Happily, there was a wonderful burst of creativity in the digital printing world -- anything can now be printed on anything -- and much was nicely engineered to the cut of the design. But, sadly, too many thought that digital printing was fashion design. It's not, it is digital printing.  Prepare for the 3-D printing boom in '13 -- and get set for a big wave of technological clothing. Your shirt will speak French in the dark!

Then there was a big surge in the "duh" department for menswear. I think guys are finally getting it:  if you need a job, you have to look like a professional asset not a liability, which takes macho mucho extra thought.  Next year will be stellar for menswear, traditionally a big influence on the quality of women's wear, so we may see a quality jump in general -- praise all higher powers for that!  No one cares if an item was bought this morning only if you are dazzling. Dazzling takes extra thought too -- clue, looking attractive is again an intellectual/artistic statement and not a label war so up your game and pay more attention.

And then we have the big climate change light bulb that illuminated fashion sustainability this year. We all bow before young sustainable-fashion tribes, those who sew-their-own and everyone who buys consignment and/or votes with their feet. Applause all around!

Sadly, 2012 was the year the last nail went into the coffin of many couture houses.  Only a few have not lost their artistic leadership. I know many will fight this truth but in reality the houses now have design teams that churn out the product and the designer is a front, a  PR post/host, hence photogenic ranks higher than talent in the job search (case in point, Balenciaga). Consider the field clear if you want to be personally known (and accountable!) for good design, still always your best game for staying in the game.

Overall, good news, society seems to have lessened the fooling around/showing off/adoring celebrities and is getting down to business -- read deliverables, those products, plans, projects, programs and perceptions that actually work! This is a big zeitgeist turnaround and is the best transition to come out of the financial crash. Congrats and much success go to all who get that and make serious magic every day.

And then, zoom to the Here section for our change as of the 1st!

Special, Special Notice:
We are streamlining the process here!  Beginning on January 1, there will be more frequent & timely blog posts and the newsletter will only be dispatched for CFPD announcements.  So the the routine thing will turn into the when-needed thing, letting you know about what's new here, dates, classes, or, maybe a sale!

To be sure you receive blog posts on everything pattern, sign up for the RSS feed and pick your browser option -- you'll be automatically notified of any new posts.

2013 CLASSES (so far).  Registration for all classes will go online in January.      

• Draping the Vionnet Bias Skirt with Sandra Ericson, Saturday, Feb. 9, 1 - 4 pm. Half Scale Workshop, Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville St., Petaluma, CA, 707-762-5600. Registration is now open but not online; you'll have to call the Arts Center to join the class.  

• Draping the Cardin Suit with Sandra Ericson, March 2-3, San Francisco at the Ribbonerie.  This is the 9th in the Draping Series and will also include a sidebar on draping unusual sleeves (a key feature of the suit jacket).  

• Patterns For Pleats with Sandra Ericson, April 12-14, Minneapolis at the Textile Center.  This class will cover all the wearable forms and means of non-commercial pleating AND is timed so we can go to the Preview night of their huge annual sale. 

• Patterning Insertions with Pam Vanderlinde, June 29-30 in San Francisco at the Ribbonerie.  This will be a lecture/workshop on all the best of Gilbert Adrian and Sonia Deluaney -- two iconic designers who pieced together masterpieces of insertion-wear, so much so that their work moved beyond clothes into the art world.  

• Shirts:  Patterns to Production, August 2 -4, with Steve Pauling in San Francisco at the Ribbonerie. Steve will take us through the draping, fitting and assembly process for the perfect shirt to make a custom, bespoke shirt absolutely achievable for anyone -- man or woman!  The perfect shirt is KEY to it all.   

NEW PATTERNS coming up in Jan/Feb -- the pack is almost crossing the finish line!   

• The Spiral Coat -- the whole thing is one pattern piece, on the bias, of course.
• The Bias Tiered Coat -- invented for the Weaver's show in Petaluma (see class above). 
• The Sleeved Four Square Dress -- a sleeved version of Vionnet's famous bias dress, also for the Petaluma show. 
• The Albison Jacket -- a molded batwing jacket which uses reverse nap light effects.
• The  Batwing Blouse, to go with -- very clean and drapey-elegant.
• The 8-Gore Bias Pant -- fits like a glove, literally. 

Midwinter nights the frost is deep,
The stars are glistening and sparkling.
All on the lonely farm are asleep
Move less through midnight darkling.
Silent the road where the moon glides bright,
Snow on the boughs is gleaming white,
White on the rooftops gleaming.
All but the Gnome are dreaming.

Grey he appears at the great barn door,
Watches the drifts blow flatter,
Looks, as so many winters before,
Up at the moon's bright platter.
Notes where the spruce trees, shaggy and tall,
Draw round the farm their shadowy wall.
And-though it profit him little-
Ponders a curious riddle.

 read on . . .



May everything gleam for you in the New Year . . .
Sandy