Bata de Cola

For the past few weeks, I've been working on a BIG project.
I was invited to join a group of Flamenco dancers from Flamencura, at the Austin School of Fashion Design to design my own Bata de Cola skirt. The basics of the skirt are similar to wedding dress design.

How could I say no to that???

With the help of the instructor, I found these lovely fabrics at JoAnn's. The pink daisy fabric also comes in white with yellow or navy, so I think I'll be making another. We used the pattern ordered online at flamencodressmaking.com. to sew up the basic skirt, but changed many aspects of the actual instructions as you'll see if you follow along. This project was time consuming and gave me a real eye opener to the amount of time that goes into an actual wedding gown. (I know hundreds of hours sometimes.) I think I spent about 45 hours or more on this. Of course the second time around will probably go faster. 

Here's the basic skirt sewn up with zipper attached...

 Next come ruffles....

 

 Starting to look more formal...

 You can't tell very well from the above picture, but I did chalk the lines for ruffle placement.

But wait... I don't think that's quite enough ruffles you say???

How about now?
This looks pretty good, but there's still the under ruffles to contend with to give the Bata that lift and heaviness for movement while throwing the skirt around with your feet....so MORE RUFFLES!!!

Using the seam from the underside of the skirt I tacked these stiff ruffles in between the lines. You can also see where I surged the lining to each of the upper parts of the skirt... you don't line the whole skirt, because that makes it too slippery against the body... specifically the legs. You need to be able to move the skirt with your legs and feet.

 Here's what it looks like from the right side All fluffed from underneath. 

 

Next just finish up the waist facing. Add a few left over ruffles to a tank top and
Ta-Da!!! I'm ready to Flamenco!

 

January Sewing Projects and Pattern Making

Several weeks ago I showed you I had bought a bunch of new patterns. This month I decided this is the pattern I'm going to work on as part of my sew 1 garment a month goal.  McCalls M6515.

 My wardrobe really needs some dress pants. I really have none that fit me right now, so I picked this pattern to work on. I'm between sizes on the chart, so I plan to start by making a muslin. Once that's done, I'll have to pick some fabric, as I don't currently have anything in my stash that would be business appropriate. I'm thinking maybe some Black Gabardine. Anybody wish to do a sew a-long?

On another note, this week I'll be starting an advanced pattern making class at the fashion school. Hopefully I'll learn to make my own pants patterns for the future. I haven't yet attempted to make my own sloper, but the instructions in this Textbook: Pattern Making for Fashion Design - 5th Edition- by Helen Joseph-Armstrong are pretty good for creating designs of your own.

Post below and let me know what you're working on sewing this month. I'm starting to look for some ideas for February.

Learning How to Sew is Not for the Faint of Heart...

Lesson 2 of my new sewing class DARTS- This takes patience. Actually I'm beginning to think that all sewing takes patience. Why do you make a point, but you aren't really sewing to that point... you are sewing do a different point about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch above that point to the fold. then along the fold to the point???  Yes its perfectly logical. hahaha.
Lesson 3 Button holes. Very exciting in class. The sewing machines they use there have this awesome little foot that you stick the button in and it makes the perfect sized button hole for you. Then I came home and tried it on my machine. I do not have the same kind of button hole foot. BOO!!!! I actually will have to measure and mark my button holes.

See the button holes on the sides of the fabric? those were done in class. The one in the middle was done on my machine at home. Yes, the same size button. <sigh> I need some practice.


On a brighter note. I found a podcast about sewing that I really enjoy called "Sew Forth Now". Lori offers great tips, tricks and interviews all sorts of amazing people in the sewing world. It really makes my day go faster. I've also started following her blogs. "Sew Forth Now" and "Girls In The Garden". Although the podcasts are 2012 and older, I'm hoping maybe there maybe some more in the future. I can imagine 2 blogs is very timely, so  "Girls in the Garden" seems to be the one to read for current things she's working on. Its nice to follow someone with so much knowledge about my new found hobby. I'm hoping someday it will be more than that. It's really a great skill to have.

Do What You LOVE!

Jack of all trades, Master of None. That's me in a nutshell. I find it amazing how so many of us go to school and major in one thing and really never end up using it. Me? I chose a degree in Science. Used it for a short period of time, and decided I liked the classes in school, but not the application in the real world. 
You hear all sorts of gurus out there now talking about how you should do what you love. Where were you all when I was in High School??? Did nobody tell me I was going to be working for 40 plus years and I better pick something I'd want to do that long? DO WHAT I  LOVE? That sounds great, except for one thing. I really LOVE lots of things. I think my hobbies and personal interests have changed a gazillion times!!! So I'm doing the only think I can think of with all of it.... I'm going to blog about it.

Here's a bit about what I'm up to right now...
About 2 years ago I got it in my head that I wanted to start a bridal gown boutique. I bought a bunch of discontinued gowns from a shop that was discounting their floor samples and excess stock. Of course they were mostly white and creams. At the time there were very few collections in colors other than the standard whites. I thought variety was much better for second time brides especially. After all... I wanted a blue dress for my wedding.

Ellis Bridals WD4142

 I couldn't find one, except online, but I was worried about spending the money and not being sure if it would fit. (Ellis Bridals WD4142)

Wtoo style2761

This one (Wtoo style 2761) I found locally, but its really a bridesmaids gown with a sweep train. It worked and pretty much cemented my grand idea. Plus my ten years of retail and management experience is something. Regardless, I have to read everything about the bridal gown industry I can get my hands on. Still, I'm definitely not the next contestant on Project Runway. At any rate, I decided to take some sewing classes at a local adult fashion school. Sew far,(get it?) I've learned the Felled Stitch, French Stitch, and how to make gathers for a skirt. This is going slow, so not much progress yet.
Another avenue I've decided to pursue is painting. Decorative Painting to be exact. I loved watercolor class in High School, and I just know art is in my blood. My Grandma was a freelance Calligrapher in her day. She designed Christmas Cards for Retail Stores, Charities, and belonged to her local Calligrapher's guild. Getting a letter from her was like getting a beautiful piece of artwork. I've never seen better calligraphy than hers. Not that I'm biased, but it is a dying art-form.
My Mother was a fantastic sketcher, although for her it was only ever a hobby, (her dream was to be a writer) I was always impressed as a girl and wanted to be able to draw as well as she did. Her desk calenders were always full of sketches. Reality, I convinced myself, was that drawing the things I wanted to draw, was not going to pay the bills.
My Aunt- I never would have figured to be the super artsy type. It always seemed her head was for business, but now she has more time to pursue her crafty side. She definitely got her talent from my Grandmother. Beautiful Paintings. My Aunt is the one who's got me hooked on painting. She belongs to the Society for Decorative Painters, and now so do I. The women in my local chapter are amazing. They have so much talent it makes it hard for me to breath sometimes. I think I could spend the next 20 years learning everything I could from these women and still have so much to learn.
The first meeting I attended we made Paper Mache Santa decorations to be painted at a later date. Here's mine...

The second meeting I painted this..... for a clock mechanism to be inserted later.

Until the next entry...