Artistry in Fashion 2012 Report

Sunshine, smiles, creativity, inspiration, and a new purse and scarf, those are just some of the things that I found at Cañada College at last Saturday's Artistry in Fashion day.  My sister-in-law, who's a wonderful seamstress herself, and I met up there and enjoyed the vendors, the designer fashion and styling show as well as Marsha McClintock's delightful trunk show.  Here are some of the pics and a quick review of the long day we spent there.  

The college itself is on the top of a hill and overlooks the beautiful green hills across the valley....whose name I have forgotten but whose beauty always soothes me.

The open courtyard provides space for the clothing, accessory and jewelry designers and also a showcase amphitheatre.
My first purchase came from the talented Lenore Española from Lenore Collection Lenore Collection who designs these terrific bags with recycled paper.  

My "green" bag back home in Baltimore

woven recycled paper 

Here's hoping this enthusiastic designer continues her green and practical designs.

Mary Lou Rankin and lovely Park Bench Design garments

I've been attending sewing expos for almost twenty years now and it was a surprise and treat to see a familiar face from that circuit, which has diminished over time.  Mary Lou Rankin owns Park Bench Patterns which have a relaxed fit and allow for tremendous creativity in fabric choices and combinations.  Since the fashion trends seem to be swinging that way for tops and jackets, I think there will be new interest in these patterns again. Her fabric choices and color selections were simply beautiful.  I probably like them so much because she and I have similar fair skinned coloring and I was awash in an inkwell of black in other fashion booths.

Since I sew for myself I'm always forgetting that people actually buy clothes, not patterns or fabric at these affairs.  Thank goodness for these designers and design students that most of Americans don't sew, right?

I did see plenty of people buying buttons and beads for any number of craft project ideas.  Me, I've stopped buying buttons "on spec" although they are tempting, just like little jewels of their own.
After a few hours of shopping we got to sit and watch the designers showcase.  Rhonda Chaney, who heads the design program at the college, has been someone I've admired for years.  I watched her do a fantastic trunk show presentation at the American Sewing Guild national convention in Birmingham more than 10 years ago.  She was remarkably creative in her clothing, fabric and pattern choices but also the most organized, thorough and helpful of any sewing instructor in her presentation.  I'm sure her students and colleagues benefit from all those skills.  

Rhonda Chaney introducing the designers' fashion show

After a quick nibble we went indoors for the highlight of the day, a Saf-T-Pockets Saf-T-Pockets Patterns fashion show narrated by owner Marsha McClintock.  I took many pictures but most of them are too blurry to post so check out her site gallery for more details (Note to student models...stop and let us see the details.)  Here's about the best I could do:

Marsha herself

Marla Kazell wearing the Circle Jacket at the Saf-T-pockets booth

After the fashion show, Marsha gave a bonus demo in the fashion design classrooms where students had their garments and projects on display.  Such talent and enthusiasm!  

Student works on display

I finished the day by making another purchase, inspired by Jill's post about Harlequin Feltworks .  Jenne's scarves caught my eye and the hard part was deciding which one to buy.  

The one I chose had the green's and blues of the CA sky and coast line and lovely golds which remind me of the aspens I spied blanketing the west's mountains as we flew back to Baltimore the next morning.  So glad we could have time with family and I could enjoy these artisans.  Here's hoping you have people in your creative life who inspire and motivate you.

Oh, if you're every in the SFO airport area, here's a terrific little place that we found in Millbrae:

Our last delicious CA meal

Bound for Artistry in Fashion

Mr. Lucky and I are boarding VirginAmerica tomorrow for a five day trip to CA to visit with his family.  The timing is also perfect to allow me to attend an event I've heard about:  Artistry in Fashion  http://artistryinfashion.com/ put on by Canada College's Fashion Department in Redwood City, CA.  
I eagerly read other blogger's reports in previous years and am thrilled that I'll get to attend.....and I hope meet some virtual sewing friends in the process.
JillyBe's 2011 report   Sham's 2011 report

The vendors look wonderful and I'm delighted to  hear Marsha McClintock, owner of Saf-T-Pockets patterns, speak again....particularly after I enjoyed making her Vest S-Cape in 2011 for our New Zealand trip  Vest S-Cape review



Mr. Lucky and I met 30 years ago in northern CA after my former company had transferred me from Baltimore to the west coast.  I still think it is one of the most beautiful places in the USA and am happy that we have family and friends there to give us opportunities to visit every so often.  This is not a long trip since we have many other things on our plate right now back on the east coast.  But we will make the most of it, seeing family, seeing the beautiful scenery, eating dim sum, and for me, enjoying being among creative, energizing designers and sewing enthusiasts.  

Hoorah for Style Arc Elle Pants

Professor Higgins: By Jove, I think she's got it!

Style Arc Elle Pants

Yes, I feel like Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady, ready to dance all night in my new Style Arc Elle pants.  I'm even happy enough with the fit to post front and back pictures.  Turn away now if that's too much for you.
Description:  ELLE PANT: This is the pant of the moment, slim line from ankle to waistline. Elastic waist 35mm or 1 ¼ inch wide. These pants sit so beautifully without any bulk, wear them with your high heels out for the night or with your sneakers for brunch.....a must have piece in your ward robe !

Sizes:  6-30  I made mine in a 14.  To give you a comparison, I wear a size 12 in US RTW.

Did it look like the pattern picture on the envelope?  Yes, it's great pull on slim line pant even on the parts of me that aren't so slim line.

Were the directions easy to follow?  They are not very detailed but sewing pants is rather simple, especially pull on ones.  

What did you particularly like or dislike about this pattern?  I've been reading the raves about Style Arc for a year or two now and gave two of their pants patterns a try.  The Linda pant just didn't work for me but this Elle pant was a wonderfully pleasant surprise.  I like that it is a pull on but with a remarkably flat elastic waist, almost a one to one ration with your finished waist measurement.  That means no bulk, just an easy pant to sew and wear.  I like the slim line look which is in fashion right now and can see doing this with short zippers at the ankle.  It's not an inexpensive proposition to order these patterns and a little frustrating that they only come in one size but I think I've found a long term TNT pattern.  I intend to work with my original and make several versions this year.

Fabric used?  I used a stretch woven, almost a micro corduroy for this version.  it's from Fabric Mart and probably has less stretch than recommended so it's snug to pull on but comfy so far to wear.  It's my third muslin and perfectly wearable although future versions will be in darker colors.  I think the light color gives you the best picture of how they fit on me.

Pattern Alterations:  I used a size 14, added four inches to the length, scooped out the back crotch about 3/8" and raised the back 1/2".  Those are pretty standard pants alterations that I make on a Burda pattern as well so although others can make these out of the envelope, I still had to do a few muslins.  In this pair I used 1 1/2" elastic, not the 1 1/4" and found it even more comfortable.

Would you sew it again?  Oh yes, many more versions will be showing up in my wardrobe.  I'm lucky that I have a good collection of stretch wovens in my resource center so you might get tired of seeing these in future posts.

Ok, here are the pictures.

Slim fit even on the not so slim parts of me

Can't believe I'm posting this picture on the internet....but what are sewing friends for...

And now let's make sure you know how I intend to wear these pants.  My usual pants look is a gentle boot cut which I like to think gives me a slight hourglass effect on my rectangular body.  These pants are an entirely different proportion and I think need the larger over smaller look.  I will not wear them with a short jacket or top....too much of the "lollipop look".....big and round on top, narrow stick below.   

Gotta run.  I'm out to visit with a friend for a long walk and late lunch in the gorgeous fall weather that came through with a front last night.  Hope your weekend has been shaping up to be enjoyable and full of pleasant surprises like these pants were for me.

 

A New-to-Me Fabric....Leather

Leather trim was on so many garments when I was snoop shopping a few weeks ago.  What I noticed the most were the jackets and sweaters which had just a touch of leather, at the shoulders, as seam piping or as an insert or panel.  See:

Jil SanderLeather-Trim Wool Cardigan

Akris PuntoFaux Leather-Trimmed Two-Button Blazer

Yves Saint LaurentLeather-Collar Blazer

Elizabeth and JamesRex Leather-Trimmed Blazer

VinceLeather-Trimmed Coat

But the leather scraps that I have in my stash pile resource center are not supple enough to do fine details like those above.  Thank heavens for the wonderful New York City Fashion District and its enticing emporiums.
Michele and I set out on the second Megabus trip of the year on Wednesday morning.  We had combed the on-line listings to find leather specialists and came up with three:  Global Leathers,   Global Leathers  Leather Impact  Leather Impact  and Leather Suede Skins, Inc. Leather, Suede, Skins, Inc.  How did we decide which one to visit?  We got Yelp.  Yes, we did a Yelp search and the raves about Global Leathers led us to the 9th floor and a veritable treasure trove of colorful leathers.  We were welcomed by the charming Leo Gonzalez who made us feel appreciated and important even though we are just beginning to use leather in our fashion creations. He gave us a quick tour, explained the differences in garment leather versus home dec or purse making leather, showed us the huge selection of colors and then pointed out the scrap bins to get us started.  Since my initial plans are to add leather as accent pieces to future creations, I stayed with the scrap bins and found plenty to kickstart my initial efforts.  But Michele is more ambitious and adventurous than I am so she plunged right in and bought a full skin in a gorgeous purple.  

Scraps of dark burgundy, tan and black

About 3 square feet of the most lusciously soft olive green

I know that Global Leathers will be a new favorite.  I'll keep you up to date on how I use these initial pieces and what I have planned for in the future.  If you are in NYC, it's worth the effort to stop on by.  

Happy to have found Global Leathers

The weather was amazingly beautiful on Wednesday and we walked, walked everywhere.  Our theater excursion for the day was up to Lincoln Center to see:

which won the Tony for Best Play in 2011.  Wonderfully done and treat to see.  Now I'll rent the movie and read the book but think of the puppeteers who made me see real live horses on that stage.  

Last, but not least at all, the quilt top is pieced and ready to give to a friend with a long arm.  She won't get to it until after her quilt guild's show in late October so this is as close as Lucky is going to get to it for now.  
Here's hoping you have a new technique or fabric or idea that makes it exciting for you to be sewing.  

A Little More, Please

Needs one more row of blocks

Hmmmm, I just discovered another benefit of quilting.  When you decide that it's too short, just piece together another row.  Doesn't work like that when your dress is too short, does it?  Turns out I want 40 squares, not just the 35 in this picture.  So last night while watching Bones I stitched them up and fit them into the plan.

My sweetie sewing friend, Michele, is coming to visit today and we're going to work on some fitting projects here.  I've made up my first version of the famous Style Arc Elle  Style Arc pants pant and have to do some back crotch adjusting.  Not likely to take a lot of pictures of that whole process and I commend the others willing to document pants fitting in such detail.  I don't think I have much to add to the expertise out there but I am so grateful for others who show the way to nicely fitting pants.  If you want to tackle a pants project, then I'd strongly recommend the Palmer Pletsch book  Pants for Real People and the Peggy Sagers webcasts and videos. Silhouette Patterns webcasts

Tomorrow it's another Megabus trip to NYC for the day.  We're focusing on trim visits this time around as well as another Broadway show.  Will share our finds later in the week.