I am Thankful

So I haven't posted in a while, but I swear that I've been busy.

I've started in on getting my Pattern making Industry Certification from Apparel Arts School of Pattern making and Design in San Francisco. It's been a really wonderful experience so far! I am currently in a one-day-per-week pattern drafting class. It's at your own pace, and by completion I'll have learned how to draft zillions of variations on skirts, moulage (torso), darts, lines, necklines, armholes, collars, sleeves, pockets, & pants. That's pretty much the whole shebang. With that arsenal, one could create a pattern for just about anything!

If you're interested in Pattern Drafting and would like to learn, I highly recommend Building Patterns, The Architecture of Women's Clothing. It's definitely a text book, but if you follow it chapter by chapter you'll get a comprehensive explanation and tutorial of all aspects of women's wear, and most of which is applicable to men. Very Nice!

I've also recently completed a construction class, where we went through 8 weeks of construction techniques! Fly front zippers? No problem! Felled, French, and Hong Kong seams? Got it! I'm thinking about posting some tutorials soon!

I've been working on a corset that coordinates with my houndstooth wing fascinator for a photoshoot. Finally, it's about done!

This lady has a lot of hand sewing hours put into her.

The Bias binding is hand sewn throughout the entire hem, and spiral steel boning gives a comfortable support.

Note that this will be worn with a Chemise, so there won't be as much chest exposed!

I think it's turned out beautfully and I hope to offer them custom in my Etsy store.

Happy Fall! I'm going home for the Holidays and will be welcomed by snow! And I thought it was cold here!

Feather Fascinators

I've added two new fascinators to my Etsy Collection!

Many thanks to Kim of Topsy Turvy Design for letting me borrow her vintage mannequins. Aren't they beautiful?

Check out her revamped website here. Her designs are beautiful and I've seriously learned from the best!!

Deck of Cards!

I'm so excited to announce that my Deck of Cards hats are now for sale at Topsy Turvy Design!!

Please go go www.topsyturvydesign.etsy.com to check them out and... ahem... BUY ONE!

More photos are available on Etsy.

Fascinating Fascinators

What can I say? I've been in a hat making mood. And because the buckram scraps I've salvaged from Topsy Turvy's cutting room floor are small-ish, I've made some small-ish hats! They're still awaiting their veiling, but they are mostly complete!

Each hat is constructed out of buckram, a stiffly starched hat making fabric, and millinery wire, which is a wire wrapped in thread. Add a sturdy zig zag stitch and some hot glue and those are the bare bones materials of millinery.

I hand beaded each hat, adorning with rhinestones, bugle beads, seed beads, feathers, bows, brooches and buttons.

This one is made of fabric from my Burning Man costume. It's waiting for the perfect veil.

I love peacock swords, and prefer them as a colorful alternative to the often used peacock eye. Their opulence and depth of color are amazing! Each dot on the hat base is hand beaded with miniature jet black seed beads.

This woven houndstooth pattern is accentuated by jet black hand beading. I made the feather wing, and nestled is amongst a soft satin bow. Chic!

Thanks for looking. I hope to post these designs for sale on Etsy soon.

Deck of Cards Hatties

As promised, photos of the other three hats in the Deck of Cards line.

These beauties are going up for sale any day now at Topsy Turvy Millinery!

Enjoy!

Hatties!!

I'm so excited to post photos of these hats!

Today I finished the first of four hats of my design that are due to premier through Topsy Turvy Millinery in time for Halloween.

The spade pillbox is handmade with love out of buckrum and wire, covered with leather, adorned with rhinestones, and lined with satin. Rhinestone dotted veiling ices the cake. I love it, and can't wait to see them all together!!

Next is my Burning Man hat, whose feathers are now adorned with rhinestones. This is my last effort to chronicle it before taking it to the playa, where it will be subjected to some intense elements.



It's been hot here in Oakland - I hope everyone is staying comfortable!

Renaissance Bodice

In honor of it's Etsy sale, here are a few photos of a Renaissance bodice I made last year.


It's made with a woven floral thick cotton brocade on one side, while the other side and bias tape are both made of a dark navy blue wool. Each piece is stabilized with with Rigaline boning and top-stitched with Navy cotton thread.

It is completely reversible, composed of four mirrored pieces which lace up the sides through brushed gold grommets. Can be worn as a solid color/design, or you can choose to reverse only one panel.

I'm so happy that it has found a loving home!