Skating For Real

DD has become crazy about figure skating. She's taking three classes a week and an additional strength/flexibility/balance class. That last one is HARD, it's one-on-one with a professional gymnast, sweat is pouring down DD's face... does that ever make me happy :)) Never has she been this determined, so of course I'm doing what any sewing-able mom would do: make outfits :) It's quite a change from couture, and I'm still figuring out best applications for all the stretchy stuff; as you know knit is not my forte. I have a serger but I've begun to use the sewing machine instead, following Jalie's instructions. It's much more accurate and simpler, not to mention less threading!

This first one is stretch velvet in neon pink and black/gold burnout velvet- and not stretch. The pattern I used is Jalie 2790. It comes with a straight skirt, but since the black wasn't stretch, I made a circular skirt and attached the black to a strip of the pink velvet. Also made the flounce narrower.

Balmain standing guard...

I used a super soft nude bamboo fabric for the back, still need to buy a closure for the neck.

DD just returned from the rink in her white Jalie 2797: A great soft spandex in a modern pattern, nude netting and clear elastic. She's also wearing a long tee in the same nude bamboo, no pattern just a rub-off of a tight fitting tee. I added some rhinestones to the sweetheart neckline.

I've made many more, just haven't had a chance to takes pictures. The long sleeve nude bamboo tee solved a couple of problems:

1. Nothing will itch :)

2. It keeps her warm without compromising style :)

So now this mommy can plow ahead, style, glamour and GLITZ ! As long as it will stre-ee-etch!!

This Is Heavy

Think I can build some muscle wearing this :)) Should have weighed the front before attaching but will do before sleeves and the rest of the trim is done so you all can get a good laugh. :)) I'm almost done with the back stay, and then it will be on to the sleeves. Marji suggested to cut them on bias and I think that can work; they will look slender that way without compromising comfort. But some form of support has to be applied at the upper sleeve where all the trim will go and at the bottom sleeve as well. I'm also pondering if I should make the facings in canvas. That's what the original jacket is made from- something I found out too late. I'm using double wool crepe and live in Los Angeles :) Very clever, Birgitte!!

I'm also thinking about the sleeve length. If I do a cropped sleeve I'll be breaking the rules of proper design: jacket and sleeve hem should not be on the same line because it will make you look boxy. Me not like boxy! Also; being wool, isn't it nice to actually have a warm arm not just a warm body? What do you all think?

Thank you for all the nice comments. DD was SO enjoying them :))

Lindsay T; she couldn't believe her eyes when you mentioned Blair Waldorf!!! She thought that was soo cool!

Gry; Yes, I know exactly what you are referring to when it comes to Casual Scandia!! Thankfully, things are quite different here in Los Angeles, and DD dresses up a lot.

Cindy Ann; your "wild applause" made her burst out laughing!!

Rachel; the jacket is 04-2008-120, skirt is 01-2008-127, and blouse is 08-2009-103 with flounce from 117 from same issue. All Burda World Of Fashion Magazine.

Trena; you would be perfect in this- make it!! You and DD have very similar shape.

Uta; Yes, she wears these glasses when she's not putting in her contacts. Can't see a thing without them :))

Ms. Wintour's Assistant

My little girl isn't so little anymore. But she's still adorable, and thankfully, as sweet she always was.

A quick photo shoot before the sunset. She loves the whole shebang and so do I. It was also fun to make and not too much work. Not that I'm promising her another suit in the near future!

I'm back to the Balmain! Finished the front trim the day before yesterday and the shell was put together today. It's getting colder so I'm eager to get it done, can probably wear it to one of the functions at the theater, maybe even the opening but I'm not sure. It will look best with a pair of bleached jeans like they showed on the runway. Jeans and opening?? Like I said, not sure.

Neck Froth Lift-Off

DD is well again, thank you for all your kind thoughts. It was not the flue, just a cold. She's wearing her suit and blouse to Dress Up Friday at school today :)) Yes Nancy, she's back home and is going to a school in the Valley. I think she's very happy about that; last night she went to the dress form and hugged her new suit and then me. Nothing like a few years away to make you appreciate what you have :))

Neck froth:

I figured out, after some tinkering, that the edges of the pleats need to be ironed out to create the froth- gotta have that cappuccino look :)) The picture shows the top edges ironed and is just a test to see how much needs to be gathered and chopped off. The lace is also pleated (ready made from Mood) and the black strip is duchess satin left over from my Gucci skirt.

And the brooch. Isn't it gorgeous? I found it on RubyLane.com. If you haven't already checked out that site, do it. They have so many wonderful things, the majority of which is antique or vintage.

And thank you Marji; Fortuny pleats is the correct name for these pleats. Here are a few tidbits taken from Wikipedia:

Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo (1871-1949), Spanish fashion designer, famous for the Delphos gown; a gown based on the ancient Grecian style. He is also remembered for his brightly colored pleated gowns.

------

I appreciate all your comments on the last post; thank you.

Flounc-ing Around

The flounce on BWOF from 08-2009-117, as done in the pattern, is too wide out on the shoulder so I'm playing with the neck pleat to make it fall more toward the center, along the button band. I'm using a stretch silk charmeuse, flat side out. The flounce edges was hand rolled, and I see that the left and right flounce move differently at the bottom edge so I must have done something wrong.

The bodice is BWOF 08-2009-103. I had to let out some of the front dart because it's very fitted, which is somewhat odd because the back is not. I'll chop off quite a bit of the length as well.

Just got the call from school that oldest DD has flue symptoms... :(

Chanel, the Speedy Way

This time I'm doing things a little faster and it's mainly because of the fabric I chose. It is so thin and lightweight and made up of mostly ribbon yarn, making it impossible to deal with without fusing it first- and I fused the entire piece before I cut. This one is for DD, who just turned 16 :)) She's not a die-hard preppy anymore, but she is so excited about this. The fabric is from Mood in Los Angeles. It's really a great store with so much to choose from, but I dislike that they never have a clue about the fiber content or where it came from.

Below is the pattern I'm using:

BWOF 04-2008-120

I obviously omitted the collar, and also the slanted front. It will have three quarter length sleeves and pockets.

I had decided not to use fringe this time around but I couldn't find the right trim. So, I bought some B & W hounds tooth, cut strips on the bias and added the only trim I could find that worked. I wanted it to be controlled (aka not my usual frilly fiesta :)) so it's pressed down and cut short-short.

The lining is quilted on as usual; Lindsay T, it isn't hard and doesn't take a lot of time AND since you got the magnifiers, threading the needle for hand stitching the lining seams in place will be a piece of cake ;)

This is my third Chanel style project and it is true that it gets easier with practice. I haven't needed too look up anything so far, it's all in the memory bank.

I'm tempted to make myself another one, but that will have to wait until the Balmain jacket is done.

DD also wants a ruffle blouse. I've been looking around for something like what Chanel is showing in their fall collection but no luck so far. If anyone has any ideas please share :))

Goodbye Laguna, Hello "Baby It's You"

Sunset at Three Arch Bay, Laguna Beach

Sisters

We're back from a wonderful- way too short- trip to Laguna Beach. We all love that place so much it's always hard to say goodbye. This time, however, we had urgent matters to attend to so no time to dwell on paradise lost:

The news broke today so I can happily announce that our musical, "Baby It's You", is going to the Pasadena Playhouse.

Here are some links to press releases from today:

Broadway World

Hollywood Reporter

LA Times blog

Theater Mania

We will have the first performance on November 6th, with the official press opening on November 13. This is just so cool :)) That theater is awesome, the most beautiful theater in Los Angeles. And the stage is HUGE; I'm so excited to be working with a Broadway set designer, possibilities are endless and my mind is swirling with ideas. Better watch out or I'll get dizzy!

Also, our costume designer is fah-bu-lous!!! Lizz Wolff did both our shows at the Coast Playhouse, and she and I clicked the moment we met. She has a perfect sense of color, texture, glamour, time period, and she's only done TV and movies before which actually was a big plus. Sometimes it's better not to know everything about theater because you can easily become entrenched in how it is "supposed" to be done versus having that freedom that comes with a bit of blissful ignorance :)) You all know what I mean right? Kinda like sewing isn't it!

And finally, thank you for all your well wishes and for your kind comments on the shirt. I will still be sewing (can't keep my sanity if I don't) and am presently working on a Chanel jacket for oldest DD. Cindy, if I don't get around to signing up for the Chanel sew-along just know that you inspired me, so thank you. I did my Chanel jacket last year, and, just like now, it got started when I returned form Laguna. It's something about that ocean air I think :))

Hollywood Bling-Bling

All girls love some bling (myself included) and DD got a good dose of it yesterday. These two pieces came together very quickly and that's good cause I want to get going on a jacket I'm planning. More on that later.

First up: BWOF 06-2008-134

Hollywood Glamour Blouse

This was made by sewing the dupioni and sequins as one. I washed the silk first so it's soft and enclosed all seams. It's best worn layered due to the structure.

Here's the link to the sequined fabric (the dupioni color sold out I think)

Second up: BWOF 05-2008-137

Disco Shorts

These were requested by DD upon seeing the fabric and I think she showed great innovation here. It's a knit metallic, very soft with great drape. It doesn't stretch much though, which is a bit misleading on Fabric.com's website. I had originally bought it for a skating outfit but don't think it would work unless you only use it for details like a skirt or part of the bodice.

Link to disco stretch fabric

Photo shoots are so fun when I'm behind the camera :)) I need to sew for her more cause she just loves modeling for me! I'll share some more shots before heading over to post the reviews. I'm entering the contest on PatternReview which I actually hadn't planned on doing. But then I read the reason for having this contest: To encourage those of us who sew for children to post reviews. I so agree with that, and I'm guilty of not doing it too often. Btw, thank you Trena for managing the contest. I used your slapdash philosophy on the blouse as you will see on the crooked lines inside :))

Love these buttons from F & S Fabrics

My New Waist ;)

Hello friends, just a quick post while I'm coming up for air. So much sewing going on so no time for blogging. Guess that's what happens when you work on several projects at once. DD  has now acquired quite a few new skating outfits and more are on the way. I hope to post pictures and write reviews eventually.

And for myself; it's all about Empire, and how I love thee!! It works magic on my waist-less self, how can I ever thank you enough, Imogen! I have finished one dress and the second is almost done. Then there will be reviews and pictures... sigh. I just dread taking those pictures, but I will I will. Promise. In the meantime, here's a glance at the styles and fabrics:

The turquoise is a Giorgio Armani stretch, absolutely unbeliveable. The color/shine/texture defies description. The print is a European silk charmeuse, also exquisite.

And Anne was wondering if my gray coat had become a UFO and was sleeping with her denim DKNY jacket... LOL, you're so funny, just love your writing. Now go finish that book will you!! My coat is done and hanging in my room where I can look at it and feel guilty that I didn't take any pictures and posted a review. I actually really like it, although, after reading that we rectangles should avoid all waist details, I'll probably never close that gorgeous belt. But, it's hanging on the side so I can pretend I can close it if I want to ;-) Ah the games we play...

And I will post a review. 

But the trashcan got a precious gift the other day; my vintage jacket. It was not meant to be. Marji asked me a while back (sorry I forgot to answer, Marji!) if it was the fabric or the color I wasn't thrilled with.

See this post for more info

A bit of both I guess, but mostly the color. It was absolutely impossible to match as well, and it didn't look good with ANY OTHER color! It was also the wrong texture for the jacket; too crisp. I may try the suit again, but then I will alter the jacket and make it more shaped.

I did get a very nice email from NY Fashion Center Fabrics where they apologized for the long shipping time and gave me a discount on my next order. How did they know I was a bit, shall we say, unsatisfied? I didn't write or call them, so I'm very impressed. Which means I will be ordering from them again :)) 

Too Much Of A Good Thing?

I'm a bit overwhelmed by having plenty; plenty of fabrics, plenty of ideas, plenty of new found knowledge. I'll start with fabrics:

Mother's Day and birthday came and went, and with them came a whole bunch of fabric. Exquisite fabric. Fabric I've only dared to glance at. Yup, DH is priceless. And his wallet seemingly bottomless :)) I'm going to post photos of them all eventually.

Below is a picture of fabrics that I bought on my birthday. They're not for me. Did you guess? They're for DD #2. Crazy. I know. Silk charmeuse for blouse with scarf, sequined fabric for skirt. Now I'm thinking DD #1 would like this as well. We shall see.

Ideas:

Being in possession of such incredible fabric certainly gets the juices flowing, but since they're so intricate (lace, beads, sequins, feathers) they require careful planning, and I'm not up to the task at the moment. I just received Susan Khalje's Bridal Couture and will hopefully find many tips on handling these kinds of fabrics. In the meantime; I got one fabric that was plain and just the perfect color:

Remember this dress?

It's the same color, which happens to suit me perfectly. So, I'm doing some draping. I want a cowl neck but nothing else, just a simple dress.  Below is my initial test.

And finally; knowledge.

I was browsing the boards over on PatternReview the other day and stumbled upon the thread Sewing for rectangle shape and of course, being a rectangle myself, had to check it out. There I found a most amazing link: Inside Out Style, a blog by Imogen Lamport who is an Image Consultant based in Melbourne. Below is the link to the H Shape:

Body Shapes Explained - H Shape (rectangle)

It made everything so clear and I will refer back to her anytime I'm in doubt. What really changed my viewpoint was the fact that us rectangles are born this way; our hips and ribs are closer together and therefore, no matter how thin we get, there's never going to be a real waist definition. On the plus side; we usually, because of this, have longer legs :)) So, understanding how we're put together allows us to choose styles/patterns that really work to our advantage.

On a final note: I'm almost done with the vintage Cardin jacket. After reading about the H shape it may turn out the jacket is too boxy for me, we shall see. It's a one color suit with a fitted skirt so that may help but the fabric is very stiff. So far I'm not in love with it but it was fun to learn how the collar is done :))

Here's a link to the post about the pattern:

Cardin

This Is It!

Think I've found a TNT dress, and it was a breeze to put together:

BWOF 02-2009-105

Fabrics and buttons from F & S. Fabrics, belt from Bloomies :)) I used sleeves from style 106.

Here's a close-up of the silver detail in the fabric- always a bit of sparkle, even when I don't look for it...

I'm also busy sewing skating dresses for DD. She just started and is totally in love with it, which makes this mom very happy. She used to do gymnastics but I got so scared I had to stop going. She's completely fearless and a bit of a klutz... you do the math. When she falls on the ice she's wearing kneepads, and the distance from her to the ice is not that great :)) Not yet anyway. We'll see how I feel if she advances and starts jumping and twirling at full speed...

-----

Thank you for all the nice comments on the other dress. And rest assured, the shoes will be worn with caution. I'm not the klutz in the family (see above), and take my heels very seriously :))

Do I Have Time?

... For vintage, that is. The contest on Pattern Review has already begun and I'm still working on my coat. I truly dislike starting another project before having completed the current one but I might just make an exception. I found these two patterns on Vintage Fashion Library and they arrived today. The one on the left is copyrighted 1930, and the one on the right 1958. It's an exclusive design for McCall's by Pierre Cardin. Just adore that collar!

As you will see below, the front and collar is one piece. Such a nifty little detail, me like nifty little details :)) Also love the art deco dress of course, perfect for my rectangle.

Here's the coat at the moment; one sleeve basted on, the lining stitched and waiting to be attached. I'm going to have Warren down at A 1 Pleating make the belt; he did a superb job with the pleats and belt on my first BWOF project. I may have him make buttons as well.

If you're ever in need of these kind of services, he takes orders across the country. You simply mail him the fabric with instructions and he sends it back when it's done. The work usually takes about 1 week. Here's the current address, he will be moving a few blocks down in a couple of weeks:

A 1 Pleating Custom Belts & Buttons

8426 1/2 W 3rd Street

Los Angeles, CA 90048

(323) 653-5557

-----------

Thank you all for Happy Birthday's last week. She had a fantastic time, watching our show with good friend Iris (DD to Bad Mom Good Mom, Grace). The actors brought her up on stage in the end which made for one truly Happy Birthday :))

-----------

And another thank you for answering my question about the silk shantung fabric. Now I know that my previous thought about this fabric was wrong; that it's drapey and not crisp, like dupioni.

Happy Birthday My Baby

A Fashion Cake for you, my darling :)) You amaze me every single day. 

Photo taken from thosecakechicks.com

From this...

... to this...

All our love,

Mom, dad and sis.

I Finally Did It! My Grainboard is DONE!

It's soooo cool, and I'm soooo happy! I've kept putting it off, yet every time I start cutting a new project I'm so angry at myself for not getting it done. DH got me the blankets yesterday so I was all out of excuses. Actually, my other excuse was that I needed my new gravity feed iron to be hooked up in the ceiling, and he got that done too. Well not him personally... he's not your typical DIY kinda guy. But ask him about restoring a vintage Porsche and you will get more info than you care to know :)) So my iron was set... until I tried filling up the tank. It's got a leak at the bottom where the plastic is spliced :( I emailed the dealer so hopefully I get a replacement. But it was back to my leaky, sputtering Rowenta.

For those of you who still don't own a copy of Roberta Carr's "Couture, the Art of Fine Sewing", I know Bunny is as devoted as I am :)), you might be wondering just what all the fuss is about regarding a grainboard. I can't speak for other couture books since this is the only one I have, but so far each and every thing I've used from her book is absolutely fantastic, so of course when she says a grainboard is needed, then it's NEEDED! It's a large padded surface to be used for graining-up and cutting fabric, and also as a large pressing surface.

I took some pictures of the process of putting it together, but it will in no way replace her book. You will most definitely need it to get the job done right.

First off, I got the cover from AllBrands

Grainboard cover

You will also need good quality muslin fabric, wool blankets, and a plywood 1/2" thick cut to measure 36" by 54".

And these tools:

If you'd like to take the grainboard journey, click below in order of appearance :))

I want to thank Angela of RiAnge Creations. Every time I use Carr's book I think of you, Angela. It was your post on her passing that made me go and buy the book. I'm forever grateful.

Well... I know I Said No More Plaid, BUT...

I had 2+ yards left so...

I made this skirt. It was really easy.

I used BWOF 07-2008-127, the same as my Gucci skirt. I altered it into a straight with side slits. The lining is patched because they didn't have enough of the gray charmeuse.

I off-grained the slits according to Carr's book and it worked great. The slits hang straight down. I added drapery weights to the bottom of the two front slits to keep them from flaring out.

I also used her hemming technique.

It's a good skirt and I can probably wear it many ways- including with my CLOGS! These Calvin Klein shoes look great but the heel keeps slipping up. I tried with those pad thingies, but it's not working. 

----

Thanks for all you comments on the jacket and also for DD's well wishes. She is up and running, and she signed with the agent. We're in the process of selecting a headshot from the photoshoot, and I will post it when it's done :))