Weekend Veil Shoot

Anneliese and Chris making magic

Greetings! I've been a flurry of productivity over the last 6 months!
I've fluctuated between working 4 -2 days a week at Dark Garden in San Francisco.
I've learned so much there, as well as just experienced the production sewing world again. It's a whole different experience from being a home sewer!  I'm primarily the stock cutter, but I also work as the finisher (grommeting and lacing).
I'm going on a year and 3 months of being the hat builder for Topsy Turvy Design.  I've loved making hats for Kim! And it's given me the opportunity to hone my skills and indulge my inner perfectionist.  And Topsy Turvy Design has gotten some great feedback about the quality of their hats from Etsy customers, which I can't help but smile at!
La Petite Menagerie has been incubating.  I had a shoot last weekend with the gorgeous Anneliese and Chris, who I really enjoyed working with before.   I made a series of 12 birdcage veils in a wide spectrum of colors. Most are dotted with color matched Swarovski rhinestones, though one has vintage chenille dots. I'm hoping they'll be a hit with Offbeat Brides, and cool people in general.
I'm shooting with Chris again soon with a few new corset and hat combinations.
And of course, the projects that take precedence above all, are the wedding dresses. Yes, plural. Well, not really.  I'm making my sister's weddig gown, as well as my MOH dress,which is technically two dresses because of the slip. Yowza.  Luckily the MOH dress is almost done, and I'll take more photos as I go so I can post them here soon.  The wedding dress design is a secret so I can't include any photos, but let's just say it's based off an Oscar de la Renta gown and it's going to be a statement. 

Happy Sewing!!

Love is in the air...

It's bridal season at La Petite Menagerie, where I'm building a custom wedding gown for the lovely bride, Brenna.  3 fittings and 3 mock-ups later (yes, this is the custom clothing model!) the final garment is being cut and sewn this week!! The final design is of course a secret, but inquiring minds will be thrilled to see the result in July! Can't wait to share!!!

October

Life is keeping me very busy with little time for interesting blog posts. Sorry! But not really! Life is fun when it's busy!

I've started working part time at Dark Garden: Unique Corsetry in San Francisco. It's great, I'm working as one of their cutters right now and we'll see what other task get thrown my way! Sewing in a production setting is fast paced and precise! I've already learned a lot, and have only been there 3 days!!!

Voting is in full swing for the NxNW Design competition. Voting will be going on until November 13th, and the website it none-too-clear about how often voting can happen, so I say, VOTE, VOTE AWAY! At least ONCE A DAY! :) My passport thanks you. Check out my last entry for a link to the voting.

New photos up on Etsy from my photoshoot with Christopher Mackessy! The above photo is credit to him, and a features a new hat by me!

Hope everyone is well out in internet land!!

NxNW Fashion Competition - Vote for me!

Voting starts tomorrow!!! Please vote for me in the People's Choice category - If chosen, I win a trip to Iceland!

Thanks for your support!!!

http://www.nordicfashionbiennale.com/nfb/competition/

Silk Shrugs

I've made two of these now, and I think they've turned out just precious! I think that they could dress up any half-way fancy outfit into something spectacular. I'm hoping to make it to the fabric store to get more shades of Dupioni silk so I can make these in a range of colors. That will have to wait until I deal with my stolen debit card... but that's another story.

So, here's a few pictures and links to the Etsy listings -

Let me know what you think!

This is the Pink and Taupe listing, and This is the gold!

NxNW Entry

Hello internet world!

For your viewing pleasure today I have a few shots of my hats which I entered in the NxNW Fashion Competition, hosted by the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle. My hats will be displayed at the Museum in conjunction with the Nordic Fashion Biennale exhibition this fall, from September 30 to November 13, 2011. I'm thrilled to go with my family when I'm up visiting before Thanksgiving!

There will be two winners, a Judge's Choice and a People's Choice, the later of which will be an online vote open to the public. I'm already asking for your support! I have my fingers crossed that I'm the only Milliner who entered, so my entry will stand out even more.

The two hats together are one entry, as they are a Man and woman's companion hats. I call them The Fisherman and The Huldra. The point was to design a piece that was inspired by Nordic Heritage, with the past influencing the future. My 100-word design statements reads,

"The Fisherman is a dapper men's Wellington top hat made of lambswool and features fish leather and an antique fishing net. It channels traditional materials of the seafaring working man into a modern, sophisticated topper.

The Huldra, its ladies counterpart, is inspired by the Scandinavian folkloric seductress who lives in the woodlands and lures men to their demise with her dazzling beauty. Rich, forest green velvet is adorned with a bird wing, leaves and ribbons, and ends with a tassel, reminiscent of the Huldra’s revealing tail and also inspired by the iconic tassel of the Icelandic National Costume’s tail-cap."

There you have it! Any feedback?

Charlie Bones Inc. Photoshoot!!

I'm thrilled to be able to share some shots from a recent photoshoot with Sweet Carousel Corsetry, shot by the fabulous Charlie Bones Inc.

I was contacted by the model to make a little something to go with her corset for the shoot - and I think that despite never seeing the corset in person it was a great color match! And an adorable tricorn!

Click here to see more shots, and view the item on my Etsy page!