Dress creation brings out the romantic in me. When I looked ahead to my summer sewing, I thought if I could sew only one garment for the season, it would be a dress. Fiona, the Irish Laurel dress, satisfied my yearning to design and sew the perfect summer frock.
This dress was a very satisfying project for my arty romantic style. In between sewing summer essentials - shorts and tees - I worked off and on to determine what design lines spoke to me about summer, mock up a miniature sloper pattern to test my ideas, draft a pattern from my sloper, and then finally to sew up Fiona, while summer was still on!
*Pensamientos Primeros - Thinking through my idea for this summer dress
*Technicos - Pattern Drafting and Kissing Zipper using a Prick Stitch
*Pensamientos Finales - Fiona's Design Lines have roots in my own history
 

Fiona, The Irish Laurel Dress (Farewell to Summer)

This Californian sews for her lifestyle, one that includes hiking, biking, school, and a casual work environment. She prefers arty romantic styles, like embellished tee shirts. Laurel sews pretty clothes that make her wardrobe work. Her monthly “Enchanted By Sewing” shows are garment themed, and include chat about techniques and patterns, as well as short interviews with other local San Francisco Bay Area sewists.

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This month we return to San Francisco’s Summer of Love for more retro fashion inspiration. It’s another field trip ‘cast I’ve been working pretty hard on non-sewing business. Still I love  blue-sky sewing. I’m always keeping an eye out for creative ideas I’ll put to use down the road. Last month and this, I’ve been getting future sewing inspiration from fashions straight out of the Summer of Love. Last month,  I shared my response to denim fashions from the late sixties social movement known as The Summer of Love. The kind of  clothing on view in the Denimocracy portion of  the San Francisco de Young museum exhibit, we’re visited last month, still affects fashion we sew and wear today. This month we’re making a quick return to San Francisco to look at the part ethnic and historical clothing played in the fashion scene back in those days. ~ ~ ~ http://deyoung.famsf.org/summer-love-art-fashion-and-rock-roll http://digitalstories.famsf.org/summer-of-love

EnchBySew-58: Summer of Love -Ethnic & Historical Inspired – Postcard 2 (Field Trip)

A denim-embellished, sewing inspiration, field trip to the San Franciso de Young Museum’s 50’th anniversary of the Summer of Love – at the de Young museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, about 4 miles away from the Polo Fields where the Summer of Love’s Human Be In was celebrated.   So just step on in to your time portal of choice and …. Let it all hang out….   - We’ll start with…Pensamientos Primeros: Hey, had you realized that this summer marks the 50’th anniversy of the Summer of Love in San Franciso? Wow – Far Out Sister!   - Entonces  Un excursion / Then a field trip - Join me for a short field trip to the Summer of Love !   - Y en Pensamientos Finales/And in Final Thoughts : A Perpetual Summer     * * Resources * * Xilocuatla - Nahuatl   http://www.mexicantextiles.com  

EnchBySew-57: Summer of Love: Denimocracy - Postcard 1 (Field Trip, Sewing, Sew, Textiles, Inspiration, Fashion )

I'm enchanted by silk. Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts: What is silk and where might it come from? Exploring an historic Japanese Minka Folk House. Technicos/Techniques – Furoshiki: A no-stitch creation from silk - Marriage of ancient Japanese practicality and art Pensamientos Finales/Final Thoughts – Dreaming of a Superfluity of Silks in the Alcaiceria Bazaar of Granda Spain - home to the Alhambra Palace ~ ~ ~ Resources !~ ~ ~ What was the fibula reference? http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2017/04/before-safety-pins-there-were-fibulas.html  1) Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts - Links Silk was one of the Animal Fibers in this exhibit, which I loved, at the Met  http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2016/animal-fibers  http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2016/animal-fibers/exhibition-themes  http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/objects?exhibitionId={118765DF-EE1C-4F92-9606-27916C0763AB}  PUSH THE PLUS BUTTON to get more details ALL OBJECTS shows pictures and text for all items in the exhibit  Other Two Parts of the "Secret Life..." Exhibit  http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2016/plant-fibers  http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2017/secret-life-of-textiles-synthetic Peace Silk/No Kill/Cruelty Free - I have not studied this. Feel free to post what you know  https://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-fashion/new-silk-production-technique-does-not-require-killing-worms.html  http://thekindlife.com/blog/2012/09/alicia-silverstone-what-is-peace-silk/  ~ ~ ~ Continuado - The Minka House at Kew Gardens, England near Richmond, Easy Day trip from London https://sequinsandcherryblossom.com/2013/01/06/silkworms-and-mortice-joints-the-minka-house-at-kew/ 2) Furoshiki Sampling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W0BajFL6uQ Furoshiki: A folded bag https://youtu.be/Z9dbjzcmLBU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F74Dwe2BDFw 3) Pensamientos Finales - A Superfluity of Silks - The Alcaiceria, Granada Spain: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/granada/alcaiceria.htm  

Enchanted by Silk

I’ve become more and more enchanted with altering patterns not only to make them fit me well, but also to add I-am-my-own-designer details to what I sew. A patch pocket a very basic pattern alteration project that doesn't take long and adds a lot to the garment I'm sewing.  Patch pocket alteration is also great for  a first time pattern alteration project, or someone who’s returning to sewing and wants to feel they are adding their own touch to a commercial pattern.  This month show I talk about how I altered and created a unique patch pocket for my Sukey blouse. Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts: Blue Sky Sewing. How I might use a patch pocket to feel more like my own pattern designer or simply add practicality to my wardrobe and other things I sew and use.  Technicos/Techniques: How I altered the patch pocket I made for my Sukey Shirt (I expect to blog and cast more about Sukey in the future)

EnchBySew-55: A Pocket for Sukey  (Pattern Work)

Part three of my series about my 3-piece Mother-Of-The-Bride (MOB) outfit. Wrapping up my MOB sewing project -sharing my experiences working on this ensemble. It’s about- Planning, Patterns, Prick stitching , Perturbation, and Patience. All 3 garment pieces have involved pattern creation or alteration. Snapshot of This Month’s Show - Pensamientos Primeros – Planning and Patterns Recapping the history of my mob ensemble a. Camisole slip - See my previous podcast - "A Camisole for the Mother of the Bride" b. Modified Dirndl skirt i. Modified dirndl is not the Heidi style traditional alpine look It's NOT http://www.kaffeeundkuchen.co/home/guide-to-buying-and-wearing-a-dirndl  ii. It's NOT any of these fun skirts! http://vintagedancer.com/1940s/1940s-skirts/ iii. Back in the 80’s I remember a number of the suit patterns I sewed called the style of skirt I just made a ‘modified dirndl’ – but I can’t find a link quickly. I’ll describe it iv. What IS a modified dirndl? 1. Somewhat straight skirt 2. Not so straight that walking is inhibited a. No slits or kick pleats needed 3. Wth a little gathered ease 4. Attached to a waistband c. Lace over blouse i. Kept under garments as narrow as possible. Lace blouse loose fit ii. Downton Abbey inspired lace overblouse 1. Not straight hobbled skirt of Edwardian era  iv. Slightly below waist v. Loose vi. Scalloped lace ¾ sleeves and down the open front of blouse vii. Hem of blouse maybe 3 inches higher than knee length skirt - Technicos - Pick Stitch and A hand-sewn zipper - Pensamientos Finales -Perturbation and Patience  

Fiona, The Irish Laurel Dress (Farewell to Summer)

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