Elie Saab - Resort 2014
In August 2015 we were invited to a wedding of a good friend. My client (obviously) had "nothing" to wear. She was extremely busy with work, so shopping was out of the question.

On the way to the reception. The fabric is merciless and wrinkles badly.

I had a cotton satin blend in gorgeous green colour in my stash. I think I bought it to make a skirt. It had to be made into a dress.

Starting with my Rundschau (Мюллер) dress draft, I drew design lines, and made a pattern. This one had a lot of pattern pieces. To stiffen the front décolleté I used sew-in hair canvas interfacing. It also helped with stability when I started applying crystal claw rivets.

Rivets of doom. They did not want to stay in place!

The dress has hand-made shoulder pads, again with pieces of hair canvas and cotton wadding.

I did not line the dress simply because I did not have any appropriate lining, and because I did not have any budget to go buy anything. As well, it was very hot, and if the lining were synthetic, the client would have been miserable.




The slit in the back is not lapped, and I used grosgrain ribbon (from the Dollar Store - Dollarama) to finish the edges. I used the same ribbon to finish the turned under hem (remember, I don't own an overlock machine). If I remember correctly, I bought the ribbon for a different project altogether.

In the back I used an invisible zipper, even though my preference would have been a metallic zipper with a chunky zipper pull.

Moulin Spa Wakefield, QC - August 2015

What do you think?


Just heard from a client that the project is finished! I am happy, because this one was a lot of back and forth.

Maître&Chef is a Montréal based caterer with an impressive list of clients. Late summer 2015 they've initiated identity redesign, and as a part of it I was tasked with developing their web-site. The design idea behind it is a one-page scrolling site, very minimalistic, but in my opinion, quite impactful. Content navigation within sections is horizontal, implemented with the help of Owl Carousel.

Maître&Chef web-site section

Maître&Chef web-site section
Maître&Chef has been a client of mine for some time now. I was responsible for the design of their previous site, as well as the development of their fairly complex menu ordering system.




Diesel Black Gold F-W 2014-2015.

So, this is a story of the most worn and loved blouse I've ever made.

The client wanted a non-fitted "interesting" blouse to wear with... red jeans I made some time before. I had a variety of black fabrics in my stash bought obviously for other purposes. Alas, I proposed a sheer for sleeves, a non-sheer for the bodice, and satin for collar, placket and cuffs.
Fabrics, natural shell buttons, snaps and rivets
I threw in natural shell black buttons, ordered snaps and rivets on aliexpress.
 
Front of the blouse
This was the first project that I took pictures as I was going along.
 
Fronts assembled with rivets.
 
Sleeves and cuffs
Blouse before attaching snaps to the collar and cuffs.
The blouse has several pleats in the front, and just side bust darts to keep the silhouette straight.
 
The collar is my first attempt at a biker-style stand collar. I think I should adjust the pattern to make it hug the neck better.
Cuff with snaps
Collar and placket details
I used medium fusible interfacing for the collar and cuffs, but left the placket soft.
Office-friendly blouse
And finally, on the model!
Biodome, Montreal. With Alexei and Iacov. (and red jeans)
I was lucky today, and caught my darling for lunch. She was wearing my creation: Valentino inspired blouse. Here are the originals, from Valentino Pre-fall 2015-2016.
Valentino Pre-Fall 2015-2016
and this one
Valentino Pre-Fall 2015-2016
I bought this fabric a while ago (~2014) at Fabricville, it is cotton and silk blend - very light and delightful to the touch. First I thought to make a summer shirt for myself, but my client talked me into making this blouse. I had to go to the same store again and look for trims, lace, etc. I was not wise enough to take the fabric swatch with me, however, the only bolt of blue lace in the store happened to be a perfect match for the fabric (which I discovered at home).
Cotton-silk blend, blue lace, natural shell buttons and "soft seams" ribbon.
I used the same tried and tested self-drafted pattern (Rundschau system - Atelie magazines). However, having some experience sewing pleats before, I cut front and back pieces wider and longer than the patter, sewing the pleats and lace inlays first, then laid the pattern on top of the sewn fronts and cut them. The same I did with the back, only had to fold it. I repeated the same process for the sleeves.

Shoulder and sleeve seams


French side seams and hem

All inner seams are French (enclosed). I used the "soft seams" tape on the sleeve and shoulder seams.

For the sleeve placket I used the same pattern and techniques as for the men's shirt.

Sleeve placket
Collar stand with hand-stitched lace, and hand stitches show in the back after attaching lace trim

Lace trim at the back and on the collar had to be pieced together and attached by hand.
Collar detail

Back detail
And here it is on the model.
Collar detail
Sleeve detail
 
Club.season.ru runs a "competition" on "breathtaking" blouses sewn at home. I've posted only one or two of my home sewing projects since I have taken to it. With this opportunity I've asked my lovely client and spouse to model the latest blouses and shirts I've put together.

I use the simplest sewing machine for my projects, an iron and ironing board. No other equipment.


The pattern for all the garments is self-drafted by the Mueller system (following its Russian version in Atelie magazines). The pattern is a shortened fitted dress pattern with basic sleeve.

First one up is inspired by Prada men's shirt from 2013-2014, black and white gingham (Vichy) pattern with jabot.
Prada shirt 2013-2014
The fabric I used for the project was from a discount pile at Fabricville in Gatineau, if I remember correctly, at a whopping $3/meter. It is cotton with some stretch in it. Actually, a very easy one to work with.
Gingham fabric from Fabricville

The blouse has basic bust and waist darts front and back, menswear inspired sleeve placket and collar with stand, jabot and sleeve frills cut from selvedge.

As opposed to the removable jabot at Prada, this one is sewn in the front placket.

I added a frill detail to the sleeve.
Buttons are bought off Ebay (China of course).
 And, la pièce de résistance,


Et voilà
 
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