PHOTO SHOOT

Yesterday was a very great day. Finally I found a team that wanted to take pics of my dresses. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have, keep your fingers crossed, maybe a magazine will published them!!

I want to thank;

Iryna Storozkuk -Model

Simon Soong - Photographer

Aimee Ortega -Makeup Artist

Kaaren Alise -Hairdreer

MAKING A CHANEL SUIT INTERFACING

The next step, before quilting the lining to the jacket fabric, is interfacing the neck and front opening. Taking the time to look at the development of the Chanel suit, I could see she wanted to bring the comfort and hang of the first jackets she made out of Jersey. A cardigan “feel and hang” is what she was after. Keeping this in mind, I cut the interfacing on the bias for the front and a bias stripe for the back neckline.

For the back neck interfacing I cut a 1 ¾” bias canvas stripe. I cut it longer than the neckline. I then pin it to the muslin pattern, staring at the center back, curving it, and pressing it about 1” at the time. With the bias stripe all pined and pressed into place,

the next step is steam it for a permanent shape. Using a wool pressing cloth wet it/spray just enough to press the one section at the time.

After I was satisfy with the shape with the steam, and the stripe was dry, it was put aside to rest/settle and dry some more.

While the back neck interfacing was resting, it was time to padstitched the front opening of the jacket.

To prepare the interfacing for the padstitching, it was pinned in place, steam press. The padstitch was done very loose to preserve the hang.

Front padstitched interfacing.

During this time the back interfacing had air dry and it is ready to be worked on the back jacket neckline.

the next step will be quilting the lining.

MAKING A CHANEL SUIT TRIM

Close up look at the trim

on this pics you'd see the 8 strands of yarn being braided. Notice the strands coupled and used as one.

After the braid is made, it would be framed with 2 strips of the selvage, the following pics show how it would look












Happy sewing,

MAKING A CHANEL SUIT

I’m making a Chanel Suit for a special client. The jacket is base bodice is cut out using BOF Full Size jacket from the August, 2008 magazine. The sleeves are cut using Claire B. Shaeffer Vogue pattern # 8259.

For the skirt I used Ann Klein Vogue pattern # 2834. This is a pleated skirt which it is perfect for the client, since she has narrow hips. The pleats on the pattern face towards the center front, but they will be change to face outwards.

The suit has a hat made of the same fabric as the suit. We want to give the “Gabriel” Chanel look. Although Chanel’s suits (Gabriel) that we see her wore were mostly white with black trim, we went with a boucle similar to the one use for Chanel Spring 2009 RTW collection. It is almost exactly, but I’m sure it is not.

Changes were made on the pattern, looking closely to Gabriel jackets, I could see the armhole is higher on both the armpit and the shoulder, given greater movement to the arm without the “pull” we have when the armhole’s are larger. Needless to say there would be no shoulder pads on the jacket.

After all fitting/changes were made on the muslin, I cut the fabric with 2” seam allowances on side seams, princes seams, 1 ½” to armhole, neckline and 3” for the hem.

All edges were overlock to keep the cut lines. Then the basting was done. I’m doing the quilting on a horizontal at 1 ½” “lines” with a distance of 2”

One of the Chanel details is the trims used for the jackets. I wanted to be as “true” to the Chanel Jacket as I could, so instead of purchasing or using an already made trim, I made my own. I experimented with the yarns to get the right “look” for the suit.

On this photo you’d see the first two trim I braided, I thought the all white trim will be nice, but it just did not, then I braided black and white together, although I like the way it looks it was just not write for the fabric, it just blend right in with the fabric.

Both of these trims were braided with 6 strands of yarn. I thought if I use 12 it would do. No they are too heavy. I have to say I do like the white wide braid with the white and black smaller braid on top; I might use this for address some day.

The final pic shows the way I’m going with the trim. I used 8 strands of yarn, 4 black, one furry black, one white, and the last white with small pompom balls. The black furry was worked as one with one of the black strands, so was the white pompom’s with a white strand.

MAKING THE PINK DRESS

I had a few things to share with you on this post, some good news, some about troublesome patterns. Let’s talk about the pattern first;

As you probably had notice, I use commercial patterns as base for most of my work. I used to make my own patterns, but having such a great selection, why spend the time making it? I take a commercial pattern, and altarate to what I want, it is easier and faster…till now!

I used BOF 12/08 _107 as the base for the charmuese and lace dress. I had decided to use the 103 of the same months for my next dress. Of course, it was just going to be a base to which I would add my own twist.

I traced the garment front bodice and the front skirt, cut it on a diagonal to add fullness to both, front bodice and skirt, for a drape.
To try out my pattern, I cut a piace of poly charmuese I had [the dress will be made on silk charmuese] The drape look great, I was really happy with it, so I move alone to cut the other parts of the bodice to check fit, dart placement etc. I don’t normally worry about

dart placements , but there was something about the this pattern, specially the front bodice lining, where the darts are, that just did not look right

I cut, both back and front on muslin, sew them together and place it on the mannequin. The fun began! First, although I had added it ¾” for seam allowance, across the bust line I need it an extra 1”. The back has, on the same area [cross shoulder blades], an extra 2” ???? The back was not much of an issue, having princess seams I could take care of it easy, now the front was not as easy. I thought, ok I just add that extra 1” at the bust and all will be fine, now I had to mention I did increase the dart at waist line, the fullness below the bust was also exaggerated.

So there I was with the new muslin for the front bodice with the extra 1” thinking this would be it. So I thought! The darts were too low, to skimpy I had to re-work them, lower the side seam dart placement, add curve to the waist dart and make them even deeper that I had already.

This change the inter front, I most have done it 4 times till finally I got it right. I’ll tell you, it would had being faster if I had make the pattern. This is not a good pattern form BOF, and to think I have to make, yet another dress like this one…but about that in a bit. In the mean time here are some pics the dress coming alone

I had mentioned previous posts some things I was working on. Last summer I got a contact on one of the Spanish TV channels here in Miami. The idea was for me to show them my work and see what we could collaborate. With the changes that happen last year for me, I had to put it aside.

Now with some new dresses, I got in touch with them and after several attends to meet up, I had the opportunity to meet up with them. The wardrobe department’s director loved my work and wants to use some of my dresses on an upcoming “Novela” Soup Opera. It is not a done deal, but things are moving on good direction, I think!

So needless to say, I had being busy making other dresses to bring to her. She did give me the measurements for both main actress [the reason why I making the PINK dress in two sizes, my sample size and one of the actress].

I have also [finally] hook up with some photographers here in South Florida that would like to use my designs on some of their shoots [More Dresses to make, thank God I do have fabrics!] As you could see this year things are looking better [Thank God].


Now, the last news! I need it [yet another] sewing books like a need a hole in my head but, I could not help it and get this McCall’s Vintage book… I mean, really how many sewing books do you see with a man taking a hem? Yeah I know Kenneth D. King have several books and he is on the cover of the last one, but a Vintage book from a commercial pattern company?

I saw the cover of the book a while back on the net and when I saw it on Ebay, for $0.99 I HAD to have it! By looking at it I could tell it is well written, the pics are great, I will take a chance to read it and would let you know what I think of it.

Keep on sewing, and enjoy the rest of the summer.

SILK CHIFFON PRINT

The second printed dress is finished. The bias corded tubes weave took a bit of time, it really was a bit of a pain, but it was done. The technique was the same as the MAKING A VALENTION , this time I made the bias tubes are smaller and filled it with yarn.

I used Silk Chiffon, silk organza and Silk charmeuse [for the tubing]
I’m still in the mood of “LIGHT, SOFT, TRANSPARENT”. I used the organza to line and underling the dress. The underline skirt is 2” shorter, the lining is 2” shorter than the underline.

A close up look of the bias corded tubing weave, this took a bit longer than I expected.

Rolled zig-zag hem on all three layers of skirt

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

While finishing one of the dreses [I will post pics later] I was thinking about what do to next and remember a sample dress I stared making back in NY when I had the “salon” and never finished [I should take the time one day to tell you what happen with B&B couture]. The dress is almost done but some details [like the big flower I made and lost in one the moving or God knows where] taking the hem and doing the train.

The sample was a bridal gown with beaded lace and light pink silk taffeta [I was way ahead with this design; remember the pink wedding dresses for breast cancer awareness? I was making the dress in the early 90’s]

I thought on taking some of it apart and remake the design. The color goes well with the garden group [which I need to get done like yesterday, but more of that late], But… I’m not sure about it and I need your help here. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

First the workmanship on the dress; there is separate corset very “a la Haute Couture” with extra support given by an elastic cover with china silk to keep the corset close to the body and support the bust, the zipper is sewn by hand as well at the understitch on apron, if I could call it that.



The over skirt or apron is cut on the bias and line, the dress under is underline on silk organza with china silk lining.

The corset was made out of china silk. These are two separate pieces attach at the strap-line.

The corset was sewn to the style line as a facing would. You could see the dress and corset are separte pieces, the dress is complitely lined.

Large Loops sewn to the center seam to hold elastic cord.

Smaller loops on each of the seams

Eyes sewn to the back of corset

Hooks sewn by hand.

Edgestitch sewn by hand on the overskirt [so small it is hard to see]

I was thinking on taking off the apron and changing the bottom part of the dress, but taking a closer look at the garment I see the biggest issue STAINS !! all over the dress. They look like rust, but I’m not sure. I’d tell you I’m luck this is the only one of my samples from NY that has rust stains, sure the silk satins have change the color a bit, and to be honest they look nice, the color is Champaign now. But this one has stains all over the place making it hard to work with it.

The debate is, should I leave as it is, maybe finish it or should I leave it alone.

Any ideas?

PRINT CHARMEUSE EVENIG DRESS

The dress is finished. Thank God!! I did not think I will be done with the dress. I was designing the dress as I was sewing it, and keep changing my mind about the ruffles [which are made out of silk chiffon of the same print], did I want one, two or three? How wide did I want them? I settle on two ruffles, the first is 4” wide the other 6”. I did made them smaller, but did not like the proportion on the dress, so had to take it apart and start all over again, part of the design process.

After it was done, I did not like the way it looks, something was missing. I want the lace to be beaded, took a piece of the lace that was left, try few bead work till I got the right “feel” [keeping the light, soft and transparency of the dress]

The fact that my mind was on another design did not help moving alone faster with the dress, I already working on that, will keep you posted.