Camp Couture: Field dispatch #1

As you may have guessed, dear readers, I was sewing like crazy in the past week, which I spent in an isolated hotel in Baltimore together with several other couture aficionados. We worked day and night, and I was really happy to get some sleep once I was back home.

If you were wondering, packing for this Camp Couture was an exercise in restraint, and I managed to squeeze all my belongings, fabrics, tools and notions into two medium-size bags. I spent half a night carefully selecting every single item and managed to forget only my tracing chalk. And, once in Baltimore, I also skipped a shopping spree at Michael's fabrics, which saved couple of hours of precious sewing time...

Of course, I underestimated time needed to make a couture garment, so a bustier still remains a project-in-planning (PIP). But! I  managed to complete two garments I planned for my Couture Challenge: a skirt (#118B) and a blouse (#126) from the April 2012 issue of BurdaStyle magazine. More on this projects, plus tutorials will come later - this time, I will be treating you to something different! Are you ready?

Susan has kindly agreed to share with you some of her sample couture garments! So I diligently photographed several pieces, including some engineering, construction and finishing shots. I will be posting one garment at a time, with the first one being a dress bodice made of beautiful magenta lace and matching silk (the draping suffered from suitcase storage, but this is less important).

The lace is lined with flesh-colored silk organza. 

Bodice fragment: scallops were applied by hand on armholes and neckline

Inner support is provided by boning, and seam allowances are catch-stitched to the foundation

Bodice close up from the inside

I hope you enjoyed these detail shots, and many thanks to Susan, again, for letting me share these images with you. Stay tuned to more goodies from this class!

Planning for another Camp Couture!

Readers, have I told you that I am going to another couture class with Susan Khalje end of March! It wasn't planned, but in the last minute things just worked out perfectly, and there were/are still couple of seats in the class available. Is anyone from you going as well?

Well, there are a few things I want to work on there:

• a corselet  that I can wear as a separate piece or under sheer blouses. 
• a simple Chantilly lace blouse is also on the list, and, finally, 
• a bias silk slip with lace, which I want to start there

I definitely want to finish two. This time I will need to focus on what I want to accomplish and stick to my plan, so not a single minute of this six-day course is wasted. I am saying this because last time I went to Baltimore I packed a bag full of different projects, fabrics and notions. As a result I had difficulties focusing on a single project... I just didn't spend enough time preparing for the class. I had quite a busy month then and packed without a clear plan.

Ok, I learnt my lesson, and here is what I am going to do! In the week preceding the course, I will

• make muslins for all three projects, and
• fit them, so Susan needs to help with final touches only
• choose the fabric (hopefully from my stash),
• prepare all the notions I need to complete the projects without wasting time for shopping in the neighbourhood Jo-Ann's,
• select only essential tools I need for these projects (I tend to drag along too much - not clothes but all the sewing stuff).

I hope this works, as I still participate in the Sew Colette Sew-Along hosted by the charming Sarah of Rhinestones & Telephones and testing the first pattern by Suzy of Suzy Sewing (you go, girl!). Besides that, I am starting a new and very exciting project which may last as long as one year, but more about it later, once all details are in place. All I can say is that projects made in the Couture School will be part of it.

But back to class planning! Have you attended sewing classes? Any tips on how to best prepare for an outside class, besides zillions of other projects, three demanding kids, a husband and bugs that keep the entire family sick all this time? I would accept all the proposals, including meditation, yoga poses and using essence sticks! Please!.. anyone?!