SOLD OUT
Draping the
Madame Gr�s Gown . . . the third class in the series from the amazing Dutch draping book!
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A New Book!
We are beginning to reprint more of our Library and this rare design text is first on the list! Go to our store for more details. I have actually heard Kenneth King say that he personally thanks Harriet Pepin for his start in the industry!
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Newsletter Archives
Now you can look up forgotten links, ideas, patterns, tips, photos -- all those things you meant to write down!
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ZERO WASTE
. . . as in none at all for smart cutters!
We celebrate this era of sustainability and eclectic design which makes zero-waste designs so popular. They are unique in design and morally positive! The leaders in the genre are Timo Rissanen, from Australia but on staff at Parson, NY for a few years, and on the same page, Sam Formo from San Francsico; and also Holly McQuillan, in New Zealand.
Take a look at their work and look for my article on the subject in the up coming issue of Threads -- I think it is time to take this mainstream and make our world last longer in the process -- landfills have a limit. Cut your designs without waste -- the options have no limit -- the results are amazing!
Weavers may remember Virginia West who did 2 books on cutting with little or no waste for handwovens, creating some wonderful bias cuts in the process.
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and a . . . SPRING SALE!We are making space for new products from England so a few bulky items need to find a new home -- tools and odd size books, plus a new introductory price on the half scale paper dress form. Check out the sale page! Tools and books at great prices!
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New Products- The Paper Half Scale Dress Form.
  This form is a wonderful thing! It comes in 4 large printed card stock sheets; you cut it out and tape it together. It stands on its own, is about a size 8 - 10 and is perfect for trying out ideas done in flat pattern. Remember those dart manipulation problems that kept you awake at night? Also great for product display for trade shows (saves shipping), for shop samples and ideal for use in a classroom where funds are limited and students need to see it to believe it -- a problem for many students and customers!. Check the product page.
- More
Classes: Designer Masterpieces to Drape from THE BOOK! There are 7 more classes scheduled to finish our series of draping classes from the new Dutch book, Draping, The Art and Craftsmanshio in Fashion Design; they are: Worth, Drecoll, Christian Dior (the dress), Courreges, St. Laurent (Le Smoking), Cardin and Yamamoto. They are becoming popular so if there is a waiting list of 10 after the initial class of 15, a another class will be scheduled for the following weekend. The schedule will be posted on our website within a week so registration can begin early.
- Barbie MySize As A Dress Form! We now have the cover pattern and instructions -- and will shortly have a set of sloper patterns -- for the MySize Barbie so that you can use it as a 36" tall half scale dress form. Most people find them on Ebay but they are available
 at toy stores. Amazingly, they do conform to half scale measurements and offer the advantage of full body draping with arms and legs. Just think, cool sleeves and pants! We use it for our draping classes and they have traveled the country for many programs.
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EVENTS
New PWStudio Version 3.0 with all the old magic and lots of new magic! I am still in love with this program after 15 years I think. If anyone would like a class, using just your laptop and the $20 demo, let me know I am keeping a list and would like to do it this summer. In these tight economic times, getting on board the technology literally turns time into money!
Julian Roberts
- Kent State Studio NYC, June 10 - 12, where he will team up with J.R. Campbell in CUTPRINT, a whirl of
 design and cutting dazzlement! - Ryerson University, Toronto, June 13 - 15. For tickets to the Evening Reception and/or Master Class.
- Kwantlen University, Vancouver, June 17 - 20
- Los Angeles, pending.
New Vionnet Classes.  I will be teaching an in-depth Vionnet draping seminar at the Textile Art Center In Minneapolis as part of the Surface Design Association meeting there in early June, 2010. Totally focused on using your fabulous fabric to the max!
- Vionnet, the Art of the Cut at the De Young Museum in November -- more later.
SPESA EXPO,
- Atlanta, GA, May 18-20. The biggest industry show ever! Details.
SAIC
 - An exhibition of 1940's designs at the Kelly Ellman Fashion Design Gallery at the Phoenix Art Museum, April 3 - August 15. If you haven't noticed this place, you've missed an important resource -- they do it right.
American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity
- May 5 - Aug. 15; this is the first exhibition drawn from the newly established Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection, at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum, New York. And, there is a 2-day symposium to go with. Coming at this point in the new 21st Century, it will be significant in helping us get a grip on the next era.
Fashion Business Inc. -- FBI -- Upcoming Classes - The Apparel Bootcamp: Lessons for Survival and Success in the Fashion Business™ April 13th, 2010 6:00 PM through June 15th, 2010 9:00 PM 110 East 9th St. Suite C786 CA 90079 United States Workshop erin@fashionbizinc.org
SAN FRAN - Product Development For Apparel Desginers April 28th, 2010 6:00 PM through
08:30 PM 455 Market Street 6th Floor San Francisco, CA United States Workshop info@fashionbizinc.org
The Nolcha Fashion Business Conference
- May 20th 2010, catering to independent fashion
 designers, retailers and related independent industry businesses; providing one full day of industry expert-led interactive panels and thought-leadership discussions with those who define business strategy in the fashion market. In New York City. In case you don't know, Nolcha is for the independent designers! For tickets.
La Fred Patterns is for Sale
- The inventory will be offered for sale on April 17, 10 AM - 4 PM at 2169 Folsom St. # M305 in San Francisco -- many beautiful garments, jewelry and scarves to choose from. In addition, there will be a large collection of quality sewing supplies and equipment including fabric, notions, trims, buttons, books, machines, tools. Contact Jennifer Armenta at jen@jenarmenta.com or 707-695-0403.
Online Patternmaking Class
- A Bodice Class starting April 19 with Don McCunn -- if you can make a bodice pattern, you can make all the others!
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Interesting!
The
Journal Skirt.
- Believe it or not, this is a skirt with a book attached to it, a journal, for writing in while wearing -- to quote Elizabeth Galindo who collaborated with Colleen Tonkin to develop the patterns, "I began doodling on my clothing be it jeans,
skirts and blouses whatever I had on while waiting outside treatment rooms (her sister was fighting cancer). Writing in a journal was
not personal enough at that time; I wanted something that my own body
could physically feel while writing down my thoughts". Elizabeth & Colleen are pros so the skirts are beautifully made.
Dress Design, THE Book.
- In 1948 Hillhouse & Mansfield wrote the bible of all pattern design books (which we are reprinting this summer). The thing that made it great was that it showed you how to create patterns via the flat pattern method and draping both. It told you why and how it worked, not just what to do. The designs were complex and became midterm exams in many a course since then. So take a look at the work of a charming UK university student who has made a toile of one of the jackets in half scale -- proving the half scale is the way to prove designs! Thank you Hannah!
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Reminders and Corrections
Kathleen Fasanella
The CoPA Archive.- Joy Emery at the CoPA Archive of patterns has graciously extended our group membership one more month -- happiness reigns! Thanks so much, Joy -- it's second chance for those who ran out of time.
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For me the jasmine buds unfoldAnd silver daisies star the lea,The crocus hoards the sunset gold,And the wild rose breathes fro me.--Florence Earle Coates,
Photo: Timothy Ryan
Sandy Ericson
Center for Pattern Design
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