Adventures

BookCon is for Book Lovers

First, a day surrounded by books is always going to be a top day. I work by day at a book publishing house, I keep up with my fiction during my commutes, and I read handfuls of books to my kids at bedtime…so all in all, most days are pretty top.

IMG_3477

But a day that I get to celebrate books AND crafting. Sign me up.IMG_3478

Our Saturday Tee Party was top notch–and here’s just a smattering of what folks snipped up at the Generation T Workshop. Outer Lace, a no-sew project from book 1:

IMG_3456

Another no-sew project (Back In Action, from book 2)–success!

IMG_3246
Sisters (with scissors) and a tank top, a halter top, and laced up glovelets (using scraps from other projects!).

IMG_3247

Cleverly saving her finger-knitting project for later by slipping the loops off her fingers and onto her scissors:

IMG_3248

Thanks, Workman Publishing, for a great day in Chicago! I felt in very good company with all these amazing-looking books for 2017.

IMG_3460

[ Comments Off on BookCon is for Book Lovers | Posted on June 29th, 2016 ]

Happy Earth Day 2015!

Last weekend, I spent Saturday evening with these lovely students at my high school alma mater. That’s me on the computer screen–we had a cross-regional Tee Party through the internets! These students are all part of the Green Support team at the school, and invited me to help them celebrate Earth Day. It was wonderful to hear what they’re up to and answer questions they had for me about Generation T.

Generation T video conference at Holderness

 

Here’s another group shot, this time from my perspective–check out all the amazing projects they made!

Generation T at Holderness 2015

Happy Earth Day, all — keep fighting the good fights.

—

In other news: A stack of T-shirts in need of some resuscitation recently arrived on my doorstep…stay tuned in the coming weeks to see what they turn into — I’ll be posting them here!

[ Comments Off on Happy Earth Day 2015! | Posted on April 22nd, 2015 ]

Happy Mother’s Day!

It’s been fairly quiet ’round these parts, but I’m emerging from hibernation to share two bits of fun news this Mother’s Day!

1. I’m very excited to share that a collaboration that I worked on with my very creative mom, Susan, almost two years ago, is coming out soon! We designed a fleece hoodie for the newest installation in Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins’ One-Yard Wonder series, Little One-Yard Wonders: Irresistible Clothes, Toys, and Accessories You Can Make for Babies and Kids. My mom is the person who first showed me the way around a sewing machine, so I was glad that she accepted my invitation to team up and submit a project when the call for entries was posted! We brainstormed ideas, and came up with a few…long story short, one of them is featured in the book.

How cute is that shirt on the front? Those shoes! That tea set!

Little One Yard Wonders cover

Below is the first spread of the project we designed with squirmy toddlers in mind (no zippers, buttons, or drawstrings — just pull it over the head and you’re ready for an afternoon of exploring). YiaYia’s Snuggle Hoodie! It’s so exciting to see it in print! And, it should be noted, the hoodie can be made from jersey knit material, too, for a more traditional sweatshirt or a lighter T-shirt-weight design. Pre-order the book at any of the online retailers listed here, or look for it in your local bookstore when it releases June 3, 2014! Little One Yard Wonders interior

My mom and I are so looking forward to making lots of the 101 projects for my little ones….which brings me to news point #2.

2. And, not to bury the lede, but…the Mr. and I welcomed a new member to our family just two weeks ago! Meet Esmé Olivine, born 4/27/14 (you’ll no doubt be seeing more of my newest fashion muse in the weeks, months, and years to come!).

EsmeOlivineJanka427

A very happy Mother’s Day to all you crafty mamas who encourage creativity in the next generation!

xoxo,
Megan

[ 2 Comments | Posted on May 11th, 2014 ]

Tee Party at the Park Slope Library

Happy Thanksgiving/Hanukkah (Thanksgivikkah?)! Over here at Generation T, we’re thankful for YOU — the folks who read the site with dedication, those who populate Tee Party events, and those who just stop by from time to time to like a project on Facebook or look for some quick inspiration. Here’s an admittedly belated share of some highlights from the Tee Party we hosted at the local library in Brooklyn last month. I think the enthusiasm of the 35 or so folks who filled the room is ample proof that T-shirts don’t lose their luster the moment the temperatures drop!

PSLibrary Tee Party generation-t.com

Thanks so much to everyone who came to our little crafternoon — we had a great turnout, warm pizza to nourish our creativity, and the scissors were active!

Park Slope Tee Party2 generation-t.com

And, to our lovely hosts, the Friends of Park Slope Library — thanks so much for having us!

PSLibrary Tee Party collage generation-t.com

I’m all for T-shirts 365 days a year! Show of hands–who’s on board with that idea?

 

[ 1 Comment | Posted on November 28th, 2013 ]

Tee Party at Little Joe’s Books

Thank you to everyone who came out to refashion T-shirts at the Tee Party at Little Joe’s Books last month! We had tons of fun and created all sorts of T-shirt wonder. The Outer Lace tank top design from Generation T (project #16) made a few appearances, including a variation with laces going up the arms of the three-quarter length sleeves! So did the Back in Action T-shirt from Generation T: Beyond Fashion (project #101) — plus some freestylin’ hats and gloves and no-sew tote bags, using techniques learned from previous projects.

Little Joes Books Tee Party generation-t.com

There’s nothing I love more than a cozy crafternoon all spread out on the floor. Thanks to Jen Cook of Little Joe’s Books for having me at her store for a few hours. Part-tee on!

[ Comments Off on Tee Party at Little Joe’s Books | Posted on November 22nd, 2013 ]

New York, NY @ Michaels Craft Store

With apologies for the last-minute invitation….

michaels_logo1

…please come make a Pinterest-worthy seasonal project with Megan Nicolay of Generation T as well as your local inspiration specialists at the Michaels store location in Manhattan (808 Columbus Avenue) this weekend! Find us there from 1:00 – 4:00 PM, where we’ll be sharing tips, techniques, and creativity! If you’re not in the area, check in at your local Michaels store, because chances are, there’s a party happening there, too. And, lastly, if you want to follow along online, check in with Megan @MeganNicolay or @GenerationTee and look for #MPinterestParty and #ilovetocreate tags.

In partnership with:
i-love-to-create-logo

Hope to see you there!

[ Comments Off on New York, NY @ Michaels Craft Store | Posted on November 8th, 2013 ]

Generation T, eBook Edition!

I’m so happy to announce, one year after its younger sister was made available as an eBook, and 7 years after its initial print publication, that Generation T: 108 Ways To Transform a T-shirt is now a Generation T eBook! Happily, you may now enjoy the original 108 ways to transform a T-shirt via your tablet e-reader of choice — Nook, Kindle, iPad or iPhone, Kobo, and so on — the works!

Let me know what you think of the eBook experience! (Especially if you have a paper book, too — how do they compare?)

[ Comments Off on Generation T, eBook Edition! | Posted on September 27th, 2013 ]

Generation T: Beyond Fashion, now in Russian!

There’s a new member of the Generation T family! Can you spot her, all the way off to the right there, standing with the really impressive posture? If you could hear her talk, you’d know she has a pretty hot accent, too.

This introduction is clearly the moment you’ve all been waiting for: Generation T: Beyond Fashion is now available in Russian — and in hardcover, no less. Добро пожаловать, русские читатели! (Welcome Russian readers!)

What do you think about the changes from the English-language cover? Do you like to see more projects pictured? Do you prefer the purple to blue on the spine? What about the halter top I’m wearing (do you prefer it in red or white)?

Head on over to the books section of the website to check out the full library of the Generation T and Generation T: Beyond Fashion editions (foreign and domestic) that have hit the shelves over the years.

[ 2 Comments | Posted on May 17th, 2013 ]

Thank you, Peter

If you are a lover of books, you may often find yourself, as I do, turning a book over in your hands, looking not only for the author’s name or the designer credit, but at the spine where the publisher’s name is printed. These are the books I most admire, the titles and pages that have shaped my life and helped me grow. And there’s one name, in particular, that has been remarkably consistent:

When I was little, I used to quiz my younger siblings with BrainQuest decks on long car rides. My older brother and I diligently worked through the pages of Kids’ Big Book of Games. We flipped through a well-worn copy of All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat, sure that several of the cats featured had to be ours. We crafted from books like Snips and Snails and Walnut Whales and nerded out building the skeleton from the Bones Book & Skeleton (the original edition).  We went on family hikes with the Birds and Trees Fandex tucked into our backpacks; my college roommates and I engaged in existential ruminations over a tattered copy of The Book of Questions; and I consulted 1000 Places before I went on vacation to Puerto Rico. When I became pregnant years later, I turned, as many do, to What to Expect When You’re Expecting. And today, copies of Sandy Boynton’s Belly Button Book and Pajama Time and Rufus Butler Seder’s Gallop! are in constant rotation when I read to my toddler before bed. These are books that one can live by.

On Sunday morning, the founder and publisher of the company whose name is printed on the spine of my two books and countless more titles that have impacted my childhood and my life, died at his home in New York City.

Peter Workman‘s passion for books, for ideas, for trying the unexpected and having faith in the unlikely, was infectious for those of us lucky to have worked with him. He was a generous spirit, a visionary publisher, a wise teacher, a brave dreamer, and an extraordinary human. He will be missed by so many.

May his spirit and vision continue to live through the fine works that populate our bookshelves and engage our minds.

[ Comments Off on Thank you, Peter | Posted on April 8th, 2013 ]

Weekend Craft Fun!

A busy weekend! On Friday I taped seven — seven! — craft tutorials for About.com. I’ll let you all know when the links are live so you can all get in on the craft action — we decorated eggs (three ways!) and umbrellas, and made some keepsake art pieces for the wall. Here’s a behind-the-scenes sneak peek (you can see what a giant I am!).

On Saturday I went away to camp — Brooklyn Craft Camp, that is. It was fun to be a craft camper — fun to have that time set aside to do nothing but make things and chat with my neighbors at each craft table. I practiced my embroidery under the expert eye of Jessica at Miniature Rhino, made cut paper cards with Julie of Your Secret Admiral, attempted crochet with Cal of Hodge Podge Farm, and made a painted bead necklace with Christina of MissBatch. Jay McCarroll was the keynote speaker — and there was a Pom-Pom Bar courtesy of PurlSoho! More photos to come later this week, once I get everything unpacked and uploaded. (I know, I know, it’s not like it was two weeks away at summer camp, but I came home with a lot of bags!)

Stay tuned!

[ Comments Off on Weekend Craft Fun! | Posted on March 18th, 2013 ]

Next Page »