Awesome: Links à la Couture

Have you ever felt gratitude for being able to reach bed and get some sleep? If yes, you will understand how I felt last week – there was so much going on in my life for the last month that I had to take a break. This helps because the next two weeks are going to be very busy, at home, at work and in my sewing. I got a few announcements to make, but this will come later…

In this post, however, I will just share with you a few of my favourite links from the last week:

Scallops were very popular last week, Nette of Nettevivante shared a pattern and a tutorial for a Scallop Button-up Skirt. In addition, Casey of Casey’s Elegant Musings posted a 30’s scalloped collar tutorial. So, if you have some scallop sewing projects lined up make sure you check out these awesome blogs.

A very cute bow-tie skirt refashion was featured on Sarah’s Welcome to the gOOd life blog.

Sew Passionista of Diane’s Sewing Lessons shared an Invisible Skirt Patch Pockets tutorial,

Finally, Magda of Magda Magda Design Studio continues impressing her followers with new techniques, such as this one for a Rose Candy Rose.

I hope you enjoy these posts as much as I did, and please feel free to add your own links in the comments section!

Thank you!

Necktie project #2: Fabric Selection / Weave

I was in the process of writing a humongous post on fabric selection for neckties, when I decided to stop and to break it up in digestible chunks of information. 

There will be three short posts on fabrics: fabric weave, fabric types, and fabric design.

This post will explain the weave. I also suggest to visit websites of some famous tie manufactures to look at the fabrics they use for their ties (such as Drakes London), as well as to go to local stores that carry quality neckties to get a feeling for what you should be looking for.

If you look around in stores that carry ties, you will find ties in all three fundamental types of textile weave – plain, satin and twill.

Plain (or tabby, or taffeta) weave is the simplest, most frequently used weave, in which each filling yarn passes alternately over and under one warp yarn (crepes, shantung organdy, taffeta, flannel)

Satin weave has long warp floats, which produce smooth, lustrous or glossy surface. The threads of the warp are caught and looped by the weft only at certain intervals

Twill weave has a diagonal rib, right or left-handed.

The weave makes difference when it comes to extensibility, drape, wrinkle resistance, pill or snag. If you want to learn how the weave affects these fabric characteristics, please, read this excellent article

Necktie project: An Intro to fine ties

This video by the Guardian explains it best, what I will try to accomplish. Stay tuned for a detailed list of suggestions for tie fabrics, interfacings, tools, notions and resources. Feel free to join any time or leave a comment with questions or suggestions.

AWESOME: Last Week's Links à la Couture

A brief intro: I love discovering new blogs, finding good tutorials and goggling at inspiring garments by fellow bloggers. There are some great weekly round-ups by other bloggers, but I want to offer you my own favorites, which relate to me as a DIY blogger and an aspiring couturiere. I hope those of you who voted for this reviews will find them useful and inspiring as well!

So, here is my first round-up of awesome posts from the past week (random order):

1. Patty the Snug Bug had a terrific tutorial full of modelling and photography tips. By the way, shooting images of or modelling my own garments was one of the main reasons why I failed in the Me-Made-March challenge.

2. Magda of MagdaMagda Design Studio posted another great tutorial on ‘Sun and Mercury Collar’: great use of stripes as a design element!

3. Things.be shared (OMG) the most recent knock-off pattern of Pippa's bridesmaid dress by an Australian pattern company Style Arc.

  

4. Jenni Radosevich of I SPY DIY shared this tutorial on how to spruce up your summer sandals using an old cotton scarf.

5. Amanda of Sewing in the Rain created this very cute Beignet Skirt (Colette Patterns). Check out those cute details.

Enjoy reading!

Disclaimer: I am sure there were more awesome posts last week - I apologize if I missed them! Feel free to add your suggestions as a comment!

Vote to make this blog a more exciting space for us!

My fellow seamstresses, designers and couture aficionados!

I started this blog to connect to the online sewing and design community and to share with you my passion for Haute Couture. I enjoy the process and your feedback and critiques very much! 

For me, blogging is about sharing, so I would like to make this place more exciting for you. While I am determined to continue focusing on my favorite subject, Haute Couture, I would love to know what would interest you most, so, every time you pass by, you enjoy spending some time here!

Please, take a minute to vote in the poll in the right sidebar, or leave a comment after this post!

Thank you!