August 20 - 27 found my hubby and I in Nashville, TN at the AQS Quilt Show. We had our customary corner booth to 'sell our wares', and I got to teach - 3 times! The most exciting was a SOLD OUT class to 200 for my "Creative Sweatshirt Jackets - Londa's Way". That was really a great experience for me - actually my first 'big' teaching on the sewing circuit 'gig'. In fact, I've proudly kept my name badge with "Instructor" Ribbon. It was fun to meet more customers 'in person', and even ran into Ann Henderson, Editor of Creative Needle Magazine. I'd written an articles for that magazine back in the early 90's, and hope to do the same again. Another 'keeper' is the current monthly sales bulletin from Brewer Sewing Supplies advertising to other stores my 3 books in CD and DVD about my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets.
Proud also to report my first book: Creative Sweatshirt Jackets will be in the Nancy's Notions catalog again soon, and all 3 of my books in her catalog out in February or so.
I'm hard at work on my first 'pattern'. Due to lots of requests for specific jacket 'patterns', I've decided that when I come up with a design that can be executed in many different ways depending on the accent fabric, etc., that I will do a pattern. My current goal for the release of the first one is the upcoming Round Bobbin Show in St. Charles, MO. Sept. 22-24. Five 'piles' crowd my design table as I write!!!!!!!!!! Goodie, goodie - LOTS of creative sewing to do.....
I'm all ready to teach my very newest class: Design Principles for Creative Sewing at that show!
For a sneek peek, see the shadowed jacket behind my new website: http://www.wearableartsweatshirtpatterns.com/
I have all kinds of ideas for this new website - including a 'club' where you get points towards receiving a free or reduced price on a pattern when you reach a certain level, AND a charity item on which I will donate a portion of every sale. Even my patterns and books delivered via the internet as 'e-books'. My elected 'charity' is the Israel Sewing Network of Dr. Deborah which you can read about HERE. All these developments will take some technical learning (or pulling out of my web-smart son!), but they WILL happen - so stay posted!
Once home from the Round Bobbin Show, I won't even unload the cargo van - but check in some new inventory and then off to the American Sewing Expo in Novi, MI. I'm looking forward to teaching my 3 hour class there - which combines my Creative Sweatshirt Jacket presentation with the Design Principles for Creative Sewing AND students trying on my collection of jackets for design and flattery evaluation. Read about that class here. It will be good to get that 'under my belt' before I offer it at the Houston Quilt Show.
I'm actively asking for testimonials regarding my products and service, for use on my websites. If you are a satisfied customer, and would be so kind as to write a recommendation on my products, classes (if you've taken from me at a show), etc., I'd really appreciate receiving that via email to me at: londasews@insightbb.com. I will give only your first name and state in the testimonial -
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
ramblings on BIG
Can't help but consider...how BIG has seemed to become so all-important in our culture:
BIG cars, BIG meals, BIG drinks, BIG stores...and BIG houses!
Attended a local showcase of homes here in central illinois...and the BIG homes just amazed me. I did get some great ideas regarding flooring that my 'normal sized' home desparately needs.
But, I couldn't help but be saddened by what it seems we have come to think we 'need'???
Heated floors in our bathrooms? Wood-finished closet organizers-true theatre seating in our 'family' rooms? Ceilings so high that 'normal' furniture looks dwarfed - therefore BIG furniture. Rooms for gambling? Granite countertops everywhere? 2 kitchens (one on one floor and almost an entire other one in the 'basement'?) Flat screen huge TV as the 'centerpiece' above a mantel? 1/2 a million $ may not seem like much to those of you on the coasts for housing, but around here it is - well, excessive to most of us. BIG house and tax payments, that's for sure. At well over 50, I'm happy that attending such a display doesn't create 'need' in my heart. However...I wonder/worry about younger people though? Do they think this is 'normal'? Is this what it takes to feel 'successful?" How important do we think we are, anyway? What good could be done with all that money? Just my opinion...
The crowning touch on the evening was, when exiting the last home, a fireball bright coral-orange sun setting in the west with subtle streaks across it. BIG - FREE - a blessing and message from God reminding me that the best things in life - HE gives, and they are free! I'm glad I know him through his son, Jesus. I hope you do too...
BIG cars, BIG meals, BIG drinks, BIG stores...and BIG houses!
Attended a local showcase of homes here in central illinois...and the BIG homes just amazed me. I did get some great ideas regarding flooring that my 'normal sized' home desparately needs.
But, I couldn't help but be saddened by what it seems we have come to think we 'need'???
Heated floors in our bathrooms? Wood-finished closet organizers-true theatre seating in our 'family' rooms? Ceilings so high that 'normal' furniture looks dwarfed - therefore BIG furniture. Rooms for gambling? Granite countertops everywhere? 2 kitchens (one on one floor and almost an entire other one in the 'basement'?) Flat screen huge TV as the 'centerpiece' above a mantel? 1/2 a million $ may not seem like much to those of you on the coasts for housing, but around here it is - well, excessive to most of us. BIG house and tax payments, that's for sure. At well over 50, I'm happy that attending such a display doesn't create 'need' in my heart. However...I wonder/worry about younger people though? Do they think this is 'normal'? Is this what it takes to feel 'successful?" How important do we think we are, anyway? What good could be done with all that money? Just my opinion...
The crowning touch on the evening was, when exiting the last home, a fireball bright coral-orange sun setting in the west with subtle streaks across it. BIG - FREE - a blessing and message from God reminding me that the best things in life - HE gives, and they are free! I'm glad I know him through his son, Jesus. I hope you do too...
Friday, August 17, 2007
New Black Simple skirt with Ruffle using selvage
Sew... I decided I needed a slim black skirt to wear with black tops and a neat belt as one of my 'uniforms' when I do the consumer sewing shows and am trying on/modeling my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets all the time...
Had limited yardage of this full-bodied black cot/rayon/lycra knit...
And it had a great - somewhat floopy selvage on it...which said "ruffle" to me.
So - I eeked out the front and back - gently curving the back hemline down some, and the front up a bit to center front.
Cut a 5" strip along the selvage and then gathered it on - I think it was about 1.75 times the width ofthe lower circumference of the skirt.
Gathered it a bit - serged.
For the Waist band - I have this really wide - I think it is 2" wide black elastic, I stitched on with a 1/4" seam to the right side of the top (having cut it 5" less long than my body measurement). Then, flipped it to the inside - that wraps the top edge of it with the fabric. Stitched in the ditch at the sides and center back.
Wa.... La.... a great new skirt! See photos. Note I did NOTHING to the lower edge of the ruffle - the selvage edge.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
10 GREAT Fashion Websites - shared with permission
I love to snoop ready-to-wear for what's 'new' and 'in' (whether I'd ever wear, much less buy it is another thing!), just for ideas, and the internet has made that SEW MUCH FUN!
My favorite fashion newsletter (free) is that by former model, Diane Pemberton-Sikes called Fashion For Real Women.
Here is a link to her GREAT website where you can read about her amazing fashion e-books...which I can personally attest to are absolutely WONDERFUL!
click HERE .
Diane is a wardrobe and image consultant and author or WARDROBE MAGIC, an ebook that teaches women how to transform their unruly closets into workable, wearable wardrobes. Visit her online here.
She gave me permission to share her last free newsletter with you, so read it below. It is chuck full of wonderful fashion websites for your enjoyment! After reading it, I'm sure you'll get the idea why I enjoy Diane's newsletters so much, and subscribe yourself! >>
The images didn't show up as I copied this, so you could also read it online at:
The Clothing Chronicles
FEATURE ARTICLE
10 Great Fashion Websites
Where can you go to learn about the latest trends? The history of fashion? Clothing care and maintenance?
Online, of course! There are lots of great sites out there that you can get lost in, reading about everything from celebrity fashion to haute couture.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Style.com http://www.style.com
The home of W and Vogue on the web, Style.com has made many of my fashion magazines subscriptions obsolete. You can learn about trends, runway reports, fashion icons, fashion designers and more just by perusing this site. Take a look.
First View http://www.firstview.com
Wish you could have a front row seat to all the best fashion shows in the world? Well, here's the next best thing. Look at the current and past collections from famous designers from all over the world, and see the "who, what, where, when" of upcoming fashion shows.
Mode à Paris http://www.modeaparis.com
Want to "dive right in" to the world of French fashion to learn about fashion history, designers, and upcoming shows? Then this site is for you! Find out which fashion houses meet the rigorous standards of the Chambre Syndical de la Haute Couture, and learn where you can study for a career in French fashion.
The Sartorialist http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/
Scott Schuman is a former fashion marketer and retail store owner who combined his love of great tailoring with fashion photography to create "The Sartorialist" blog. Sartorial, which is a term used to describe tailoring and the tailoring trade, is the main focus of Scott's quest as he seeks to photograph well-dressed people on the street. What began as a fun way to share his photos just two years ago has turned into a fast-paced fashion career that sends him all over the globe as a reporter for Style.com and as a speaker to fashion and tailoring groups.
MSN Beauty and Fashion http://lifestyle.msn.com/BeautyandFashion
MSN has lots of in-depth channels, like finance, food, gardening, and health. Their fashion channel is excellent, offering behind-the-scenes videos, interviews, and articles that you don't see anywhere else.
If you like snarky celebrity fashion reviews, then MSN entertainment writer/fashion critic Kat Giantis will have you laughing out loud. Her reports are not kind, but they do show how celebrities can still stumble fashion-wise even when they have an army of stylists at their disposal. Check out her "Undressed" reports here:
http://entertainment.msn.com/
Sienna Miller and Claudia Schiffer are "Undressed" by Kat Giantis
Instyle http://www.instyle.com
INSTYLE Magazine's website has come a long way from the days when you could just go there to subscribe to their magazine. You can still do that, but you can also look at trends, get ideas for entertaining, vote on you favorite celebrity looks, and even learn where to copy those looks for less. It's a fun site, especially if you're into celebrity fashion.
Ralph Lauren http://www.ralphlauren.com
One of the things I like about the Ralph Lauren site is that it understands what people are looking for online. While many other designer sites take a long to time to load, are bloated with graphics, and don't sell directly from their site, RalphLauren.com loads relatively quickly and is easy to navigate. You can buy clothes, subscribe to the ezine, and get TONS of styling ideas from the gorgeous pictures. They also have a style section to show you how to put things together. Awesome! Would that other designers would take some notes from Ralph . . .
Get great fashion styling ideas at RalphLauren.com
Fashion Era http://www.fashion-era.com
Love fashion history? Want to see which trend-setters have influenced fashion over the centuries? Need to do research on what people wore in 1800? 1900? 2000? Then this is THE place to find out. This comprehensive site is one of the most popular on the web, with good reason: it has TONS of information!
Fabric Link http://www.fabriclink.com
Want to learn more about different types of fabrics? Need to know how to maintain the fabrics you have? Fabric Link can help. Take a good look around their "Fabric University," and you'll learn everything you need to know about taking care of most fabrics.
Biz Rate http://www.bizrate.com
Looking for something in particular, like a black cocktail dress or sweet deals on Christian Louboutin shoes? Just go to Bizrate.com, type in your item, and it will find places on the web that are selling what you seek. It also lists price and costumer reviews. What a time saver!
So there you have it. Take some time to click around to these sites when you have some time, and either bookmark them or keep this list handy for future reference. You never know when these sites will come in handy.
*********
Until next time,
Diana Pemberton-Sikes
FashionForRealWomen.com AccessoryMagic.com BusinessWearMagic.com OccasionMagic.com WardrobeMagic.com TheClothingChronicles.com
=====================
Published by:
Top Drawer Publications, LLC 256 S. College Ave. Newark, DE 19711 USA
Copyright © 2007 by Diana Pemberton-Sikes All rights reserved
Diane's Newsletter shared here with her permission
My favorite fashion newsletter (free) is that by former model, Diane Pemberton-Sikes called Fashion For Real Women.
Here is a link to her GREAT website where you can read about her amazing fashion e-books...which I can personally attest to are absolutely WONDERFUL!
click HERE .
Diane is a wardrobe and image consultant and author or WARDROBE MAGIC, an ebook that teaches women how to transform their unruly closets into workable, wearable wardrobes. Visit her online here.
She gave me permission to share her last free newsletter with you, so read it below. It is chuck full of wonderful fashion websites for your enjoyment! After reading it, I'm sure you'll get the idea why I enjoy Diane's newsletters so much, and subscribe yourself! >>
The images didn't show up as I copied this, so you could also read it online at:
The Clothing Chronicles
FEATURE ARTICLE
10 Great Fashion Websites
Where can you go to learn about the latest trends? The history of fashion? Clothing care and maintenance?
Online, of course! There are lots of great sites out there that you can get lost in, reading about everything from celebrity fashion to haute couture.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Style.com http://www.style.com
The home of W and Vogue on the web, Style.com has made many of my fashion magazines subscriptions obsolete. You can learn about trends, runway reports, fashion icons, fashion designers and more just by perusing this site. Take a look.
First View http://www.firstview.com
Wish you could have a front row seat to all the best fashion shows in the world? Well, here's the next best thing. Look at the current and past collections from famous designers from all over the world, and see the "who, what, where, when" of upcoming fashion shows.
Mode à Paris http://www.modeaparis.com
Want to "dive right in" to the world of French fashion to learn about fashion history, designers, and upcoming shows? Then this site is for you! Find out which fashion houses meet the rigorous standards of the Chambre Syndical de la Haute Couture, and learn where you can study for a career in French fashion.
The Sartorialist http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/
Scott Schuman is a former fashion marketer and retail store owner who combined his love of great tailoring with fashion photography to create "The Sartorialist" blog. Sartorial, which is a term used to describe tailoring and the tailoring trade, is the main focus of Scott's quest as he seeks to photograph well-dressed people on the street. What began as a fun way to share his photos just two years ago has turned into a fast-paced fashion career that sends him all over the globe as a reporter for Style.com and as a speaker to fashion and tailoring groups.
MSN Beauty and Fashion http://lifestyle.msn.com/BeautyandFashion
MSN has lots of in-depth channels, like finance, food, gardening, and health. Their fashion channel is excellent, offering behind-the-scenes videos, interviews, and articles that you don't see anywhere else.
If you like snarky celebrity fashion reviews, then MSN entertainment writer/fashion critic Kat Giantis will have you laughing out loud. Her reports are not kind, but they do show how celebrities can still stumble fashion-wise even when they have an army of stylists at their disposal. Check out her "Undressed" reports here:
http://entertainment.msn.com/
Sienna Miller and Claudia Schiffer are "Undressed" by Kat Giantis
Instyle http://www.instyle.com
INSTYLE Magazine's website has come a long way from the days when you could just go there to subscribe to their magazine. You can still do that, but you can also look at trends, get ideas for entertaining, vote on you favorite celebrity looks, and even learn where to copy those looks for less. It's a fun site, especially if you're into celebrity fashion.
Ralph Lauren http://www.ralphlauren.com
One of the things I like about the Ralph Lauren site is that it understands what people are looking for online. While many other designer sites take a long to time to load, are bloated with graphics, and don't sell directly from their site, RalphLauren.com loads relatively quickly and is easy to navigate. You can buy clothes, subscribe to the ezine, and get TONS of styling ideas from the gorgeous pictures. They also have a style section to show you how to put things together. Awesome! Would that other designers would take some notes from Ralph . . .
Get great fashion styling ideas at RalphLauren.com
Fashion Era http://www.fashion-era.com
Love fashion history? Want to see which trend-setters have influenced fashion over the centuries? Need to do research on what people wore in 1800? 1900? 2000? Then this is THE place to find out. This comprehensive site is one of the most popular on the web, with good reason: it has TONS of information!
Fabric Link http://www.fabriclink.com
Want to learn more about different types of fabrics? Need to know how to maintain the fabrics you have? Fabric Link can help. Take a good look around their "Fabric University," and you'll learn everything you need to know about taking care of most fabrics.
Biz Rate http://www.bizrate.com
Looking for something in particular, like a black cocktail dress or sweet deals on Christian Louboutin shoes? Just go to Bizrate.com, type in your item, and it will find places on the web that are selling what you seek. It also lists price and costumer reviews. What a time saver!
So there you have it. Take some time to click around to these sites when you have some time, and either bookmark them or keep this list handy for future reference. You never know when these sites will come in handy.
*********
Until next time,
Diana Pemberton-Sikes
FashionForRealWomen.com AccessoryMagic.com BusinessWearMagic.com OccasionMagic.com WardrobeMagic.com TheClothingChronicles.com
=====================
Published by:
Top Drawer Publications, LLC 256 S. College Ave. Newark, DE 19711 USA
Copyright © 2007 by Diana Pemberton-Sikes All rights reserved
Diane's Newsletter shared here with her permission
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
