• Draping for Fit:  March 22, 9 - 4:30 
  An introductory class for basic techniques, tools, materiel's, and resources; involves draping the basic dress sloper (block pattern) for any body; includes draping for figure problems such as asymmetry or posture issues to achieve balanced, well fitted garment block patterns. Block patterns are then used to develop a variety of fashion designs.  Details.
• Draping for Design 1:  March 23, 9 - 4:30
  An exploration of draped designs beyond basic fit; learning how to manipulate fabric on the form to achieve a variety of more advanced designs such as complex bodice darts, cowls, flares and asymmetrically draped folds.  Details.  
• Draping for Design 2:  April 28, 9 - 4:30
  Draping specific garments and garment parts such as collars, pants, sleeves, bustiers, jackets, student requests and draping from a sketch or photo. Also included is how to develop flat paper patterns from the draped muslins.  Details.
  
  Half scale dress forms are provided for all classes.  Registrants will receive a supply list and lodging, shuttle and neighborhood information upon registration.     

Vintage Clothing and Textile Sale 

April 27, 2014, 10 - 4, at the Ribbonerie, 9-4. (the day before the Design 2 class). Alas, the time has come to thin things out -- need space!  This is a one-day sale of some of my 40 years of vintage fabrics and clothing.  Need to make room for actual work! So pop into SF for the Sale and stay for the Design 2 class! 

New Men's Pattern Blocks from London
Since a guy's sartorial splendor has now become a serious job getting tool, Martin Shoban, the go-to source for the best patterning tools in London, is offering new pattern blocks for men -- in our store.  The classic fitting shirt block is easy to adapt to a variety of shirt fittings with illustrated diagrams and the waistcoat block adapts to 5 styles. These blocks enable one to cut a beautifully balanced garment the first time out -- jackets & pants are there too.  Shoban has perfected the fit to exacting English standards. 

Update on Online Pattern Classes

The tech on this project was slow going but it's done at last!  The first of three classes, from simple to complex, is called From Sketch to Pattern 1 and it's how to make a pattern from a sketch or photo using the flat pattern method.  As a kid I wished so hard that I could do this and have those dreamy clothes in the magazines. Dreams do come true!  It will be Pay Per View and our plan is to have it tested and ready to go by Feb.1.

New Half-Scale Alva Forms

The Alvanon people of fabulous dress forms have come out with a new half-scale form that is the ultimate! It hangs and has partial legs so pants can happen. Their forms are so accurate that the patterns fit well without the usual try-out toile stages in most cases.  Here are the details.

Pattern Printing Service

A new service, perfect for those who want to print short runs of their own patterns and not go broke doing it.  AJ Printing in Santa Rosa, CA.  Plus, they print the instructions and envelops too. We use them for our patterns!

It's a 1930's Spring!

F.I.T. 1930's Show in New York  --  Elegance in an Age of Crisis: Fashions of the 1930s

February 7 - April 19, 2014.   This period of fashion, for both men and women, delivered the most exacting standards for cut and construction and, simultaneously, the most beautiful on the natural body.  It was also a very difficult time for society in general  . . .  maybe out of pain comes such discipline?  Read the background for the show! 

  

More Schiap -- Christies Auction January 23, 2014

Collection personnelle d'Elsa Schiaparelli, Paris.  And then there is this wonderful auction -- not only are the clothes amazing but the catalog is great for those of us who study her designs to tiny pieces.

And More  . . . The House of Schiaparelli has a new creative director for the first time in almost half a century -- Marco Zanini.  Zanini, a very savvy soul, who has worked previously for Halston and Versace, will present his first collection for Schiaparelli during couture week in January.

Draping and Designing With Scissors and Cloth, 1930's

And lastly, if you go wild about the 30's and just must do it -- check out our book that was printed at the time, for home stitchers, on how to drape those slinky bias designs everyone saw in the Jean Harlow movies -- yum, yum!

And Even More . . . 

Then, lest you miss a true biggie -- plot now to get to New York for the

Charles James show at the Met's Costume Institute, coming this summer, May 8 - August 10.  James, an American, was the McQueen of his time and the world's priciest couturier.  Be sure to see this show since ballgowns are back and you may need one, who knows?  He did curves in a delicious way, inventing contour belts, shaped side seams, the high waist-ed  Dorothy skirt and kept waists THE single feature that generations of men have identified as the defining feature of a woman -- more powerful than long hair! (This was a PH.D. thesis.)  Beyond the Victorian age, we can thank James for the equation: Waists = Women. Check the  Charles James Mantle in our pattern collection!  And, here's a quick preview!

The Dresses of Designer Charles James with Hamish Bowles

So there we are . . .

As we verge on 2014 it looks like everyone is in fact-facing mode and determined to make good, sound decisions -- practical ones -- unlike the flying leaps of the early 2000's. The long economic shake-out has handed us a new era, new creativity, new people, new responsibilities and new ways to work. In short, now we're serious.

2014 going to be so good!

Sandy