Dolce and Gabbana windows at Saks Fifth Avenue NYC

Let's see if you can see this short video I took with my iPhone.  I've never put a video in my blog before so this may not work.

I hope you can see and enjoy it, the windows were so magical.

Autumn in New York

There's no place like New York City.  Yeah, you've heard that before but it's so true.  A week is both not enough and plenty.  I'm exhausted like I just got back from space!

I met my husband, Joe, for a week of music, food, art and shopping.  He'd been there for a week to rehearse his musical that was having a concert reading in Queens so he was totally preoccupied for the first few days of my visit and that turned out to be a good thing.  I got most of my must see shopping out of the way without torturing him.  

I had to hit the Garment District and only went to two places. Mood first.  I have visited the Los Angeles branch twice but had never seen home base.  It was fun because it was Halloween and all the sales people had made their own costumes.  I don't want any more fabric right now but a few buttons never hurt and I got some cool black rubber ones with large holes.

Then I stopped at Botani.  I'd heard about it from Marcy Tilton.  It is worth a visit because it has a huge stock of buttons, zippers and findings.  I bought several pairs of purse findings.  I've been working on a new painted canvas creel shaped purse.  This is the first go-round.  I wore it in NYC and it worked out fine.  It turned out a little bigger than the size I need and the shape is a bit wonky so it needs some fine tuning.  My sewing pal,  Janet, thinks it looks like a frog.  After she said that I couldn't look at it any other way.

I used the handle from an old brief case.  It was brown so I stained it with Jacquard silver fabric paint.

Janet, helped me with the binding which is a stretch woven I overpainted after it was sewn on.

I made three tops for the trip.  I needed ones that were shorter than the tunics I usually make because I planned to wear this jacket by Katherine Tilton B5891 most of the time and it's too short for my usual tunics.

It worked out so well because of the pockets.  They're like two extra purses, making it really easy to grab my phone/camera and glasses.  I'm going to remember this for future travel.  They are not original to the pattern.  I learned them from Shams.

I also brought this coat and I'm glad I did, it got really cold one day.  It's Marcy Tilton's V8934.  I made it out of rainwear and lined it with a thin Polartec.

This top is from Katherine Tilton's V8817.  I cut the hem between the shorter and longer versions.  The weird thing is that I think this is the NYC skyline...or a composite of several city skylines.  But Joe's relatives immediately pointed to it which made me feel like such a tourist!  I didn't wear it again.  But it'll be fine here on the West Coast.

This top is a TNT.  I drafted it from a RTW and make it often.

It's a simple tshirt but it has an asymmetrical hem that adds so much style.  I sew several pin tucks in it to give it a little texture and makes it stand out a bit from the rest of the garment.

And this one was a no brainer because I'd already cut it out the front and back due to a major goof made on a tunic a year ago.

Once again, I'm using fabrics I have on hand.   I'm not exactly on the fabric fast thing but I'm cutting back.  I make no promises.

The wardrobe, all black and grey with touches of color in the purse, scarves and necklaces, worked out well.  The last thing I want to do when I'm on vacation is think too much about what to pick out of the closet.

Now for some pics of what I saw.  

 The lines of this coat are a bit extreme but I like the idea.

Went to The Met to see the kimono exhibit (see below) but stopped several times along the way.

Here's a sculpture by Sam Gilliam.  You know how I love painted canvas and this one is magical.

This was right next to it.  It didn't say what it is but I liked it.

We were walking past Saks Fifth Avenue on our last day and they had just put in their holiday windows.  Dolce and Gabbana created fans that all moved, swaying back and forth behind their dresses and purses.  I took several videos on my camera but for reasons (you don't need to know the details) I can't get them in this post.  I will try to send another post right after this.  In the meantime, click on this link for stills.  http://www.architecturaldigest.com/shop/2014-10/dolce-gabbana-saks-windows

 I'm closing with a few images of the Kimono show.  I took photos of the descriptions but I think that's a bit TMI.

This kimono fabric design reminded me of the Matisse paper cuts we had just seen at MOMA.  If you get a chance to see that exhibit!

This is an under kimono.  They were more risqué or personal.  This one has the popular sheet music from the '20's.

This one was described as a peasant work kimono. 

I was surprised but pleased to see they included two of my favorite contemporary designers.  This is Yohji Yamamoto.

And this is Issey Miyake.

Home now with lots of inspiration.  

Ooh-la-la~Garters!

In March I had the great pleasure of visiting Marcy Tilton's Art Barn, the home base of her online fabric store.  It takes several hours to get there, it's way the heck out in the sticks!

As you can imagine, my sewing pals and I were in pig heaven; scooping up all kinds of fabrics and dreaming about how to use them.  You could hardly fit our combined booty in the huge SUV we drove up in!  

One of my really shameless picks was a quilted, shiny black fabric.  The composition was either not available or I can't remember, it's some type of synthetic.  It is shot with tiny strands of silver that you almost can't see.  It's not that I needed this fabric, it's not an everyday kind of fabric.

The minute I saw it I thought of one of my favorite Marcy patterns, V8709, a pattern I go to often.  I could see it made into a longer vest from this pattern.  I had seen one that Marcy made several years ago and thought it looked great.

I'm sorry to say that Vogue either discontinued this pattern or it is out of stock.  I thought they had discontinued it but the site now says, "out of stock", whatever that means.

I've made this several times in various weights and lengths.  It was originally a shorter jacket/shirt which I have lengthened for coats, coat dresses and now a vest.

I like that the upper back is cut on the bias, giving it a bit of give and some variation in the design.

I bought this garter belt closure tape in a wonderful warehouse type fabric store in San Jose, Fabrics R Us.  You never know what you're going to find there.  I hope this stuff is there the next time I go because I want MORE!

One of the things I love about this pattern is the pocket design.  These guys not only hold everything you would need for an evening out but they add so much contour and shape to the garment.  

If you can ever lay your hands on this pattern I wholeheartedly recommend you buy it.  So versatile.

I'm having fun wearing this.  When people see the garter closure they do a double take...then I blush.

Wild Thang....I think I love you!

Last March, while taking a mini class with Diane Ericson in her wonderful Ashland studio, we were lucky enough to meet her son, Miles Frode.  He's a multi-talented man.  He paints, writes poetry, performs his poetry (check him out on UTube) and is a fantastic teacher.

He gave us little lesson on his method of painting canvas for garments.  And, he brought in several canvases for us to look over and purchase.  I swooped down on three large ones and held on tight until I figured out what they wanted to be. 

Katherine Tilton's B5891 won.  I made the jacket without sleeves because I love this shape so much.  This is my third time making it, first time in a vest though.  I would have made a jacket but I didn't have enough fabric.

I'm so in love with this painting, er, vest!  It's true wearable art and what a beautiful canvas it will be when I wear it.  Just about any color will pair nicely with this.  His colors are bold but earthy, saturated and complex.  I'm thrilled.

I auditioned several buttons at my local fabric store,  Hart's Fabrics.  I wanted something that would stand up to the art but not compete with it.  These buttons are about 2" square and come in all kinds of great colors.  These are a dark taupe.

I didn't want to mar the canvas by making gigantic buttonholes so I made loops from old silk cording in a dusty smudgy pink.  Both of these colors; the buttons and the cording have their own integrity and richness without standing out.

I faced the collar with a cotton net that I got from Marcy Tilton at a DOL a long time ago.  I wonder if she still has some?  I've used it so much I'm out and would love to re-stash.  It feels and looks like it's vintage.  Very low-key and textural.  I felt I had to face the canvas on the back of the collar and this was the least obtrusive fabric I could find.  I'm hell-bent to use what I have these days!

The pattern calls for inseam pockets but I thought they would be too bulky so I made ones that are sewn on, single layer.  The facing is the same fabric I used to face the collar.

I left most of the edges raw and used a cover stitch at the edge to finish it a bit.

The back had a place where the painting was a bit sparse so I used another piece of the canvas and patched it on the hem.

I'm particularly fond of this side.  Wish I could see it more when I'm wearing it.

A little close up.

And another close up.

Thank you, Miles!  I'm going to wear this to the fashionART Santa Cruz fashion show on Sept. 20th here in Santa Cruz.

Anytime Dress

Here's another version of Marcy Tilton's latest dress pattern V8975.  This is the second time I've made it.

Boy, do I love making this dress.  It's just so fun to put together.  The pattern works well and the sizing is perfect for me.

Here it is in a two way stretch woven I got from my friend Sharon.  I love those DOL giveaways.  One person is over it and another person is all over it...if you know what I mean.

This is a grey, slightly nubby stretch woven with shots of black and white.  Very versatile, and by that I mean when I spill something on it, which I will do, it won't show.

In my climate I can wear this garment all year.  I will always wear it with a pair of leggings.  Shorter ones in the summer, longer in the fall.

For the winter I'll pull another layer over it, maybe a short fleece vest.  I could also wear it with thicker tights in the winter.

Whatever I do, I'll use this as a canvas to highlight colorful jewelry, scarves, leggings and shoes.  Plus, it doesn't wrinkle...Sharon, what were you thinking?

This dress can look deceptively simple in one color that is dark.  But when you put it on the shape comes to life and really looks good.

Try it!

Oh, one detail.  There are two places, one in front and one in back, that require you to join the pieces in a "v" or angle.  I adhered a bit of tricot fusible interfacing to stabilize the join.  Especially in the front there seems to be so much weight on that join it may pull out in the future.  We'll see how this works.

In the meantime, I think I'll wear it to a meeting tonight!

Back to Black and Gray!

I have to get the taste of my last blog post out of my mouth.  And what better way to do it than with more black and gray!

This is a self drafted pattern from a RTW garment that my friend Sharon bought in Ashland.  It's fairly straightforward.  The original was in a lightweight puffy woven but my first attempt was with several striped knit remnants.   I forgot to take pics of the back but it's yet another stripe.

The armholes were a bit deep and baggy for me so I recut the upper bodice and sleeve parts of the pattern for a tighter fit.

I made it again in this heavy weight heather gray knit.  It's not hugely exciting but will be a workhorse in my wardrobe.  I love the large godet that wraps around to make a side front and back seam.  It makes the tight fitting bodice widen to a flattering drape at the hem.  I'm really happy with this pattern.  And it had to have pockets.  The original only had one.  I've never understood that.  What's the use of ONE pocket??

This will be a TNT for sure.


And here you see a big heap of the muslin I'm working on for my French jacket.  I'm almost done assembling it.  Pal Jenny is coming over Friday to help me with the second fitting.  With these jackets it's all in the fitting.  It has to fit like a glove yet give you room to breath.

More on this in the future...it's a long term project, worked in-between others.

Perfection VS. Life As We Know It

I'm the first one to tell you that my sewing is not perfect.  I love the process and always...well almost always...try to do my best to make a garment look as good inside as out.

But I almost never achieve that.  I call myself a recovering perfectionist since in my professional life I have been tireless in getting things right.  But the truth is I've never been able to knit or sew with any consistent accuracy.  I've knit dozens of socks.  Not once have any two socks in a pair matched, even if I knit them at the same time!  Same goes for sleeve lengths.

Don't think I'm complaining, I'm just explaining that I know my limits.  I work on improving, I do.  Right now I'm hand stitching an Alabama Chanin wrap that is really challenging my hand sewing skills.  It's good for me.

And I'm slowly working on that French jacket pattern.  I have the muslin seam lines trace-stitched and am beginning to pin the pieces together.  Slow sewing, precise sewing...my new mantra.

And...I'm having a blast.  Love challenge.

That's the intro to showing you two things I'm not so happy with.  I told you a while back I'd show you an epic fail and here it is.   This is a Tina Givens Luella Top.  You might want to put on sunglasses lest it pokes your eyes out with the color!

On a recent trip to Nashville I ran across a wonderful fabric store,  Textile Fabrics.  Huge selection, wonderful fabrics and a super friendly/helpful staff.  As you may know, I love black and gray.  But I've been trying to branch out when possible and I thought a summer top would be the perfect opportunity.

So of course I picked this melon-pink number.  It's NOT as bright as it looks in these pictures but let me tell you, it's a lot of pink!

I tried this pattern once before with a heavy tan and black stripe.  It was too small and the bodice was not flattering on me.

But I thought it was the fabric and size I had chosen.  Oh, will I ever learn?

I got this one made and the same thing happened.  The v-neck area just looked horrible on me.  So, I began making tucks/darts vertically down the front starting at the shoulder and neck.

That brought it in nicely but left little puckers I just couldn't live with.  So I went to bed asking the sewing goddess to give me a solution.  And she did.  She said, "Make a fabric necklace to cover the puckers and sew it right onto the bodice!"

I listened to her and here's what it looks like.  I think it's made for the young me who was free-wheeling in San Francisco in the early 70's.  I might audition it with white gauze capris one hot summer day (who am I kidding, I live on the central coast of California and we really don't have those) or it might just never get worn.

The neckline jewelry technique was fun to make.  I think it's worth exploring again.  I made a template of the design, cut it out and backed it with a lightweight fusible.  I then stitched it on with Pearl Cotton.


And I'll throw in a little boo-boo lagniappe, just because I'm so nice!  Here you see a pair of slippers I learned how to make from Gwen Spencer (love that gal!) at the DOL Ashland retreat a week ago.  I was laid low by a knee injury during the retreat so never got the chance to go through the pattern with her at the time.

So when I got home it was the first thing I tackled.  I had to check in with Lisa Ford, my DOL travel pal, to ask a couple of questions but they are pretty simple to make.

I love them but for one thing.  It's the old sock problem.  You'll notice how I took the picture so that the bottoms are cut off?  That's because one is too big and the other too small!  I did it again!  I'm hopeless.  But I do love them and will wear them after fixing the one that is too long...can't do anything about the one that is too short!

They are made from the same painted canvas I make my purses from.  A bit of tan and black stripe stitched on for contrast...oh yeah, it's the SAME fabric I used on the first Tina Givens top!

I like how that brings the story back to it's beginning!

I'll soldier on, trying to slow down my process so as to get it right more often.  But in the meantime I'm going to continue to have a blast sewing.