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Summer Sewing

For the past two summers I have joined my sisters and mother 
at my sister's cottage for a 'Crafting Retreat'.  
It is our gift to our mother for Mother's Day.

This year's projects included a tea cosy.  We lined the cosies with insulated batting, which had a layer of foil, to keep the tea warm.

We texturized, stenciled and painted tins to keep tea in.

We took a break and served 'high tea' in the forest!  We made mittens from recycled, felted sweaters.

Rainwear Workshop August 20-24, 2012

The Academy of fine Sewing & Design will be offering a Rainwear workshop next month.  Based on her article for Vogue Pattern magazine, Kathryn Brenne will demonstrate how to completely seal and waterproof seams, how to add a removable zip out liner, design pockets and sew with specialty fabrics.
Students will have the opportunity to complete several samples as well as work on their own individual  project.  Participants can design the perfect raincoat.
Here are details from the raincoat Kathryn did for Vogue.  Kathryn added an inside zippered pocket to keep things dry, velcro cuffs for easy on/off, a breathable wicking upper lining, completely sealed seams and outer invisible zippered pockets.
For more information about the workshop contact The Academy of fine Sewing & Design 705-494-8529.

Couture Trousers with Jon Moore

Jon Moore returned to The Academy of fine Sewing & Design this past spring to lead two Couture Trouser workshops.  Students drafted and sewed their own custom trousers from beautiful English flannel.  The results were beautiful and perfect fitting!

Grad Dress

This is one of my high school student's grad dress. She has sewn with me for years and did an amazing job on her final project before heading off to college.

Jared Flood Rock Island Shawl

I knit Jared Flood's Rock Island Shawl as a knit along with a few of my friends. The pattern is just gorgeous! The yarn was Shepherd Sock in the colour Grand Street Ink. I wore it to the Gala dinner at Vogue Knitting Live in New York.

Fur Workshop

Here are some of the finished results from the 2011 Recycled Fur workshop. Students could remodel, redesign or remake an old fur coat into something new.

This student had a full length racoon coat which she remade into a car coat length. She introduced some leather to reduce the fullness of the fur.

I also had a student make a shearling jacket from skins she had purchased.

Leather Tote Bag Workshop Ottawa Artwear Group

The Ottawa Artwear Group invited me to teach a Leather Tote bag worksop in February. I taught participants how to draft their own patterns and techniques specific for working with leather. We had lots of creative tote bags by the end of the two day workshop!

Summer Sewing

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.