le mani d'oro

For many years I was a fanatic reader of Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar and so forth. I would spend lots of money of fashion magazine, on clothes as well as spending so much time thinking about my look. These days, I have less time for all that. These days, I am unfaithful to those paper magazines. I often prefer to surf on the Net. From time, to time, I feel guilty not to support the local version of Elle or Clin d'oeil (another local fashion magazine). So last week, I bought the December issue of Elle Québec.

On the collaborator's page, there is a short note on Crystal Renn, one of the most famous, and I quote, "Plus Size" model in the world. PLUS SIZE MODEL !! Are they out of their mind ? If Crystal Renne was once a plus model, she no longer is. I would rather say that she is a beautifully shape NORMAL woman. Hello any body home?


This month, she is back in a beautiful Red Dress report... but tell me, what is Plus Size in her curves. Humm I would rather give her an A+ for beauty, natural look and great curves. Don't we want more of that type of model in magazines?
In my point of view, if this is their definition of Plus, the following type a silhouette is then Normal. Well according to me, that type of look is definitely a MINUS.
But then again, this is a question of perception. (Garment by Chloé A-2010) Let's promote healthy images of woman who have an BMI between 19 and 25. This young woman should gain 20 pounds, practice sport, built her lean body mass to be able to age better and not suffer of osteoporosis, go to bed early and laugh more ... Yes this is a judgment I publicly make... that of make as well.

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I was waiting for DH to take official pictures before posting the beauty. Christmas is coming and our weekends are very busy, no time during the day to take nice shots of me wearing the amazing piece of clothes. I may sound a little imbued of my self, but my enthusiasm comes with the love of this skirt so much !!!

As I mentioned before, the fabric is a gift from my friend Annette. The minute I had the piece of fabric in my hands, I new I would make a skirt with it. I sat with my box of pattern and my Burda magazine and finally set my choice on the Burda Magazine 2010-11-113. I felted the fabric in the washing machine using a short hot water cycle and that was enough to enrich the already amazing texture of the wool. I liked this country chic look that the two dramatic pleats add to the design.

This is a very easy pattern to sew. I shall post a tutorial for the pleats since their instructions are not that clear. (see picture with a close-up) The rest is very easy. This pattern did not include pieces for the lining. I simply folded the pleats to have a flat front piece (picture coming in a future post). Annette also gave me a neat pink charmeuse for the lining. I had a hard time hemming it. :-( It was so sliky. I will buy lace and refinish it since I am not fully satisfied with the internal finished look.

The front hem of the skirt is done with a facing. The back pieces have a regular turned in hem. Follow Elisabeth's (my favourite sewing instructor) instruction, I did not press the waist band to give it a more Couture look, nor did I press the hem. The final result is wonderful ... at least in my opinion.

Now I want to find a dark burgundy or dark olive mohair sweater or tween set. If you have see any online, please tell me so. It is lovely with fushia but a little too loud. It looks great with a dark purple turtle neck I have and a dark purple-brown tailor shaped leather jacket I have.

Real nice pictures are coming up.

Today, I paper fit my Burda winter coat (pattern number 8017 which I think is OOP) and started to cut the muslin. Since this is a long term project and I really need clothes, I also cut this Burda World of Fashion skirt (2010-11-113).

My dear friend Annette sent my a balanced of her magnificent Italian wool. She initially bought it at Emma one sock and made a great top with (as shown on the picture). I felted the fabric in the washing machine by using a very short hot water cycle. It gave the fabric such a nice hand feel (not that it did not already have one...). The wool became denser without loosing it's drape.

It was more then a pleasure to lay out the pattern on the fabric. This skirt pattern is making me so enthusiastic, the colours are dense and joyful, the sun was shinning in the kitchen... well life was good. I am certain that the skirt will be out of this world.

This fabric goes really well with olive green. It makes me want to buy those boots from John Fluevog. Don't you think those two would look great together?















Now I have to figure out how to lined this pattern... ho oh ! Burda has such strangely written instructions.

Back to work now... see you soon.

Anne

Even before cutting the pieces for a muslin, I am planning the lining of my Burda coat. My first idea was to quilt, in a creative way, Thinsulate to the kasha lining and give to my boiled wool jacket a little warm woompf.

After reviewing The Sewing Laywer's blog on her Burda 7731 project (see picture on this article) and reading this exchange on Pattern Review's blog, I entirely revised my position.

The key words I remember from those readings were: Michelin Men, Bulky, No Drape, Not suitable for wool jackets and Made for thin nylon fabric.

Ok you convinced me !!!!!!!!!! Thank Kay you for sharing your knowledge . Or else, I would have headed for a disaster.

Now I have boiled wool and kasha lining and those 2 together are not warm enough for Montreal's -10 oC or -20 oC or worst -30 oC... well at -30 oC I will wear another jacket for sure. But still, Montreal could be cold.

So what are the options according to you ? Polartec, lambs wool, or ???

I used lamb wool in a previous jacket that I plan to show you soon. It is not sufficient to keep me warm under -5 oC. So far I have been wearing a duvet vest under my wool jackets to keep me warm. Keep in mind that I walk 4 kilometers per day on my way to and from the office. I do not travel by car.

The duvet vest gives me comfort and warmth, but it also makes me look like Quasimodo (the hump back in Notre-Dame de Paris ;-)). It fluffs my jacket a little too much. If I could, I would like to avoid that option.

On the other hand, a thin lining with the duvet vest allows me to wear the jacket during fall and early spring.

Again, what do you think, what are your suggestions?

Kind Regards,

Anne-Marie

Oh la la, I did not think that any body would dare to wear such horror pieces. Oh My ! Digs who is the author of Strait Jacket Muse gave me the link to this article about Cate Blanchette fashion "faux pas".

Humans will never stop amazing me... positively and negatively. !!

Cate you are usually so nicely dressed. What happened to your stylist? Please call Annie Horth.

Paco Peralta, the super designer from Barcelona sent me this picture of a dress worn by Audrey Hepburn. Well, I love Audrey so much, she must have look good even wearing that. She was such an icon of beauty ... internal and external as well.



Have you seen any other person walk around with a late 1970's blanket ? I hope not.

xx

J'adore la laine orange brûlé. J'ai cette laine bouillie fantastique qui n'attend que d'être cousue. Voilà mon nouveau projet. Le patron de papier est taillé, les modifs et la toile arrivent bientôt.

I love burned orange wool. I have this amazing boiled wool which is just begging to be sewned. The paper pattern is cut, the adjustments and muslin should be completed soon.

What do work on ? Send me a link and I will post it here ...

xx

Though I have been unfaithful to my sewing machine and the sewing blogs I love to read; I took a little, little time every month to flip Burda World of Fashion.

Tonight, the November number was in my mail box... It is always a moment of joy to sit at the table and read the magazine... A moment of deligh,t when I systematically match the patterns I like with the fabric in my stash or fabric I dream of buying.

I usually flip the pages quickly to read it more thoroughly and slowly after. Tonight, it happened differently. I stopped at page 7 (French edition) and could go further. I was unable to turn the pages. I could not stop staring. I could not believe my eyes. I had such a funny face, my son asked me if I was in pain. In pain ? Was I in pain ? ... No, I was horrified of seeing this !!!

Nobody will ever, ever, ever make me believe that this is Haute Couture or that it is beautiful. My grand mother Madeleine, who was more of an entrepreneur then a knitter, use to make those for her country house. They were made of wool balance she kept from other projects. She knitted comfortable and warm throws my older sister and I used to warm up our selfs... But..


Never, ever, ever would I have thought of seeing Madeleine's master piece on a cat walk. !!!

Hello Paul Smith, I am usually one of your greatest fan. This fall, all apologies, you lost me. My mind is not sufficiently open to your definition of chic.

Here are other bad outfits, he designed this year. Tell me what you think.

Flesh tone shirt with puffy sleeves and blue mica pants. No thank you.

This dress is not, to my opinion, flattering. I look to big and the voile covering the black fabric seems to be improvised.

Some pieces in the collection are nice. But nothing would make me spend 1000$ ...

I'm reviewing Couture Elle in advance of the first PR Weekend in Canada, coming up in June, 2010. This is one of the stores in Montreal's concentrated fabric shopping district on St. Hubert Street, north of Jean Talon Metro stop. It's one of my favorites.


Have you bought anything from this store? If yes were the prices competitive? I have bought many pieces from this store. The prices are not bargain basement but very good, especially when you consider that the fabrics are unique and high quality.

Guipure in all colours

How was your shopping experience. Is there anything you did not like about this store? The owner of the store, Jean Ghrayeb, is extremely helpful and will tell you the fibre content and designer origins of his stock. If he�s not sure, he whips out his lighter and does a burn test, right in the store. He stocks beautiful wools, silks, linen and laces as well as designer knits. This is a fantastic place to browse, with fabric on bolts neatly stacked almost to the ceiling. It's well organized by type of fabric and Mr. Ghrayeb does a great job of making suggestions, if you are looking for something special.

This is not the biggest store on St. Hubert, by square footage, but there is a lot of great fabric to be had - which means it can get a little crowded - visit in small groups!


Connie lost in fabric paradise

Kay wrote three great review on fabric stores in Montreal.

The first one is on Sam Textiles on St-Hubert Street. This will of course be part of our fun shopping during the Montreal PR Weekend in June.

Here are Kay's impression with lost of pictures.

I'm reviewing this store in anticipation of the PR Weekend coming up in Montreal in June, 2010. We'll definitely be trekking to St. Hubert Street which has a concentration of fabric stores. Sams is a must-see.

My Favorite Kay



There are long aisles organized by type of fabric. There is an entire aisle devoted to lycra and knits, but my favorite aisle is found at the very back of the store. 100% cashmere, anyone?

The silk aisle


Sams has fabulous suitings and especially coat fabrics woven from pure wool, and blends with alpaca and cashmere. Silks are at the front of the store. Every colour of dupioni, as well as exquisite embroidered silks can be found. From time to time I have seen African printed cotton. Upstairs is the bargain section � in the past full of novelty cotton prints; now it's mostly home dec. However, things change and it's worth checking out.

In addition to fashion fabric, Sams sells some "utility" fabrics (not sure what else to call them) such as interfacing, lambs wool interlining, etc.

I've spent many an hour browsing at Sams - it has very competitive prices for high quality fabric.

Here are Connie and Rhonda browsing for ??


As for shopping experience, the staff are helpful but happy to leave you to browse. The store is relatively large but has LOTS of stock, so there's not a lot of open space. However, it should be able to accommodate small-medium clusters of shoppers.