Kathryn's Fine Sewing

Summer Sewing

2011-08-01T12:10:00.009-05:00

I recently spent some time at my sister's cottage with my mother and 2 sisters. Here is the project we worked on The Evening Mist Bag #17.A great summer project and a new knitting bag for me! I added touches of leather to my bag. I had some leather that was a perfe
ct match and designed these leather handles that incorporated some of the quilted fabric.

Out of the remainder of the skin, I made an accessory wallet using the pattern found on my Sewing Leather CD.

A Show of Hands!

2011-07-16T11:34:00.006-05:00

We have just finished a 5 day Glove workshop at The Academy. Making gloves is so much fun! The students had a great time and their finished gloves turned out perfect!

I was able to find a source for world famous Pittards glove leather. The hand stitched gloves are so soft, they feel like butter! Students custom fitted their patterns and learned how to assemble gloves completely by hand.

Handbag designer Amy Steele http://www.amysteelebags.com/shopping/ attended the workshop and hopes to soon expand her line to carry gloves.

The workshop was so successful that I intend to offer it again in 2012.

Gloves, gloves, gloves

2011-07-06T22:47:00.003-05:00

Next week is the start of a 5 day Couture Glove workshop. I have purchased fabulous skins for the students to make their custom fitted, hand stitched gloves from. I was able to find a good selection of glove leathers by Pittards, a renowned English glove leather producer. There is also some slink, or shearling to make warm winter gloves. Here are some of the samples I have been working on. I will post photos of the student's finished gloves later next week.

Reversible Tote

2011-07-06T22:42:00.002-05:00

Metallics are so hot right now! Here is a reversible leather tote I made up from a skin I purchased recently in New York. One side is brown, the other is metallic silvery brown. I made a small wallet with a cell phone holder and zippered pocket. All hardware is a gunmetal color. I drafted the pattern myself. Perfect for summer!

Koos van den Akker

2011-06-15T22:32:00.004-05:00

I am just back from the Springtime in NY trip. NY is always inspiring! The trip includes fabric, button and trim shopping, visits to museums, designers and Soho. We had a great group this year. All came away with tons of inspiration.

Here are photos of our visit to meet Koos van den Akker. Koos is so creative! Always coming up with new ideas and techniques. His garments appeal to women of all ages. Koos will be coming to The Academy of fine Sewing & Design Sept. 7-11 to lead a 5 day workshop. Contact The Academy for more information and registration forms.

Koos was creating a new caftan which one of the young students modelled and here I am wearing a fabulous taffeta tulip scarf.

Jon Moore Couture Jacket workshop

2011-06-15T22:18:00.007-05:00

The Jon Moore Couture Jacket workshop was a huge success! Students loved Jon's technique for working the collar and notched lapel. The jackets looked terrific come day five!

Jon will be returning again next year for a Trouser workshop.

Couture Tailoring with Jon Moore

2011-05-02T19:57:00.004-05:00

Today is day one of a five day Couture Tailoring workshop with Jon Moore of London, England. Students accomplished a lot as they began work on their jacket fronts. Their softly tailored jackets will have a lot of built in shape. Pad stitching is used on the reveres and the edges were taped. Tomorrow we will begin the facings and collars. By the end of the week, students will be inserting the lining by hand.

This is my sample made from a beautiful piece of Donegal Tweed purchased on our Paris/London trip last year. Jon worked up a sample out of English Tweed for the students to reference.

Custom Made Buttons and Machine Knitting

2011-03-06T16:32:00.009-06:00

I recently attended a machine knitting workshop with Carolyn Barnett of Kingston, ON. Carolyn does wonderful machine knit sweaters with custom made buttons http://www.barnett-knits.com/

Here is my first machine knit sweater. It has an asymmetrical hemline with contrasting hem and sleeve facings. It is made from fine merino wool. I made buttons to embellish it as well as several other buttons for future projects.

Carolyn will be coming to North Bay to teach a one day button making workshop and an introduction to machine knitting workshop. For more information contact my daughter's yarn shop Stix and Stones 705-223-8245.

Koos van den Akker V1213

2011-02-09T23:18:00.012-06:00

I finished Koos' new coat pattern Vogue 1213 for my recent visit to New York City. The coat was a big hit, receiving compliments everywhere I wore it!

This was a very fun project to plan and put together. I shopped for most of the fabrics in my stash. I used a black fabric with wool boucle plaid, a grey boiled wool which had black lace fused to it, a black and blue menswear houndstooth, a flocked denim from France purchased from www.emmaonesock.com and a wool purchased from www.sawyerbrook.com that I was able to

use on both sides. One side was bright royal blue and the other was a grey boucle. I used this fabric for the two fronts. The Italian buttons were purchased from www.britexfabrics.com The planning was as much fun as the sewing!

I did hand picked topstitching on all edges. To add warmth, I used a flannel backed Kasha satin lining. I added a full lining to the sleeves and a piece of chamois to the back to cut the wind.

Koos approved! Here is a photo of us in his NY studio. Koos is one of the most creative people I know. He will be returning to The Academy of fine Sewing & Design to teach a 5 day workshop in September 2011. Visit http://finesewing.com/workshops.html for more information.

Little Black Dress Project with Jon Moore

2011-02-07T23:06:00.007-06:00

The Academy of fine Sewing & Design hosted a Little Black workshop with guest instructor Jon Moore of London, England.

Students draped the beautiful, lightweight wool crepe directly on their dress stand. Each dress was unique and fit perfectly! The garment was underlined and lined in silk.

Couture techniques, which involve a lot of handwork were taught. We created the atmoshphere of a couture workroom where students sat at two large tables to work on their hand sewing skills.

Jon is a couturier who is passionate about preserving and sharing his skills. He will be returning to the Academy again in May 2011 to teach two Couture Tailoring workshops. Visit www.finesewing.com for more information and a registration form

Free Form Ensemble from Verena

2011-02-07T22:33:00.006-06:00

Several people have been patiently waiting for me to post pictures of the Free Form Ensemble I finished knitting this past fall. The over dress was designed by Margery Winter for the Spring 2010 issue of Verena knitting magazine. I fell in love with the tunic and put together the main colours which were knit from Filatura Di Crosa Luxury 100% silk yarn and the narrow stripe from Berroco Oragami yarn.

This was a very fun project to knit! It is called a Free Form Ensemble because you drape the garment as you knit it. The hem is sewn up here and there and various stitches are used throughout.

I made the plain black dress to wear underneath from a knit fabric sewn out of a DKNY pattern Vogue 2091. The neckline is cut quite low but it was perfect to show off the open knit of the tunic. I found the perfect black and cream shoes to wear with the outfit!

I wore the outfit to an evening cocktail party at Vogue Knitting Live held in New York City last month. The woman behind me in the entrance line up was Mari Lynn Patrick, who had written the pattern for the magazine! She enjoyed seeing the tunic made up.

Repurposed Mink Fur Coat

2010-11-09T10:15:00.003-06:00

Pick up the latest copy of Vogue Pattern magazine for a copy of my article on Repurposed Fur. I took a second hand store $49 mink fur coat from the '60s and redesigned it into this beautiful reversible sheared mink coat.

I sheared the mink myself to give it a more modern look and then redesigned it using Vogue 1060 by Sandra Betzina. I added a leather tie closure. The rainwear fabric came from Britex in San Francisco.

It was fun project to do. I am offering a Recycled Fur workshop next week at The Academy of fine Sewing & Design. I am looking forward to seeing what the students produce. Watch for another workshop to be offered in 2011.

Sewing Workshop Urban T-shirt

2010-08-05T16:19:00.004-05:00

Summer is a great time to whip up a few new T-shirts. Here is Sewing Workshop's new Urban T-shirt made out of a cool Tencel knit fabric. I love the draped piece down the front and loose, draped pocket. I plan to make another version out of a striped knit fabric for fall.

Learn how to sew with knits during the Designer T-Shirt workshop at The Academy of fine Sewing & Design September 10-11. Guest instructor Ce Podolak and Kathryn Brenne will guide you through pattern fit, working with knit fabrics, seam finishes and tips on professional techniques for finishing necklines and hems. For more information download the registration form at http://www.finesewing.com/workshops.html#6

Student Work

2010-04-29T23:12:00.006-05:00

Here are some of the projects my teenage students have recently completed.

Jenny tailored McCalls M5759 and trimmed the jacket with buttons she purchased in NY on the New York school trip last year.

Haley finished off an appliqued Cat Quilt. She is going to use button eyes to hold the layers together.

Kylie did a beautiful job of matching the plaids on her flannel shirt.

High School Sewing Competition

2010-04-29T21:32:00.012-05:00

The Academy helped to organize a local sewing competition. Students worked from a basic pattern. Each student was give 2.5 meters of fabric. They were allowed to redraft the pattern to change it and bring along fabric and embellishments for their design. Each participant had 5 hours to draft, cut and sew the tunic top. Designs were evaluated for creativity, sewing construction, pattern work, fit and final appearance.

Here are some photos of the students busy at work at the local mall where the competition was held and a couple of the winning designs.

It was a fun day for everyone and we are looking forward to next year's competition.

Vogue 1116

2010-04-29T11:10:00.006-05:00

Here is a new outfit I have finished for spring/summer. The washed linen pants are Vogue pattern V1116 by New York designer Andrea Katz. I love their unusual shape and drape! They are very comfortable to wear.

The sweater is knit from Trendsetter's Free Spirit yarn, a blend of cotton and linen. It self stripes as you knit it. The pattern is #4002-B Free Spirit MP Swing Jacket. The draped side inserts go well with the shape of the pants. The yarn and pattern are available in several colorways from Stix and Stones in North Bay 705-223-8245.

Cruise Knitting

2010-03-10T17:04:00.008-06:00

I recently attended a Caribbean Knitting Cruise hosted by Great Balls of Yarn out of Florida www.greatballsofyarn.com We had two great instructors Barry Klein, owner of Trendsetter Yarns and Chris Bylsma, designer of the Crayon Box Jacket.

Here are some of the projects taught on the ship and recently completed:

A poncho/wrap designed by Chris and knit out of Trendsetter Yarns

A shoulder wrap knit from Trendsetter Tonalita and designed by Barry Klein

A Cha Cha diagonally knit scarf designed by Barry and knit from Trendsetter Cha Cha yarn

All of the patterns and yarns are available through Stix and Stones 104 Main St. E., North Bay, Ontario Canada 705-223-8245.

Bernina CutWork Tool with Software

2010-02-25T22:04:00.011-06:00

I am really excited about the new Bernina CutWork Tool and Software! This new tool allows you to create an outline on your computer, send it to the sewing machine and then cut it with the new tool that sits in the needle bracket. With the software you can sequence the motif to cut and then embroider using a variety of stitches. The Cutwork tool will work on any Bernina machine, which is embroidery capable. Bernina was winner of the Swiss Technology Award for this invention.

Here is a leather book cover which the new tool cut and embroidered. It had no problem cutting through leather and can easily cut up to 10 layers of fabric at once. The book cover is my own design. It has handles and a built in bookmark, making it perfect for anyone who travels. I sequenced the design to first cut out the scales and eyes from a piece of green leather. I then glued brown and red leather to the back of the green leather and embroidered around the cut holes. I set this aside, hooped up brown leather and cut out the lizard. I then positioned the green leather I had prepared, glued it in place and finished with embroidery around the outside of the design.

For more information on sewing with leather visit my website http://www.finesewing.com/ for information on my Sewing Leather CD. For more information about the Bernina Cutwork tool visit http://www.berninausa.com/product_detail-n6-i294-sUS.html

Koos van den Akker Workshop April 14-18, 2010

2010-02-16T09:34:00.007-06:00

The Academy is pleased to have New York designer Koos van den Akker return again this spring to teach another inspiring and creative workshop. Here are some of the photos from last year's class. All of the students accomplished more than project while learning Koos' techniques. Visit http://www.finesewing.com to download workshop registration information.

Creative Ideas for 9 year olds

2009-12-22T18:56:00.003-06:00

Here are two of my 9 year old students, Emma Rose and Maiah, who just completed their bean bag chairs in time for Xmas holiday movie watching!

Leather Workshop

2009-12-14T00:04:00.002-06:00

Here are a couple of the leather jackets students in the Leather workshop made this fall at The Academy. The student in the red leather used Ce Podolak's Fearless Jacket #108 which was designed for leather. The other student, who came all the way from Hawaii, used a Simplicity pattern. Great job!

Paris 2009

2009-12-13T22:41:00.008-06:00

In October The Academy led a group of 10 students on a Design and Creativity tour of Paris. We had a great group. Everyday we toured and visited a different part of the city.

One of the highlights was our day at the famous embroidery House of Lesage where students created a flower brooch complete with silk ribbon, beads and sequins. They had the opportunity to meet Mr. Lesage!

The food, cafes, shop windows, fashions, Madame Vionnet exhibit, Vanity Fair Vogue magazine cover display and shopping made for an incredible trip!

Couture Draping with Jon Moore

2009-12-13T21:54:00.006-06:00

We had two very successful draping workshops with Jon Moore of London, England this fall. Here are some of the projects that the students worked on with Jon. Having their own 'body double' dress form, which they created during the first few days of the workshop ensured a perfect fitting jacket, which they draped during the remainder of the workshop.

We are looking forward to having Jon back in 2010 when he will be teaching the Little Black Dress workshop.

Couture Draping with Jon Moore

2009-09-23T22:14:00.007-05:00

We have had a fantastic week working with Jon Moore, couturier from London, England. Students have been busy building 'body double' dress forms. The body double dressform consist of a draped cover for the dress form and padding built up to create a personalized shape and then a final draped cover. It was amazing to see the twin shapes take form! What a useful tool for the students to take home with them.

Tomorrow, students will begin draping a classic jacket.

Whistles Shirt by Sewing Workshop

2009-06-26T12:52:00.006-05:00

This is the other view, the Whistles Shirt, which is included in the Bells and Whistles pattern by Sewing Workshop. I modified the collar and added asymmetric cuffs to the shirt. The fabrics are Japanese prints I picked up on my recent Springtime in New York trip. The cotton is so soft it feels like your favorite old shirt! To order the pattern contact kathryn@finesewing.com

Bells & Whistles Shirt Sewing Workshop Pattern

2009-04-21T11:23:00.009-05:00

Here is a fun shirt sewn up using a Sewing Workshop pattern and the sewing techniques outlined in my latest article for Vogue pattern magazine. I used a 100% cotton blue and white striped shirting fabric, red buttons and added hand made red bar tacks. I lengthened the pattern by 2". The floating band can be buttoned in various positions or left hanging. Visit the Creativ festival at the International Centre in Toronto this coming weekend April 24, 25 & 26. I will be showing this shirt and others during my Shirt Details lecture.
The Academy of fine Sewing & Design is now selling Sewing Workshop patterns. To order this pattern contact kathryn@finesewing.com

Made to Measure Shirts

2009-04-07T19:50:00.007-05:00

This is one of the samples for the upcoming Made to Measure shirt workshop at The Academy. It is made from Ce Podolak's Fearless Shirt pattern. It is a great basic shirt pattern! The collar and stand are perfectly drafted and I like the fit across the shoulders and through the bust. Another winner from Ce!
We will be highlighting details found on custom made shirts. This shirt is made from a beautiful, fine 100% cotton I purchased in New York. Notice the precise, small stitching with a length of 20 stitches per inch. Collar, stand and cuffs are all constructed to shape and roll perfectly with a fine, woven sew-in interfacing. Bar tacks are made by hand. Buttonholes are fine and narrow and closed with mother of pearl buttons. All seams are single needle flat felled.

Suede Casual Jacket

2009-03-05T08:47:00.009-06:00

I've just finished Material Things Fearless Casual Jacket #104 in an embossed suede. I put a full lining in and made bound buttonholes. The jacket took approximately 38 square feet of suede. For the month of March I am offering the pattern with free shipping and a 10% discount. The regular price is $28 and the special is $25.20 plus applicable taxes for Canadian residents.
I will be teaching a leather workshop in Vancouver August 17-20, 2009. This is one of the samples for the workshop. I will be teaching along with Ce Podolak, Material Things designer. Ce's patterns come in a full range of sizes from XS-XXL and are wonderfully drafted. Collars roll perfectly, sleeve cuff facings are smooth and the instructions are very detailed. For workshop information e-mail ce_podolak@telus.net
For tips on sewing with leather and suede visit my website to purchase Sewing Leather, a virtual workshop CD.

Vogue 1078

2009-02-08T19:02:00.007-06:00

This is Vogue pattern 1078, a Vogue Paris designer original pattern by Guy Laroche. I made it out of 7 1/2 yards of silk jersey ordered from B&J Fabrics in New York. It is a beautiful pattern and the silk jersey hangs so nicely.

I attended the Heart Beat Ball, a black tie event held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. Event proceeds went to support Women's College Hospital's Women's Cardiovascular Health Initiative, Canada's first and only cardiac rehabilitation program solely for women.

Shown are pictures of my husband, the back of the dress, me modeling the cocktail hat which was auctioned off, my friend Canadian designer Marilyn Brooks and my satin shoes adorned with Swarovski crystals.

Ladies Cocktail Hat

2009-01-24T13:24:00.008-06:00

I made this hat to be auctioned off at the Heart Beat Ball sponsored by Women's College Hospital to raise funds for Cardiovascular Health Initiatives. The Ball is being held February 6 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto.
The hat began as a piece of flat milliner's felt. I blocked it over one of my antique millinery head forms using lots of steam. Once dry, I designed a heart inspired base. I wired the edges using millinery wire and finished the inside with petersham. I adorned the top with another heart inspired stamen and red feathers.
It will be finished with a custom designed hat pin, made by my jewelery designer daughter Rae Brenne.

Suede Cape

2009-01-24T12:14:00.004-06:00

Janet Taylor made this beautiful suede cape following the instructions from my article Made in the Suede published in the December/January 09 issue of Vogue Pattern magazine. She purchased the suede from Perfect Leather in Toronto. Great job, Janet!

Handknits and Leather

2008-12-08T21:03:00.006-06:00

Just in time for the holidays! Here is a quick knit that I designed and made this past week. It was inspired by something we saw on the Paris trip. Using 4 balls of Colinette yarn One Zero in colorway Velvet Bilberry I cast on 127 stitches on size 6.5mm needles. Work in k1, p1 rib for 22 inches or until yarn is almost finished. Cast off in rib. Block the rectangle fanning it out slightly towards the bottom. Fold the top edge down 9 inches. I created a closure using purple leather and a pewter colored buckle from my stash.
The capelet can be worn off to the side, centered in front or any number of ways.

Shearling Workshop

2008-11-16T21:17:00.004-06:00

We have just completed another successful shearling workshop. All of the students did a tremendous job on their jackets. We had some interesting projects. The workshop began with a shopping day in Toronto where students found some unique skins for their projects. One student made a full length coat out of shearling which was dark brown suede on the outside and dyed in a geometric print on the inside. Another student used skins with a metallic finish. Quite unusual were the skins used by another student who made a knee length coat. The skins had been factory fused with denim which was then burnished or laser finished with a floral design. The coat was an interesting denim on the outside but inside was beautiful gold shearling wool. E-mail me at kathryn@finesewing.com for information on the 2009 workshop. A great job done by all!

Koos van den Akker Master Techniques Workshop April 29-May 3, 2009

2008-11-04T23:07:00.005-06:00

The Academy of fine Sewing & Design is excited to host a 5 day workshop featuring New York designer Koos van den Akker. Koos is a master at using garments as a canvas for his unusual collaborations of color and collage techniques. Students will have the opportunity to work on one of the many patterns he has designed for Vogue Patterns. This is a wonderful chance to study with someone so creative! For more information visit http://www.finesewing.com/

Paris Design and Inspiration Tour 2008

2008-11-04T22:52:00.009-06:00

We have just returned from an inspiring trip to Paris. Highlights of the tour included a private tour of the Yves Saint Laurent workroom and archives, a cooking class at the Cordon Bleu, an embroidery class at the House of Lesage, a fashion show, a visit to a leather tradesman trained at Hermes and of course fabric shopping! The week concluded with trend forecasting storyboard presentations by the students. Great students, great food, loads of inspiration and a great time had by all! If you are interested in the Paris 2009 please e-mail me for more information.

Leather workshops

2008-11-04T20:48:00.006-06:00

I ran two leather workshops this fall. Several students made jackets and one designed and drafted her own skirt pattern. Another created her own pattern for a panelled coat and used printed suede and lambskin. Students are often surprised at how easy leather is to sew, on a domestic sewing machine. All garments turned out beautifully! If you are unable to attend one of my leather workshops, Sewing Leather, a virtual CD contains everything I know about working with leather. For more information about the CD visit my website at http://www.finesewing.com/

New York Fashion Tour

2008-06-06T14:28:00.014-05:00

We had a fantastic tour of New York last week! Some of the high lights included a walking tour of fabric, button, trim and bead shops, a private lecture at FIT, a visit to M&S Schmalberg and a visit with Koos van den Akker at his studio. Participants came back with lots of fabric and inspiration!
Contact The Academy to register for the 2009 Springtime in NY tour.

Issey Miyake Jacket

2008-05-14T21:32:00.003-05:00

This is the new Issey Miyake pattern for Vogue V1052. I made it out of silk dupioni, underlined with silk organza and lined with china silk. It has a four button closure which is hidden underneath the collar. The back has ties. The collar is a draped double collar. I turned the edges under twice to finish. The entire garment was stitched with Tire 50 weight machine twist silk thread.

knitted shawl

2008-03-22T15:05:00.007-05:00

This is my latest knitting project. It was a kit I purchased at the knitting expo in Chicago. The shawl is Merging Colors Adagio Shawl designed by Candace Eisner Strick www.Strickwear.com It is made from lace weight merino yarn dyed in 8 different shades. Three strands of yarn are always used and as new colors are introduced, a strand at a time, it gives a beautiful gradation of color. Candace provides more than enough yarn so I made the shawl about 4" longer than the pattern called for as I am fairly tall. It is finished with a ruffle and picot crocheted trim along the edges. It was a fun project to knit.

Shearling Jacket

2008-02-11T18:29:00.001-06:00

Shearling is lamb leather or suede with the wool still attached. It comes in a variety of colors, lengths and finishes.
This is a shearling coat I just finished for my husband. It is a very dark brown/black suede with a bit of a distressed finish. The wool is short, tightly curled and is called snowy top. The underneath is a dark brown and the top is cream colored. I used Neue Mode pattern 23090 with lapped seam construction. All of the seams are double topstitched with Gutermann topstitching thread. The buttons are horn buttons. I made bound buttonholes and stitched a patch of the shaved suede to the wrong side to finish them off.
The Academy of fine Sewing & Design www.finesewing.com is offering a Shearling Jacket workshop November 12-16, 2008.

Designer Scarves

2008-02-11T10:59:00.000-06:00

Here are a variety of men's and women's scarves I have recently completed. The North Bay Film Festival organizers asked me to create 2 men's scarves as gifts for actor Rupinder Nagra and producer David Miller of the film Amal. Amal is one of Canada's top 10 films this year.
The first scarf is made from a piece of ruched taffeta and chenille yarns I purchased in Paris. It is in shades of black, navy and red. I made it wide and long enough to wrap around the neck and tie in a big knot. I used some of the selvedge as a fringe at the ends.
The second scarf is an opera/evening scarf made from a beautiful piece of silk crushed velvet purchased in New York and co ordinated with satin. It is in shades of olive, brown and burgundy. I basted the layers together to prevent the velvet from creeping. For more tips on sewing with velvet see my article in the Oct/Nov 06 issue of Vogue pattern magazine.
Shown on the shearling coat I made for my husband is an alpaca scarf. I knit the faux cable scarf out of Baby Twist from Alpaca with a Twist. The pattern was designed by Margaret Della Rossa of Village Yarns in Toronto. Contact www.villageyarns.com for His 'n Hers Winter Accessories pattern and/or kit.
The red alpaca shawl/scarf is perfect for Valentine's Day! I knit this out of 100% alpaca from Misty Alpaca. The pattern I used is #077 Silk Alpaca Babushka from Mac & Me www.macandme.net
It is worn with the V in front and the ends wrapped around the neck and tied. The lace edging is 12 rows of knitting picked up along the edge once the shawl is complete.

Leather Skirts

2008-01-29T22:04:00.000-06:00

A leather skirt is a simple first project to make out of leather. Here are 3 skirts done in lambskin. The straight skirt was made from Ce Podolak's Fearless Skirt #103. The green suede skirt was made from a Vogue pattern. I used YLI Pearl Crown rayon to embellish the seams. The A line skirt with yoke was made from a Simplicity pattern. All have an invisible zipper closure.
I will be teaching a 2 day Leather Skirt workshop at the Oakville Sewing Center February 15/16. Students will meet at Perfect Leather in Toronto the first morning to purchase their skins. More information is available from http://www.oakvillesewing.com/index.php?iid=classes_fashion

Ron's Leather Shirt

2008-01-11T15:49:00.000-06:00

Here are photos of Ron Collins latest shirt done in leather! Ron was inspired by my new Sewing Leataher CD and has done a terrific job of creating a gorgeous leather shirt complete with snap buttons and lacing detail. Ron will be in North Bay teaching a shirt workshop February 7-10. He is always a popular instructor with lots of information to share. Contact kathryn@finesewing.com for information and details.

Shearling Workshop

2007-11-19T20:15:00.000-06:00

We have just completed a five day shearling workshop here at The Academy. Shearling is lambskin leather or suede with the wool still attached. It comes in a variety of colors and lengths. Two students shared a bundle of shearling and made the same jacket using Vogue pattern 8340. One student used long hair Tuscano lamb. Another student lapped the seams of her cream colored shearling allowing the hair to be seen. The last student used Vogue 1266 to make a full length coat. Great job done by all!

Designer Shirts February 7-10, 2008

2007-11-12T19:58:00.000-06:00

Ron Collins is returning to teach a 4 day Designer Shirt workshop Feb. 7-10, 2008. Students will create a "one of a kind" shirt as they learn techniques on constructing shirts. They will modify a shirt pattern for a perfect fit. Ron will share amazing information not found in pattern instructions, but used in the "ready-to-wear" industry. Collar bands, double yokes, plackets, cuffs, buttonholes, fusible interfacing, seam finishes and other details will be covered. You will be inspired by the many creative treatments Ron has added to his basic shirts. Here are just a few samples of what is in store for workshop participants! For more information and a registration form contact the Academy at kathryn@finesewing.com

Designer Denim Workshop with Ron Collins

2007-11-11T20:49:00.000-06:00

Ron Collins was a guest instructor at The Academy teaching students Designer Denim techniques. Here are some of the finished results. Several students made jeans using Sandra Betzina's Vogue 7608 pattern. The fit was good and students got creative with their topstitching and back pocket designs. One student used a Marfy jean pattern and one student designed and drafted her own jacket pattern. Great results by everyone!

Suede Fringed Cape

2007-10-23T07:07:00.001-05:00

I have been working on leather garments to show at the creativfestival in Toronto this week. This is a lamb suede cape inspired by Dorothy's garment. I cut all of the fringe by hand using a rotary cutter. There are 180" of 1/8" x 12" fringe! I then hand knotted the fringe in groups of 4, weaving the strands first. The cape is lined with a light weight Italian wool challis.

Leather Workshop

2007-09-30T22:38:00.001-05:00

We have just finished another leather workshop here at The Academy. The students are close to finishing their garments. Sue from Belwood made a beautiful cowhide jacket with shawl collar for her daughter. The pattern was from an old Burda magazine. Elizabeth from Hamilton revised a Vogue pattern for this supple suede jacket. Juanita from Chicago used a Simplicity pattern to make a red lambskin dress. Dorothy from Buffalo copied a ready to wear cape, made her own pattern and completed this beautiful cape lined with cashmere. She used the raw edges of the skins as a design detail. Mary Ellen of Buffalo had the same blue leather and used a Vogue pattern for her jacket. Mary from Buffalo used the same leather as my green jacket in a nice red/orange variation to make this Vogue jacket.
A great class with a wonderful group of students!

Shearling Vest Workshop

2007-09-20T19:56:00.000-05:00

I have just completed a shearling vest workshop at Creative Styling in Westport, Ontario www.creativestyling.com
During the 3 day workshop participants worked on a vest of their own design. You can see from the photos that shearling comes in all different lengths, textures and colors.

Jewellery

2007-09-01T15:14:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos of necklaces made for Ce Podolak by her friend Susie Montgomery of California. The colorful one is made from pieces of bakelite that had been a baby rattle of Ce's. Notice the extension that allows the wearer to decide on the length of the necklace. The other two are full of interesting trinkets. I saw all of these while I was teaching in Vancouver.
Susie shows her work at the Mingei International Cultural Art Museum in San Diego, La Jolla Fiber Arts Store, and Earth Spirits in Palm Desert, California. She has sold over 60 necklaces in the past 10 years.

Vancouver Leather Workshop

2007-08-26T22:49:00.001-05:00

I have just returned from teaching a leather workshop in Vancouver. We used the facilities at a local high school. The facility was amazing! There were industrial sewing machines, big cutting tables, a wonderful pressing station and large windows. It was a pleasure to teach in such a wonderful setting.

The students had a great time learning to sew with leather. Sue Brown, from Victoria completed a 4 panel skirt in a wonderfully soft aubergine colored leather. Louise Neveu of Vancouver Island completed the Fearless Jacket #108 in a gorgeous pewter colored metallic leather. Cindy from Vancouver completed a very cute short dress with built in foundation. She used a denim blue/metallic gold leather. Jacque from Seattle designed/drafted her own jacket pattern and completed it out of a nice soft brown leather.

All participants did a great job and I will post more photos once the projects are finished.

Leather Needle Case

2007-08-17T23:01:00.000-05:00

This is the leather needle case which is included in the Sewing Leather CD. You can print the pattern and instructions for the needle case from the new CD. It is a great little project to give leather a try. You will have the opportunity to try sewing with leather, insert a zipper, create a bound buttonhole (the easiest one you will ever make!) and cover a button. The needle case is perfect for carrying to class or stashing in your knitting bag. There is a zippered pocket, a pin cushion and a ribbon tie to hold your scissors. It was designed by Kathryn Brenne.
I am off to teach a leather jacket workshop this week in Vancouver. Next week I will have photos of the student's creations!

Color Vie Silk screening

2007-08-05T13:56:00.000-05:00

I have been on vacation this week and had my nieces from Calgary visiting. I introduced them to silk screening using Colour Vie products. I picked up the starter kit at the spring festival in Toronto.

It is easy to mix the dyes. A few drops of pigment and resfix are added to the base. Colours can be mixed together to create any colour needed. The girls cut their designs out of newspaper and placed them on some muslin as a trial. We placed the blank silk screen over top of the design and used a squeegee to pull the paint over the design. After the initial trial printing, the newspaper will stick to the screen and it is easy to reprint the design over and over.

The supplies are all water soluble and non toxic so it is easy to clean the screen with soap and water and start again. Once the fabric is dry, the design is heat set with an iron.

After the girls were finished silk screening, they customized their T-shirts by cutting up the sleeves and necklines.

All of the supplies are available from www.colourvie.com

Next I am going to try sewing up the Material Things T-shirt out of a plain rayon jersey and silk screening my own design onto it.

Classic T-shirt & Picchu-Picchu Sweater

2007-07-23T12:34:00.001-05:00

I finished off a sweater this week that I started earlier this year. It was a free pattern from www.berroco.com/exclusives/picchu/picchu.html

It is made from Berroco Ultra Alpaca a blend of 50% Alpaca and 50% wool. It is a wonderfully soft yarn! Skill level is rated as intermediate. I made it in size Small.

The T-shirt is made from a Pucci inspired print that I found in New York during our Springtime in NY trip. I used Cecelia Podolak's Classic T-shirt pattern #109. It is one of the best fitting T-shirt patterns I have found! I have now made several master patterns with various scooped necklines traced off of my ready to wear favorites. This T-shirt neckline is scooped more than the original pattern. I like this pattern so much that I am offering a 10% discount and free shipping until Aug. 14. E-mail me at kathryn@finesewing.com for this special offer.

Leather Jacket

2007-07-20T22:00:00.001-05:00

Green is the new black! These are the buzz words I have been hearing for the past month.
This is the leather jacket I made this week using Material Things The Classics Fitted Jacket pattern #108. It will be the sample for the West Coast Leather workshop I am teaching in Vancouver August 19-24. Cecelia Podolak's patterns can be viewed at www.ceceliapodolak.com The pattern was designed for leather and makes good use of the skins. Ce's patterns fit like better ready to wear. Her guide sheets are packed with great industry tips.
The jacket is made from beautiful lambskin, which was dyed various shades of green. The coloring is similar to jade. It has a front zipper closure and invisible zipper front pockets. The sleeves have small slits, allowing them to be worn down or turned back. I highlighted the seaming with edge stitching.
To encourage you to try sewing on leather, I am offering this pattern at 10% discount with free shipping until Aug. 5, 2007. E-mail me at kathryn@finesewing.com for this special offer.
With this pattern and my Sewing Leather CD you can give leather a try!

New Suede Skirt

2007-07-13T20:11:00.000-05:00

This summer I am working on several new leather garments to help promote my new Sewing Leather CD this fall. Here is a great suede skirt made from one skin using Simplicity 9825. I omitted the CF seam and put an invisible zipper in the back. The yoke makes good use of the skin. The skin was purchased with the tie dye print. The top is Vogue 2814, an Issey Miyake, pattern. It is made from a lightweight wool jersey. I washed the jersey first on a delicate cycle in cold water. It felted just slightly. The neck and hem edges are raw and top stitched.

Vogue 8397

2007-07-09T19:25:00.000-05:00

Here are the new pants from Marcy Tilton's trio of pants pattern for Vogue. I love the pants! They are very fast and easy to make up and comfortable to wear. I made them out of a rayon blend doubleknit from www.emmaonesock.com It has the perfect weight and drape. Fiber content is: 38% rayon, 35% polyester, 23% nylon and 4% spandex.
The pants have vertical seams in the front, which make them very slimming.

Vogue pattern 2971

2007-06-30T10:16:00.001-05:00

Here are photos of the new Vogue Koos pattern. I love it! I purchased all of the fabrics on my Springtime in New York trip this year. The black/white stripe is a knit fabric. The panel down the front of the skirt is sewn on, stitched in rows and then cut apart. It is cut on the diagonal so it won't fray. Be sure to use your notches and check the pattern instructions for sewing the skirt together. It is not difficult, just unusual.

What the videos look like

2007-06-24T22:03:00.000-05:00

Here's a full-size screen-capture from a playing video. The pdf pages can be scaled to your monitor, but the videos always play at the same size, which you can see by clicking on this image.

Inside "Sewing Leather"

2007-06-24T21:38:00.000-05:00

Adding to Kathryn's up-coming webpage about her new CD-ROM workshop, here are some additional images that may prove interesting:

(Be sure to click on each image to see it larger.)

The CD label (The belt shown here is one of two included projects on the disc, complete with full-size printable patterns.)

The pdf Cover page

The Topics Page (page 2 of the pdf, for navigating its contents)

Screen-captured title-frames for all the topics covered in the 14 video segments

Handbags

2007-06-24T19:51:00.000-05:00

Here is a photo of my co-op student Christie's handbag. She is just learning how to sew. Christie designed and drafted the pattern herself! The bag is made from shearling , which has been dyed to resemble an animal print and black lambskin leather.

The Academy of fine Sewing & Design

2007-06-24T11:21:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of the fully equipped studio. Cutting room and library are a separate room.