Basting - a cool video from Italian tailors

Marcy Tilton has some interesting tutorials. One concerns basting and contains a cool video interview with several Italian tailors. The quick shots of basting are fun to see.

Linton Jacket from Ann Rowley

Here is another Coco inspired jacket, this one from Ann Rowley of UK. She is an expert seamstress who make fabulous clothes. There are more photos here. Ann is Global Monitor on Artisan's Square where she shares her knowledge and skills very generously.

Linton Jacket from Ann Rowley

Here is another Coco inspired jacket, this one from Ann Rowley of UK. She is an expert seamstress who make fabulous clothes. There are more photos here. Ann is Global Monitor on Artisan's Square when she shares her knowledge and skills very generously.

Even St. John

Coco-inspired? I think so.

Pin tucks and special buttons

Nancy - Pin-tucks for Embellishment
Nancy demonstrated her lovely, puffy pin-tucks that we all admired on her shell.  A pretty way to add a couture detail to your garments.

Susan -- Stacking Buttons for a Unique Look
Susan brought a supply of buttons to play with while the group discussed the key points to a successful pairing of buttons.  Stacked buttons (or buttons and beads) add an extra dimension that can make that jacket, vest or cuff "sing".

Ginny -- Chanel buttons -- Metal buttons with fabric "Piping"
Ginny demonstrated how to create buttons that exactly match your jacket by "upholstering" a metal button with your jacket fabric, lining or accent fabric.

See pictures from show 'n' tell via Flickr at right.

Special Hand-crafted Gifts

Plush Bear

bag from jacket sleeve

Tatting and pintucks

checkbook clutch

card holder from tie

So many ideas, so little time. City-wide Couture provided us with so much inspiring sewing of little gifts for very special friends and family. Included here are a cleverly woven coaster, holiday napkin that folds into a tree, a plush bear, a bag made from a blazer sleeve, chrysanthmum omiyage bag, card holder made from a silk tie, felted wool wrist pin cushion, tatting and pin-tucked artwork, tatting ornament, checkbook clutch, sashiko Christmas stocking and a sashiko glasses case.

Collars with Collar Bands

VIP tools and book

VIP sewing of the collar band for perfect results

Insert the finished collar into the top of the band - MAGIC!

Lorraine led us through a very thorough tutorial on best practices for collars and collar stands. She makes all of her husband's shirts and it shows! Her skill is something I can aspire to. Her instructions make it look so easy, I now believe I might be able to do this too.

Her handouts, samples, descriptions and step-by-step instructions were wonderful. Thanks, Lorraine!

David Coffin wrote THE book on shirt-making (see picture above). Others have adopted and adapted his techniques. Some of the important aspects of perfecting this include

• choice of needles
• stitch length
• order of construction - insert collar into band after attaching band to the shirt
• choice of fabrics
• careful trimming combined with proper stitch length

PS - I'm sorry but I will not be able to post more pictures due to operator error (maybe the flash was off?). There were some fabulous show 'n' tell items, including kimonos from Hellenne's recent class for us. I might try to post these later but then everyone at CWC may insist that I remove them all!