le mani d'oro

After a long day at work, just before the sun goes down, I was able to get DH for a very quick photo shoot. We took my little camera and the light was not perfect. There is a bit of digital noise on them :-( Not the effect I wanted but, that is ok for tonight.

Après une longue journée au bureau, mon conjoint a accepté de prendre quelques clichés de ma robe, un peu à la sauvette. Nous avions tous les deux bien hâte de manger. Les photos ne sont pas excellentes, veuillez m'en excuser. Il a un peu de bruit numérique lié à la basse lumière et parce que nous avons utilisé mon petit appareil de poche.

Do I like the dress? No not really. What don't I like... I am not certain though. The fabric probably. The pattern is neat and simple. The fabric makes me look too serious or old. As my friend Annette would say, this dress is perfect to walk the dogs... but I don't have a dog. Nevertheless some aspects of the dress are positive:

Est-ce que j'aime cette robe? Non, pas vraiment. À vrai dire, je ne sais pas pourquoi, mais je ne l'aime pas c'est tout. C'est le tissu fort probablement, le patron est charmant. Comme dirait mon amie Annette, elle est parfaite pour aller prendre une marche avec les chiens... mais je n'ai pas de chien. Malgré tout, il y a plusieurs aspects positif à ce projet tels:

1. My sway back correction is excellent. Well done ! La correction pour la cambrure du dos est parfaite.
   
   
2. The back neckline dart gives excellent fit in a zone that is very often problematic for me - L'ajout de la pince à l'encolure dos arrive à donner un très bon ajustement.
3. I learned a lot about the lining quilting method - Et puis finalement, j'ai beaucoup appris en réalisant cette robe.

If you do not remember, I used the Vogue 8146 pattern for that project. - Si vous n'avez pas souvenir, j'ai utilisé le patron Vogue 8146 pour ce projet.

I think I know what I don't like !!! It is 1 to 2 inches too short.

That's it, I finished it! I thought that I would never be able to finish it. I seriously believed at one point that this dress would become a UFO.

It is perfect? .... NO ! Am I worried because it is imperfect? NO! Why should I be? I took an inexpensive fabric with regular lining to learn the quilting method developed by Chanel. Now I am ready for the real thing.

Before I post pictures of the dress on me, here are picture of the outside and the inside. I really like the black top. If done all in the same fabric. I think it would be very dull.


Ciel, je ne pensais jamais terminer ce projet de couture. J'ai sincèrement cru que cette robe resterait dans ma penderie, penaude, "interminée" parce qu'interminable. Je pense avoir fait un kilomètre de points à la main pour finir l'intérieur de ce vêtement.


Elle-t-elle parfaite cette robe? Non ... Suis-je triste qu'elle ne le soit pas? Non... La réalisation de cette robe a été une belle expérience de couture. Un cours autodidacte. Tout d'abord j'ai ajouter un empiècement alors qu'elle n'en avait pas et pour la doublure matelassée, j'ai avancé pas en pas en lisant et en réfléchissant sur la bonne façon de le faire.

Maintenant, je suis prête pour la grande aventure. Je suis prête pour le bouclé de chez Linton et la doublure de soie.

Avant d'afficher des photos de moi portant la robe, je vous mets vite, vite des photos de l'intérieur et de l'extérieur.

Front view of the quilted lining

back view of the quilted lining

Of course, during all the sewing process I had to press my dress. But... I do not like that fabric all pressed and flat. So my dress is drying flat. I am wearing it tomorrow for work. Ahh yes, for the moement I do not think that I will but a biais tape on it.

Bien sûr, durant la confection, j'ai dû presser le tissu. Comme je préfère sa texture et son apparence lorsqu'il n'est pas pressé, j'ai lavé ma robe ce soir. Elle sèche bien sagement à plat. Si elle est prête, je la porte au bureau demain. youpi ! ah oui, j'oubliais, pour l'instant j'ai décidé de ne pas mettre de biais pour la "décorer". J'aime beaucoup la combinaison des deux tissus. Sans cela, ma robe serait définitivement terne.

You can also read about Roy and his Jeans on Fashion Incubator.

Enjoy the video !

Roy's Jeans - Video by Self Edge from Self Edge on Vimeo.

After finishing Inès de la Fressange's book I have been "walking" on her foot steps discretely. The book contains all web addresses for the shops and cool spots she mentiones, but what I wanted to see more of her not only the "It spots and items" she suggests.

In 1985,I saw Inès de la Fressange in Paris. It was my first trip to Paris. I was 18 years old, she was 28. Quietly shopping at Kenzo, I first noticed her dog, a brown Labrador. Then I was intrigued buy the legs, those infinitely thin and long legs... to tell the truth I felt like those legs were totally lost in her jeans. I had a strange impression when I saw her. I was wondering how she could walk with such a thin and overly delicate body. At the same time, she was breading style and sophistication.

Right : Inès for Chanel in 1985


Down: Inès in 2010 (unknown photographer)


I felt that I was coming from a totally different DNA world. I was built for walking, cycling, hiking, kayaking. She was built to be beautiful. ;-) That is physically at least. Her beauty was not inhibiting mine in my point of view, we were as I said, simply in two different worlds.

During my searches on the net, I found a series of pictures of Inès wearing the staple Parisian cloths she suggests. Those pictures show her side by side with her daughter Nine. Nine is the model in Inès's book as I said in my previous post. All the following pictures are from Benoit Peverlli and taken on Luxe, Glam et Volupté.






What I like about Inès is that she ages well (though at 50 something she is still so young) and she is very natural. Instead of using Botox she suggests to dress smartly (avoid prints that could make you look like a granny) and to make love ;-) or get a good night sleep. I could not agree more. I selected three pictures that show her very naturally with wrinkles like woman her age and my age ( I am 44) have. click to blow


Picture (Flynn picture.com and Abaca for th center one)

You want more of Inès? I also suggest you those three diaporama:

Inès de la Fressange prend la pose dans Paris form L'Express.fr
Inès in 114 pictures on Zimbio (look at the black dress she wore in Cannes)
Inès a selection of her covers with Elle France

With another suggestion, visit the Roger Vivier Web site, the intro will make you want to have shoes like Inès's.

Next post, my Chanel dress finished but still needing your advice for the bias tape and the beginning of MY 100 list... a fusion of Paris and New York style. With that, I would like to have your items as well to have the universal 100 list . See you soon!

If you are like me, going to the bookstore in order to pick up only the one book I ordered the week before, paying and leaving is not something I can do easily do, unless I am very much in rush. Last Saturday, I took a good hour looking in all corners of the small bookshop nearby my house. I love books as objects on top of what they contain. They are beautiful, they make you travel, they give you good advice and they tell you wonderful stories.

Attracted by the deep red cover, intrigued by the cute and stylish drawing I pickup "La Parisienne" by Inès de la Fressange and Sophie Gachet. Inès was, during the 1980's, Karl Lagerfeld's muse. She posed exclusively for Chanel during 5-6 years I think. Well, I did not know she could write and draw.

What is that book all about ? Fun details you need to know if you want to adopt the real Paris style. Fashion, Beauty, Shopping addresses, Decorating tips, Hot places to dînne and be seen... As I said, this book is all about being a real "Parisienne".

So far my favourite section ( I read 3/4 of it) is the first one regarding Fashion. What are the must have in your wardrobe, what are the do's and the don'ts in mixing items... Beautifully illustrated, fun to read, If you love Paris you NEED this book... no hesitation to have here.

You do not read French ! no panic. It is available in English. You can even listen Inès tell you all about her book (see the video at the end of this post).

Paris, Paris yes Parisian have style but are they the ONLY one in the world? Certainly not.

Though Inès really knows what style and being stylish is, You and I do not have to agree with all the tips she gives us. Some of the guidelines, though, seam to be universal, even for a New York lady.




In 2008 Nina Garcia, you all know as a judge in Project Runway, lunched the cutest book of all: "The One Hundred : A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Should Have". This book is as much fun as Inès's. Placed in alphabetical order this book gives the ABC of style by suggesting you 100 items your closet should really contain. You don't like all of those 100, no worries make your own list Nina says. Here is what you should have according to Nina (click to blow the pictures)




.







Here are the items they both suggest to have:

• A Burberry trench
• Pearls
• A little black dress (but of course)
• A pair of Converse ( I have 2)
  
• A leather bomber
• Jeans that fit
• A tailored jacket

What do they both say one should never do ?

1. An overdose of animal prints is a definite NO, NO.
2. Over doing it with jewellery could be a catastrophe. You have to choose: earring or necklace, not both.
   

I really love both books. I intend on using both to guide me in expressing MY style, hopefully without to much "Faux Pas"

Click Here to watch the Parisian Chic Trailer. Si vous avez lu le livre d'Inès et habitez l'hexagone, donnez-moi vos impressions.

Please note that all illustrations (except the first one are from Nina Garcia's book taken on Amazon.com)

Venez visiter l'exposition et donnons-nous rendez-vous pour un café. J'organise d'ailleurs un groupe avec visite guidée. Soyez présente avec nous ;-)


Jean Paul Gaultier Retrospective from Coco Rocha on Vimeo.



Come to visit the exhibition and be part of the group I am organizing. We will have a private guided tour.


See you ! À plus !

Joyeuse fête des mères à toutes les mamans du cyber espace!
Happy mother's day to all cyber mothers!

After reading blogs, articles, reviews on quilting lining to fashion fabric, I jumped into the adventure. Why not, my first few tests were conclusive and my walking foot was so much willing to help.

Quilting per se is not difficult at all you start with a strait line, you stitch strait, use a waling foot with a guide and you go.

My dress is simple, I only had to quilt three pieces. Two for the back and one for the front.

One of the best reference, if you start such a project, is Birgitte's blog: Bubblegum4breakfat. Read all of her projects on the Chanel technique, you will not be deceived.

I also suggest the following readings:

Go Chanel or go home
The Sewing Divas
Deconstructing the Chanel Jacket
Orchids in May

Since I encountered situations for which those references did not have answers, here are my recommendations.

Before you start quilting

1. cut your fashion fabric 5 mm longer (top and bottom) and wider (both sides). Quilting might make your pieces smaller,
2. stitch all darts and make sure they are all very well pressed,
3. cut your lining pieces at least 1 cm longer (top and bottom) and wider (both sides) then the original pattern,
4. put lining and fashion on top of one other wrong sides together while doing so, carefully aligning the centre of the pieces (lining and fashion fabric),
5. pin the lining to the fashion fabric

Now you are ready to quilt each pieces. Of course the lining pieces exceed the size of the fashion fabric pieces it is attached to. This does not matter at all.

For the quilting operation

1. test with scraps of lining and fashion fabric see here. It might sometimes be easier to quilt with fashion fabric on top or underneath. In my case the fashion fabric was so bouclé that it got caught into the walking foot one every second stitch.
2. if your fabric does not have vertical line (like the one I used) draw in strait line in the centre of your pieces (front or back). It will be the first one you quilt.
   
3. use your guide at 2.5 cm wide to quilt the rest
4. leave at least 3 cm on side and top hedges not quilted. This is necessary for your seams with extra space for last minute alteration.
5. for the hem, if you hem width is of 5 cm stop at least 7 cm above hem line.
6. keep very long threads both at the beginning and end of you quilting lines. Those will be knotted only at the end.
7. you can quilt vertically only or make squares as you which. Here are examples of both techniques. Here as well. Choose the one for you.
8. When the quilting is all done, put the tissue pieces over the fashion fabric to verify that the size of piece is appropriate.
   
9. Mark all seam line with thread.
   
10. Assemble your garment.
11. Finish the lining seams by hand.
    

As you can see in the first picture, the dress is all assembled. I simply need to hand stitch the lining seams and attach it to the zipper. I should finish it this weekend.

For the outside (I am working so much on the inside that I forget that the dress as a right side ;-)), I am thinking about adding a braid.




























To trim or not to trim, what do you think?



N.B. The picture with the trim was taken in an earlier stage of construction.