Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Pictures from Jan. 2010 Tailoring Boot Camp






Here are some of the pictures taken during the Tailoring Boot Camp. It is always a joy to work with such talented ladies! The jackets were beautiful and reflected each person's personality. 1)Barbara and Martha in their finished jackets 2)Martina-back of jacket with shoulder pad and sleeve head in the left side 3)Ginny at her Featherweight 4)Lorraine and Pam working on left side 5) Gail and Pam-first fitting

Tailoring Boot Camp

The following article was published in the ASG Newsletter earlier this year. As soon as I am able to upload some pictures from the class, I will.

This class is not for the "faint of heart", it's a lot of work, but very rewarding.
That's why I call it "Tailoring Boot Camp" (thanks to Lynn!)

The original "Boot Camp" format was three full days and two half days of fitting muslins and making the jacket. Class members would stay at a Bed and Breakfast here in GA, and we would fit and sew from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. It was tough!
I decided to go back to the old format and do the class with six class dates. The time in between is for doing homework or catch up if needed. I will most likely start another Boot Camp around September 2010 after the ASG Convention in August.

I have a six(6) person maximum for each session. Please contact me if you would like some info!

Jacket Tailoring: A Journey with Pam Howard



At the New Year, six ASG sewing friends set out on a Journey to create a couture jacket under the expert guidance of Pamela Howard. We ate; we sewed; we slept-and when we slept, we dreamed of jackets. We were six women bound by one happy obsession: the quest for the perfect jacket.

Successful completion of our jackets pivoted upon a well fitted muslin; however, since few possess the perfect physique, the well fitted muslin was a hard won item.
Pam's consumate dressmaking skills guides us from problem recognition to problem resolution. She encouraged us to boldly face challenges; tackle obstacles, and release long held misconceptions concerning our body shape. In the end, all six women were rewarded with six unique muslins ready for reincarnation or style modifications.

With a muslin in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other, six serious seamstresses stared down at their three yards of sumptuous fabric. The yardage was sliced into fifteen major pieces accompanied by a small covey of welts, pocket bags, and a facing or two. We stitched, restitched, trimmed, shaped, and pressed our way through the pieces until they amazingly bore a likeness to the jacket of our dreams.

At the beginning of January, six ASG sewing friends set out to make the perfect jacket. By January's end, we became far more than sewing friends. We entered into a sewing sisterhood. All possibility of that conversion rests in the talented hands of Pamela Howard. Her generous spirit and expert skill fostered an environment in which the friendly exchange of ideas and techniques flourished and success assured.

written by Gail Kelley, ASG Atlanta
re-printed with permission from the Newletter Editor, ASG Atlanta

Friday, May 7, 2010

Suit for Threads #122 When Fabric Runs Short





These are views of the suit made for the Threads article. The fabric is a beautiful wool/silk blend that they sent. It was around 41" wide, and when I laid it out to prepare for cutting, I realized it had to be matched! That just added another challenge to the fabric/pattern puzzle. I love a challenge.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

ASG National Convention August 4-9, 2010 Atlanta

Just a note to invite y'all to the ASG National Convention. It will be held in Atlanta, GA this year, August 4-9, 2010 at the downtown Hilton.

I have been invited to teach! My classes are: 1)Lay Out, Cut Out 101 (things you need to know about laying out your fabrics, more efficient ways to cut out your garments, how to lay out plaids, stripes, one way designs, etc. 2)Confessions of a Professional Dressmaker- The Remix(necessary info when choosing to turn your hobby into a business, and lessons I've learned along the way). 3) Welt Pockets and Bound Buttonholes (a step by step method to make professional looking Couture details).
Sample garments I've made will be there for you to see at every class.

I hope you are able to attend. Lots of sewing friends from around the country will be there.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

I finally did it!

Well, this is my first blog. I finally did it! I knew that I did NOT want another
web site, but many have been encouraging me to have a way to let them know what I'm doing, what's going on with me, when I'm teaching, where, etc.

We'll see what happens. Unknown territory is a little scary, but I will persevere.
As usual, As always.

I will post pictures of things I've made, and somtimes of things I'm working on.
I do ladies tailoring and alterations and I teach intermediate/advanced clothing construction. Sometimes I come across an interesting technique that I will share with you.
Thanks for your encouragement and support over the years. I really appreciate it!