Art Journal

Nature Ramblings ~ Past Times Time Travel ~ Romancing Daily Life

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Bustiers: Excuse Me Aren't Those Your Underpinnings?

Though I turned under the neckline to envision the end result,
Lynda still felt it was too high when I put it on.
The new neckline is less round and lower.
Yes, as pretty as my vintage Tanna Lawn fabric is on this bustier....
It's really the lining.
This garment is inside-out.
The great thing is that I'll always see this Liberty print when I put this garment on!
And I'm really happy with the way it's fitting.

After this photo teacher Lynda Maynard decreased the round in the neckline some more and had me work on the hem, which will be much higher on the sides and in the back. To make sure it's not too long, I sat down with my back very straight. The goal is not to have spiral steel boning jabbing me in the groin. Which is a pretty durn good idea. Also the goal is to have a flattering hem.

I have two full pages of checklist I created to get to the point where I begin to work on the outside layer - the actual layer people will see. What you are seeing here is lining fabric applied to a sturdy layer of cutil. That cutil is where all the support of boning channels and bones will be happening. And that's what I'll be working on over the next two weeks.

~ ~ ~
Resources

http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/01/bustier-class-pattern.html
http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/01/bustiers-not-corset-plus-free-printable.html
http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/01/bustiers-made-to-measure-altering.html
http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/01/bustier-help-pattern-fairies-have-ahold.html
http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/02/bustier-classic-underpinnings-silk.html



Saturday, February 8, 2014

The Pineapple Express: Aloha!




Comes from Hawaii-
Rain rivers crash on our coast.
Mahalo means thanks!


I created this illustration as a tribute to my buddy Kim on the big island of Hawaii, who sent (hopefully) drought-breaking rain my way. She grows the best white pineapples too!

~ ~ ~
Resources

What is this Pineapple Express and how does it relate to the drought in California? http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25088877/california-drought-desperately-needed-rain-courtesy-pineapple-express

Learning to say more than thank you in Hawaiiin

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Bustier: Classic Underpinnings - Silk Organza

Silk organza is a very stable fabric that minimizes bulk in a project. A year ago I bought six yards of this fabric. I have been using it as an invisible layer for different aspects of sewing projects as I learn new ideas. 

Back in December I used it as sew-in interfacing for my Lilacs and Liberty shirt. Tonight I cut strips of silk organza on the straight-of-the-grain that I'll be using to stay the top of the inner shell of my  bustier bodice. The strips are intended to be 1 and 1/4 inches wide (mine are a little wider at this point in time). They'll be folded lengthwise (resulting in 5/8 inch wide strips). Then I'll cut them about 1/4 inch shorter than the width of each bodice piece, which I'll be easing to the strips with hand stitches. I'll stay each piece of the bodice individually.

Using silk organza makes me feel a little glamorous.  It doesn't actually cost much more than other interfacing and stabilizers,  and makes me feel like a real seamstress!

Silk organza keeps the enchantment in my sewing!

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Hiking Edgewood: Poison Oak (haiku)


Click on the illustration above to get up close and personal with...
Toxicodendron diversilobum a.k.a. Poison Oak!

Subtle little sticks.
Shiny leaves brings itchy rash.
Urushiol, help!

~ ~ ~
Resources
http://www.smmtc.org/plantofthemonth/plant_of_the_month_200612_Poison_Oak.htm
http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=todi

Monday, January 27, 2014

Ench By Sew-16 Quinceañeras, Weddings and More – A Local Sewing Business

An Interview with Sewing Business Owner Esther
Hey! 
The latest Enchanted by Sewing Podcast has been published!
Two Ways to Listen
Option I)You can listen to the show right on the web by clicking on the this link
~ OR ~
Option ii)  Click on this link to iTunes  to download this and other Enchanted by Sewing shows to your mobile device (iPhone, Android, etc.) free from iTunes
Did I miss any links mentioned in the show? If so, please post here and let me know, or else email me EnchantedBySewing AT gmail DOT com
~ ~ ~
Quinceañeras, Weddings and More – Tocci, Quinces and More - A Local Sewing Business 

This month’s show is an interview with Esther, owner of a local sewing business, Tocci Quinces & More. 
Highlights of our conversation include:

- How Esther learned to sew on the job sewing in Mexico for a maquiladora in Mexico City and how her desire for a different life for herself and her daughters, motivated her to come to the US, where she trained for and worked at medical jobs for several years
- Eventual acquisition of her business
- Esther’s dreams, experiences and plans for the sewing and business education, that are helping her to grow her business.
- Flights of fancy from both ladies in regards to sewing inspiration for specialized Mexican techniques and garments

~ ~ ~ 
Resources


ma·qui·la/ maquiladora

maquila is 
another term for maquiladora.


 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maquiladora
 An excerpt….
“In Mexico, a maquiladora (Spanish pronunciation: [makilaˈðoɾa]) or maquila (IPA: [maˈkila])[1] is manufacturing operations in a free trade zone (FTZ), where factories import material and equipment on a duty-free and tariff-free basis for assembly, processing, or manufacturing and then export the assembled, processed and/or manufactured products, sometimes back to the raw materials' country of origin.
Currently about 1.3 million Mexicans are employed in one or more of approximately 3,000 maquiladoras 
The term maquiladora, in the Spanish language, refers to the practice of millers charging a maquila, or "miller's portion" for processing other people's grain 


A More Political View of Maquilas

Ester’s first home was Chiapas –  just north of Guatamala: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiapas
She then moved to Mexico City

Esther's business in Fremont CA is Tocci Quinces and More http://www.tocciquinces.com

An excerpt from her business site….Welcome to Tocci Quinces & More your One Stop Wedding & Quinceaneras Shop!
Tocci Quinces & More is a Wedding & Quinceaneras Shop focused on Wedding Gowns & Quinceaneras Gowns, Favors, Ribbons, Decoration and much more. Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life. Trust us to create the most beautiful Wedding Gowns & Quinceaneras Gowns for your special day.
Our products and services include:
Wedding Gowns & Quinceaneras Gowns | Favors | Ribbons
Decoration | Alterations | Ribbon
Imprinting |  Personalized Favors
We provide guaranteed work with complete customer satisfaction. We have been in this business for more than 2 year.
We serve in Bay Area, Tri-City Area, Newark, Fremont and Union City, CA.

We also offer:
Wedding Gowns, Wedding Decoration, Wedding Accessories, Quinceanera Dresses, Quinceanera Gowns, Ribbon

3768 Peralta Blvd,
Fremont, CA 94583
(888)610-9107

- About Quinceañeras  NOTE there are a number of Latino communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Just because people speak Spanish, and have some common ancestral roots in Spain or Portugal, and come from Latin America, doesn’t mean they follow the same traditions and celebrate occasions in the same ways.

WHAT is a quincinera?
A few excerpts….
“Quinceañera, also called fiesta de quince años, fiesta de quinceañera, quince años or simply quince, is the celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday in parts of Latin America and elsewhere in communities of people from Latin America.”

Quinceañera (pronounced: [kin.se.aˈɲe.ɾa]; feminine form of "fifteen-year-old"), also called fiesta de quince años, fiesta de quinceañera, quince años or simply quince, is the celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday in parts of Latin America and elsewhere in communities of people from Latin America. This birthday is celebrated differently from any other birthday, as it marks the transition from childhood to young womanhood. The celebration, however, varies significantly across countries, with celebrations in some countries taking on, for example, more religious overtones than in others.
In Brazil, a Portuguese-speaking country, the same celebration is called festa de debutantes, baile de debutantes or festa de quinze anos. In the French Caribbean and French Guiana, it is called fête des quinze ans.

In regards to the discussion of LANGUES Laurel and Esther encounter in their communities

Tagalog is one of the primary languages spoken in the Phillipines. There is are sizable enclaves of people in the San Francisco Bay Area, who have migrated from the Phillipines.


Mexican Cultural Techniques and Specialized Styles We Discussed
Corte y confección

Foklorico Skirts/Baile Foklorico

Beautiful foklorico costume photos! http://www.formulamexicana.com/?p=1846

Huichol ( pronounced \wē-ˈchōl\) are a member of an American Indian people of the mountains between Zacatecas and Nayarit, Mexico

Huichol textiles (embroidery and weavings)

The Huichol people live along the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains in the Mexican states of Jalisco and Nayarit. Traditionally, Huicholes live in communities called ranchos, where everyone shares life's responsibilities. These ranchos are structured around ceremonial centers and the growing cycles of crops. For the Huicholes, life is rich and prosperous when the community is healthy, the harvest is successful, and its people are in harmony. The participation of all members of the society foster this complex, social fabric through communal work, prayer, and ritual which maintains this harmony and balance for generations to come. How different this is from an urban society where materialistic gain can seem to be an obvious indicator of a successful community. However, even the Huichol are not immune to the impact of other cultures. Over the years, many Huicholes have moved to the cities in search of education, economic support, and medical care for their families. These cities include the capitols of Tepic, Guadalajara, and Mexico City.
Archaeological discoveries can place the Huichol people in their current environment for the past 1,600 years….. continued at http://www.artscare.org/huichol1.htm

Esther bought her silk cotton fabric at Thai Silks. Laurel loves this business too. http://www.thaisilks.com

Thai Silks isn’t paying me to promote their business. I just included my latest newsletter promotion. Great local and online business with long-time presence in the sewing community.  High quality silk fabric.
25% OFF NOW!!!
Valentine's Sale!!!

Discount Code C960K

For a limited time only, receive 25% off all non-sale fabrics and colored scarves. All lingerie and artists scarves are always on sale. No further discounts on these items.

http://www.thaisilks.com/promo.php?p=21 

Minimum order to receive the discount is one yard or more of each item selected.

Colored scarves are on sale. And ALL non-sale fabrics are 25% off!! These popular fabrics are on sale!!

Enter Discount Code C960K during check out to see your discount.

Otherwise, remind us of your 25% off all non-sale items in the comments box when you place your order.

Sale expires February 17, 2014.

Thank you for your business!!!
Everyone at Thai Silks!


Saturday, January 25, 2014

Field Trip: Santa Cruz Monarch Butterflies (haiku)


This Danaus plexippus is vacationing in a valley of
Eucalyptus trees at Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz
Monarch Butterfly
Just a flew months, then you fly
Off to make babies


Monarch butterflies generally leave the Rocky Mountains to visit us in the fall and stay on until February, at which time they return home to their stomping grounds in the Rockies.  You can see them at Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz, as well as Pacific Grove, Carmel, and a few scattered locations that people might tell you about, if you're lucky enough to be let in on the secret.

Another reason to always be nice and friendly!

~ ~ ~
Resources


Natural Bridges State Beach: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=541

Monarch Butterfly Migration: http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/monarch-migration.html


Bustiers: Not a Corset! (Plus Free Printable Ephemera)

This imaginary bustier is the inspiration for my bustier class project. I plan to create my first bustier in dark blue denim, with an exposed zipper.  The pink roses on this illustration, are simply a princess touch for this bookmark/luggage tag*!

Since I started Lynda Maynard's bustier sewing class at Cañada, I've been pinning a lot of bustiers, imagining what I hope to sew myself.

There's some confusion out on the web about the difference between a bustier and a corset (I think some images that I've pinned may really be corsets, but the fabric and embellishments are so pretty I can't resist!). Here's what Lynda taught us about the difference between these two garments.


A Bustier 
... derives it's shape from the figure

A Corset
 ... imposes a shape on the figure. A corset compresses and reforms the  figure, usually diminishing it by at least three inches. (And yes those three inches have to go somewhere!)

~ ~ ~
Resources

Laurel's Bustiers Board on Pinterest : http://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/sewingbustiersinspiration/

And stop by and check out some of my other sewing boards! http://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/

Cañada College Fashion Program, Redwood City, CA
http://canadacollegefashion.com

Lynda Maynard
http://canadacollegefashion.com/blog/2013/11/instructor-lynda-maynard/

Bustiers: Class Pattern
~ ~ ~
Printable Ephemera

Feel free to drag the bustier graphic off to your desktop, and print it to use as a bookmark or luggage tag. I insert mine into a Word file , duplicating several of the images on one page and sometimes resizing it to fit the document boundaries. Then I print those images on card stock paper. I hole punch the marker at the top, and loop a piece of decorative ribbon through that. A few beads or pearls on the end of the ribbon would add a lovely touch!


Smaller Size for Printing
Larger Size for Printing



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