Engineering Marvels

I am feasting on the March issue of Threads mag. They published the
results of their annual fashion challenge, and two jackets are
absolutely amazing. There is a photo of a yellow and black, pieced,
quilted jacket, which is referred to as 'space age', but photographed on
the model/designer, (who won 'finest construction') it reminds me of
ornate Russian military jackets. The sleeve detail, in particular, makes
me think of military insignia.
Pictured beneath that is a wonderful long 'basket weave' jacket. The
jacket is constructed of pieced panels, which make up body and long
sleeves, and are then separate from the seams below the hip/seat, where
they were shaped and woven into an intricate basket-weave effect. Looks
as if the shaped hem would hit about mid-to lower calf.
I don't know if I could make something like this without weaving an
arm, or pants-leg into the mix. It's a wonder. The sort of design which
Trish would love, I think. Beautiful workmanship. Issey Miyake would
weep that he hadn't thought of this first.
Loads of good articles and how-tos in the issue; It's inspirational,
as usual. I'm off to Threads' site to see if they have any more photos
of the contest entries.
Cea

wrote in message
...

I am feasting on the March issue of Threads mag. They published the
results of their annual fashion challenge, and two jackets are
absolutely amazing
snip

There are a TON of pictures on the website. Wonderful designs aren't
they? I really like the wedding dress and the tuxedo for the flower girl.
That wedding dress is just a wonder!! You know I do love girly looking
things. lol

I have a book you need to get, Cea. If you don't already have it on your
bookshelf, treat yourself and get "Couture Sewing Techniques" by Claire
Shaeffer. Some of it is a how-to book. But Claire likes to explain the
history of how things came to be also. I'm reading it like it was a novel.
All of Claire's books are great, I would suggest her stuff to anyone for
almost any reason. This one is a lot of fun just for the stories that go
with it all. I know you would enjoy it as much as I am. A book with more
how-to's than this one is her book "High-Fashion Sewing Secrets." I'm
pretty sure amazon.com has both books. And you may be able to get them used
in the amazon marketplace. Both are fun to read.

If she ever gets out your way to teach a class, sign up. I think I learned
more in one 4-hour class with her than anywhere else, ever. And she's a
doll too. She can say things like "...when I was in Valentino's
workroom..." without sounding like she's looking down her nose. lol All
you hear is how excited she is to tell you what she learned while she was
there.

As far as designs go for me right now, I'm finding myself drawn more and
more towards beading and embellishing in different ways. I don't feel like
something is finished now until I slap something "purteefull" on it.
This seems to be working well for my DD. I'm working on birthday
presents right now. I'm almost finished with the Elizabethan "shelf doll"
barbie for DD. Yes, a blue velvet and gold brocade satin (very small scale
on the brocade) Elizabethan dress, complete with layered ruffle collar. I
put some gold glass and white pearl seed beads on the underskirt. I have to
make the snood and petticoat and style Barbara's hair then she will be all
done. I will post pictures.

The other thing I find myself drawn to is using fabrics in "wrong" ways. My
experiment (I feel like Dexter in his lab!) last weekend was a medium weight
denim skirt with 4 godets in the hem line. (CB, CF and both side seams.)
It still needs something. I'm not sure what. I was thinking about
topstitching the seams, but that didn't look right so I pulled it out. It's
hanging in my room in plain sight. That way I can let it percolate more.
I'll post pictures of that too in a while.

Sharon

PS
Most interesting thing I learned with the doll....an empy serger cone makes
a wonderful doll stand. Just slide one leg into the opening at the top and
put her skirt over the cone. No one knows it's there and it helps her stand
up very well.
--
---
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of time and just annoys the
pig."

wrote:

I am feasting on the March issue of Threads mag. [...]
Loads of good articles and how-tos in the issue; It's inspirational,
as usual. I'm off to Threads' site to see if they have any more photos
of the contest entries.

Isn't it marvelous? I am always amazed by the imagination of the
challange designers. Did they have more photos?

--
Kathy - read reviews of other newsgroups in news:news.groups.reviews
Good Net Keeping Seal of Approval at http://www.gnksa.org/
OE-quotefix can fix OE:
http://home.in.tum.de/~jain/software/oe-quotefix/

Engineering Marvels

(mamahays)
wrote:
I am feasting on the March issue of Threads mag. They published the
results of their annual fashion challenge, and two jackets are
absolutely amazing
snip
There are a TON of pictures on the website. Wonderful designs
aren't they? I really like the wedding dress and the tuxedo for the
flower girl. That wedding dress is just a wonder!! You know I do love
girly looking things. lol
I have a book you need to get, Cea. If you don't already have it on your
bookshelf, treat yourself and get "Couture Sewing Techniques" by Claire
Shaeffer. Some of it is a how-to book. But Claire likes to explain the
history of how things came to be also. I'm reading it like it was a
novel.
---
Can't do that with most sewing books--you have to work your way
through the majority of them. I've picked up a lot of Claire's books and
snacked on them, though, so I know what you mean. I do have C.S.T., but
haven't read it yet--the last time a book discounter rented an empty
store in town, I stocked up for the coming book famine, then I inherited
my MIL's sewing library, so I must have started reading on the wrong end
of the pile.
---
All of Claire's books are great, I would suggest her stuff to anyone
for almost any reason. This one is a lot of fun just for the stories
that go with it all. I know you would enjoy it as much as I am. A book
with more how-to's than this one is her book "High-Fashion Sewing
Secrets." I'm pretty sure amazon.com has both books. And you may be able
to get them used in the amazon marketplace. Both are fun to read.
If she ever gets out your way to teach a class, sign up.
---
I'll make a note of that. This area has gotten to the point where it
ought to attract big names and sewing seminars.
---
...finding myself drawn more and more towards beading and
embellishing in different ways. I don't feel like something is finished
now until I slap something "purteefull" on it. This seems to be
working well for my DD. I'm working on birthday presents right now.
I'm almost finished with the Elizabethan "shelf doll" barbie for DD.
Yes, a blue velvet and gold brocade satin (very small scale on the
brocade) Elizabethan dress, complete with layered ruffle collar. I put
some gold glass and white pearl seed beads on the underskirt. I have to
make the snood and petticoat and style Barbara's hair then she will be
all done. I will post pictures.
---
Beautiful! I'm a'waitin'.
---
The other thing I find myself drawn to is using fabrics in "wrong"
ways. My experiment (I feel like Dexter in his lab!) last weekend was a
medium weight denim skirt with 4 godets in the hem line. (CB, CF and
both side seams.) It still needs something. I'm not sure what. I was
thinking about topstitching the seams, but that didn't look right so I
pulled it out. It's hanging in my room in plain sight.
---
I'm not following--how is using denim for godets 'wrong'? It occurs
to me that the right weight denim would work well. Am I having another
DUH moment??
I've been (since all of yesterday, when Fab.com's new sale arrived)
mulling over what to make for my sister with the massive Harley. Amazon
girl needs clothes; F.C mentioned using industrial fasteners, (I think
it was F.C {??}), and I started thinking of a unique use of safety pins
and washers which I had seen, lo these many years ago. Sis would love a
shirt with heavy metal, especially if it was designed for her.
Since I'm thinking shiny metal, how about some lightweight silver
studs around the outer edges of your inset godets? Jazz 'em up some,
emphasize the shape. You could get the glue-ons. I don't have any idea
how well they stay on through wear and washings, though.
---
Most interesting thing I learned with the doll....an empty serger cone
makes a wonderful doll stand. Just slide one leg into the opening at the
top and put her skirt over the cone. No one knows it's there and it
helps her stand up very well.
---
What a good idea!
I saved bags full of cones to use for making angels. Here's the
strange thing, though: my serger cones have started to deteriorate at
the top edges, which are crumbling away. I've counteracted the decay on
in-use cones by gluing wine bottle corks in the top of the cone. Gives
me a reason to drink more wine.
Ce(hic!)a

wrote in message
...

The other thing I find myself drawn to is using fabrics in "wrong"
ways. My experiment (I feel like Dexter in his lab!) last weekend was a
medium weight denim skirt with 4 godets in the hem line. (CB, CF and
both side seams.)

I'm not following--how is using denim for godets 'wrong'? It occurs
to me that the right weight denim would work well. Am I having another
DUH moment??

No, not at all a duh moment. I think it works really well. Looks
pretty nifty. But if you pick up a pattern with godets, they will all call
for very soft fabrics. Like crepe, or lightweight silks, etc. Something
with a lot of drape. So that says they all consider heavier handed fabrics
like denim, etc. "wrong" for that type of design feature. Why do the
expected?? Yes, sueded silk or sueded rayon looks gorgeous in a godet, very
soft and romantic. But the denim looks pretty cool too.


I've been (since all of yesterday, when Fab.com's new sale arrived)
mulling over what to make for my sister with the massive Harley. Amazon
girl needs clothes; F.C mentioned using industrial fasteners, (I think
it was F.C {??}), and I started thinking of a unique use of safety pins
and washers which I had seen, lo these many years ago. Sis would love a
shirt with heavy metal, especially if it was designed for her.
Since I'm thinking shiny metal, how about some lightweight silver
studs around the outer edges of your inset godets? Jazz 'em up some,
emphasize the shape. You could get the glue-ons. I don't have any idea
how well they stay on through wear and washings, though.

Hmmm..... I will have to give that some thought. I know I can get iron on
metal or crystal from www.suessparklers.com I've ordered from them before.
Nifty stuff. That might be too much shine for me though. I may try
topstitching again, sort of like a mock flatfelled seam. But maybe with
jeans thread a darker color. The light stuff just didn't look right. I
dunno. Still pondering.....

---
Most interesting thing I learned with the doll....an empty serger cone
makes a wonderful doll stand. Just slide one leg into the opening at the
top and put her skirt over the cone. No one knows it's there and it
helps her stand up very well.
---
What a good idea!
I saved bags full of cones to use for making angels. Here's the
strange thing, though: my serger cones have started to deteriorate at
the top edges, which are crumbling away. I've counteracted the decay on
in-use cones by gluing wine bottle corks in the top of the cone. Gives
me a reason to drink more wine.
Ce(hic!)a


Any excuse is a good enough one for me!!! The petticoats went on the
doll today. She leans a little now. I may see if I can glue a washer or
something to the inside of the cone at the bottom. Seems like now it needs
a little more weight. lol Will post pictures of "the stand" too when I
post pictures of the doll. I'm going to super glue some "rings" onto
her hands and then style her hair and put on her snood. Then fini! Now I
just have to keep her under wraps for about a month..... LOL!!

Sharon
--
---
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of time and just annoys the
pig."

I stocked up for the coming book famine

Cea, this cracked me up. Now I have an excuse for all the books lining the
walls of our house. Oh, yes, and of course the added insulation. (She says,
batting her eyelashes coquettishly).

Ce(hic!)a

Does this mean that your name has two syllables? If so, I'm glad to know it, so
I can "hear" it properly!

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

I am feasting on the March issue of Threads mag. [...]

It is one of the best issues they've ever published. Kudos to Threads!

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati