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.

What Works For U? The Divas Want to Know February 21, 2007

Diva Ann and I yak on the phone every day, and she called me last night. She needed emotional support because her DH (who is a prince, really he is) accidentally washed and ran through the dryer her dark green silk velvet Hot Patterns Patchouli Dress. Evidently it shrunk down several sizes and was covered with balls of nasty white dryer lint. Ann wears this dress all the time - trust me, I’ve seen it in person and it’s just perfection on her. It’s also a favorite when she has a singing gig, because it just works , you know? Now, her DH is wonderful guy, and I’m quite sure he’s already made good on this grievous mistake. But now poor An has a huge hole in her wardrobe!

And I can SO relate to her attachment to that dress - I have a outfit like that - my Hot Patterns Plain & Simple Shirtdress in a funky brown and blue 70’s print corduroy. This dress is my reliable I-don’t-have-time to-think-about-what-to-wear Monday morning outfit. I just add a pair of tall brown high heeled boots and brown tights or brown fishnets (depending on how cold it is) - and every time I wear it I feel GREAT. And I get lots of compliments. And it’s sooo easy - I just put on that dress and - voila! - fashion happens!

I feel the same way about Simplicity 4954, which is a Chanel style jacket that I put a lot of handwork into. It always works, every time.

So - what is your killer sewing project that is just so YOU that you when you wear it you’re Wonder Woman?

Carnivale of the Couture #21 - Ritual Cloth: The Power of Fashion & Memory (Part 3) June 18, 2006

by Diva Ann, GorgeousThings 

Danielle Meder at Final Fashion contributed a wonderfully heartwarming (literally) piece to this week’s Carnivale:

“It’s the first quilt my Mom ever made, for me, her first child. It has all sorts of scraps in it from friends, from my Nana’s stash, and I had it on my bed for basically my whole life, and brought it with me here. I still use it sometimes. It’s worn out from use and I have to patch it every now and then. My mom’s made a lot of quilts since then. One year she set up the quilting frame in my bedroom and I slept on a bed under the quilt for a summer. It’s such a simple little piece but it’s obviously a part of me and not at all disposable, even if it disintegrates into bare seams I’ll take it with me wherever I go.”

Quilts like this one have such depth of meaning, and it’s wonderful to hear about pieces like this that will be with us throughout our lives. Thanks for this, Danielle!

Carnivale of the Couture #21 - Ritual Cloth: The Power of Fashion & Memory (Part 2) June 17, 2006

by Diva Gigi 

Margy Houtz sent us her own touching Ritual Cloth story for the Carnivale of the Couture. I’d like to share it with you today.

LOVE: AN ENDING, A BEGINNING, AND WHAT I SEWED

There are two suits I made, one 35 years ago, and
another, about 32 years ago, that were truly Ritual
Cloths for me.

The first suit, a natural linen, was what I was sewing
when I informed my first husband I wanted a divorce.
The seams were filled with an inner dialog: should I?
what happens then? what about our 2-year-old daughter?
What will returning to work full-time as a single
mother be like? (The suit was planned for wearing on
the first day of my new job). When I finally found the
courage to say what had to be said, I was hemming the
skirt, and forevermore (or for the life of the skirt)
I would associate that suit with sadness, loss,
relief, courage and the excitement of a new direction
in my life.

The second suit was a beautiful white boucle
Chanel-type suit that I made for the third date with
the man who would become my second (and final!)
husband. Those seams and linings were imbued with the
hopes and dreams that I had thought were never going
to come true for me. Six months later he proposed, and
I wore my lovely white suit happily for many years.

Carnivale of the Couture #21 - Ritual Cloth: The Power of Fashion & Memory June 16, 2006

by Diva Gigi 

The Sewing Divas are pleased to report that we were overwhelmed and honored to receive such personal and vivid memoirs. We would like to thank everyone who participated, and I think you’ll agree when you read these stories that there is much more meaning to fashion than any of us could have imagined.

First Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator gives us her story of the symbolism embodied in simple objects, the enduring bonds of friendship, overcoming adversity, the complexity of human relationships and the power of the bond between parent and child.

Scarpediem of Shoesense and Designer Ella of Kiss Me, Stace remind us, in this age of red carpet rented bling, that it is still possible for a single piece of jewelry to hold forever, within its small shape, indelible memories of younger days and deep friendships. In those worn and beloved surfaces, we see how we sowed the seeds of our future success and maturity, and we must be forever grateful for those life lessons.

Anne Francis points out that the big events of history such as the troubles of apartheid happen in the lives of real people, and she teaches us that one wedding dress can have the power to heal an entire family:

“M was born in a big city in Africa on choir practice night, and her mother asked a fellow choir member – an old college friend of mine, expatriate in that city – to be her godmother. M’s mother had diabetes, and in that city there was no medicine and no money. She died when M was a few months old. The M’s father got ill and in trouble. So her godmother took the baby as a fifth child into her own family. When she was 18 M met S, fell in love and found she was expecting a baby. There was a problem. M is black and S is white and his family (think apartheid-era South Africa, even though this was another country) would not acknowledge M, nor even look at the new grandson if they passed M and him in the town. M’s foster parents were due for long leave and they and M wanted family and friends in England to meet the baby. So she came with them. A couple of months later S followed her. M and the baby mattered more than his parents and home. So, in the intervals of radio therapy for newly diagnosed bone cancer, M’s foster mother took her shopping for a wedding dress. Nothing fitted or looked right and they were in despair when they came to lunch with me. Very tentatively I offered to make a dress, and they agreed. We went shopping for a pattern, and suddenly found a light primrose dupion that sang against M’s lovely complexion. Not knowing then about full bust adjustments I made a muslin with huge seam allowances and ripped and pinned until it fitted her 36 H bust. I bound the seam allowances with bias china silk, handstitched the zip and made it all as couture as I knew how. And on her wedding day I sat in the church, saw S, standing there with not a single member of his family and hardly any friends, turn to look at her as she came down the aisle, saw the look on his face and knew this was just about the most special dress I’d ever make. M’s foster mother died a few years ago, but M and S and family – two boys now – are living in England and doing well.”

Update 6/24/06: Anne has very generously shared with us a photo of M in her gorgeous wedding gown. I have to say that the color is just as I had imagined it would be!

And Patti tells us how a simple shirt binds a family to a departed but still beloved relative:

“When I was a young married, several eons ago, I would sew anything even if I didn’t have the skills and decided on a wild hare to sew a wool gabardine shirt for my husband. Now I had little experience with collars or the other necessities of shirt-dom but off I sewed. The sewing gods must have been watching because it turned out rather well for someone who had no business sewing such a shirt. What makes it special and makes us keep it today, even though over time it has mysteriously “shrunk” and no longer fits my fella, is that I made it of Forstmann wool gabardine that had been dyed under my husband’s father’s supervision when he was in the dyeing business at Forstmann. We had sample lengths left from practice runs and that’s what this shirt is made from. My husband’s father had died unexpectedly at age 42 when my husband was in high school and that made this sewing project very special to him.”

…and there are more! If you tune into our blog over the next few days we will share them all with you because they are all stories that deserve to be heard.

Ann, Els, Georgene, Gigi, Mary Beth & Phyllis ~ The Sewing Divas

Ritual Cloth by Sewing Diva Els June 16, 2006

by Diva Els 

Back in the eighties there was a US cartoon about Turtles, broadcasted every wednesday afternoon on Dutch television. My oldest son, then 6 year old, was a huge fan of these so-called Ninja Teenage Mutant Hero turtles.
I made a summer jacket on which I applicated one of the Ninja teenage turtles, the one my son particularly liked (there were 4 of them but my son had one special favourite “Donatello”). The jacket had to be green and blue because that were his favorite colors and I found some Turtle cotton for the lining. The turtle I copied from a coloring book and I bought some small tubes of textile paint and went at work, precise cutting of the small parts from cotton fabric and painting them in the right colors, used doubble sided fusible tape and meticulous sewing around the edges. The look on his face when he saw the finished jacket was worth all the trouble I went trough. Now 17 years later I am still thankful for keeping his jacket which brings back nice memories.

Ritual Cloth - Judy’s Beautiful Dress June 12, 2006

by Diva Ann, GorgeousThings 

Before I start, let me give you a little background. I teach sewing classes for adults in my hometown. I love my students, and I try to keep in touch with them and let them know that they can always call me if they have any question. I also have been very involved with the Winchester Hospital Breast Care Center (the BCC for short). Every October, the BCC holds a black tie fundraiser. Since I’m on the board, I go to the fundraiser. Last year, I could not find a dress anywhere, so two weeks before the gala, I decided to make a dress. This is when it’s a good thing to be a Sewing Diva. I decided to make Folkwear Patterns’ Flamenco Dress:

Now, being a Sewing Diva, my stash of fabrics is pretty extensive. But this beast requires 11 yards to make. Most of my fabric is in the 2 to 3 yard range. So off to shop I planned to go. I decided that I would go to the local fabric store on Monday. The Saturday before I was set to shop, I got a call from one of my students, a lovely lady named Judy. She was having trouble with her machine. I tried to help her fix the problem over the phone, but it was no use. After 20 fruiltless minutes, I was getting frustrated, and she sounded close to tears on the phone. I had to leave, and I told her to get out her manual and see if she could get it working. If not, call me on Sunday.

On Sunday I got a call from Judy. She was in tears. She couldn’t get the machine to work, and (this is the kicker) she tells me that her fingers are numb from the Chemotherapy. Whoa, wait a minute - Chemo? This is the first I have heard about this. She was healthy when she was in my class! It turns out she had been undergoing treatment for breast cancer at the Winchester Hospital BCC for several months, and after her sessions, she would come home and sew pillows and bags to take her mind off her pain and the disease. I felt terrible. All frustration and negative feelings drained right out of me. I told her I would come over the next morning and get her machine fixed before I went shopping.

So the next day, Monday, I went to her house and sat down with her and fixed her machine. It only took a little while, and she showed me some of the things she had been making. They were all works of art. It was heartening and heartbreaking at the same time. She told me that sewing was what keeps her sane. I told her about the dress I was making for the Gala, and as I left her house to shop for my fabric (in a very humbled mood, I gotta say), Judy said to me, “Make it a beautiful dress for me, will you Ann?” I nearly started bawling then and there. So Judy, here is a picture of your beautiful dress:

Judy’s Beautiful Dress:

Of every item of clothing I have ever owned (including my wedding dress, which I didn’t make), I don’t think any of them meant as much to me as this dress. It was worth every stitch, and each thread is dedicated to Judy and the women like her who fight breast cancer.

Carnivale of the Couture #21 - Ritual Cloth June 8, 2006

by Diva Phyllis 

For many of us fashion bloggers, the latest styles and upcoming trends are an exciting and endless source of interest. And yet for all its supposed superficiality, the meaning of fashion, and our attachment to it, goes much deeper than mere trends or seasonal change. Each of us has memories, sometimes tender, sometimes not, of particular garments or accessories that evoke strong feelings and attachments. So this weeks Carnivale of the Couture topic is “Ritual Cloth” - tell us about your special item, the story behind it and why it transcends mere fashion for you.

It can be that special pair of super fantastic shoes that filled you with such confidence that you aced a much desired job interview. It can be that vintage Hermes scarf that your grandmother owned and has such meaning that you just couldn’t cut it up and the Project Runway judges slammed you for it. It can be the dress you made in 24 hours for the funeral of a beloved family member. It can be a Garfield tie your father wore (Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 18th - don’t forget Dad and the Significant Men in
your life!)

We want to hear about any fashion item with a history, a story or a pedigree and why it means something to you. Send your story to thesewingdivas@hotmail.com and on Friday, June 16th, we will share the most fascinating responses. Let the fashion memoirs begin!

Ritual Cloth May 28, 2006

by Diva Georgene

I was thinking about ritual cloth while working on a young friend’s wedding gown this past year. The subject had been percolating in my mind for a while, after I read Women’s Work the First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Barber. This book underscored for me women’s attachment to textile, and the significance it has had for millennia. Suddenly I didn’t feel so bad about my enormous stash of fabric, trims, and buttons. It’s in the mitochondrial DNA.

The wedding took place in St. Petersburg, Russia. The bride’s mother told me about the custom of making an embroidered cloth for the bride and groom to kneel on during the ceremony. This cloth is prominently displayed in the home forever afterwards.

I researched it a bit, and found out about Rushnyk, or wedding towels. These look so familiar to me, living in Manhattan’s East Village. Once a thriving Russian Ukrainian neighborhood, it still has many vestiges of its past, like The Ukrainian National Home, Veselka Coffee Shop, The Ukrainian Museum, and Surma, a shop next to McSorley’s Old Ale House on 7th St. that has a folkloric treasure trove of embroidered blouses, cloths, and painted Easter eggs.

The idea of the Ukrainian Rushnyky morphed into the wedding shawl I wanted to make to go with the strapless gown.

I asked the friends and family of my bride to send me bits of heirloom lace to use for the shawl. They thought I was crazy, and called it “The Ragpicker Girls Shawl”, mocking my idea of using old bits of lace patchworked together.

Hmpf! A lot they know! I had seen something similar on one of my “I get paid to shop” expeditions, and it was hundreds of dollars for a few bits of lace.

Bergdorf-Goodman’s carries the line of shawls on their main floor that had caught my eye, from a British house called Pazuki. I have searched in vain for a photo reference, so I had to rely on my memory of the beautiful shawl with bits of lace in all tones of white and ivory on a silk chiffon backing, with fringed ends. I went back to Bergdorf’s to look again but it was months later, and no sign of my lace patchwork shawl.

Eventually the ladies in the family began to understand the concept, and though no one had bits of lace to donate for the shawl, they all plied their needle at one point or another, working on appliquéing the lace pieces to the silk chiffon backing. The bride’s mother, aunties, grandmother, sister-in-law and 5 year old niece all had a go at it.

I told them ‘long after the gown is gone, the shawl will still be preserved’.

We all know how difficult it is to store a wedding gown, and how much space it can take up. The shawl can be put in a small archival box, and carried anywhere.

I wrote the bride’s name and wedding date in gold Uniball Impact Gel Pen, which is as close to permanent as you can get, on a ribbon label. “Georgene Shelton for XXXX June 2005”