The Golden Age of Couture @ Frist Center

Today, I drove from Atlanta, Georgia to Nashville, Tennessee to visit The Golden Age of Couture exhibit.  All I can say is WOW!  I totally and completely enjoyed the exhibit.  I can not believe the workmanship and the sheer amount of fabrics and notions available during that time.  The exhibit ends September 12.  If you can get to Nashville, see this exhibit because the pictures don’t do justice to any of the items.

On the way back to Atlanta, Mom and I stopped in Chattanooga, Tennessee to shop at McKay’s.  I added these books to my sewing bookshelf:  Couture: The Art of fine Sewing; The Complete Book of Sewing Short Cuts; and The Golden Hands Complete Book of Dressmaking.

Enjoy

2010 ASG Conference – What I bought

I budgeted $80 to spend at the conference.  My rational was I only had a few hours on Friday to shop and I didn’t really need anything.  Ha!  Whatever..

1. Cutting Line Designs Easy, Ageless Cool pattern & elastic 2. button lanyard from Tennessee ASG chapter

3. Japanese pins (Susan Khalje), silk basting thread, rubber thimble 4. ? thread and silk thread

5 &6 Sewline kit making tools

I could have easily bought three times as much stuff.  I do plan to buy Japanese needles from Susan Khalje.  I wish I’d bought the book Initimately Yours-Bras that Fit and a bra kit.  I couldn’t take the bra making class but I’m very interested in making my own bras.

ETA. I bought the book Intimately Yours-Bras that Fit.  I’ve been reading it for days.  Today, I bought my THIRD sewing machine.  A Singer Creative Touch Fashion Machine 1030.  I bought it for $25 at the Goodwill store.  It’s not in great shape but it sews a three stitch zig-zag stitch.  That’s my rationale and I’m sticking to it 🙂

Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day.

2010 American Sewing Guild Conference-Susan Khalje Class

I attended my first American Sewing Guild (ASG)  Conference this year in Atlanta, Georgia.  I will be attending another ASG conference.  In fact, I like the ASG conference more than I like the Original Sewing & Quilting Expo.  I’m a garment sewer and while I admire quilting well…I’m just not a quilter.

Anyway, back to the ASG conference, I could only take one class because of my work schedule.  I selected Couture Techniques taught by the wonderful Susan Khalje.  It was an all day class (8am to 5pm).  Did I mention that I’m NOT a morning person?

This class focused mainly on hand stitching but Susan also taught a few machine stitching techniques.

Here’s what was taught:

Hand Stitching

• Hand Overcasting
• Catch Stitch
• Fell Stitch
• Slip Stitch
• Back Stitch
• Prick Stitch
• Hand Picked Zipper
• Covered Snaps
• Attaching Hooks, eyes, and snaps
• Thread Chains
• Thread bars
• Faggoting
• Bound Button Holes – Bonus Technique!!!

Machine Stitching Techniques

• Bias Spaghetti Straps
• Angled Seams
• Grosgrain Waist Facing
• Narrow Machine Hem

I learned so much that by the end of the day my brain was mush.  Here are some of my samples.

1.  catch stitch 2. back stitch 3. fagot

4. fell stitch 5. hand picked zipper front closed 6. hand picked zipper

7. hand picked zipper back  8.  thread chain, thread bar, covered snap

9. grosgrain waist facing (front)  10.  grosgrain waist facing (back)

There were about 24 people in the class but I never felt rushed.  Susan was very good about ensuring that everyone understood the techniques and she didn’t mind repeating instructions. The room was setup with 2 people per table and each table had two sewing machines.  A pressing station with 4 irons and iron mats located in the rear of the room.   We received a handout describing most of the techniques and a kit with the most wonderful Japanese needles and pins(I bought the pins and I should have bought more needles), a snap and fabric to cover the snap, silk, lace applique and grosgrain ribbon.  I’m sure I’ve missed something but I can’t think of it now.

Her clothing samples were amazing!  Seriously.  AMAZING!   I wouldn’t mind taking another of her classes.

I budgeted $80 to spend at the conference.  I will never make THAT mistake again. Coming up in the next post,  what I bought.  Stay tuned.

Fabric, fabric and more fabric

I’ve been doing a little sewing and a lot of fabric shopping.

Let’s start with Thursday’s purchase from Gail K’s

This orange and white fabric is 50% silk and 50% cotton.  I will make my TNT skirt McCall’s 3830 view C.  See my skirts here and here .

In April, I ordered this from Gorgeous Fabrics

Three yards of lovely pink, grey and white knit will make a wonderful knit dress 🙂  But this red linen spoke to me.

I can see this as Colette Parfait or Colette Rooibos.

I purchased more fabric from Gail K in April.

I think these would make cute sleeveless cowl neck shells Vogue 9771 view C.

It’s July, I haven’t sewn my blouse.  There are at least two skirt patterns I want to try and one or two dress patterns.  So many patterns, so little time left in the summer 🙂

Hand Stitching

I haven’t been sewing much lately but there is a sewing related activity in my future.  But more on that later.  Last Two Saturdays ago, I attended the Couture ASG meeting where I did this.

Hand stitching Sampler

This was a great meeting for me.  It was the first time I’d attended the Couture meeting and the ladies were great.  I learned: catch stitch, slip stitch, half back stitch, tailor tacks and how to cover snaps.  The instructors were wonderful and so were the members.  We would help each other figure out the stitches and short cuts.  There is a wealth of information among the ladies in the group.    My stitches aren’t perfect but with practice they will get better.  I used the sampler as a guide and made my own practice muslin.

Here are closeups of my stitches.

I can’t wait to talk Susan Khalje’s class in August.  I’m taking her all day hand stitching class.  Speaking of classes, I’m taking a one on one fitting blouse class with Pam Howard in June.  I’m so excited.   I know I’ll finally learn what alterations I need to make to sew a blouse that fits ME!!!

Whipstitch – Atlanta

Today, I went to Whipstitch on my lunch break and bought Colette Patterns, Rooibos.

Colette Patterns

photo from Colette Patterns website

That’s all I walked out with because I just didn’t have time to shop.  The manager, Diane or Diana (I can’t remember her name but I remember her friendly face) was so nice.  She told me they had Colette Patterns and that was that.  I know I’m going to be a frequent shopper because they had beautiful cotton fabric.  I can see a few summer skirts made with fabric from Whipstitch in my future.    If you’re in Atlanta be sure to stop by.

I couldn’t wait to open my purchase.  Colette Patterns are so different from the big 4 patterns.  First, the instructions are in a booklet and the steps are given in order.  What a concept.  I don’t like skipping around to follow big 4 pattern instructions.  Second, Collette Patterns include all sizes which is great.  I know other pattern companies do it, Jalie and Hot Patterns, come to mind but I bought Collette Patterns first.  Third the sizing seems to be more in line with ready to wear sizing.

On another note, I received my order from Gorgeous Fabrics.  Squeeeee!  Sorry, no pictures yet.  I’m too tired to take pictures but look for another post soon.

Fabric Paralysis no more

I placed my first order with Ann from Gorgeous Fabrics.  I don’t know why it took so long.  Maybe it was sheer number of beautiful fabrics she has for sale.   Let me tell ya, I have never had problems buying fabric.  This time, I would select fabric and put it in the cart then change my mind.  I kept debating with myself.   Do I go for the yummy designer wool crepe, the lovely jersey, the summertime, summertime tangerine linen?   In the end, I chose totally different fabric.

I want to thank Gwen from After the dress.  Gwen, you’ve made me a very happy girl 🙂

I’ll post pictures when the fabric arrives.

I haven’t been sewing much lately but I plan to more soon.  I ordered another Palmer/Pletsch DVD, Fit for Real People.  I’ve been watching one segment each night.  I think I’m getting the hang of tissue fitting.  Hopefully, I’ll learn what’s going on with the sleeves.  Now that I think about it, I could have posted pictures here and asked for help.  Oh well, I’m enjoying the DVDs.

Take care…

2010 Annual ASG Conference

August 6-9, 2010 Atlanta, Georgia is the Annual ASG Conference at the Hilton Atlanta. I hadn’t planned to attend … until I saw the list of workshops.  OMG!!!  Couture classes Fitting classes.  For garment sewing, only!!!   I think this is the sewing conference to attend not the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo.  I’m taking an all day workshop “A Day of Couture Techniques” with Susan Khalje. Now, I don’t claim to be a couture sewer.  I DO think couture techniques will help me with garment construction.

I would have signed up for more classes but I have to save some of my vacation time.  So, I this conference is as good as I think it’s going to be then I’m going to save vacation time and money for the 2011 ASG conference.

Fabric Paralysis

I won the contest on the Gwen’s blog After the dress.  This is how I felt (Warning you’ll want to turn the volume down if you’re at work).  So, I have a $50 gift certificate from Gorgeous Fabrics.  For the past week or so, I’ve developed a bad case of Fabric Paralysis.  I haven’t order a single yard of fabric.  How wrong is that?

Wouldn’t this dress look great with this fabric?

Has anyone else suffered from fabric paralysis?

Day Three- The Original Sewing & Quilt Expo

No photos today..Sorry.

I had one class today and it was Linen, Lavender and Lace: Hand Embroidery 101 by JoLee Tarbell.    I learned hand embroidery from the same grandmothers who in steeled in me the love of sewing.  When it comes to crafting, I’m a lot like her.    She liked to sew, embroider, quilt and crochet.  I like to sew, embroider, knit and I’m learning to crochet.  I didn’t get the quilting bug but I can appreciate the work and art of quilting.

Anyway, back to the class.  This was a refresher course for me and I really enjoyed it.  I know sewing is my passion but I like embroidery too.  I would take another class with JoLee Tarbell.  She’s a very patient teacher and her instructions are on point.  In a few minutes, I was totally enjoying the art of embroidery again.  We learned and practiced a few stitches on a project.  The stitches are:  running stitch, back stitch, stem stitch and french knot.  I will finish my towel later this week and take pictures.

I didn’t run into other bloggers this year.  Although, I think I saw A Sewist Obsessed in one of Cynthia Guffey’s classes.