Last month I had the pleasure and luxury of taking a day off from my regular duties as store owner and teacher, to drive up north, near Sacramento, for a visit to Huston Textiles Fabric Mill. A fabric mill in California? Yes, indeed! That was the thing that really surprised me when I heard about this small company.
Read moreJulie Ann Silverman - On Inspiration & Her Work - Interview with a Fashion Designer - part three
Images: Julie Ann Silverman
Welcome to the Final part of my interview with Designer, Illustrator, Artist and Instructor - Julie Ann Silverman. This multi-faceted creative woman, has shared so much with our community with all her insights and lifetime experience. I hope she inspires you as much as she’s inspired me. Read on for more nuggets!
Read moreSewing a 1930's Blouse, Hat & Skirt
It’s been busy over here at The Sewing Room and finishing this ensemble took some time. I think the blouse was one of my longest running projects in quite sometime. Partially, because of other projects that got in the way and also because I did a LOT of hand finishing.
Read moreBra Making 2.0 - Inside our Bra Making Class with Linda Sepeda
I can’t say enough good things about our recent Bra Making class at The Sewing Room. Linda Sepeda was a fantastic instructor and she really helped us to get the best fit possible.
Read moreFashion Styling for American Girls
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 moreMy French Couture Jacket - It's Done!!!!!
Well, 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 moreMy Couture French Jacket - Progress Report no. 1
Progress 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 moreHelp Me Decide which 1930's dress to make for Gatsby 2017
The Art Deco Society of California's Gatsby Summer Afternoon, is right around the corner. Slated for Sunday, September 10th, this annual event will take place on the majestic grounds of the Dunsmuir Hellman Estate in the Oakland Hills. Hundreds of people enter the grounds dressed to the nines in gorgeous picnic attire....
Read moreA 1920's Blouse Done 3 ways with One Vintage Dress Pattern - Miss Fisher Wardrobe or Bust!
The original pattern
As part of my quest to build a "Miss Fisher" wardrobe, I've sewed up three little blouses inspired by separates her character wears in different episodes. This post will show you 3 blouses I have made, starting with one pattern and explain how you can do it too!
Read moreFashion Your Way to a Better Body Image - 5 ways to do it without Dieting
Body Image - That's a tough one for a lot of us. It's not something talked about openly, very often, but a lot of the people I work with seem to be challenged by it, and daily. I've struggled with my own body image over the years as have most of my friends. As a teenager, looking through fashion magazines constantly (wanting to be cool, fashionable and popular), I compared myself to the models on those pages, dressed beautifully & styled to the nines. The comparisons killed me. You see, I've always been my own worst critic. Self criticism and loathing get to the heart of the matter. That internal critic (along with a little external reinforcement - peer pressure, magazines etc.) led me to an eating disorder, hospitalization and a life unmanageable, all by the tender age of 15...
Read moreSignature Fashion Collections 2017
beading details from Tracey Walker's knit pieces in her collection
The Annual College of Alameda ADAM (Apparel Design and Merchandising) Fashion Show.
The stage was set in the Grand Ballroom at the Hilton Oakland Airport. With a Runway & a DJ, the tables were set for friends, family and fashion professionals. A light lunch was provided. I even got a space at the front (with a VIP sign!). Perfect for viewing the show and seeing the garments up close...
Read moreHere at Last - The Art Deco Preservation Ball
Well, the day of the ball arrived and I was prepared! This year's theme was Death on The Nile (the Agatha Christie Murder Mystery) with a focus on Egyptian Revival of the Art Deco era.
Read moreBuilding a Miss Fisher Wardrobe
my Miss Fisher Mood Board that inspires me to dress like this sassy lady!
Have you seen Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries? It's an Australian TV show based on the Kerry Greenwood Novels. The series highlights the Honorable Miss Fryne Fisher, who is a lady detective in the 1920's, and is played by the brilliant actress, Essie Davis. TheFryne character is the epitome of the strong, sassy, smart woman that I would love to be. AND she has a fantastic wardrobe.....
Read moreThe Making of a Hat - How I achieved my 1920's Miss Fisher Look
Having acquired all the materials - wool hat (a la Old Navy), millinery wire, ribbon aplenty and a beautiful feather rose, I was ready to make my hat for the Girl's Inc. Hat's off to Women Who Dare event. Yay! I love decorating hats and making them very special.....
Read moreDraping in Fashion Fabric - Progress on My Preservation Ball Gown
This blog post is about how I drape my gowns in the fashion fabric. This is only just the beginning. It will take me working on the dress in my spare time over the course of the next few weeks to get a final dress.
Read more2015 Art Deco Preservation Ball
FUN TIMES AT THE ART DECO PRESERVATION BALL!
Read moreFinishing my 1920's Art Deco Dress for the preservation ball
The Gown is almost finished. just need to add a little sequined detail at the shoulder and Waist.
Finishing the 1920's ensemble
Read more1920's Lingerie
1920's Lingerie!
Read moreStarting my dress for the Art Deco Preservation Ball 2015
Starting the Drape of the Gown
Every year in May the Art Deco Society of California puts on an amazing Soiree in an authentic Art Deco Setting. This year the Preservation Ball was at the Scottish Rite Center in Downtown Oakland, right across the street from Lake Merit.
One of my favorite things to do when creating something like this, is to use materials i have on hand. Luckily, I had some lovely silk hanging around. I did NOT however, have large pieces of anything in particular.
This incredible gold color peacock pattern silk jacquard was the only fancy fabric I had enough yardage to start with. It also coordinates very well with my gold art deco t-strap shoes, so it was an obvious pick. A friend had given me an amazing piece of green and gold lace. There was only about a yard of it, but combined with the gold peacock silk and a lighter green washed silk, the assortment of fabrics really worked.
Here are some photos of my dress in progress.
