), MA at 8pm. The film is an hour long documentary made about my dad for Irish Pubic Television. He was an amazing artist and leading ceramicist recognized in his country with work in The National Gallery Museum in Dublin and a retrospective show at the National Craft Board main gallery in 2008. He was a notable mentor to many and celebrated Irishman from Ballinasloe, Co Galway – hence the choice of date.
Please join us in celebrating John ffrench’s life and creative legacy. Doors open at 7pm and there will be baked goods and drinks for sale – no green beer however.

Not sure which issues but like the freedom of speech aspect. Hard to support without specifics tho.

As seen on Rte 20 somewhere between Pittsfield and Albany, NY

This was the scenery in my yard this morning. A truck full of refuse for the dump and struggling laundry looking for some sunshine.

We are getting settled back into our digs on Melville Street after a couple months hiatus. It feels great to unpack and reorganize. Looking forward to putting some finishing touches on the apartment. As the fluffy flakes flew this morning, dancing across and landing on the freshly hung laundry I wondered about drying time.