BROWN VELVET AND LACE

While taking a break from making patterns, I stared looking at some of the pics of my dresses and came about this dress. I’ll tell you, I love this dress, have to make it again someday.





I made the dress for a client that was going to a wedding. The dress is made out of velvet, lace and netting with horsehair.






What I love, about it [apart from the design itself] is the closing technique I use for it. The back was made out of lace, being a see through back; a zipper was out of the question [in mine opinion]







I did not want a zipper to show through the lace on the side, zipper would not be the best choice for the dress.



The opening on the dress is on the left side, it has a 7”zipper up to the begging of the lace. For the upper part of the dress and the shoulder I used snaps for the inside [for added security and support] and velvet cover buttons with loops.


The buttons and loops gave it a nice look [my opinion].




Enjoy the pics, I think they speak for themselves. And, yes the dress is a bit bigger than the mannequin!
Back to the cutting table, have patterns to finish

GARDEN PARTY

I have two passions in life, books and silks! When I was in NYC I had a large collection of fashion books, some I have keep after I move to Miami, others I sold or gave to the library. It broke my heart parting with them, but I just could not bring them.

One of the books I’m glad I keep with me is “The Opulent Era” by Elizabeth Ann Coleman. The book is a rare look at the early haute couture houses in Paris. It gives the reader an inside of the houses of Worth, Doucet and Pingat. I love the dress on the cover, it is an evening dress from the House of Worth [1902] designed by Jean-Philippe Worth. I love this dress and always wanted to design something base on it. The dress is so feminine, light and airy so unlike the other dresses from the era.

The opportunity to do something inspire by the dress is finally here, I found a print with the feel of the dress. It is on Charmeuse and Chiffon, I got them both, just have to have them. I will be using also one color Charmeuse in both the pink and the violet.

The fabrics had arrived today and I’m very pleased to see the print is just perfect. I will be making several dresses out of these fabrics, but I’m still not made up my mind about trims, or technique I’d uses. I’d let the fabrics talk to me. In the mean time, here are some pics of fabrics and a lace, I might or may not use, I hope you love them as much as I do!

YOU PLAN, AND GOD DECIDES!!

It’s going to be a year since my last post on the blog, I can believe it! I’ll tell you, it sure feels movies imitates life, specially my own. I had referred to Forrest Gump a few times in the past, and if you saw the movie you know how his life took him to so many different experiences. Well I feel that way sometimes!

At the end of last summer, my business was slow and I was “going’’ in a different direction; opening my store online and networking here in Miami, when I got a call from one of my clients, muse and dear friend Anastasya. She was working at a company doing loan [mortgage] modification and an opening was coming up and she gave my name.

Well, needless to say, that’s what I had being doing all this time. What kind I say, “a boy got it do what a boy got to do” I had bills to pay, and money to save.

Now, this is where the “God Decides” comes about. There I met two ladies that were also in fashion on one form or another. Jennifer makes beautiful jewelry out of semi-precious stones weaved on macramé. Her work is just amazing.

Jen and I have kept in touch although she left the company at the beginning of the year. She has being working on her jewelry, making more of them and evolving her style. The “free” time has allowed her to follow through with some connections and acquiring new ones. Through her, I got connected to some people, and we have something “on the back burner” [more to come, stay tone]

At this time I’m getting myself ready to jump back on the design “wave” [I forgot, I no longer work at that company, the company is no longer on operation, the loan modification business is almost dead… but that is a different story].

So, my dear friends and colleagues, I’m waiting on my order of beautiful printed silk chiffon, Charmeuse; and “delish” silks to get busy. I promise I’d be sharing the designs with you as I move alone.

I want to take a moment to thank my dear friends, Paco and his Sister Isabel we have being in contact all this time, their love, support and encouragement has no price.
Thank you Paco for the magazines!!


I’l be Back!!

BLACK WAVE COCKTAIL DRESS

I name this dress “Black Wave” after I saw the pics. I took them out side, facing the bay, and with the wind, the flounces could not stay still. The skirt was dancing with the wind, having a grand o’ time. I thought on waiting till the wind came down, but I wanted the morning light, so there was not other chose, other than wait till another day.

I made the skirt of the dress in Satin Silk soft organza, the body of the skirt was underline with silk organza for support and to carry all the markings needed for the skirt.

Lace, black and brown silk organza were use for the bodice, nude china silk to underline.

Velvet ribbon was used for the waist band and straps.

On the next pics I’m showing some of the process of making the dress,
After I did the skirt, it was a matter of finding out, what look I wanted for the bodice. I try doing something a bit different and not so predictable. There were some printed fabrics on my stash, so I went to play with them and see what it would come out of it.

As you see on this pic I liked the stripe fabric with the lace over it, the problem was the fabric is a poly. Although it was a good look, modern and fun, I just was not comfortable mixing fibers on this dress.

Back to square one! The dress will be as I originally though of it, bodice over a nude look.

Most often I use three layers of fabrics to create a nude color when I’m using lace.
Depending on the intensity of the lining color, I’d use a brown organza and, like in this case a black over the brown.

As you see on the pics, just the brown organza over the nude lining did not give me enough dept, the black organza over the brown did.

hand sewing the lace over the bodice.

Traditional hem with lace ribbon

I use paper bags for ironing over seams, using this technique you prevent seam imprints on the fabric. [I use a lot of kitchen tools with my ironing, will post about it some time soon]

Here you’d see how I closed the back of the skirt. The pattern has a flounce that overlaps the center back seam. Using baby snaps on the flounce and the waist seam to close the back. The bow also has a snap to hold it in place.

With the center back closed you can’t see the center back seam,

JUNGLE COLLECTION PRINT BLOUSES

Blouse made out of Poly Georgette; this is a peasant style blouse easy to wear. The neckline and cuff are sewn with elastic thread on the bobbin, making it easy to fit and slip over the head.

Charmeuse top cutout on the bias with invisible zipper on the left side for easy fit.

Low rise poly crepe pants, the pants might be part of a suit

JUNGLE COLLECTION "IVORY" DRESS

This dress is part of the collection I called “The Jungle”. It is made out of Poly crepe with bias charmeuse piping. The piping was cut from a leopard print that would be use in other piece on the collection. This is the same print, but on poly georgette, used for the blouse and dress shown on the last post. I still have to finish some details on the georgette dress; I’d be posting that with other pieces.

Design detail;

facing cut from printed fabric.

NEW DIRECTION

I’m back on the game, this time I’m doing things different. Looking at my stash, and making some patterns I stared working on a small collection that I will list on my ETSY store. Paco commented later last week, ETSY is a great site for selling hand made creations.

I had known about ETSY for quite some time, a good friend from my F.I.T. days [she has a jewelry store on the site] had introduce me to it, but never had the time to list my designs. Busy doing custom made, I never had finish a collection to list on the site.

The last experience was a reminder to follow with plans I had on the back burner for a while. ETSY was one of those plans.
I have some pieces that were stared but the whole group never got completed. As you could imagine, after the inspiration is gone, you never get it back, so I’m working on implementing new ideas with what I already had made.

Also, through friends here in Miami, I got some contacts from one local TV channel, I need to create some [very] “Miami” designs to send to them. Will this work out? I don’t know, we will see, [but it surely brings some new energy and challenges]. In order for something of this nature to work out you have to really “pimp” yourself, which it is not easy when you are doing everything.



Keeping that in mind, I’m getting seamstress’s contacts numbers from a local industrial sewing machine dealer. As Mary Beth had mention, I need to get some good seamstresses, this way I will have time to “sale myself”.
So with new energy, and cleared mind, I went to my ETSY shop, duster it up, took out the “spider webs” and posted some of my old Wedding dresses samples.
I still need to get acquaintance with the site, but boy, you really need to be careful when you do anything on the net. Do you believe, just few hours after posting the dresses, I got what Etsy calls a “convo” [CONVERSATION] I read the “convo” and read it again… hu hu! It look like a scam, like they say, if it looks like a scam, talk like… I’m can not said it was, but I try to “convo” and the account was closed, hum!! This person wanted to buy out of the site, she gave her email address and wanted me to send PERSAL INFO so she could send a check. She would have her SHIPPING COMP get the dress. It did not sound “legit’’ to me. So WARNING! Be ware of the scams they are every where.

Looking at the site I came across Leanne’s store, I had seeing the store many times but never notice it was her's. It is nice seeing one of PROJECT RUNWAY'S winner on the site.

I would like to acknowledge the comments made. The worlds and sentiment posted were of great help to me and I hope to others who might read that post some time in the future.

With gratitude, thanks;

Gorgeous Things
Paco
Ann
Els
Mary Beth
Summerset
Joannely
Kates
The Sewing Loft