Vested Interest at City-Wide Couture

City-Wide Couture embarked on a vest challenge in summer 2010.

Members spent three meetings providing guidance with pattern and fabric selection and then assisted each other in muslin fittings of their chosen patterns. Here are the beautiful results of some of the garments.

1. True to her love of vintage

clothing, Gail created this

vintage vest embellished with

machine (hand?) embroidery.

2. Nancy's is for her daughter, pictured here. It has fabulous details like chenille embellishments and buttons made from pennies.

3. Sandra Betzina’s Vogue 1184 collar was added to Deanne’s self-drafted princess jacket sloper. The embroidered linen/cotton came from her stash.

5. Jenny’s vest showcases the fringed double-edges turned to the right side that she demonstrated in a City-Wide Couture meeting.

5. Modifying Nancy Erickson’s #1945 jacket pattern and using 3 quilting articles by Mary Ray in Threads, Martha created this vest from strips of silk, gold and copper silk dupioni.

6. June used McCall’s Pattern #5887 as the basis to place this blue and white cotton using stripes to excellent effect.

From Threads Magazine: How to Sew Findings on Securely....

Click on the link to see the demo by Susan Khalje:



http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/16445/sewing-findings-on-securely

Photo from Threads Magazine

The future of fashion

http://www.dezeen.com/2010/10/19/future-beauty-30-years-of-japanese-fashion-at-the-barbican/

Gail K Store Layout (subject to change!)

Kimono Exhibit at Birmingham until early October

The Kimono exhibit at the Art Museum of Birmingham was well worth the drive. Gorgeous colors and lots of inspiration. There was a great focus on kimonos from the 1920's-40's when Western influences had kimono designs done in bright colors and motifs.


Here's the book for the exhibit:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/8874392710/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

Gail K Store Locator Chart and More!

Hi Everyone,
I have scanned the chart of the layout of Gail K's that Ginny showed us in our meeting last week. And what a coincidence! I was going through some old copies of Sew News to clean out, and I found two articles that related to our topic of Vintage Patterns! I have scanned those as well, for anyone who is interested. But I'm not sure how to attach files - help!!

Karen DeGood

September Meeting: Couture Vests Done!

Couture Vest Challenge 2010

Couture is based on custom fit and a style that flatters. The questions we asked ourselves were: Does my pattern have some shape and does it have construction details that allow me fit opportunities? Does the style draw attention to my face or emphasize my best features?

We did a muslin to perfect the fit and test the style. Silhouette, length, ease, proportion were all assessed. Was the fabric the best match for the pattern? Did the construction techniques eliminate bulk and were hand stitches emphasized over machine stitching? Thoughts were also given to types of facings and closures, such as snaps, buttons, or ties. Choice of interfacing, such as woven and sewn in types, and the type of lining, whether it's silk or other fiber, print or solid all affected the overall design of the garment.

Discussing what worked and what didn't work for each of our designs and fabrics helped make better choices for future garment construction.

Here are examples from the vest challenge:

 Jenny's vest

Here is what Jenny has to say about her vest challenge:

The vest challenge was a great creative exercise. When our group first decided upon the challenge, I thought it meant sewing a vest by a particular date. “No problem,” I thought. Then during our initial conversation about how we were going to challenge ourselves I got it -- time to apply some constraints so this project would stretch my skills. I decided to use a piece of linen that had been aging in my stash for 20+ years (waiting for just the right project to appear), fitted my first princess vest pattern, added a covered placket to the front, and applied an embellishment with frayed edges.

What was the hardest aspect of the challenge? Those raw edges! Couture techniques generally emphasize beautiful seam finishes, so calling attention to the raw edges of the vest as a focal point was a real stretch.
There’s still a step or two to complete: seams to be catchstitched to the underlining, a bias facing for the armholes, and tacking down the placket so it stays where it should. Thanks to everyone who gave me encouragement and advice at the meeting on the final details. I had fun and learned a lot!
This is what Martha says about her vest:
Using Nancy Erickson's blazer pattern, fitted by Pam Howard, I constructed this vest, mostly out of silk dupioni remnants. I followed Mary Ray's 3 articles in Threads magazines concerning quilted garments. The exterior pieces were assembled by cutting flannel batting generously for each of the pieces in this and then attaching the silk remnants in a sew-and-flip manner. Then I basted the silver silk to the other side of the flannel for the lining. After machine quilting each piece, I re-cut each garment piece to more precise measurements and sewed the pieces together in a typical manner. I tried out various seam finishes and the result is *almost* reversible, although I plan to add buttons and won't try to make that part reversible.

Here's what Nancy has to say about the vest she made for her daughter:

 "First of all I would like to say that it was a good learning experience for me, thanks to Martina who guided me in this "couture" adventure, I was able to make the vest with all handmade details. The vest pattern originally is Vogue, the collar and part of the pockets are "chenille" (my very first time doing this technique) the other part of the pockets are made with the vest material with horizontal and vertical stitches, the buttons were made by my daughter from old pennies; she also made the bracelet from scraps of vest material and chenille."       

Our Ruta's Vionnet dress shown

Our own Ruta Wilk's Vionnet dress is featured in the most recent email newsletter from Center for Pattern Design! It's a beautiful dress and I, for one, would love to see it in person. Maybe we can wait for it to be returned to Ruta, but maybe not! Maybe we need to investigate asking to see the whole collection. That is possible through the Center for Pattern Design. I have no idea how much it costs, but wouldn't it be great to see Ruta's and others too? Ruta, maybe you can tell us more about this at show 'n tell?

BTW, if you have not signed up for their newsletter, I recommend it. Go to http://www.centerforpatterndesign.com/ and click on "Join our email list." Each one is full of inspiration. I am totally intrigued by their information on zero waste (which for me is zero waist, since I don't have an easily identified one). There is also a cool article on this in the most recent Threads issue. I'm trying to make a top right now with zero waste (and zero waist).

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday! Martha

More fun at ASG National meeting last week

Here is a picture of our fearless leader demonstrating a cool sewing accessory at ASG's National Conference here in Atlanta last week.

Ginny and I attended a class taught by Hisako Nakaya. She is a faculty member of the Seattle Central Community College’s apparel design program. I believe she teaches flat pattern design in addition to other topics. Her class with us was titled "From Darts to Design, " which involved dart rotation so as to create cool design changes in a bodice. The dart rotation was different from the way I've seen it done in the past and the opportunities for design changes were interesting.The class was superb.

Here is the cover of one of the books she recommended. I would love to be able to create architectural details like this in fabric!

Gail K visit during ASG National

Several of us from CWC had a great time at Gail K's while 2 bus loads of women (and few good men) visited Gail K. Barbara and I labeled and stored bags to help shoppers keep shopping. Ginny took to the isles and welcomed every one. I think that a grand time was had by all. You probably recognize Gail Reeder who works at Gail K, next to designers Pam Howard and Anna Mazur. Pam, of course, is a great friend and teacher for many of us in CWC. And would you just look at those buttons in the first picture!

Hand Stitching Revisited

In my never ending quest for information related to hand sewing, I stumbled upon the most wonderful website dedicated to hand sewing techniques of eras past, www.vintagesewing.info/index.html.

Vintage Sewing Library Reference, Inc. has electronically compiled various books and training manuals dating as far back as 1893 and some as recent as 1957. One can click on various categories, i.e., dressmaking, millinery, tailoring, etc. Or, instead of a category, you may want to choose an era. For me, I'm all about the pre-1900's. The manual (cir. 1893) provided in this link has been found to be an invaluable source. Along with sewing instructions comes the corresponding diagram (don't worry if it looks small, just click on the diagram and the site will enlarge it for you!).

I don't know how to use a sewing machine and, I figure, since hands were made before machines, that I should be able to get along just fine without one for some time. After all, the very premise of haute couture was built on hand sewing. I know some are put off by the very thought of casting their trusted machine aside, even for a moment, but I've found hand sewing to be most therapeutic. I'm also getting smarter with garment construction as I go along. I find I'm not so quick to stitch an item together without first checking to be sure I have the right, or perhaps the wrong, sides together. Also, I find my brain working in ways that amaze me. I'm getting better at problem solving. And get this, I actually like it! My former math teachers would be proud!

All in all, whether you craft by hand, machine, or both check this site out. The more you know, the further you'll go.

Inspiration Field Trip!

Pattern, Costume and Ornament in African and African-American Art
Fashioning Kimono: Art Deco and Modernism in Japan
Birmingham Museum of Art

Couture Hand Stitching

In May, several members taught a workshop on couture hand stitching. The hand stitching techniques included: Catch Stitch, Slip Stitch, Half Back Stitch, Tailor Tacks, Covered Snaps.


Each member completed a sample like this one. The catch stitch is used to attach the raw edges of facings and interfacing to the wrong side of the garment, hems for stretchy fabrics like knits and secure pleats or tucks in linings. See this YouTube video for instructions .








The slip stitch is used to hem, attach linings and hold pockets in place. Use this stitch when you want a finish that is almost invisible. See this YouTube video for instructions.








The half back stitch is a very strong stitch and can be used for almost any seam. On the right side of the fabric, the half back stitch looks like a running stitch or machine stitch however on the wrong side, the stitches overlap. I couldn't find a video for half back stitch but here's a YouTube video of the BACK stitch. The half back stitch is the back stitch only with a smaller stitch length.






Tailor tacks are used to mark fabric where other marking techniques would permanently mar the fabric like silks, velvets, or tweeds. Use basting thread like this Cotton Basting Thread or this Japanese Basting Thread. The Otis Fashion Senior Studio video on YouTube is excellent. If you don't want to watch the whole video skip ahead to 3:14 minutes to 3:46 minutes to see how to sew tailor tacks then skip ahead to 4:20 minutes to 4:30 to see how to cut tailor tacks. Here's another YouTube video on making tailor tacks. This video doesn't have sound.



Covered snaps are used when you want to minimize the appearance of snaps. Use lining fabric or some other thin fabric to cover snaps. I covered the bottom of the snap only. Sorry, I couldn't find a YouTube video for this. I did find these instructions from New Mexico State University - scroll down the page to figure 9.








This was my first attempt and hand stitching in a long time so my stitches are not perfect. The stitches are not hard and instructions can be found in any good book on sewing. My advice to members who want to learn couture hand stitching...Practice, Practice, Practice.

frayed edges

When using frayed edges to finish a garment there are several factors to keep in mind. The first is your fabric. Choose something that has a loose weave or is lightweight so it will ravel easily with a stiff brush. Then be certain you love working with it. If you think it takes a long time to finish seam edges, wait until you ravel a few!

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

These techniques are all about the fabric, so find one that’s interesting with unraveled edges. For example, a fabric with different color warp and weft yarns has an entirely different look when unraveled.

Make lots of samples so you can see results before committing your time.

• Bias, crosswise and lengthwise grain may yield very different final results in color, texture, length and thickness of fringe.
• Experiment with different width seam allowances to get the look you want.

Make some sketches of your finished piece to determine which edges you want to fray. Frayed seam allowances in the body of a garment can be used to accent inside design lines.

When raveling fabrics, use a stiletto to work from the outer edge in, especially on bias edges.

If raveling on crosswise or lengthwise grain anchor the fabric along the edge you are fraying. You can do this by pressing the work with your anchoring hand against a flat surface. Keep tension on the yarns that are perpendicular to the yarn you are pulling to make the work go faster.

fringe

Here is my take on Kenneth King’s technique for making a brush fringe.

(Source: Threads Magazine, Issue #137)

Think of this fringe technique as a fabric sandwich. You have a top and bottom piece of fashion fabric that have fringed edges and a stabilizing layer in-between.

Here are the steps:

Cut your top and bottom pieces out of fashion fabric. From your samples, you’ll know if you want to have both pieces on the same grain or if you want to cut the bottom piece with the grain running in a different direction for a better fringe effect.

Cut your support fabric layer. Experiment to find the right level of support, the fabric could range from organza to hair canvas interfacing.

Sew the support layer to the wrong side of the top layer on the seam allowance.

On the support layer only: trim corners and clip or notch curves, as needed. Press the seam allowance away from the edge you will fringe.

Add the bottom layer to the “sandwich”. Place the wrong side of the bottom layer against the support layer. Sew on the previous stitching line from the top.

Add a decorative chain stitch to cover the stitching line, using yarn harvested from the fabric, if desired.

Ravel edges on top and bottom layers to create fringe.

frayed edge

Here is my interpretation of Louise Cutting’s technique for making a frayed raw edge.

(Source: Threads Magazine, Issue #121)

Think of this edge as a frayed trim. You have a bias strip with frayed raw edges sewn to the back of your fashion fabric and flipped to the front. Experiment with different fabrics to find the most appealing combination - sheers seem to work especially well with this technique.

Don’t give up couture techniques because you’ve chosen a simple embellishment. Use an underlining if your fabric calls for it, it can add to the trim effect. And if you’re using this edge in lieu of a facing you can add a stay tape to stabilize the edge, too.

Here are the steps:

Cut your fashion fabric, leaving seam allowances at the edges. (Underline as usual, if your fabric calls for it.)

Cut a bias strip that is twice as wide as the seam allowance, minus 1/4 inch. (If your seam allowance is 5/8 inch, the bias strip would be 5/8 + 5/8 - 1/4 = 1 inch.

Align the edges of the fashion fabric and bias strip, wrong sides together.

Stitch together on the seam allowance.

Turn the fashion fabric seam allowance and bias strip to the right side and understitch 1/8 inch from previous stitching line, catching only one side of the bias strip. (The bias strip will be flat, with the understitched edge on the garment and the other edge off the garment.)

If you want to add stay tape to the edge, carefully sandwich it under the fashion fabric on the right side before understitching, butting it against the fold. (Or baste it in place on the front side, with one edge on the previous stitching line before turning the seam allowance to the front.)

Press the other edge of the bias strip over the understitching.








Fray the edges of the bias strip and fashion fabric with a stiff brush.

Claire Schaeffer DVD available soon

Taunton Press has sent some emails out receently.. One of the featured items was a new DVD by Claire Shaeffer: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid10172865001?bctid=111577875001

The two discs retail for $39.95, and will be available August 25, 2010. Here's a pic of the set:  

binding technique

When attaching binding (bias or straight) to an edge that is continuous, it is often desirable to avoid bulk where possible in the joining of individual pieces. This occurs when there is too little length in your fabric to avoid piecing. The typical way to join the short pieces to make one long piece is to cut each end at a 45 degree angle and stitch the angled ends together. The can be accomplished in a variety of ways. My favorite is to start with the ends squared off as if you were going to simply sew a seam at a 90 degree angle to the length of the binding. Then I lay the two pieces right sides together at a 90 degree angle and stitch across the diagonal of the square formed. NOTE: pin along the proposed stitching line and open it out to make sure you are sewing the CORRECT diagonal. One makes a miter which is not desired here. The other diagonal is the correct one. You can start in one corner, take a few stitches, and then hold the thread tale in the direction you are sewing so that it forms a visible diagonal to follow as you stitch. Then just cut off the excess triangles on each piece.

If you are attaching the binding to a piece that is continuous in that it does not have a specific start and end place, then it is also desirable to attach the beginning and ending of the binding in a similar diagonal manner. This is important, for example, when you are binding a quilt, or even the outer edge of a jacket when the finished edge runs along the hem, front edges and neckline. Simply sewing the two ends together in at a 90 degree angle from the length of the binding creates a lot of bulk and is also a fairly weak seam.

To join these two pieces in a perfect diagonal, first begin sewing with a generous tail left over at the beginning, say around 7”. Then sew around the object to within about 10” of the beginning of your sewing. Remove the piece from your sewing machine. Now you need only measure the width of the binding piece. This is the amount of overlap you'll need for the perfect diagonal (curly braces in figure 2). For example, if your binding starts out as 2” wide, then the overlap between the beginning of the binding and the end should be exactly 2”. Once you have the overlap cut precisely, then fold one end at a right angle and finger press. Slide the other piece under it. It is now possible to see where the diagonal stitch will go. You may wish to mark it with a pencil or, as indicated above, use the thread tail on your sewing machine to guide you to a perfect 45 degree angle. Finished join should look like the drawing below. You can now finish attaching the binding to the piece, fold and finish as you normally do with a binding.

See you next time, Martha

Field Trip!

Golden Age of Couture Exhibit in Nashville

Ornament Magazine

Have you seen the latest edition of Ornament Magazine? It has a cool article on Koos Van Den Akker. You can read part of it here: http://www.ornamentmagazine.com/current.html and I plan to bring my copy to our Saturday meeting. He has very interesting patterns in Vogue patterns and his process is fascinating. I like this quote "I just sit behind the sewing machine. That's all there is. There's nothing else to tell." Well, me, too. But my creations are a far cry from his ;)

I can't wait to see everyone on Saturday. I just returned from a family vacation in Colorado and finally got to see all 3 grandgirls wearing semi-matching dresses I made them. They live in 3 different states so this is the first time they've worn them together.

Fashion Illustration

Rachel gave the group a wonderful demonstration on fashion illustration. Here is a book found at the Barnes and Noble (Cobb Pkwy and Akers Mill Road) for $6.98 in the bargain book section. It has extensive how-to's on fashion illustration:

Our Next Couture Group Meeting is July 24th at St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church

Our program for July 24th will focus on edges -- a demo by three of our talented members. They may inspire you to use one of the edges on your vest! We will also be doing Show and Tell with a focus on the progress made on our vests. Of course, other Show and Tell goodies are encouraged.
A few of our willing fitters will stay after the regular meeting for one hour to help with any fitting challenges.

See you on July 24th

10 - 12 am

St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church

4393 Garmon Road

Atlanta GA 30327

Welcome!

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