{MKE ZINE FEST 2012} Poste-Carte Blanche

Madam Chino will be closing Madam Chino's LOOK NOOK this weekend to make way for her side project/alter ego PENNY SPENCER to take stage at this years MILWAUKEE ZINE FEST at Polish Falcon! 801 E. Clarke St. from 11am til 5pm!

If you have not been to an MKE ZINE FEST event it is Milwaukee mandatory! Even most attendees may not be aware of all that Zine Fest has to offer. Paper-loving friends at Queer Zine Archive Project are very involved in making the event a fully interactive weekend with:

Zine Reading on the Radio
ALL AGES!
Friday, November 2rd
7:00-9:00pm
Riverwest Film & Video
824 E. Center St.
****TO SIGN UP TO READ go to the ZINE READING ON THE RADIO Facebook Event!

MZF Dance Party
(21+)
Friday, November 2nd
9:00 - Close
Riverwest Public House
815 E. Locust

After Party - Stooges, MC5, Dickies, Hookers Covershow
(21+)
Saturday, November 3rd
10:00 PM
Linneman's River West Inn
1001 E. Locust St.

Unfortunately this years workshops are cancelled because the friends at CCC, kittykorner from Polish Falcon, who usually host back-to-back free workshops on anything from political discussions to exquisite corpse zines, to one page mini-zine booklets, will be relocating as that space is no longer available.

Friend ZINE FEST on FB!
Join the ZINE FEST event on FB!
Visit the ZINE FEST website!

Penny Spencer reordered "The Charactionary: Interactive Character Activity Book" in addition, will be selling $1.00 recycled bookbinding confetti

and YOU-torials on how to do stuff:


In other publishing news, Penny Spencer INK! has been on a hiatus for the past year, however actively authoring interesting one page comic format graphic short stories for upcoming publishing by the name of "BOY STORIES" for which personal research is still being executed.

COMING SOON!



see you at Zine Fest and the following week at LOOK NOOK for regularly scheduled hours!!

xx, madam chino

Sewing? {NO-SWEAT!} Classes with Madam Chino at the UWM Craft Centre!

HEY Milwaukee FRIENDS! It's that time again! Three seasons out of four, Madam Chino offers classes at the UWM Union Studio Arts and Craft Centre: Spring, Summer and Fall.

"NO-SWEAT SEWING" is a 5 week course presented this round on Mondays from 6pm-8:30pm, brimming with exciting information and exercises on how to convert your clothing ideas into reality. We learn Basic Sewing, Anthropomentrics, Pattern-making, Draping, Pants-Making and Alterations amidst a long list of useful vocabulary and tools. Start gathering your inspirations!

NO-SWEAT SEWING starts on Monday November 8th! If you are interested in signing up or learning about any of the Craft Centre Classes, head HERE to learn more and then call (414) 229-5535

Community member and students alike, have you been to the UWM Studio Arts and Craft Centre and used their amazing facility to do anything awesome like throw a pot on the wheel, make stained glass, develop your own film, screenprint a shirt, sew a patch or a quilt, use the computer, cast a mold, or anything else amazing? Then be a pal and LIKE them on Facebook or FOLLOW their Blogspot blog! While your at it, LIKE Madam Chino's LOOK NOOK on Facebook too!

Here are some awesome action shots from my last class showing student altering block patterns and draping on dress forms:










Unique uniforms and uncommon costume, made-to-measure! Learn to sew, No-Sweat! Produce personalized patterns (both busts and bottoms) to suit silhouettes with fresh fabrics or appropriate preexisting apparel. Texturize your textiles with surface structure. Originate your own ornamental opulence and focus on favorite features! Distinctive designer duds can be displayed on the Recycadelic Runway during Earth Week in the UWM Union.

Instructor: Vanessa Andrew

UWM Students: $80 Faculty, staff, alumni: $90 Community members: $100

The Studio Arts and Craft Centre is located on the street level
of the UWM Student Union, Room EG30.

229-5535

XX, Madam Chino!

{WILD'n'WOOLY} Keepin' Toasty

WILD'n'WOOLY recap! Just another fun shop sale/party at LOOK NOOK thanks to all the good company. Keep a look out for this merchandise in new locations, especially as a magic carpet soaring through outer space, thanks to the green screen in the party room!


We threw confetti!

And stayed toasty by the campfire

LOOKNOOK will be having inconsistent hours for the next few weeks!~

Tomorrow, October 27th is the Made in Milwaukee Event at Turner Hall, where Madam Chino takes a break and breaks out with a guest appearance as the stage persona "Star Hamilton" in the Vintage Wears of Bolted MKE fashion show run. SHOP will be closed after 3pm!~

Next Saturday, November 3rd is Milwaukee Zine Fest at Polish Falcon, where Madam Chino will be making an appearance as the alias "Penny Spencer" self-publishing extraordinaire, presenting workshop "Post-Carte Blanche" where we will be making our own postcards! SHOP will be closed all day!

Please follow the links to the facebook events to learn more! And keep your ears open for upcoming pants sale "SLACKER" at LOOK NOOK in addition to the NO-SWEAT SEWING classes at the UWM Craft Centre Mondays for 5 weeks starting November 3rd from 6pm-8:30pm!

XX,
Madam Chino

{WILD'n'WOOLY} Pre-Season SALE, Post-Season PARTY

Get in! Come CELEBRATE Madam Chino being back in the LOOK NOOK every Saturday noon-6pm on OCTOBER 20th 2012! SUPER CHEAP unlisted items, half off internet prices on vintage cozy items and long sleeve stuff: dresses, blazers, shoes, boots, whatever, maaan. Plus killer $2.00 bins of unsold summer inventory!
Ye-hawwww! Madam Chino LOVES YOU! Welcome home.


RSVP on the WILD'N'WOOLY fb Events Page.

XX, Madam C.

{SWAP-O-RAMA} Milwaukee Sewing Company 2012

Since Madam Chino's first Swap-o-Rama at the old Future Green circa 2007, I was friended by kindred sewing spirits Judy and Mary from the Milwaukee Sewing Machine Company, representatives of the shop where I had, all along since 1999, been purchasing sewing machines and having them serviced. These two ladies agreed to be present at several of my adolescent camps, promoting sewing by bringing sewing machines in to the classes for students to learn on, in addition to inviting Madam Chino to participate in the Swap-O-Ramas that take place at their Greenfield Avenue location to promote my shop and classes all while sharing my skill sets with the public.

I recently participated in the West Allis Art Walk SWAP-O-RAMA 2012, showing Swap Participants how to reclaim and reinvent materials! Here is the evidence, via photos taken by Mary!


We learned how to make yarn from flat fabric and fabric tubes...

...how to ladder weave...

...how to arm knit...

and how to crochet!

Swapsters participated in trying new techniques...

...and got to take whatever they wanted home!!!


Visit Judy and Mary at Milwaukee Sewing Machine Company to get an awesome run through on the variety of Sewing Machines on market! Many machines come with an extended warrenty and free class! They are currently furnishing the new machines that my classes at the UWM Craft Centre will enjoy this session, beginning November 5th. I am also excited to pick up the repaired Pfaff 230 household-converted-industrial motorized machine that they are currently repairing for me :)

Milwaukee Sewing Machine is located at 7226 W. Greenfield Avenue in West Allis. Like MKE SEW CO on FB too!

XX, Madam Chino

{T-WRECKING} UWM Green and Fair!

Each year, the lovely Linda, head of UWM Union Programming invites Madam Chino to present an interactive Green Fair T-shirt Reclamation Booth in the UWM Union Concourse. Madam Chino is so happy to participate, literally giving away secrets for the sake of earth and science. This year I asked the also everlovely and employable Carrie Pasko to assist with student creations.



Together, Madam Chino was able to help nearly 50 students create and inspire further creations, diverting not only more old T-shirts from the trash, but also probably more people from shopping at big business chain stores where "indie" fashion isn't really "indie" anymore, ah hem.

Many students chose to employ this specific technique called "ladder weaving" which has been brought back to popular culture from the 80s by faux-indie stores such as Urban Outfitters. But you can do-it-yourself!

YOU can learn this technique by searching for "ladder weaving" on youtube!

We had so much fun teaching and working with the students and promoting Madam Chino's NO-SWEAT SEWING at the UWM Craft Centre!

For more secrets revealed visit THE UWM UNION STUDIO ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTRE for a list of classes, and to sign up for NO-SWEAT SEWING!

See years PAST of the greenfair event!

XXOO,
Madam Chino!

{REDRESS} Turned Down Button-Downs get Turned Up

re·dress/riˈdres/
Verb: Remedy or set right (an undesirable or unfair situation)
Noun: Remedy or compensation for a wrong or grievance.
Synonyms:
verb. repair - rectify - retrieve - remedy - compensate
noun. reparation - compensation - indemnity - amends

Last year I ran into a "LOT" (pun intended!!) of button-up business shirts that I was scouted out to be the recipient of, by virtue of my reputation for rippin' and stitchin' old clothes.


I've housed over 75 great men's business button-ups, mainly size 34" and up, practically giving them away in my shop during liquidation events, and with what I've left am recreating a Madam Chino Classic from over 8 years ago.
These dresses are created using almost every bit save for maybe 5" squared, and will be available for retail at ART vs. CRAFT this year as well as in my shop throughout the season. Here is a walk through of the studio production as it happens!

At the cutting table:


the old collars become "de-decollettes" a little made up word by Madam Chino.
De`col`le`te´ (dã`kǒl`le`tã´). a. 1. Leaving the neck and shoulders uncovered; cut low in the neck, or low-necked, as a dress.
Or in-other-words, the Madam Chino way of combining a high (popped) collar, with a low neck shirt.


the old sleeves come together at the wrist as a collar


Pinning the old torso to the new waist:


Stitched with a box pleat center:


A group of finals! Lastly with front elastic and back pleats.


XO, MADAM C.

Follow Madam Chino on Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr, Twitter: madamchino

{SUMMER MARKET!} clothed and open

Heres to a long, successful outdoor season! Getting excited to reveal the next phase of indoor sales and seasonal events after a fun outdoor season of traveling showcases. Stay tuned! Saturday October 20th is the first day back in the shop with regular Saturday hours High Noon til 6 pm. Madam Chino's Look Nook is located at 100A e. Pleasant St. on the 3rd floor of the Milwaukee Fortress building in Brewers Hill.