Fabric For Fashion !

I have been asked more than once this week if I am ''keeping my feet up''. Previously a bit of an alien concept, now, with baby bump growing bigger every day (or so it feels !), I have been taking the time to enact the sage advice of those with my interests at heart! And so, the arrival of another anticipated review copy from the fabulous Laurence King Publishing, could not have been better timed. The book is ''Fabric for Fashion: The Complete Guide' by Clive Hallett, (a veteran of the fashion industry since 1972) and Amanda Johnston, teacher at the London College of Fashion and a design consultant since 1982.

As always with LKP, it is a beautifully produced book, packed full of illustrative photography and information boxes and in this case, separating the book into three main sections : Animal Fibres, Plant Fibres and Man-Made Fibres.

Anyone working with fabric in a home dressmaking or professional capacity in the fashion industry will understand how important, if not crucial, an understanding of different fabrics, their qualities, structure and behaviours can be when making a choice for different garments and styles. Not only do various fabrics feel and look different, they move and work differently, in their own way. This book expounds the different qualities and virtues of each, illustrating the ways in which different fabric designers have managed to exploit and maximise their qualities within the fashion industry.

Equally, personal preferences for fabric come into play. I have always had a self professed 'velvet fixation' and will use it wherever possible (see previous posts!) However, the unique properties of a cotton, or dare I say a wonderfully watery silk velvet that slips through the fingers, have set me up for a challenge when insisting that a cotton, or stretch jersey dress just won't be complete and wearable without an added velvet panel. This is where you can find yourself with two very different fabrics seemingly trying to move 'against each' other in different directions under the sewing machine's needle. Not impossible to conquer with a bit of patience however !

Stretch cotton jersey and silk velvet.

My dressmaking group's tutor is very much in favour of natural fibre fabrics and quite fairly points out the qualities of a synthetic fibre that might keep you cooler in the winter- when you need to be warm, and ensures you burn a steady heat (or sweat!) in the heat, when you need a fabric to keep you cool, such as cotton or a linen.

''Fabric For Fashion'' discusses the qualities of a multitude of different fabrics, including a fascinating section on bamboo, that engrossed me. Bamboo seems to have become hailed as the new 'eco-fabric' , (it can be grown close together, ''exceeding the yield for cotton on the same size of plantation', as well as with reduced greenhouse emissions). For the wearer, it wins great accolades for its 'cooling properties', wicking away and evaporating perspiration, making it ideal for sportswear - and socks, sheets and summers tee shirts ! In fact it professes to keep the wearer one or two degrees cooler in a Summer climate than other natural fibres.

Bamboo in the garden - (and Betty the cat)

At first glance, this evergreen member of the grass family does not convey its many, multi purpose virtues, but in China is referred to as 'the plant of a thousand uses'. It has antibacterial properties, (owing to the presence of Bamboo ''kun'' in its make up, protecting it from pests), it is soft with a natural sheen, (also referred to as ''cashmere from plants'' in the US) and its' natural fibres block out 90% of both UVA and UVB rays - what's not to love !!

This title is a wealth of information on every possible fabric from Yak hair to hemp and polyamide to elastine and synthetic rubber. You name it, this book will tell you the history, properties and manufacturing processes of each, using images from the catwalk and the factory to illustrate.

This is the ultimate reference to all things 'fabric' and a must have for anyone working with and exploring different fibres and fabrics, in whatever capacity. It is also a fascinating resource for an informative knowledge of how the fabric industry is developing, adapting and changing all the while with new, innovative discoveries. There is a useful intro too on knitting, weaving, felting, fabric dyeing and printing and helpful guides to terminology. 

Currently I am enjoying the 'Luxury Animal Fibres' section and getting up to speed on the camel hair market ! Who doesn't love a warm, cosy natural fibre for those winter months ?! 

Speaking of which, there is another rather splendid Laurence King title about to hit the shop shelves in the Spring, this time on the versatile and varied virtues of wool in the fashion industry. Check it out!

'Fashion Knitwear', Author - Jenny Udale. Picture Editor - yours truly !

A New Sewing Year!

After a fabulous Christmas break, I am starting to think about what sewing delights might engage my free time this coming year. It has been a restful and happy Christmas with family and friends and an extra excuse to put my feet up with a baby on board!

With changing shape and growing baby bump, I scoured patterns in the hope of finding something fun to make in the line of maternity wear. I think I the set the bar high in the hope of something with an Issey Miyake, or Marcy Tilton vibe that would work, but didn't really find anything that fitted that bill, or nothing at least that grabbed my interest in a big enough way. Hence, as well as indulging in a few dress purchases from maternity wear shops, (that I have been delighted with), other pre-existing wardrobe items have been 'altered' with a newly acquired Empire Line, also easily done with a pretty over the bump/under the bust belt and hey presto, good to go !

I am also thinking of making a a couple of my own flat blow belts for this purpose. The lovely Lauren of Great British Sewing Bee has a simple tutorial on her blog for a pretty bow belt. :

http://www.guthrie-ghani.co.uk/blog/how-to-make-a-flat-bow-belt-tutorial

With the added excitement of a 5 day power cut over Christmas, (yep, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Boxing Day!), the Sewing Tree machine has lain quiet this festive break, so this seems the perfect little project to get back into the swing of a new year of seamstressing adventures.

Fabric Pairing

If there is something about shopping for fabric that makes it so much easier than going out hunting for the perfect pair of Winter boots, (or whatever it may be), it is that I know what I like when I see it, usually with that reassuring certainty of THAT is the fabric I need right now ! My most recent purchase along these lines was a fabric in fact designed for home decor and furnishing. However, for my purposes, it made the perfect, heavier weight fabric for Winter wear and I made the following...!

Having bought this gorgeously bold, grey floral, I quickly decided ~having already laid my eyes on some grey velvets in Berwick Street, that I would partner it with a different texture in a complimentary tone as a band at the bottom of the dress. I settled on the darker of the grey velvets I had found and love the combination of the two together.

The pattern I used was New Look 6022 and classed as 'EASY'. I was in need of an 'instant gratification' make at the time and running a bit short on time, so it fitted the bill perfectly! The only bit I changed (yes, I know, getting to be a bit of a habit), was that in adding the velvet panel at the bottom, I cut it as a more A Line shape than the pattern, which itself is more of a straight up and down affair. I wanted to give the velvet a bit of 'flare' at the bottom in all senses!

The usual challenge of pairing two very different fabrics applied of course ! There were moments attaching the velvet panel to the rest of the dress, where it felt as though the two fabrics were moving in different directions under the needle ! An extra cup of tea, deep breath and taking it slowly made the difference ;o)

I love a gathered sleeve and so also snuck in an extra one in the top of the sleeve for good measure. These work beautifully in a heavier weight fabric in holding their own shape. 

The pleats on the neckline are another pretty feature of this pattern, but fairly shallow. My toile version also revealed a rather wide and baggy neck, so this offered the perfect opportunity to make the gathers a bit deeper and draw in the neckline a little.

All in all a pleasing result and a pleasure to play with pairing different fabrics and create a happy union with some sumptuous velvet - always a winner!

           

Sew Successful ;o)

What an amazing week ! Last Saturday saw the close of the St Dunstan's Artists exhibition. It was an inspiration to be a part of - not least in the admiration of other exhibitor's talents in the fields of ceramics, calligraphy and sculpture, (to name a few), but also a joy speaking to visitors and being involved in something so positive and creative! It also got me away from behind the sewing machine and the laptop for at least part of the week !

Of my framed prints, books and hot water bottle covers, it was the hotties that were the outright forerunner. Ironic given that the photography had been the main purpose of joining the event and including something of a home-sewn nature had been a bit of an after thought ! There were interested viewers of the prints (which perhaps on reflection I had displayed more as 'exhibits' than available to purchase) and some copies of my books were also purchased, with another copy bid for and won in the Silent Auction in aid of the hospice, even better. However, it was the hottie covers that seemed to sing people's name as they came towards the table and there was a gratifying amount of fleece stroking and purrs of interest along with the sales. 

On the Friday I was running off more hotties in a hurry and found myself still in PJ's behind the machine at midday (did I just admit to that ?!)

So, having perfected my hottie cover 'prototype', (after a few trial runs and one hot water bottle that simple refused to slip into its new cover - the early stages!), I now have my dream template and button, ribbon and applique embellishments down to a tee...and I don't want it to stop there ! So, the production line remains open and I have been taking orders as Christmas gifts  - and gifts to self, through Facebook and email.

There are three different motifs, a bird with sparkly Swarovski crystal eye, a Scottie dog, or a heart and I currently have super soft, non-pilling fleece in a Christmassy silver grey or sumptuous purple. All £15 each.

So, if you have someone special that deserves a bit of extra cosiness and comfort this Winter, (that includes yourself !) or you want an excuse to avoid the annual pavement pounding with the Christmas shoppers, then place your order! 

Every hottie cover is made with love and with a smile (and under the watchful eye of two attentive feline assistants, Ruby & Betty)

Please contact me by leaving a comment or email sew4thesoul@gmail.com with your order and choice of colour and motif.

Winter Warmers

The sewing machine has been working at full tilt, though not as much on Winter wearables as on Winter Warmers, AKA some hand crafted hot water bottle covers! Now I do love my home comforts, but these are not all for me! I am in excited preparation for the above exhibition, in which I am taking part with 7 other artists of different mediums, including ceramics and sculpture. I am primarily exhibiting and selling a selection of my framed photographs, but of course could not participate without including something of the sewn variety - so, the season called for cosy hottie covers! 

I sourced a super soft, non-pilling fleece - perfect for warming chilly toes or even propping behind a tired back after raking leaves! The rest was a bit of an organic process, deciding what applique motifs would work best, without being so labour intensive that they fought with the speedy production line I rather ambitiously had in mind ! Then, with a little digging around in the depths of my sewing box, Swarovski crystal beads became bird's eyes, grosgrain ribbon an embellishment for the overlapping fabric on the back of the cover and I also decided that everyone deserves a Winter scarf, even a hot water bottle! So little heart and flower shaped buttons became the finishing touch here. You may also recognise the purple, floral fabric from its other incarnation as a dress! (Nothing wasted!)

Also, on offer will be some red and purple, velvet brooches, Perfect for securing a scarf or wrap on a blustery day, or as a fun embellishment to a Winter coat!

Oh and why not, I know it's a sewing blog, but herewith a sneak preview of some of the wall-ready, framed prints I will have on offer too ;o)

www.sarahhopperphotography.co.uk

Hope to see some of you there !

A Touch of Glamour

Just need to have a little, (excited) shout about a special clutch bag gifted to me today by a rather talented and lovely friend, Vicky of 'Victory Stitches'. You may recall previous mention of said bag in a post on my sycamore seed dress. Hand crafted by Vicky using some of her splendid boiled wool and the remnants of my sycamore fabric, as of today dress and clutch bag are united in a pairing of perfection and glamour! The boiled wool feels fabulously cosy to hold and the size is perfect for a larger than average mobile (Galaxy Note), specs, money, essential sweeties and any required essentials !

I have to apologise to my dress in advance as this bag will also be seeing several outings without its dress partnership ; its inaugural outing being tonight, when it will be 'glamming up' jeans and glittery top for an evening in the Canterbury Festival's Spiegeltent.
Thank you, Vicky !

Autumn Ruminations.

A very wet weekend prompted several musings on what suitable attire I have for the change in temperature - and when I will get round to consigning a wardrobe of Summer skirts and dresses in to storage!

With a tempting selection of wools and wool jerseys appearing in my favourite sewing haunts, it is time to settle on a new project and it brought to mind a fabulous skirt that I made last year. Said skirt was a rather lovely Marcy Tilton pattern (V8499) and fashioned in honour of a special friend's wedding, just a few days after Christmas. It is the kind of pattern you come across and think 'why haven't I seen this before?!' I promptly set about the joyful task of choosing a wedding worthy fabric - ultimately a silvery grey taffeta.

It was fabulous fun to wear on the day, but alas has not been worn since! I think in part due to the rather 'occasion wear' nature of the fabric. Even making it at the time, I had it in mind that it would be a fabulous skirt in a winter wool and it has come to the fore again now that we have reached October ! I have since seen it made in tweed, as well as summer cotton and with inspired, contrast pockets. It shines just as brightly in all of the above and is a wonderfully versatile design.

Not only do I love the unique style of this skirt, but it was a pleasure to make and went together much quicker than anticipated. The bellows pockets give it an extra designer touch - and a nifty place for lipstick and tissues at a wedding !

I realise this post is a bit of an homage to Marcy Tilton's skirt designing prowess...however, just one of many musings that had to be shared, as I flick through my stash of Winter patterns and fabrics! Oh and finally, but not least (and with permission of Mrs L), a photo of the day itself ;o)