My Time at the Kelton House Roaring 20's Evening!

Was soooo happy to be at the Kelton House Saturday the 16th for their Roaring 20's evening!

I understand that the event raised at least $15,000 and I am happy I was a part of it! On the downside, I didn't get any shots worth sharing as my new camera's disk was full and I have yet to learn how to use it anyway, ha!

My friend who is the special events coordinator took shots with his friend Dee's camera, so I have a few to share here. Dee dressed up and played a 'Madame' role, so here I am with my 'Madame'!



I wore the 1920 evening frock from the French pattern I drafted and translated in 2007. It is two tones of 80%metal/20%silk blend with 1920's vintage metal lace on the entire bodice. I wore it because it was considered a 'scandlous' style that opened the door to shorter, handkerchief hems and open backs on frocks in the latter part of the 20's and early 30's. The fan is vintage osterich feather from Stockholm.

Things are only going to be as difficult as I make them-the 1934 Men's Trousers

It's been a real thorn in my side over the last week since it first came to my attention that there is a crucial flaw in the 1934 men's trouser pattern I issued in multi-size late last summer.

I am happy to say that I have corrected the error and mocked them up again to confirm that there is no longer a problem.

A customer e-mailed to let me know about the discrepancy in the length of the trouser front rise (crotch) versus that of the trouser back. I realized I had used a file drafted from the original pattern which had this error in it instead of the corrected version of the original pattern-a grievous error on my part, indeed!

To correct your pattern, the hook of the back crotch needs to be dropped 1-1/2" from its current position while maintaining the location of the inner leg seam:



To make amends to those who are not confident in making this change to the pattern themselves, I am happy to send the corrected trouser back and the trouser front pieces to those who request them of me via e-mail.

On the Boards - Spring 2009

Do you fellows have any interest in the 1930's men's underwear pattern?



In the meantime, here are more patterns I am preparing this spring:



Mid-1930's Swimsuits


1927 Skirt

I Have the Most Interesting Customers in the World

Last night, I was thinking about the fact that I have the most interesting customers as I was printing an order for a French-Canadian Soprano Opera singer who just completed a European tour. You can see Karina here.   I cannot wait to see what her seamsterss makes of the patterns!

Therefore, I wish to start a new small segment on my web site to spotlight customers and the projects they have created from my patterns. I invite everyone who wishes to be written up to submit photos of their favorite projects from EvaDress patterns along with a small blurb and personal information regarding the sewing approach, if desired.

The first project I intend to post for the month of April is this ribbed silk version of the Katharine Hepburn jacket pattern (size group C) made by a customer in Nevada:





I love how the ribbed silk drapes so well for this style and the strong directionality the rib communicates the cut of each piece. Makes a most stunning 2-1/2D style, indeed!

My 2009 outlook on the patterns

2009 is the year I am focusing on 2-1/2 dimensional styles. This means I am going to work with patterns featuring fabric elements that leap off the garment, yet do not cease to be a part of it. Darts, pleats and tucks are all valid dimensional effects in fabric, but this study goes further. For example, this favorite blouse has a jabot which is in one with the blouse front. Only its facing is a separately applied piece:



Here is a German frock pattern I am offering early 2009:



While the jabot is a separately applied piece (sewn to the back neck edge), I resolved to add it under this 2-1/2 D theme due to the amount of volume the jabot adds to the front of the frock, yet it is tucked under the folded fabric belt. More to come!

One whoes beauty equaled what she offered Us...

It was brought to my attention last week that sadly, Charlotte of VintageCat.com is no longer with us. If you look up her former home page link, there is a message to the effect that she lost a long-time battle with cancer just recently.

I have had the joy of working with her only a few times over the last 10 years and I had no idea she was struggling with the multitude of difficulties and pain cancer brings.

Just this October, I wrote a great deal of material I intend to publish about vintage patterns and I made reference to her wonderful business ethic as well as information on how to source fabulous vintage patterns at RetroCat. With the draft in progress, I will leave all mention of her business in place due to the fact that I feel people should certainly keep her in mind.

I feel that the most beautiful things are those which do not last a great long time. A fine character such as hers is as beautiful yet fleeting as the rare patterns she availed to all of us.

An Interior After My Own Heart!

I spent part of Thursday at the Knowlton School of Architecture attending a few final reviews as a silent observer. Sometimes, it makes me crazy that I am not attending there right now, so I am finally writing up this piece about my favorite retail interior because I become rather 'jazzed' about the matter when I am exposed a line of like-thinking.

This is the interior of an eyeglass reatil space in a Tokyo, Japan mall by Japanese architect Ryuji Nakamura and it contains two of my most favorite architectural premises, so this is really BIG!

First, the space in plan takes on the manner of Rudolph Arnheim's Virtually Present Norm. That is, the arrangement of the plan's contents suggest the configuration of the square, versus obvious lines around the plan establishing the square. Our eye completes the square versus the square actually being there.




Second, the arrangement of the narrow doorways in elevation through each set of shelved partitions take on the effect of recursion. Love it!


I have outlined a brief example of recrusion with these mirrors I found at Brocadedesignetc.blogspot.com:

An example of recursion is the mirror within the mirror within the mirror...(although here, only one mirror is within the mirror, but we should expect it to go on infinitely for the proper recursive effect)