Corey & Co.

weight

2012-02-14T05:50:00.001-08:00

The image of weight or mass above the head is a recurrent one with me. I have done paintings of cubes threatening overhead, clay sculptures of masses resting on the dome, and now here it crops up even in my shop window display ! 'Cannot get away from this manifestation of carrying- is it ideas ? worries? past deeds? who knows? I seem to need to repeat the image, ,however, and so somehow work it through. At least it is useful here- a Smartglass necklace is on display 'round the neck.

step back, step forward

2012-01-31T06:31:00.001-08:00

One more simple-simple wool image before forging ahead - and a slightly larger, if grayer, version of the "spring" dress. The good news: my camera is back in color mode. All I had to do was get out the manual and it snapped into shape.

forward we go

2012-01-30T10:46:00.000-08:00

This is the first out-put of my new "think spring" attitude. I feel like this fun, graphic, tent-like piece is a good transitional perk-up. Leggings and boots for now, sandals for later. Thanks to Melinda for taking the photo, as I am still stuck in sepia.

winter palette

2012-01-21T08:03:00.001-08:00

My camera is stuck in some crazy black/grey/sepia mode and I am too inept to change it. I know I have done it before, but perhaps it takes more than the 10 seconds of time I am willing to give it. Who knows where I put the manual ?? Oh well, just put it down and sew something, I say. I seem to be stuck in using these exact colors anyway.....maybe my camera is trying to tell me something. I will endeavor to fix machine, purchase brighter fabrics, will spring to come.

here's to new messes

2012-01-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

It is the expected slow-down time in the shop.....an opportunity to work on designs, printing, etc. So I keep telling myself. First step: haul in the beergarten table for an extra work surface. Next step: make big messes. Third step: create with my hands what I see in my head. I hope.

fresh new year

2011-12-30T13:26:00.001-08:00

It is the time for end-of-year rituals : putting things on sale, doing a bit of inventory, changing up displays and diving into a general tidy-up. And it is time to launch into a new year of fresh creative directions. Perhaps if I write them here, it will help with the follow-through ! I will be bringing in a new work table for the planning of new designs, yardage printing , and making kimonos. The last is a new-old plan, since once upon a time I had a small business making only kimonos. As things are now, every garment I design/make is pretty much a "one-off". I will be striving for more consistency, with fabrication bringing the variety. Below we see: the shop window, a holiday dress by Moondance, and lights to brighten the chilly eve.

old elfin friends

2011-12-24T12:51:00.001-08:00

These impish characters have been there for each and every Christmas of my life. Happy Holidays to you and yours.

inspiration

2011-12-21T13:16:00.001-08:00

We have a new personality in our neighborhood. This guinea hen -or guinea fowl- is the lone survivor of a large flock. The other birds were slaughtered by a lone mink at their Casco Bay island home. The feathers and pattern of feathers are so beautiful. It is the kind of random, yet geometric design that I would like to achieve on fabric. New Year's plan: develop designs and print yardage.

sox and mitts

2011-12-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season for covering the extremities with woolies. The top Xmas stockings were knitted by me during a bedridden bout with bronchitis. Since then we have evidently had a squirrel in the attic. The bottom 2 images show the wonderful, simple work of the Shakers.

brilliant

2011-12-10T12:33:00.000-08:00

Jody of HARDBILED DESIGNS walked through my door last week with a giant satchel of scarves and berets. The pieces took my breath away- brilliant color, spare and perfect composition and meticulous craftsmanship. Her work makes me want to paint. What followed was a heartfelt discussion of : art, craft and the perameters of and reasons for doing each.

not

2011-12-09T06:52:00.001-08:00

This is what Maine does NOT look like this year. Last year's snow is a distant memory, as we have been enjoying our extended fall weather. Today's plan was to post about the stunning new scarves brought into the shop by Jody of Hardboiled Designs. But, alas, my camera battery is dead.....so, postponed. 'Will re-charge and delight you with her work demain.

busy busy

2011-11-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

Felted jackets being created for the raffle at South Street Linen......First Friday Artwalk fast approaches.

big nite

2011-11-28T16:07:00.000-08:00

Friday night is the next Artwalk in Portland and a big night in the 'hood. Here in the "studio district" plenty of artists and artisans will be showing their wares. Check out the postcard below for the new and exciting addition : South Street Linen. They and COREY&CO will be co-ordinating on a bit of a fund-raiser for DRESS for SUCCESS. I will be putting together some felted jackets to co-ordinate with their stunning linen scarves. Drop by !

nubbins

2011-11-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

These little charmers have arrived in the shop from England :little leather purses to hold keys, change, little treasures. Shaped like acorns, hearts, apples, shells- perfect to house a gift of jewelry.

local talent

2011-11-09T07:11:00.001-08:00

Many Portlanders have a piece- or several- in their jewelry troves made by Michelle Estell. Much of her work is bead-centered, but I like metals...and metals she brings. These new necklaces have a hint of Calder, if you ask me. The other joy of carrying her work is seeing her park her bicycle by the front door and hearing her bountiful laugh.

classic

2011-10-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

I have been drawn lately to small repetitive patterns and classic shapes. Here are a couple variations on the trench coat and lots of checks, tattersalls, dots, dashes.

paint it black

2011-10-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

Once again, I have spent a precious "Sunday off" painting the shop floor. I know this one is doomed as well- every footprint will show, every dropped thread bit... but I have stored in my memory a Paris floor, a scratched-up industrial black floor in a shop. 'Loved the workroom look of it. And....I get to draw and write on this one. Here is how it looks - so far.

there and back

2011-10-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

Another trip to Cleveland, and a study in contrasts. This time: a side-trip to buy jewelry at the studio of Judith of MODERN PIXIE. Her work/home is in a neighborhood called Tremont. Closely tucked in on the near west side of the gritty city, it is a mix of all things Cleveland. Look out and see the muscular structures of town, look up and see evidence of the ethnic population in the onion domes, look around and see the cafes and shops sprung up in this old residential area. And last, look closely at the fine and delicate work of a thoroughly MODERN PIXIE.

color

2011-10-01T06:53:00.000-07:00

I attempt to get some color into the shop and here are some bright spots: Kokun sweater, Huit Huit scarf and Donna Wilson woolies. Hmmmm....I seem to be stuck in a color palette, as you can see from my backyard.

delish knits

2011-09-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

These gorgeous knit jackets in the shop are by Danish company Groa a live. The intriguing knit fabric is my only MOOD purchase in my just-back-from whirlwind buying trip to New York. I spent so much $ on spring/summer '12 clothing that by the time I got to fabric buying , I was shy of spending and of time.

frilling

2011-09-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

'Not one for the flounce and the frill myself, but I was charmed by this muddy, mustardy, raggedy gauze. Just a peek here or there creates pretty much the opposite of "girly".

hats

2011-09-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

One day this past week found me low on energy and so the scale of work went from jackets....down to hats ! Today I was flipping through an old family album and ....hats again ! Don't you wish people- men and women- still wore them as a daily accessory ? The first few photos are long-gone family and friends-of, the last photo: my feeble attempts.

last of linen

2011-08-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

I have sewn the last linen pieces of the season. I sewed through the whites, the blues, the blacks, the patterns, the checks, the stripes. At the end was "maltinto", earthy tones from Italy. One corner of the shop looks like a mossy, mushroomy forest. So here's the idea: dye. Lately I have been dyeing- just for fun- some of my more tired summer clothing...and for the most part, with success! A couple of friends and I have an "indigo party" planned. Some wine, some indigo kits from Japan, and a new life for some linen garments. Pictured here: shop corner avec linen.

on the road again

2011-08-13T07:22:00.001-07:00

Before heading to New York tomorrow, I reflect on a recent road trip to Castine, Maine, in the company of my visiting sister. We stayed at the quirky, charming Pentagoet Inn. We made many stops along the way, Route 1 style. She bought moccasins, I bought a piece of folk art featuring ducks. We ate, drank, and dangled feet in the water on the town dock. Tomorrow's journey will be a slightly different type of trip.

what season is it?

2011-08-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

I know it is still summer. I can tell by the sun, the heat, the sand in the sheets. But at my work table, the season is changing. I am fortunate in that I do not have to sew 2 seasons ahead, as for a collection. I can slowly work into the next weather pattern. These are the beginning of the transitional pieces: heavier linens, cottons....soon to be followed by twills, corduroy?, light-weight wools. 'Putting off the transition as long as possible. Linger longer, summer.

shop in summer

2011-07-27T14:46:00.000-07:00

The new window decor is painted-on buttons...how appropriate! The garments are perfect-weight cotton pieces stitched in the shop by Miki of Moondance Wear. She and I are sewing ,sewing, sewing as the Maine Home & Design article has brought in new customers from near and far. Lots of locals did not know that COREY&CO. was hiding in plain sight here on Pleasant Street. Now they do. Welcome.

moment in the sun

2011-07-16T07:10:00.000-07:00

What fun!!! COREY&CO. is featured in the on-newsstands-now August issue of Maine Home & Design . A regular inclusion in this beautifully crafted monthly magazine is the "Field Trip" feature- visits to Maine "makers", doing in their shops and studios what they do best. And that is where you will find us (page 76). Thank you to Veronique and Amanda for their lovely words and images.

summertime....

2011-07-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

...and the livin' is lovely. The days are light and breezy, the beach evenings filled with a magical light I haven't seen since our Provincetown days. Dogs doze in the yard, friends join us for food, wine , and a round of bocce. ah, Maine.

simple

2011-06-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

'Tis a gift to be simple, as evidenced by these two elegant, Shaker-made garments.

good times

2011-06-16T03:45:00.000-07:00

We had kinda given up on yard sales. In the old days, we found treasures galore and so, were always on the hunt. My husband is a bookseller, so that is an obvious quest. But on a recent lovely Saturday morning, we had a "paydirt" day and found all sorts of goodies. For some reason, lots of cloth: quilt, hand-woven throw, table runner.The tool box made a perfect home for the paints I got for my daughter's birthday gift. I did get an old croquet set, but showed great restraint in passing up a strange old set of women's golf clubs in a really cool canvas case. I still think about it, though.

Moondance, welcome home

2011-06-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

Miki has returned from her travels and we have been enjoying the magazines she brought back, Premium and So-En. The clothing images tend to be quirkier and have provided some whimsical inspiration for the week's designing. One article features women and their own various style choices, another spotlights this stunning designer with the lovely grey up-do ( I am afraid I cannot read her name). Even Harriet (dachshund) is amused. My own work this week has tilted to the east a bit, I think!

take flight

2011-05-24T17:32:00.001-07:00

The house I recently moved into was formerly occupied by one of those bird-lovin-ladies. I am sure they will all miss her...until I get into the oiseau-groove. She left behind the baths and houses and we watched the little brown birds (wrens? sparrows?) dart in and out of their abode even as the snow slowly melted away. Then they were gone, but they left this lovely nest to grace my shop window. I am really getting a kick out of painting on my windows. Usually I confine the paint to "sale" messages, but I am anxious to come up with my next image. My public canvas.

quotidian

2011-05-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

These are busy days of sewing , as shown by the workroom floor at end of day. I am still on my one-garment-a-day schedule. As the spring and summer bring in more people, the stitching gets squeezed into smaller bits of time. Cutting at home in the morning helps, so that I come in armed with packets of work for the day and can get right to it. I never in my life have sewed this much .

review

2011-05-07T06:42:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure this week of being on the review panel for MECA student, ERICA. An Illustration student, she has recently turned her talents to fashion- something that I, too, studied way back in art school. I especially enjoyed these gesture sketches, which captured both the mood of the body and of the nature of the garment.

window candy

2011-05-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

I know that I design clothing and own a shop, but truth be told, I am not much of a shopper. I am much more likely to frequent galleries or museums with the free time in New York. This trip offered up a couple of inspiring venues, though. The one pictured was not even open at the time I photographed. I think it is called "Really Great Things" and is on the upper West Side, where we usually stay. I tried to catch a taxi reflection in each photo, just for fun. Very pretty stuff.

getaway

2011-04-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

A quick couple of days in the city. In New York the sun was out, the flowers were out, the dogs were out, and we were out ....walking, cafe-sitting, park-sitting.

Miki is missed

2011-04-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

Miki may be in Japan for a few weeks, but her creations keep me company in the shop.Moondance is all about fun: the whimsy of men's shirts made feminine and the "welcome summer" green check of a sleek structured dress. She will be returning with new ideas, inspirations and fabrics. Then we will both be busy with our much-talked about project: some children's dresses for summer.

hot cha

2011-04-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

One of the unexpected outcomes of moving house was the reappearance of my childhood games in my daily life. We now have no attic! Games mounted on the wall, puppets in the shop window....old friends all. The horse racing game was played not only by the children, but by the money-wagering, Manhattan-sipping adults. Especially on Kentucky Derby Day.

see you soon

2011-04-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

'Sent out an email to customers on my list- just to remind everyone that our little corner of the world, here at COREY&CO, is chock full of new and exciting dresses, jackets, scarves, jewelry, etc. for SPRING . If you are within visiting distance, I would suggest you do!

if you stitch it , they will come

2011-03-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

It has been a sleepy start to spring here in Portland. There is a heaviness hanging- a disbelief that the next season will actually arrive as usual. But in the shop, slow time is sewing time. I have cut into the Italian linens- loose-woven, irregularly dyed, delightful. Some are diaphanous- to be worn over a chemise....when it is warm outside. And it will be, right?

zing

2011-03-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's a lot like painting....when the colors sing!

what ho, jeeves?

2011-03-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

These are all photos from one of many family albums. They are a bit fragile- all mounted on that black, almost cottony paper. My father's side of the family took tons of photos during a certain time period. They were wealthy , they had leisure time and the gracious estate on which to gather with friends. I also have photos of my mother's side of the family - fewer. They are equally as interesting. No one wore fancy clothing. It was life on the farm. I love those photos, too. They will come onto the blog when she no longer has a grip on the album. No rush.		draft		2:47:00 PM	by Corey & Co.	Delete
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NY and back

2011-02-25T07:06:00.000-08:00

Well, once again I carried my camera to the Markets in N.Y. intending to use it as the visual aid it could be. Once again, I took not a single photo. On the way back to the airport I took a couple of urban-grid shots from a moving vehicle. Coulda' been the Cleveland skyline, for all it looked like Queens. The red and white stripes were like a scarf I ordered, though- that's show related. Back at the shop, it is time to take out the MOUSE-JI paris. It is, to my eye, a thrilling group of shapes and fabrics for spring/summer. I have been holding off unpacking it as a treat for after-market. The dress is a sneak-peek.

lightweight

2011-02-12T09:57:00.000-08:00

This week I received a delicious delivery of Italian linens from my favorite supplier in Montreal. They range from earthy/chunky to whisper thin. The first group is greys and neutrals, but the samples sent of color ranges will be too much to resist, and I am even considering some purples-not my usual choice...ever! The double-tiered drapey tank pictured is actually a wool gauze from the same company, but I think it would translate well into linen. We shall see.

neige

2011-02-02T10:39:00.000-08:00

The snow, it is falling. The birds, they are watching. The dogs, they are snoozing. And I am cutting, readying for the shop-work tomorrow, I hope. This has been the coldest, most blizzardy winter I can remember. We picked a fine time to move house, but we are in and cozy. It's a bit of fun, really, to be house-bound and nesting.

january

2011-01-19T12:19:00.000-08:00

It is definitely a quiet time in the shop this wintry month. The snow is piled high outside the window and everyone is in a hibernating mode. I am making the last of the woolies for the season, at a January-slow pace. 'Starting to design for the seasons ahead: gathering ideas and drawing, but I can never bring myself to cut into spring fabrics until there is a glimmer of hope that it will actually arrive.

email

2011-01-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

'Have burned my hands in an exceedingly stupid kitchen maneuver, so busied myself today with sending out a SALE email announcement to all my faithful customers. I thought this photo from my Swedish family archives might scare a few people out of their gloomy winter closets and into the shop. Some of these women are downright spooky , but my own relative was a comely zither player in this Swedish Salvation Army.

here's to a bright new year

2011-01-03T03:52:00.001-08:00

let it snow

2010-12-28T12:03:00.000-08:00

Portland has been buried in snow, like the rest of New England. Today the shop is open and busy with Emily at the sewing machine. She is a student at Central St. Martin in London, a knitwear designer who is practicing her sewing/pattern-making skills while home in Maine.

gift

2010-12-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

Friend and customer Fran stopped by the other day with a gift for me/COREY&CO : a much-used, much-loved family sewing machine. This piece of equipment has some miles on it and awaits major rehab. I love its army green hue- reminds me of a Citroen I coveted long ago. It has joined the Rockette line-up of machines on the work table: grey daily workhorse, necessary serger, and Citroen. Thank you Fran.

NIGHTTOWN

2010-12-15T04:18:00.000-08:00

'Just returned from yet another Cleveland trip, narrowly escaping a blizzard. One of my favorite stops while there is NightTown, a been-around-a-long-time bar/restaurant/music venue. Here are a few warm and cozy photos.

oops

2010-12-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

oops, oops, oops. I totally forgot to take photos at the big December 3rd First Friday event. 'Twas a huge party, as crowded at times as a rush-hour subway car. But people managed to try on scarf after scarf to find just the right one. SOUTH STREET LINEN is now launched! There is still a good selection in the shop. check out ://www.southstreetlinen.com

launch party

2010-11-27T12:56:00.000-08:00

Three painters decide to try their collective hands at dyeing, block printing and stitching scarves. The result: compositions in linen worthy of a gallery showing....and here it is. This coming First Friday Artwalk, we will all be celebrating their new-found passion and business: SOUTH STREET LINEN. I am working on some garments incorporating some of their print work, just to join in the fun. If you are near, please join us. If you are far, watch this blog for the after-photos.

Tuesdays

2010-11-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

Tuesdays find Miki of Moondance Wear at the COREY&CO. work table. She is having some fun, which is plain to see in these reconstructed and sometimes tea-dyed shirts. Pants, vests, skirts , cloth jewelry pieces are also in her repertoire. We have very different , but very compatible styles. I am so happy to have Miki part of the "&CO".

holey

2010-11-13T06:47:00.000-08:00

I find that I am drawn to fabrics with negative space. Holey. In sweater knits, like the tunic, wrapper, and collars shown here- fun to work with and shape into something wearable. In the case of the lace: nightmarish. The black dot garment is a work-in-progress. The more I try to contain it, the more it squirms and spreads. I am giving it a rest, and will have a go at it another day.

time for color

2010-11-06T06:53:00.000-07:00

Here comes the grey of November. I love grey, wear grey, paint walls grey. But color is the energy that makes grey o.k. Here are some daubs of pigment in the forms of Hardboiled Design berets and scarves, d.i.g.s. felt fleurs, Caralina Amato gloves, Tara Handknit beanies, Versa throws and Tina Frey resin jewelry.

call in the dogs

2010-10-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

'Have been crazy-busy with life, the shop, and the battery is dead on the camera today. But, Augie and Harriet to the rescue, in their customary nap position.

bristles

2010-10-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

So satisfying, brushes. Not many people buy them in the shop, but I have them anyway.

october

2010-10-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

There is a nip in the air and knits on the cutting table. October is my favorite month both for weather and for garment design: chunky sweater pieces in mohair and wool.

welcome modern pixie

2010-10-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

'Dashed through a recent Portland crafts fair and met a girl from Cleveland! (my home town). Her Modern Pixie jewelry has been a popular new addition to the shop.

pop-up print studio

2010-10-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday, painter/printmaker/friend Lynn and I played with printing on fabric. It is a project we have been discussing and we need to find our inks of choice. Not so easy, as it turns out. We found the best-of-the-lot, but are still a step or two from production. Suggestions welcome. My end-use will be isolated printing on garment pieces; hers, yardage printing. To be continued...

eyes full

2010-09-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

I have been in New York shopping the markets for the Spring/Summer 2011 season. I quickly found things wonderful and new, and then took to the street....and the gallery, and the museum, cinema, park, restaurant...the better to fill my eyes and revive my weary stitching spirit.

interview

2010-09-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Laura and Nate for Forefront Fashion, a blog keeping tabs on the stylish goings-on in Portland. Take a look at what they found of interest at COREY&CO., aside from my yardstick. www.forefrontfashion.com

on the road

2010-09-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

'Spent some time on buses and airplanes last week. Lots of time for mental sewing.

fabric as friend

2010-09-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes fabric is your friend. It can let you create shapes, even add its own opinion. Who knows what this wacky, open-weave cotton was originally intended for?Who cares? It let me sculpt. And then again, sometimes fabric is your foe. I have a love/hate pile where I throw the miscreants. A few days apart and we make our peace, usually a 180 degree turn from the design I started with. Perhaps I will expose them in the next post....if they don't shape up.

through winky's lens

2010-08-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

'Had a fun visit from Portland photographer Winky Lewis last week. She loved the shop and I love her images. Here is an eyeful of Corey&Co. Double it and triple it to catch the details ....see more through her magical lens at www.winkyphoto.com.

ah,vinalhaven

2010-08-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

A few days on the island of Vinalhaven, Maine have cleared my brain of the sticky cobwebs of daily life and let some new ideas breeze in. I had put my fabric-printing plans on the shelf, but everything my eye took in seemed to suggest pattern.

to market, to market

2010-08-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

The trip began with a stroll through Portland's Saturday farmers' market before heading south to New York. It ended with a forage through the wool and cashmere aisles at Mood Fabrics...as savory to me as any row of radishes.

last linen

2010-08-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year to put down the linen and start picking up the fall fabrics. It's a hard transition in this heat. So I had a last fling with the lighter weights and produced some whimsical dresses. What better adieu than picnic check?

the week of the waist

2010-08-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

This week I have been sewing waists. Usually I tend toward the blocky and the smocky . In a small shop it is wise to have things that fit a wider spectrum of people... and I personally like to wear voluminous clothing, especially in the steamy summer.But after I did one drawstring, I could not stop. Here are some samples. ...and I am not done yet.

other summers

2010-07-31T06:50:00.000-07:00

Shapes of summers long ago have been finding their way into my dresses and tops. I love the sailor collar and the dropped waist of the 1920s. The dapper couple in the Atlantic City boardwalk photo are some well-dressed relatives of mine.

mots

2010-07-24T06:39:00.000-07:00

What is the attraction of letters and numbers, in and of themselves ? Is it their simple architectural beauty or the power of promised content? Whatever...another Saturday morning yard sale acquisition (the stamps) added to my growing stash of marks-on-surface tools.

matins

2010-07-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

Mornings in the studio/shop have a ritual. These days I get in early to start the air conditioner pumping against the summer heat. Then, the puttering:

put out the bike basket of flowers

sweep up yesterday's fabric cuttings

get the work area ready for a new day

change the window display

logo-stamp some bags

& get ready to open

oh......and do a blog post

welcome moondance

2010-07-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

COREY&CO is thrilled to be the home of exclusive new designs from moondance wear. Miki, the creator of these summer dresses , gets as excited as I do about garment shapes, colors, and textures and we have already been out fabric-foraging together. I am looking forward to upcoming seasons of collaboration, but right now... plan a trip to 19 Pleasant Street to see these gems.

new friends

2010-07-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

COREY&CO is situated in a quiet, mostly residential neighborhood just steps from the Old Port center in Portland. One of the unexpected pleasures of this Pleasant Street location has been meeting and becoming friendly with nearby residents. A couple of days ago I had a surprise visit from a small family from the neighborhood. They came bearing a gift for the shop, carrying out a Rwandan custom. If a Rwandan child shows an interest or like for a particular business, a gift is given by the family to that shop. I think the little girl Queen has been attracted by the bright colors in the window and her father says she wants to come up the steps even on their evening walks. Such a lovely family and such a wonderful tradition: Here are the gift, the note, the family.

bags

2010-06-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

The shop is full of satchels for summer: traditional linen Furoshiki bags from Mira Designs, kilim bags from Earth Axxessories. Some will see the sandy beaches and farmers' markets of Maine, while others will travel farther afield. The last one found its way to an alley in Istanbul.

girls in their summer dresses

2010-06-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a series of simple summer frocks made from sarong fabric. It has been a bit of an effort keeping the little charmers in the shop long enough to get a window-full.

images

2010-06-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Every 3 months I travel to Cleveland to visit the aged Mater and spend time with my sister. I have started taking photographs on these trips, and in doing so, began seeing Cleveland- city of my youth- in a whole new way. The things that make the city special for me are the things that it has retained: A huge farmer's market meant for the people of the inner-city, delis with owners still working behind the counter, jazz clubs without a big attitude, neighborhoods with shops trendy and not-trendy, side by side. If you like a little edge in your images, opportunities abound. Here are some of my Cleveland eyefuls.

saturday morning

2010-06-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

Christine stopped in on her way to Pilates, threw on one Corey&Co creation over another et Voila!

dots

2010-05-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Seeing spots.....on the wonderful linen fabric designed by Portland designer and painter Gretchen Langner of Langner Dzigns. And on the Corey family accumulation of dice. No, I did not make the slipcover to match Augie's spots nor paint spots on Augie to match the slipcover. (That is Harriet nestled in behind him, as always.)

jocko

2010-05-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Some friends are off to Provincetown this weekend and it brought to mind this monkey painting of mine. The memories are old and the painting is sold. ah...P'town.

me too

2010-05-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

The delicate button detail on this exquisite knit vest by WHENEVER WHEREVER inspired me to add that touch to my next navy piece. A voile skirt was the recipient.

kimono style

2010-05-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

I love kimonos of all sorts. But when I make kimono influenced garments, I "westernize" them a bit. Large gaping sleeves and obi belts are hard to wear for daily activity.

freeing

2010-05-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the sewing day can be a long one and I prop the laptop on the ironing board and play a little background entertainment. I have been watching a PBS series called Art 21. It profiles artists- their inspirations and methods of working. I was sewing the jacket shown here while listening to various painters and sculptors talk candidly about their work....and I found myself making different choices than I might otherwise have done. It freed me up! The jacket is made of pattern pieces cut first and then bleach-striped , so it already had some painterly qualities. I am inching toward my easel- closer every day.

work and play

2010-04-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

'Spent a blissful weekend on Peak's Island - a 15 minute boat ride and a world away. Had I not finished and sold this jacket the day before, it might have gone with me.

yearning

2010-04-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

I am yearning to draw...and to paint. With the start-up of a business and all the designing and sewing involved, painting had to be put on a distant back burner. But it always comes back- the restless physical memory moves through the arm and you realize.....time to stretch canvas. I love to draw the figure. It is a wonderful warm-up; a communication of the hand and the eye- just get the brain out of the way.

some enchanted evening

2010-04-19T07:28:00.000-07:00

The WMPG fashion benefit Saturday night was very Portland, very fun. My models were amazing and did my garments proud. From the opening act on, the crowd was having a great time for a great cause. The on-line auction is still active. Check it out.http://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?vhost=wmpg

now i'm having fun!

2010-04-14T09:04:00.000-07:00

So.....I thought I would share my favorite piece- made for the upcoming fashion show. This was fun for me because it combines creating a garment and surface design/drawing. The calligraphic element is a fractured Swedish poem. I did not want the words to be readable (save for the unlikely Swede in the audience) . I was going to use Swedish words taken from old family letters, but I was afraid I would be writing something like "Uncle Oscar fell and broke his hip" on the back of my swing-coat. This look and two others will be sashaying down the runway at the WMPG Benefit Fashion Show at Space Gallery this Saturday. Something like 28 local designers of clothing, jewelry, accessories will be struttin' their stuff. http://wmpg.org/

timeless

2010-04-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

I am still working with some grey-green organza that I got last trip to New York. I am now down to scraps. Today I came across, in my suitcase of family photos, a picture of two women who look like their dresses came from the same bolt! One woman is circling something in a fashion magazine. Some things never change.

faux summer

2010-04-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Portland is experiencing a welcome, but wacky spate of spring/summer weather. For us that means time at the beach with Augie, Harriet and Bess.

a gathering in the dressing room

2010-03-31T09:32:00.000-07:00

I am participating in a designers' fashion show in April and so, need to make some pieces with a bit of drama. As always, I have been over-thinking and over-producing for it. I must have made a dozen pieces so far to get the right two ensembles...and I am not yet satisfied. But no matter, the extra pieces go into the shop and it is rather fun to design with an event in mind. Pictured are some of the candidates.

smock

2010-03-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

This perfect smock by ANGG is my workwear-of-choice these days. It makes me feel like a stitcher in a French atelier. I love it so much that I have ordered it for the shop in a grey/blue and black as well as the classic white.

moving through space

2010-03-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

I am off to Cleveland once again to visit ma mere et ma soeur. It never ceases to amaze me how one's surroundings can so completely change in one hour and twenty minutes. From my sunny Portland studio to the raw steel landscape of downtown Cleveland- I looked for a link.....and found it.

reach for it

2010-03-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

The window: Cast iron hand/hooks play with Kathleen Plate's smartglass jewelry, fashioned from recycled beverage bottles - trash turned beautiful.

gossamer

2010-03-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the fabric dictates. This whispery wool from Mood said "stitch not". So I did only the seaming necessary to hold it together and created fold, tucks, and panels with buttons. A fun departure.

back to work

2010-03-05T07:51:00.000-08:00

I am still attempting to get back into the welcome daily business of creating garments after 4 days in New York and 2 days of the painting sale. 'Have made a few pieces now, so I am settling down . I always feel a bit panicky when the head-count of my work goes down.....cut, cut, sew, sew! While in New York, friend Ronnie and I caught the last 10 minutes of business at ABC Carpet&Home- made a mad, visually fun dash through on the way to dinner.

studio sale X 3

2010-02-27T11:03:00.000-08:00

It's an unusual Saturday and Sunday at COREY&CO. Three Portland painters cleaning out studios and selling at remarkably reduced prices. Lynn Krauss, Ronnie Wilson and Barbara Corey (me) have turned the shop into a pop-up gallery. We have been crazy-busy with people wanting artwork and deals. Take a look.

back from new york

2010-02-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

Looking for new makers and new garments: definitely fun. So is going out after a long day to drink wine, eat moules frites, and look up at the paintings in the night sky.

back detail

2010-02-19T13:02:00.000-08:00

I am working with cottons and linens these days. 'Not sure why, but it always seems like more fun to create detail on the back of a garment- the element of surprise, I guess. Here are some pieces from the week's work.

aged aunts

2010-02-18T06:03:00.000-08:00

Isabel and Louise King. One was a weaver, one did handwork. I still own much of the furniture pictured here and many of their beautifully crafted fabric pieces.