Let's Sew Haute Couture!

Anyone out there?

2007-04-08T20:40:00.000-07:00

Gee, I'm so faithful to this blog. I admit 2006 was wild and kept me so busy that I pretty much gave up trying to be crafty creative. I had to dust off my dress form the other day and realized that I needed to gt back into the swing of things.

First up, I need to get out my plans for 2006 for sewhautecouture.com and reconfigure for 2007.

I did, however, get to buy a Wacom tablet and my sketching skills are improving daily. Another software tool I found the other day (that works with my Wacom tablet) was Curio, which allows you to collage images electronically, rather than cutting pictures from magazines (I have spent hours doing this) as my image files are stuffed. Curio lets me do it without the physical files and I'm having a great time!
In semi-related news, I designed and wrote a kid's sticker storybook last month for a Canadian publisher and it awakened my designing gene again. I also have an antique apron fetish going and found an old pattern that I want to try and tweak into something useable.

So here's my plan:

July 2007
I intend to have sewhautecouture.com redesigned and up, with a proper Wordpress blog and forum ready for use.

September 2007
I'll have the first ebook done and edited and ready for your consumption. I've been pouring over the hundreds of questions you've sent over the past year and have an ebook series planned, plus a home training course for people preparing to enter design school or who are interested in competing on Project Runway (skills-centric). But that's for 2008.

In the meantime, I'll get myself back in gear and get some pictures of projects that I'm working on up here. I appreciate your patience and may 2007 be the year this site flourishes!

Changes coming.

2006-06-27T22:40:00.000-07:00

We've got some exciting changes coming for Sew Haute Couture, the web site. In an effort to make this a true design community, I'm attempting a few changes (a long time in coming, I know) to help all of us connect as designers and to make Sew Haute Couture helpful to all who come here.

Plans include moving the blog to Word Press (and to the SewHauteCouture.com domain), adding a discussion forum for us "closet" designers that can handle pictures, a line up of design and sewing guest speakers, and the most exciting development . . . publication of Sew Haute Couture's first ebook geared directly to aspiring (even if you're just now learning to design and drape) fashion designers (I've got some good stuff!).

So I'm excited, if a wee bit overwhelmed. :) Thank you to all who have left comments and questions about how we can make this web site better.

In sewing news: my Fabulous Fit dress form arrived, and it's perfect. I'll post some pics in a few days.

New Dress Form on Its Way!

2006-03-29T16:02:00.000-08:00

I finally was able to order a new dress form from Fabulous Fit!. I am so excited I have emailed them twice to ask when it will arrive so I can get to work on some projects. I am one of those people that can't start a project until I have the right equipment and material. Gee, I sound like Jay complaining about the Future challenge on Project Runway Season 1. Anyone remember him throwing a fit about his design for that challenge?

Once the dress form arrives and my company leaves I intend to take over the guest bedroom for a few months this spring to review my fabrics and patterns and to try and create some new designs of my own. Did everyone hear about Bravo announcing they will be doing two Project Runway cycles per year instead of one. I don't know when this will start as they haven't even announced Season 3 yet. I'm waiting!

Launch of Sew Haute Couture Blog

2006-03-29T15:56:00.000-08:00

A beautiful piece of fabric has inspired me for spring. I love warm colors -- orange, chartreuse, and ivory. I'll try to post pictures of my draping and design as I progress!
Can I say how much I love Kara Janx of Project Runway Season 2? Her kimono dress is available on her web site. The cut, the look on the models, the drape! It's only 200 bucks! I am jonesing to purchase the black with green version. Or, I'll try and drape and design a similar dress myself.

Welcome!