Faking It February 23, 2008

 

For the past new years I’ve been building a collection of  costume jewelry and I want to spread the news that (1) costume doesn’t mean ugly, and (2) costume doesn’t need to mean cheaply made.

I’m not a huge fan of fine jewelry; mostly because the pieces I do like are way out of my price range, and the pieces that are in my price range are kind of twee and bland for my taste.  Give me costume any day!

The necklace above is a foray into faux tortoise; it’s a Liz Claiborne piece from Macy’s.  I do wish it were a bit longer,  but that’s easy to change because I can go to A.C. Moore and just buy chain to make an extender.  The resin and Swarovski crystal bangles are Kenneth Jay Lane and are brand new on QVC.com  - aren’t they fabulous?  I really want them and they also come in clear and black in addition to faux tortoise and black.  I may also look for a nice silver chain necklace with big links to wear with this; I like to double up necklaces.

 I wear my faux Chanel jacket all the time with these pieces; the pearls came from the Store Who Shall Not Be Named, the Voldemort of Retail.  This strand is 48 inches long, perfect for doubling up.  The glass pearls are nice and heavy, and each is individually knotted.  The black & silver necklace was made by RivkasMom on Etsy, and it’s made from a gunmetal chain,  lava rock beads, and the beads are embellished with Swarovski crystals.

Somestimes I wear just the pearls along with this brooch; it’s Monet from about 2-3 years ago.

The necklace on the jacket below I found about 2 years ago in Filene’s Basement; I love the bold colors,  and the way it nicely fills in a neckline.  The brooch is 20 years old at least, I think it’s Catherine Stein but it’s unmarked and I forgot who made it long ago.

I’m always on the look out for cool costume pieces, and good sources include Etsy.com, QVC.com, as well as discounters like TJ Maxx and Marshall’s.  Costume jewelry gets marked down pretty fast, and you can get some great deals.  The most expensive piece here was $60.

Paris Calling, Circa 1957 February 9, 2008

Now that I have a proper dress form, I can show you one of my prize pieces of fashion.  This coat belonged to my grandmother; she bought it from a department store called Pomeroy’s in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania sometime in the late 1950’s.  The coat has a Pomeroy’s store label, and the fabric label reads Cashmere “400″, 100% Virgin Cashmere, Country Tweeds” and is ink-stamped with a 6-digit registration number.

During the 50’s better department stores had made-to-order clothing departments, and I think that’s where this coat came from.  It’s really beautiful and has many interesting features that I thought you’d like to see. The lining is mushroom grey beige silk crepe.  The coat wraps across the front and closes with a large self fabric button on the front and ties with a matching petersham ribbon on the inside.

Much to my delight, a while ago I found the inspiration for this coat: the back of the coat, and especially the gathered detail on the yoke, is identical to a Balenciaga dress from 1957 found on page 542 of Fashion: A History from the 18th to th 20th Century.  Interestingly, the Balenciaga dress originally came with a matching coat according to the caption, and evidently, like my coat, the front of the dress wraps across the front and attaches with a self fabric button as well.

I wear this coat a few times a year and it fits me perfectly.  It’s in excellent condition too, which is a testament to its fine construction. They really don’t make them like this anymore do they?

Armani Prive - A Better Bubble Skirt January 27, 2008

I’m sure like most of you; I’m not a huge fan of bubble skirts for a host of obvious reasons. But the spring 2008 Armani Prive collection has several that are a tad different from what we usually see, and I think they are also much more flattering. Here are my faves:

One thing interesting about this skirt on all three designs is the separate hem band along the bottom, and of course I had to see if I could replicate it! The first step was to find some detail photos, and these two of the pinstripe design were really helpful:

Notice the side seam, and also the pinstripes tell us that this skirt is bias cut. So we know for this style there are two side seams on both the skirt and the hem band. I drafted a quick pattern for my daughters 18 inch doll dress form:

Nothing fancy, just a basic A-line shape. I drafted the skirt on the straight grain, although most in the Armani collection appear to be on the bias. There are also a few tulip skirt shapes here and there. The hem bands appear to have fashion fabric facings on the tailored designs, and I’m beginning to think there are also fashion fabric hem band facings on the dress silks.

Oh and I think Mary 9821 is perfect for the jacket on the tweed suit - all you need to do is change the center front closure to the Armani curved lapped front, lower the neckline, add the petal edges at the bottom of the princess seams, flair the sleeves at the wrist, and build out those classic YSL-style shoulders.

This Armani collection is inspiring and very beautiful, so definitely check it out on Style.com and also see the video on The Thoughtful Dresser.  It’s an utterly wearable collection that any of us could see in our wardrobes (well, maybe without the funky embellishment!)

A Sewing Trinket from the Divas January 18, 2008

butterfly-needle-book.pdf

Above is the pattern for the butterfly needle book.  There are no instructions, and you should be able to figure out on your own how to make one of these. It’s pretty simple.

Also, we offer no PC, Mac or computer advice as well since we’re not computer professionals.  I clicked on the file and I was able to download it with no problem.

A belated Happy New Year!

A Spanish Master January 5, 2008

Here on Sewing Divas, we are big fans of Paco Peralta, a fashion designer based in Barcelona.  Paco is a master of his art, and his designs embody that wonderful Spanish flair for tailoring we all know from modern masters such as Balenciaga. 

 

 

A rich history of Spanish court dress, ecclesiastical clothing, and matador costume is infused into Paco’s work, along with modern influences from Armani and Ralph Rucci.  The end result is truly special.  On his blog Paco shares his work and technique; he is generous with his knowledge and I have learned much from him in a very short time.  His vidoes even have a musical soundtrack! His blog is in Spanish, but he has thoughtfully added a handy Google translator that works in several languages.  His sister Isabel does his fabulous photpgraphy and videos, and we sewists can learn a lot from her as well when it comes to lighting and styling our projects.

We have a link to Paco on our blogroll, and if you have not yet checked him out please do so! 

The Ghost of Christmas Past December 25, 2007

My mother sent me these vintage needle booklets for Christmas - aren’t they wonderful?  She said in her note that she found them at a “second hand sale” and as soon as I opened them I felt an immediate and powerful connection to the sewist who used them.

My favorite tools are always the ones I make myself.  I made the needle book below a few years ago when I was going through a bit of OCD while trying to embroider a proper bullion rose.  

The “cover” is filled with two pieces of plastic canvas zigzagged round the edges, then trimmed.  I added flannel pages and stitched a center “binding” between the pieces of plastic canvas.   I have a collection of vintage needles I that like to use for embroidery and hand sewing, so I store them in this booklet.

 

I have this fantasy that the woman who made the vintage needle books was just as pleased as I was when she finished hers.  The fronts and back are two colors of wool felt, and the pages are white flannel.  The butterfly is missing one antenna, but the simple silk floss embellishment is still bright.  The flower basket is embellished with posies stitched from french knots and lazy daisy stitches for leaves.  The handle of the basket folds down to show the needles.  Based on the shapes and colors I’d say both date from the late 1930’s to mid 1940’s.  I love the imagery from this era because it reminds me of my grandmother and my great aunts.

I doubt I’ll take the needles out - I’d rather leave them just as they are, as they were, the last time the unkown maker touched them.   A sewing moment frozen in time; a tangible link to the past and a respite from modern life.

Alternative for Real Buttons - Make a Dior Rose December 22, 2007

Els post on the Dior Rose reminded me of how much I love this as an embellishment.  Purchased trims are often more expensive than your fabric, and these can be made from scraps. These are easy to do and they can be made in just about any size.

You can use any fabric, but of course silk makes the showiest roses.   A drapey fabric like charmeuse makes a softer rose than a dupioni,  but really it’s up to you.  I’ve also seen them made from chiffon, wool crepe and even boucle, which is kinda cool.  Here’s how to make them:

Draw a long rectangle on paper.  This one is 2 inches wide by 10 inches long; a longer rectangle will make a rose with more “petals”.  Fold the rectangle in half and mark off a curved edge using a French Curve.  Mark a 45 degree angle as the grain line because you will cut this out on the bias. 

Cut out the rectangle and sew a scant seam along each curved edge; then turn the rectangle out. Do not press it  -  a soft edge makes a prettier rose (I used china silk for the sample below).  Finger press the stitching on the curved side seams (my scissors  above are just holding down the unpressed folded edge.)

Take a length of knotted thread and baste along the bottom cut edge.  Don’t cut the thread after basting ; just leave it in the needle.  Gently pull the basting to form a circle and then begin to roll the rose into shape from the inside to the outside, gently incorporating the gathers into a shape that pleases you.  Use the still-threaded needle to hand sew the rose together once you have it gathered into a shape that resembles the ones from Els’ post.

The trick in making these is to keep the shape flat like a button as opposed to a twisted cone shape.  If this is a challenge you can stitch the flower onto a backing such as ultra-suede, felt or buckram.  It’s also good to make a one or two extra so you can choose the best-looking ones for your project. 

One word of caution – if these roses are crushed or ironed they lose all of their appeal, so it’s never a bad idea to remove them from a garment before you clean it.  You could sew snaps onto them to make them easily removable, and if you’ve use a backing snaps are simple to add.

So that’s it!  This is a classic embellishment you can use on gowns, dresses, bags, hats or even as a brooch.

Alternative for real buttons December 20, 2007

Last week my mother asked me to shorten a RTW blouse. This blouse had an unusual closure which I think is worth to share. The “buttons” were made from bias cut fabric and shaped like small flowers. The flower “buttons” were closed by fabric loops  and the edge where the buttons are attached had a cut on underlay extension.

 

    

   

   

                                                                      

Holiday 2007 – Vogue 8313, Balloon Appliqué Seam November 21, 2007

One thing I love about this fabric is the beautiful floral border, which will run along the hem of the dress. A vertical side seam all the way to the hem would split the lovely pattern, and I wanted to preserve that as much as possible.

So I’m planning to combine two techniques; the “appliqué seam”, and a quilting technique known as “balloon appliqué”. If you have a copy of Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Shaefffer, go to page 55 and look at the horse to the left on the Schiaparelli “Circus Jacket”. An appliqué seam combines a regular seam and hand appliqué when you want to preserve a shape across a seam.

Claire published an article in the May/June 2004 (#94) issue of Sew Beautiful where she illustrates how to do this technique. I’ve been keen to try it ever since, and this project was perfect except for one problem; this silk brocade ravels instantly and badly, no matter how carefully I handle it. There was no way I’d be able to turn under the edges of the appliqué without shredding the fabric.

After giving it some thought, and remembering that I’ll use a silk organza underlining, I recalled reading years ago about “balloon appliqué”. With this technique you layer a piece of tulle or silk organza on top of a motif and stitch around with tiny stitches - at least 12 per inch. Then carefully cut out the shape leaving a scant margin. Make a slit in the backing and turn the shape inside out - now you can place the shape anywhere you like. Stitching the appliqué is easy because the edges are already turned under.Here is how I combined both techniques:

This shows a thread traced piece of border fabric; the thread tracing is the seam line and extra fabric has been cut around a few motifs:

Layer and baste the silk organza backing fabric. The piece is then pinned vertically and the two layers are basted together:

 

 Remove the pins and stitch only around the motifs:

Trim the motifs up to the regular seam allowance

 

Turn the appliqué – you have just done the balloon appliqué technique. Now align the seam allowance and sew the seam, stopping at the turned out balloon appliqué. Note: There is also a piece of silk organza underlining on the matching pattern piece.

 

 Flip the two pieces over and bring the appliqué to the right side.

 

You’ll see that I will need to finish this raw edge; I’ll probably machine sew a length of rayon seam binding over the raw edge, and then hand fell stitch the edge to the silk organza. Likewise, the edges of the appliqué need to be hand fell stitched to the fashion fabric.

Notes to myself:

• I trimmed too close in a few spots and the fabric has come apart and raveled; I need to watch for that.
• The white edge you see is the silk organza; I suspect the black won’t be noticeable.
• If I see some funny breaks across motifs, I can individually balloon appliqué a full size of a motif on top of another of the same motif.
• On the real dress the front piece will have balloon appliqués seaming that wraps towards the back; I think that’s the most elegant way to use this seam from a design standpoint.
• My hand stitching will need to be strong and minute since there will be stress on this seam while I wear the dress.
• Even though I’ve mocked up the seaming technique; I still have planning to do. I’ll need to figure out the order of construction in advance so I can do the appliqué and hand stitching both inside and out while the dress is still in a partially constructed flat stage. Plus there is a center back invisible zipper to install as well.

Today is prep day for Thanksgiving at our house (15 people) and since I’m still waiting for materials to arrive I’ll have a few days think about the construction.

What to do with the scraps? November 9, 2007

In a recent raid on Barnes and Noble I found a new publication called “Sew Somerset” - found in with the sewing, quilting, and craft magazines. It was like a window on a whole new world…The cover tag line says ‘the art of creative sewing with mixed-media’. There is a whole slew of ways of mixing paper and fabric and bits of stuff into art, which I have really never explored. It definitely got me thinking, as you can probably guess I do have lots of bits and pieces of cloth, buttons, lace, and trinkets. It closely resembles collage, but goes beyond that into book making, Artist Trading Cards, etc…

I have done a bit of patchwork and appliqué over the years, like this top with the front pieced together with stretch velvet swatches…

Or this patchworked cardigan made from printed stretch velvet swatches…

I have even embellished cardigans with bits of lace and ribbon like this piece.

But nothing like the sewn bits of memory and fancy I found in this magazine. There is a Somerset Studio website, mainly geared towards selling their main product: rubber stamps (there’s a reason the parent company is called Stampington) They produce the magazine Belle Armoire and have a new publication called Altered Couture coming out this month, with lots of tips and tricks for re-fashioning already made garments. Their web page with rules for art submission gives the background on all of their publications for those interested. I am looking forward to seeing what Altered Couture looks like.

I particularly loved the “Sewing Book” on pg 30 of the Sew Somerset magazine: an altered book by Caterina Giglio. She started with an Eddie Bauer catalog and glued and gessoed the pages to make a book. She then proceeded to sew and glue images, buttons, lace, fabric scraps, pattern pieces to make a highly evocative and personal piece of art to express her relationship to sewing and to honor her grandmothers who taught her so much. She is part of a group called Creative Underground in Ft. Collins CO. I found their website and see they have many books and useful products for sale. Well worth a visit!

I made a covered folder a few years ago that reminds me of this kind of sewn mixed media. Covered in stretch lace and embellished with ribbons and scraps of stretch velvet, I felt like I should transfer the technique to a jacket or some other garment. This sewn mixed media magazine got me to thinking that maybe I could play with the scraps and bits for its own sake, and it never need be applied to a garment at all. Hmmm