Handcrafted with Love

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

I just came across this blog about making trousers, and I'm now a little obsessed.

Nerd alert!

Sara

Top 10 Reasons to Go Somewhere Else!

                              

Okay Okay, it's a bit of a hostile title, but blogging experts say you've got to get 'em interested with controversy from the get-go.

This post is to outline those instances when you may want to cross "custom dress design" off your list as an option for your bridal gown.  

1.  Your timeline is too short.  Custom gowns take time, honey, and sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day to get to all the dresses we want to.  If you're looking in the peak of the "season" (May thru September), you'll be hard pressed to find someone with enough time on their hands to get the project done and up to snuff.  My general rule is minimum 12 weeks, but even then it's a tough call.  Set up a consult, be honest and up front about your timeline from the start, and we'll see what we can make happen!

2.  Your dream is too big for your budget.  So you want to look like a cross between Celine Dion and Princess Di, but you've only got a few hundred bucks for the gown?  Start on Ebay, or Etsy, but please understand that just because it's local and it's handmade doesn't mean it's going to fit into the tiniest of budgets.  Sometimes it's actually more affordable to go with the dream dress off the rack, even if it is hard to swallow.

3.  You want beading galore.  Beading is very time consuming!  There's a reason why it's done overseas, you don't want to pay me to take all that time to put every little tiny bead on there!  Trust me, it's tedious work.  Although, I can refer you to a beading enthusiast, if need be!

4.  You just can't splurge on that (insert designer here) gown you tried on at the high end boutique down the street, but you really really want it!  The truth is, that Vera Wang gown is actually priced fairly for the amount of work and quality of materials that went into making that gown.  Many times, if I can nail the style for you, it won't feel quite right...and there are a million reasons why!  Those reasons are all on the inside of the gown, the things you don't see but that you can just feel when you have it on.  It's really hard to reproduce that feeling for you, and chances are if I can do it, it won't end up costing you much less.

5.  You have to have that material.  I have a lot of resources at my fingertips, but sometimes that duchess satin you want is just plain out of your budget, and out of mine.  National brands have the buying power to order hundreds of yards of material at a time, so manufacturers will not only give them the best bang for their buck, but they'll make it to their specifications.  

6.  You can't spend more than $300 total, for the entire ensemble.  For some reason, people think that custom is going to be cheap! (Actually, it's either real cheap or real expensive...)  Now, it doesn't have to be crazy expensive, but I really do find it insulting when someone brings me a picture of a dress from a national chain that retails for $195, and wants me to make it for half that price.  I am not a factory worker, and this is not China.

7.  You don't know what you want.  You've seen a ton of dresses, and they all look the same...just, not quite right.  If you don't know where your ideas are going, it's going to be really hard to define what you'd like for me to make you.  If you have the time, take a few more weeks to really narrow down what you're looking for, then if you're still thinking custom, give a girl a call.

8.  You don't have room in your schedule for fittings.  This is a big one.  We won't just take your measurements, and see you in 6 months for an alterations fitting.  I'll want to see you every few weeks to make sure the process goes smoothly, step by step.  If your life is jam packed with work, school, community dodgeball, volunteering at the mental hospital, and planning your wedding, I have a feeling it's going to take a lot to get down to the studio for a couple hours every few weeks.  Scheduling problems tend to be the most frustrating, on both ends.

9.  You can't imagine the final product without seeing it first.  I understand!  Everyone's brain works in different ways, and you're in good company.  Most girls walk out of the dressing room their first muslin fitting with a look of utter regret, because what we start with is nothing like what we end up with.  If you just can't possibly imagine what all those pieces together are going to look like, and the sketch I've worked up for you doesn't help, we're both going to have a heck of a time trying to get through the process stress-free.  Usually I can help ease that stress a little bit, but we all have our limits.

10.  You're not comfortable in your own skin.  This is by far the most important one.  The fittings you'll have to endure are by no means unethical or degrading, but they can feel that way to someone who is not comfortable with their body!  The most difficult part of the fitting process is getting the pattern shapes right on the bodice, meaning I spend a lot of time up close and personal with your puppies.  No feelsies, but I need to get in there to get the shape right, same with through the hip.  If you're not comfortable with a professional all up in your grill to make your dress fit you right, it's best just to cut out that tension and get something off the rack.

Hope this helps!

Love
Sara

  

Isabel Toledo

I just ordered this book (I know I know I'm crazy on Amazon right now!) about fashion heavyweight Isabel Toledo, and it just so happens that right now there is an exhibition of her work at the museum at FIT in New York!  I wish I could just hop back and forth to see all these exhibitions, but alas...

Thought I'd share this image with you of her "patchwork draped" gowns...beautiful!  They would be great as a wedding gown...

Looks like someone has been studying up on Madame Gres...

That's all for now!  More sewing!

Love,
Sara

Cues from Calder

I've been drooling over this book about Alexander Calder's jewelry for quite a while.  Last night I logged into Amazon to review my (extensive!) wishlist and saw it once again, ready and waiting for a big splurge.  But alas, not in this economy!  Instead I read reviews of it on various websites and just ogled the excerpts and photos for a bit.  A quote from Calder caught my eye:

"Simplicity of equipment and an adventurous spirit in attacking the unfamiliar or unknown 

are apt to result in a primitive and vigorous art...I decided a long time ago that primitive art 

really is preferable to decadent art...So I've remained as primitive as possible."

Leave it to a master to put into words exactly what I've been trying to say about the line from LoveJune...I've talked it up and tried to explain the concept behind it, but there it is!  The idea of using whole pieces of fabric started partially because I was broke and didn't want to see my dollars thrown in the garbage, but was really solidified after reading about African cultures that use whole lengths of fabric so that in the future they may be taken apart and reworked without having to purchase new material.

Recently I went over my collection and did a little editing.  Some new styles had been spinning around in my head and I was getting a little tired of some of the first styles, so I removed them from the floor and decided to rework them.  I can take them apart, press them, and reuse those fabric lengths for totally new styles, and I can't wait to show you what I come up with!  A little early 20th century inspiration to get your wheels turning:

In the meantime, enjoy these last days of summer!

Love,
Sara

Rock 'n Roll!

I spent last week in the Sierra Nevadas of Eastern California, sunbathing and barbequeing with my beloved.  Of course, I had to strain by back the day we left, so much of my vacation was spent reading and observing, instead of the usual hiking and kayaking.  But, I digress.

I started imagining all of these fabulous accessories with really crystally cuff bracelets and accessories with big chunky pyrite!  Now I'm obsessed!  (Ahem, Alex, bad news for you!  Prepare for an onslought of design challenges!)

Imagine my joy when I was perusing some of my favorite sites and I found this clutch from Paige Gamble, perfect for my vision!  LOOOOOOVE the black alligator...in fact, I think I'll have to create a couple of gowns just for this lovely hand candy.

It's so rock and roll, and I'm itching for something new...

Love,
Sara

On Vacation!

Time for a little rest and respite!  

After being hunched over my sewing machine since December (ouch!), I'm taking a couple weeks off.  See you soon!

Sara

Love Affair: 4-Ply Crepe

I've always loved 4-ply crepe, but for some projects I prefer something slightly lighter so it's not so heavy.  But, oh!  The drape!  The hand!  The sexiness!  Loooooove it!  I keep coming up with new ways to use it, as seen in "Zoe" and here, in Cathy's custom mother-of-the-bride gown we just finished up this week:

 I absolutely looooove the end result, and I'm so happy she's just as thrilled!  The wedding isn't for a couple weeks, but I'm waiting with bated breath for some pictures!

Love,
Sara

Projects: Mahea

I just shipped off a beautiful blue cornflower blue custom order from Etsy to my lovely Mahea in the Bay Area.  She came to me with a very clear vision of what she wanted, and we were lucky enough to be able to find the right material for her vision!

I can't wait to see the photos from her wedding, but here's some studio shots I took as a sneak peek!

So beautiful!  

Love,

Sara

Back in Black

Black is a hot color for fall, both in ready to wear and in bridal as an accent.  National makeup artist Katherine Sealy of Event Cosmetics came to me the other day requesting a black blouse for an event coming up, here's what we came up with:

 

Katherine's blouse is made out of a specialty raw silk, with some silk chiffon accent at the neckline for texture.  We used the theme from the Spring '10 Love June Boutique line- "Ruffles and Raw Edges"- as inspiration.  The blouse was made without producing a single fabric scrap, anything we cut was incorporated back into the blouse somehow.

Can't wait to see the photos from the photoshoot!

Love,
Sara

Finishing Up

I'm finishing up all of my dresses in the next few weeks, and just sent one of my favorites out the door yesterday!  

Oh, who am I kidding?  I love all my babies equally!

I can't wait for all of the photos to come rolling in, this year's batch of dresses were all really unique and challenging in their own way.  Here's a link to Cat's blog, who I sent out the door yesterday.  She's getting hitched on Saturday, so I should have some great pics of it soon.  Cat was on the ball and has posted pictures from the entire process along the way, so you can kind of see each step we took to get to the final product!  

Cat's dress:  a v-neck dropped waist A-line ballgown, with alencon lace detailing on the bodice, and a gathered soft organza skirt and strap.

Up next in the next few weeks:

Cathy's dress:  a discerning mother, with 4-ply turquoise crepe de chine cocktail dress and bolero jacket, accented with a fun paisley lining and a braid at the neckline.

Sara's gown:  Halter style gown with a modified A-line, ruching accent at the waistline, and back strap detail.  We're still looking for a fun sparkly applique for the front!

Kelley's gown:  A wide V-neck with a low V in the back, a fit-and-flare shape, with graduated ruching shoulder to hem!  Gorgeous!

Jenn's gown:  a strapless mermaid cut 'a la Eva Longoria (below), with tulle overlay and an asymmetrical neckline detail, and tulle flowers down the back!

I'm so excited to see all of these lovely gowns coming together, and will post photos as soon as they come rolling in!

Love,

Sara