TOC:
- Sheer Evening Duster
- Snap Press
- Talk at Cañada College
- First Monday in May
- Fabric Depot in Portland
- Photo Roundup
Last month I visited Hart's Fabric in Santa Cruz and found this novelty organza in the home dec department.
What did it want to be?
It wanted to be an evening duster! I think this fabric was intended for curtains, but I clearly heard "evening duster."
The Met Gala ball was last week! Maybe I was inspired?
I decided to start with the Sandra Betzina vest I recently made, with a few additional changes:
- Lengthened the vest by 15".
- Omitted the pockets.
- Added side slits up to my waist. That way it's easier to stick my hands into pockets in the underlayer.
- Added sleeves. (From Butterick 6238.)
- Rather than standard interfacing, I used grey poly organza in the front bands and the collar. (The collar isn't supposed to be interfaced, but I wanted a bit more body.)
Front bands. The one on the right is overlaid with the solid organza.
- Used clear elastic in the collar.
- All of the hems use tiny 1/16th-inch machine hems.
- Antique silver snaps instead of buttons.
I like how floaty the duster is!
Perhaps you remember that I bought a snap press a few months back. Once it arrived, I liberated it from a nest of firmly wrapped and thoroughly taped bubble wrap, and stuck it on a shelf.
This project was the perfect time to get it out and put it together. The assembly is minimal—you install the handle with one screw. I mostly use size 24 snaps, so when I purchased the press, I selected the "11mm Die for Prong Snaps with Button" die set.
I buy size 24 snaps from Snap Source. A snap has four pieces: the cap is the decorative part on the outside of the garment. The only difference between a size 16 Snap Source snap and a size 24 Snap Source snap is the front cap. The other 3 pieces of the snap are the same as the size 16.
The snap press with the 11mm die set works great for the front of the snap! But the 11mm die is too big for the back of the snap - it doesn't securely hold the back part of the snap. Since I didn't have the right die set for the back of the snap, I installed the back part of the snaps using the plastic setter from Snap Source, and a hammer.
Aside from the size issue of the back of the snap, I really like the snap press!
I mentioned a few months ago that I was going to be the guest speaker at an event for the Cañada College Fashion Department.
The talk happened last month and seemed to be well received. Cañada College posted a recap (with lots of photos) of the event on their blog.
You have probably heard of the annual Met Gala, a star-studded event that benefits the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. The Gala kicks off a special costume exhibit at the museum. As Andre Leon Talley puts it, "the Met Gala is the Super Bowl of Fashion" and I enjoy seeing how the celebrities embody the theme each year.
This year the theme is Manus X Machina and examines how hand sewing and machine sewing are used in haute couture. Last year's theme examined the Chinese fashion and it's influence on western fashion. If, like me, you missed last year's exhibit, you can watch a documentary about the exhibit and the gala.
The First Monday in May (so called because the gala is held on the first Monday in May), is a fascinating glimpse into what's involved. I saw it today (Mother's Day) at the Landmark Theatre in San Francisco's Embarcadero. I'd never been to this theater before, but I enjoyed the small theater and the fact that each seat was a comfy recliner. I don't know how long the movie is playing there, but it's a great way to experience it!
And I think that, this year, I will try to get myself to New York to see this exhibit in person. It ends on August 14th, so I hope to make it work.
Almost exactly one year ago I visited Portland with some sewing friends. On that trip I managed to visit most every fabric store in Portland, except for one. Fabric Depot is one of the largest brick-and-mortar fabric stores in the U.S.
I just returned from another quick trip to Portland. This time I had a rental car and was able to stop by on my way back to the airport.
It is a very large fabric store, though the fashion fabric section is eclipsed by the quilting and special occasion fabrics.
I'm glad that I squeezed in a visit! I can now tick that store off my list. ;)
I have been pretty busy lately, which is why I'm sewing less. I also took a couple short trips since my last post. Here are some photos from my various travels. Enjoy!
Have a great week!
