What is Fashion Styling ? Those who master it, become our style Icons. It's how you put outfits together or how you make something look a certain way for a photo shoot. Styling gives the observer a visual reference and creates stories around design. It's how it all comes together to create a cohesive idea. Styling comes down to how you assemble a "look", making the end result more exciting than the sum of it's parts.
Read MoreAnyone who knows me, knows I LIVE in striped T's. I made the one pictured as a sample for some upcoming classes that I'll be teaching. It has long sleeves, a Bateau neck with a button shoulder/sleeve vents with grosgrain trim and side vents at the bottom opening. It's made from a beautiful navy blue and white synthetic yarn dyed striped (the stripe is knitted into the fabric as opposed to printing on top of the fabric) double knit, purchased from Piedmont Fabric. The gold nautical star buttons and vintage striped rayon grosgrain ribbon at the neck and sleeve vents were acquired from the ReCrafting Co. I made the pattern for this Breton Striped T-Shirt, using my body measurements. I'm fairly happy with the fit. I would only make the armhole and bicep a little smaller to match the slim fit of the body. I'll make those changes on the next one I make up.
Read MoreI've amassed a bit of a coat collection over the last year. Two of these beautiful coats were given to me, one was purchased at a Vintage Fashion Faire and I even made two myself - a Black 1920's Straight Coat & a Red 1930's long swing coat. For the coats, I didn't make some of my favorite acquisitions needed a little freshening up and/or restoration.
Read MoreWhat are your Sewing Plans for the New Year? I already have a long list of things I would like to accomplish with the knowledge that there probably won't be time for everything on my list. In any regard, I'm very excited to get started. Take a look below at some of the things in the works....
Read MoreIt's truly amazing how fast this year has gone and I when I look at this image it seems crazy that I made so many things. I've virtually created a brand new (but vintage inspired) wardrobe. It's been so fun making things for myself and a long time coming. I haven't really done anything like this since High School. Since then, sewing has meant mostly business - pattern making, fashion education and custom design work with a little bit of sewing for the home or for friends on the side.
Read MoreThis outfit all began after a short trip around the corner to my local crafting consignment shop, where I found the amazing fabric for the blouse featured in this post. The print (Asian Art Deco?) was irresistible and there was just enough of it to scrape out a blouse. Next up was a search for the perfect 1930's blouse pattern. That proved to be a little easier said than done, as I had trouble finding a blouse pattern that suited the fabric. I did settle on a gorgeous 1930's dress pattern with a fabulous neck bow, that could be converted into a blouse and skirt.
Read MoreIn my recent post, December Red, I showed a red wool 1930's skirt and coat. This 1930's style skirt is a bit of an ode to skirts worn by the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher, in Miss Fisher's Murder Mystery series. Her character is quite fashion forward for the 1928-1929 timeline the series is set in and her clothing and style, in general, seem to echo both decades (1920's & 1930's). So, I needed a top to pair with this skirt in my quest for a Miss Fisher Wardrobe.
Read MoreLast Saturday, I had planned a field trip to SF for some super vintage trim and ribbon shopping. As it turned out, time was short for everyone, and none of us could make it in the end. The silver lining turned out to be a trip to the Alameda Antique Faire on Sunday. Our main shopping stop on the field trip was to visit the showroom of Jennifer Osner who is a collector and dealer of antique textiles and ribbons. Guess what? She had a booth at the Antique Faire. This was so fantastic, because I REALLY wanted to knuckle down on my hats for the 2018 Miss Fisher Convention.
Read MorePictured here is a 1940's (or late 1930's) outfit that I sewed up using the Wearing History Smooth Sailing Sport Togs Shirt and Trousers pattern. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!! This pattern is great. The blouse needs a little work in the armhole, but otherwise...
Read MoreThe Gatsby Summer Afternoon is an annual event presented by the Art Deco Society of California, every year on the 2nd Sunday in September. This is an event I look forward to each year and get ready for, pretty far in advance. For the 3 years, my mom has been joining me and then last year, my cousins Kathy & Maurice came along for the ride as well. AND this year, I even roped my friend Jone in, who ended up having more friends there than me!
Read MoreIn this post, two recently finished projects will be highlighted, but will the main focus will be on MEASURING. The Bay Area Sewists met up at The Sewing Room a couple of weeks ago to talk with me about pattern measuring.
Read MoreWell, it's done and I have to say, I'm very pleased/relieved. This jacket was an enormous amount of work and so easy to become distracted away from because of it. It's been a serious commitment to get it finished this month before staring any new projects. AND, has definitely been a practice in patience for sure. I must have done at least 20 hours of hand work, last week alone, in the push to get it finished. My hands are a little broken, but they can rest for a little while while I do some decision making about future projects....
Read MoreOne of the things that has been so daunting about completing my French Couture Jacket are all the buttonholes. There are 14 total - 4 on the front, 3 on each sleeve and one on each of the 4 pockets. Each buttonhole requires multiple steps. First you stitch a little rectangle (with your machine) using really tiny stitches, then you cut a slit and then proceed to hand finish this with lots of tiny blanket stitches around the entire hole. If this weren't enough....
Read MoreSooooo Excited to finish this sweater. I started in late June of this year when my friend and I estimated it would take 100+ hours to finish. Ha! I have no idea how long it really took but I just finished it last week. Hooray. And it's a beauty. So excited to go through my closet and see what I can wear it with...
Read MoreProgress has begun on the re-start of my Chanel-Style jacket. It's been in the works for several years now. I don't even remember when I started but I do remember buying fabric at the Mill Ends store in Portland, OR in November many years ago, and giving myself the fabric + trims for Christmas that year. Maybe my friend Angie remembers....???
Read MoreAs Some of you may or may not know, I've taught an online class about how to run your own Sewing Camps through Pixie Faire (where I sell my doll patterns), for the last two years. I built the course so that other people could have success teaching kids how to sew. And over the last couple of years, I've learned a LOT about the whole process.....
Read MoreI've been looking to finish my own "French (Chanel inspired) Jacket" this year so I turned to an expert for some inspiration and encouragement in doing so. Susan Khalje is THE expert and has been making, teaching how to make and writing about making these Iconic pieces for many years. She is also my own Couture instructor
Read MoreWelcome to Part 2 in my Journey to Filoli - Doesn't that sound like the start of a public television announcement? It really was such hot day, all I really wanted to do was jump in that amazing pool, built in the 1930's at the estate...
Read MoreBuilt by Willis Polk between 1915 - 1917 for one of the wealthiest gold mine owners in California, Filoli House, sits amidst 654 acres of country land near the town of Woodside CA, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a majestic home fit for fine living.
Earlier this Summer, I took a trip to visit Filoli house.....
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