Couture Sewing Tag

17 Feb Shanel No. 3 – French Jacket Sewing with Helen Haughey & Mary Funt

Posted at 08:12h in Fashion Sewing, French Jacket by goodbyevalentino 26 Comments

I was in the right place for the entire week, processing new information for six days straight. While working on Shanel No.2, my desire to learn more was insatiable. I was very pleased with the black and white jacket, but I wanted to learn more about fit, technique, trim, style, fabrics…… Mary Funt and Helen Haughey bring a fresh perspective to French Jacket Sewing. As documented in my last post our first day was dedicated to fitting, and at the request of readers, I begin this post with a quick follow up to the armscye. ___________________________________ After comparing the armscyes of multiple jacket patterns our...

14 May French Jacket Guest Post – Dorcas Ross

Posted at 06:38h in Fashion Sewing by goodbyevalentino 15 Comments

In March, Julie Starr wrote a beautiful guest post featuring her latest classic French Jacket. This post features her partner in crime, Dorcas Ross, creator of lonestarcouture.com and popular Instagramer (go HERE). Though Dorcas lives in Houston and Julie in Charleston, they sew French Jackets together each January and invite others to join in and sew along for the #januaryjacket project. It's always a good time to sew a classic French Jacket, no matter the weather or time of year. Since the jackets take up to 100 hours to complete, sewists often break the intensity with quick and easy projects during the process....

10 Mar The French Jacket Experience (guest post) Julie Starr

Posted at 09:13h in Fashion Sewing, French Jacket, Sewing Jackets by goodbyevalentino 78 Comments

My friend and co-author, Julie Starr dedicates each January (+) to sewing a couture garment. She's hooked on French Jackets and generously shares her experience below. Enjoy :) The allure of the classic French jacket - its mystique has captivated for years. Long before rediscovering garment sewing several years ago I admired this garment for its timeless elegance on the outside, never understanding that the magic on the inside is the real story. Quilting lofty boucle to silk lining with rows of stitches that are all but invisible from the outside produces a sumptuous quality double layer that hugs the body...

01 Aug Susan Khalje Giveaway Winner

Posted at 10:02h in Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 7 Comments

Dear Readers, Susan Khalje's generous giveaway offer brought in a whopping 532 entries! I was truly moved to read your kind comments, and please know I read each and every one. I wish all of you could win the fabulous French Jacket Class. To the 531 readers who did not win the giveaway prize, I emphatically state that investing in a Susan Khalje class - in person or by video, is money well spent if feasible. My package arrived yesterday and I plan to make a jacket this fall - maybe a suit to wear to one of Mimi's upcoming wedding events in January Susan Khalje, more...

16 Apr DVF Lace Part II

Posted at 07:08h in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Sewing Tops, Susan Khalje Sewing Class, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 100 Comments

What a difference a top makes! Some people are born to sew couture. It relaxes them they say...

30 Mar DVF Cotton Lace Skirt

Posted at 09:43h in Kate Spade, Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 68 Comments

Just a skirt?...

06 May The 30 Day Dress

Posted at 21:44h in Ruffles, Sewing Dresses, Susan Khalje Sewing Class by goodbyevalentino 141 Comments

……… also known as the Baltimore dress is completed. I had the pleasure of taking it apart again only to discover the opportunities for alterations were limited…… but maybe my 30 day investment needed little else than minor adjustments. After separating the skirt from the bodice and removing the top ruffle, I removed all of the gathering threads and started over. Most of the gathers in the skirt were replaced with darts giving me a smoother fit around the waist. I cut 14 inches of width off of the ruffle but sadly realized my new vision for the dress looked disproportionate. The decrease...

18 Jun Orange Blossom Special – Vogue 8648

Posted at 20:43h in Mood Fabrics, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

Over the weekend my husband and I bumped into a couple of friends. I happened to be wearing Vogue 8648, and the male half of the couple told me how nice I looked in my shift. Before I could politely thank him, my husband took over the conversation. “That is no shift. Sarah is wearing a couture dress that she made. The dress has 21 pieces that are lined and underlined. She did a lot of the work by hand and it took her a very long time to make it.” Had I recently accused him of not paying attention to me...

25 May IN THE NAME OF COUTURE

Posted at 08:53h in Craftsy by goodbyevalentino 38 Comments

I’ve been about to bust to write a post but sadly I have nothing to show. I’m in the midst of The Couture Dress Craftsy course with Susan Khalje for whom I have great admiration and respect. Composing a symphony, climbing Mt. Everest and making a couture dress must have similarities, although I bet climbing Mt. Everest takes less time than making this dress. I have been working for days making a muslin, cutting the underlining, and now, I am f i n a l l y assembling the dress. Susan recommends using large (huge) sheets of waxed tracing paper...