KathleenCrowleyCostumeCouture

2012-01-07T22:22:00.000-08:00

Now that Ive had time to step back and adapt to this stupid economy, Ive started to get inspired again. Im inspired to make myself a new wardrobe is what Im inspired to do! I would like one of each of these dresses to wear to work and then I would like one of each in black for all those cocktail parties that I'll go to again one day.

Its a new year and it could happen.

So today, instead of what I was supposed to be doing, I pulled all of my boxes and containers of patterns out of storage and put them up in my studio where I can see them. I dont think they are exactly great to look at, but they are my library and where I find a lot of my inspiration.

This is maybe a third of them. I'll have to start weeding through them and maybe selling the ones that I dont like any longer.

Collecting patterns has been invaluable to me since I am not a professional pattern maker. I can take an existing pattern piece and tweak it and grade it, but to start from scratch is a nightmare for me. Whatever works, right?

Sometimes I just like the line of a design for the most part, but would make changes - like I would narrow down this sleeve a bit. Its perfect for a Steampunk overcoat!

Happy 2012!!

2012-01-01T07:23:00.000-08:00

Just a little post to recap my feelings about the previous year: no time is ever wasted. No experiences are ever wasted if you learn and grow from it. A year is just an increment in time to mark off accomplishments and events.

That being said. 2011 kind of sucked. Yes, good things happened - great things! I learned how to make a good loaf of bread just to name a few............

but the year pretty much bit it. I saw it coming. I grew a few more grey hairs. I adapted.

And now I'm focusing more on things that really matter to me: my family, my friends, my hobbies, my sleep.

The business end of things will always be there ready to be reved up when I want it to - I'm in the middle of a big revamp (including this blog), which for me is time consuming and slow going. But will be well worth the effort in the end.

Time marches on and as my father told me once (and I hated him for it - but sometimes what else can you say...........) "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Happy 2012 everyone! The message is clear: if we are not kinder towards each other - If we don't raise each other up - if we don't become a better species - there is going to be a lot of lemonade to be made.

Happy Solstice!

2011-12-21T22:10:00.000-08:00

An Atheist Christmas Card

I just couldn't resist..................Happy Holidays everyone!

Solstice always marks the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one. Just as I'm soooooooooooooo very excited to see the start of longer days again, I'm also excited for the new year. Last year was one of letting go of things that do not work for me any longer. What used to be fun and exciting became old and weary. When I rev this business back up again, its going to be run very differently.

This morning while I was commuting to work, all these ideas popped into my head. Ideas for things that I had wanted to make and had forgotten all about. So I formulated a plan for a little creative piece - or series of pieces that I had wanted to do. Things I had not had the energy or time for before. And my heart was full again and excited for a new season and a new year!

As you have probably figured out, I'm taking a time out from making clothes to sell. Because as the world seemed to change overnight, my business was not viable for much longer after that. When I was offered a part time job stitching corsets in the city, I jumped for it! So now I stitch and daydream and work with some remarkable women all day long. And then, after a day of being citified, I get to come home to my studio where I can see the stars at night.
Its a good life.

I will still be taking on alterations and custom work! I have sewing students lined up for after the holidays! So do not hesitate to contact me!

Happy Holidays everyone! It doesn't matter what you celebrate or how.................or who stole what custom from the pagans............it just really doesn't matter anymore. Just be kind to each other. If we all were committed to taking care of each other, the world would be a much better place to live in.
kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Lets Be Thankful For All We Have

2011-11-24T19:28:00.001-08:00

The Fluffie Rufflie Pattern Results

2011-11-06T07:56:00.000-08:00

I really want to see what everyone is making with my Fluffie Rufflie Patterns!
Marci Turner-Holcombe sent me this photo of the Fluffie Rufflie Dance Pants that she made for Forever By Your Side - Belly Horror 2011!

This is a lovely photo by Stereo Vision Photography!
Please send me photos and I'll put them in my Facebook Album! I REALLY want to see what you come up with!! Its pretty exciting!!
Thank you Marci!
XXX

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:03:00.000-07:00

I dont usually make Halloween costumes, but I am making some things for dance perfomances soon, so Im pretty much too busy to go out and celebrate any spooky stuff. However, I'll probably go out in the back yard and burn old papers and stuff in my firepit and talk to the ancestors a bit. Thats more fun for me anyway.

Here are some little vintage Halloween images that I nicked off the interwebs. Enjoy!

Thinking About Christmas................For Your Lovely Neck

2011-10-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

Every year, I am reminded that I am never in seasonal retail mode - this means that I don't have a bunch of merchandise made and ready for the spirit of holiday shopping. Its just not really how I roll. But I did make some pretty scarves just in time for that buying frame of mind (and you know we cant escape our need for retail therapy even if we cant heavily engage in that pastime quite as we did in days of yore.........) And maybe you will need one of these for your fabulous holiday outfit!

I hope you like them as much as I do! In fact, I want to keep every single one! (this is the curse of my job)

Stipes and L:ace for your lovely neck!
Multicolored Loveliness to wrap around your neck and ward off the winter chill!

I cannot throw away my scraps of beautiful fabric! I feel that this is a huge waste - it is especially so in the garment industry - and I like to use every bit of material that I can, so when the bins of extra bits start overflowing, I take a few days off, get out my rotary blade, and start cutting out shapes and sections to piece into lovely concoctions for your wearing pleasure!

Doing this makes me feel that I'm having less impact on the environment. Textile production is a huge detriment to the health of our planet. Insecticides, dyes, chemicals go into our water - which is partly why we take our business overseas................nice. So I do sometimes feel terribly guilty for participating in the creation of this mess. But we all want clothing and pretty things. And it cant all be sustainable. So this is me - and you - doing our part. By using all the fabric that I purchase and not just some of it, I feel that I am not creating as much waste. And sometimes certain fabrics wont be found again. Ever. So I want to put it all to use and be as resourceful and as respectful to our home as possible.

I like to use my softest knits and laces to be worn around the neck! These are always pretty long, can be used for a simple accessory to accent your wardrobe, or to actually be used to keep your neck warm! Ive seen them used as a hip adornment in belly dance as well! This scarf is made of the circles that were cut out of the middle of bias flounces as well as larger pieces of pretty fabrics! They have been reinforced down the middle with a soft knit lace. They are durable and will last a long time. They make great Christmas presents!

Pretty, functional, fun, and as Green as I can get.......win

~This particular scarf is about 81" long!
~Ivory , black, white, Grey and pink stripes in many different knit fabrics - we've got some lace, some polka dotted tulle and cotton!
~Most of the tattered ruffled edges are unfinished but will not ravel and those that do ravel a bit will just add some texture to the mix!

Please convo me with any questions or email me at kc.costumecouture [!at] gmail.com before purchasing!

Kathleencrowley.etsy.com
Thanks!

A Lovely Bride

2011-10-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

I love this photo of Whitney Alley Barrenger. She bought this dress from me for her wedding - and she is just adorable in it! Congratulations, Whitney!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Chix6 : A Very, Very Adorable Musical

2011-10-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

I was commissioned to make a little corset a few weeks back. It was to be worn by Molly Tynes in Chix6 - a new musical about some super heroines - totally cute and I really wish I could see it! The costumes are great, of course, because they were designed by Chris March.

This is what it looked like in my studio:

She wanted some of the cute fluff taken off and we had to be really careful not to have anything that could catch on her silks. She is also super bendy, so I could only put some spiral boning on the side. But I would say that it looks super cute on stage and everyone is happy with it! Making a specialty corset for performing will often require some changes to the usual way of making things. The trick was to make it look corseted without the boning. Not too difficult and I kind of cheated by playing with the side seams in order to make "bendy boning".

Ive only seen this video and a couple ones on youtube, but I like the idea and I hope its a super success! Go see this if you can!

Sewing Lessons At Last

2011-10-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

I know that Ive gone on a few times about teaching sewing lessons at some point this year. And the fact of the matter is is that as more and more people struggled with this %$#%^&%^$ economy, I ended up struggling more too. Because when you stop buying, the artists and local businesses suffer. But whatever...........Ive survived and made a purse out of a sow's ear so to speak. Im not out of hot water yet, but I'll be ok. Because as you know, you cant keep a good woman down. But I got a bit distracted with that struggle there ...............so now here we go...............

Instead of buying tables and new sewing machines (you dont want to start out on my current ones), Im letting you know that I am available for one on one instruction on the weekends. You drag that sewing machine out of your closet or out from under your bed and I will show you how to use it in my studio. With this comes all my sewing resources available online and in various parts of this country. Maybe even overseas as I find them. And maybe you will find some inspiration in my costuming library!

We all want clothes. We want to decorate our homes or dress our kids. And many of us cant justify some of those wardrobe and costuming purchases any longer. But if you have the patience and the aptitude, you can learn some basics and start from there. You can learn to make some fun things. Being creative is very important - especially in these times when its easy to get depressed or frustrated. My spirits always rise when Ive made something with my own two hands. It gives you a sense of accomplishment!

Available lessons and prices are posted in my pages section to the left.
Basicly:
***Three hours of beginner basics for $55.00 using your machine.
***Three hours of Industrial Sewing Machine lessons for $75.00 using my machines.
The investment in new skills and mastering that machine can take you far!

Here is a great little blog that I just ran across! I stole some of her images!
And here is some oldie sewing machine info ..........

And for those of you who want to learn to sew and do not have a machine, you can get cheapo ones to start with at Big Lots and Target. Im sure Costco and some online shops have some bargains for you. Search the thrift stores and the garage sales - but just make sure that they work or that you can get them fixed at a reasonable price. There is no need to go out and get a fancy sewing machine unless you are sure you need one!

It just doesn't have to be that complicated!

Oh, and my Fluffie Rufflie patterns will be available again soon. I got a little side tracked!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Cute Rattie Tattie Skirt For Halloween - Or Whenever!

2011-10-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

The ladies seem to be liking these skirts, and I had been eyeballing the sizes from a draft pattern all this time, which was getting old (and not very efficient), so I finally graded the pattern for XS - to XL. Now I can just cut without giving the size a lot of thought and can now focus on details. I can make larger sizes, so email me with your questions!

These are all sheer black lace right now - because I happen to have a lot of that at the moment - and because tis the season.............but I do have a couple more brown ones coming and some navy and red. (because I was feeling creative)

You can layer them one over the other or wear them with other skirts, pants, dresses, shorts and Leg Ruffles!

Here is a video of TigerLilly from Scotland wearing a black Rattie Tattie for her Tribal Fest performance. She is lovely, and works the music wonderfully - the opening bagpipes get me every time!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

The Coat That Ate My Weekend

2011-10-01T22:44:00.000-07:00

OMG - when it rains, it pours! Not only did I get to make a corset last month for the new Chix 6 show opening soon in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, but I got to make a coat a couple weekends ago for Lady Gaga, of all people. Like I said: when it rains, it pours. I was so super excited - I cant even tell you how excited I was - and I couldnt really talk about it until she actually wore it. Because you know how showbiz is. They could have not liked it and axed the whole thing. Happens all the time. Then after I made it, I started a new part time job, where I have to be - you know - humble, so I couldn't really keep jumping up and down in glee any longer. But I'm still pretty happy about it.

What happened was that not 5 minutes after interviewing for a job (that I started that next Tuesday) and while about to head out to the fabric stores for my usual perusals, Chris March got ahold of me and informed me that Lady Gaga's people had just asked him to make her an outfit for her gig at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas.. Well, he is in the middle of costuming Chix 6 and getting ready for the premiere of his new tv show airing October 4th, so he only really had time to design a coat and hat and make parts of the coat. He couldn't construct the whole thing in that short of a time frame. He had remembered a coat that I had made years ago and asked if I would be into reproducing something like that. Well, FUCK YEAH. (pardon my french for you polite people).

They said they wanted Pleather. I think that is kind of a broad term for anything leatherie looking. They wanted it to be lightweight. But Chris and I both agreed that anything vinyl would probably be heavy and uncomfortable. And I think it would stink. Literally. Some of those upholstery vinyls could work, but they have that awful odor. And I didnt even know if there really was a such thing as "pleather" anymore. But I said that I would go to Fabric Outlet and have a look. What I found was a black doe suede that had a great wrong side that I thought would be perfect. I sent him photos, he ok'd it and I just happened to have cash in my pocket. How fortuitous was that. And I bought a lightweight lining that I didn't really like, but I didn't want the coat to be too heavy and there wasn't much to choose from. It really just had to look good for a flash when she dropped her coat.

Chris sent them a photo of my coat, I drew a sketch of what it might look like so that they would all know that I wasnt sitting here smoking crack, and he sent them that, and in three days I gave them the coat I got hired to make - made with plenty of fabric to play with if they needed to make changes - and knowing full well that they were going to embellish, alter, and maybe redo parts, which they did. I did a good job with the fit. I dont think they had any problems with that.

So for almost three days I holed up in my studio and worked on this thing. After I finished the corset for Chix 6, I copied my old coat and made a new pattern according to her measurements. Some of them didn't make sense, so I had to figure that out. They may have been taken for a specific outfit. Who knows. We made several changes. It was looking too Regency, so I slashed the shoulders, built them up, and gave her more of a normal sleeve so that we could have big shoulders to support the armor that Chris sent me to add on. The collar needed to be redesigned and so I made a new one according to Chris's specs. I didn't have time to add any studs as it had to be sent out by Monday. There were a couple things that took up some time in the construction - but its all a blur now. Oh. The ballast went out in the lights above my work table and I was working on black in very dim light, but that's how things work around here - you never know whats going to happen, but I always manage to get things done somehow.

Her team shortened the coat and they may have changed the back a bit - its hard to tell in the photos, but they actually managed to make it look more like the sketch - Good team work!

And thank you to Lee Kobus of Fool Proof Studios for racing me over to Fed Ex at the very last minute to put this baby on the truck to Ms. Gaga!

She came out on a giant motorcycle covered up by a giant fringie hat, danced around a bit, threw it off and that was that for my part of the show. What a blast! Of course, like with every single project I do, I swear I'll never do it again, but all mothers say that after they give birth, dont they? Yet sometimes we do it again. I do it over and over and over again. This was the biggest deal that Ive had the opportunity to participate in. I hope with all my heart that she has Chris make more things for her because if anyone can carry out her over the top fabulousness, its Chris March.

May the fun never end!

Watch MAD FASHION this Tuesday night - October 4th!

Rattie Tattie Adjustable Length Skirts

2011-09-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

When I can get around to making these skirts, they usually fly out the window. Why? Because they have three channels in the upper body of the skirt that allow you to adjust the length of this garment in many ways. And they are super cute and comfortable!

Granted,. this is not a new idea and has been around for years, but I dont see a lot of people offering these styles fairly consistantly. I adopted this technique years ago with many other skirts, pants, and dresses - and whoever I was inspired by (probably the Belgians in the 90's), we thank you!

I often, but not always, use the fabrics left over from cutting out my other garments. Not only are they rarely ever all the same, but there is less of a toxic footprint on the environment, I can keep the costs down, and you can get a versatile, cost effective piece of clothing that will serve as a base for many different looks if you choose.

Clothing, costuming, bridal, steampunk, romantic, gothic......................the choices are many depending on the colors, the fabrics used, and your imagination!

Below are some of the best photos that I could take of the various possibilities. This is one skirt from my limited edition Harvest series. Some are subtle - meaning that the same length adjustment on a different position on your hips will change the whole look - and some are very obvious. Not all bodies are the same, so one look will be better on one person than another. But how rare to have choices!! And in this day and age when our pennies need to go a long way, how cool is it that you can get more bang for your buck!

The dress form and my camera limitations cannot convey the depth of color and how lovely these really are in real life - but if you think its cute, trust me, you'll think its even cuter when it arrives on your doorstep!
(I ship world-wide)

My First Floorcloth

2011-09-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

Finally I am finding my old photos of some of my work from 5 years ago and beyond!

Oakville Grocery Promotional Grand Opening Gig '06

Back in the day, when businesses still went all out for Grand Openings and such stuff, I got hired on to create a few over the top projects. I LOVED doing this kind of thing. It was a challenge and always fun!

Unfortunately, this business went under some time after it opened, but the location is dear to my heart. I spent many an afternoon in the Cannery as a child and teenager. In fact, the whole wharf area was a always a big draw for me. Teeming with life: pungent smells, delicious food, beaches, seagulls, boats, Alcatraz, exotic dialects, interesting people walking around from all walks of life - from all over the globe, tacky souvenirs and tourist traps..................it was more than my youth could desire. So I came here with my family as a child and escaped to this place when I could as a teenager with my BFF's. It was fitting that I make some kind of over the top display to make my mark.

To construct this kind of monstrosity, one has to have the whole circumference of the floor plan. I was lucky in that someone walked the courtyard for me and took great measurements. I figured out the yardage almost down to the inch There wasn't a lot of leftover. But because I always get a bit extra, there was enough to make a dress. which I did for a shop window display.

You have to figure out what you can sew together and what will have to be taped or glued together. I didn't want anyone tripping so I sewed a lot of this t and then rolled it up as I went along. The big long lengths of picnic table fabric were then laid out and taped down. We used a lot of double sided carpet tape for this.And Discount Fabrics gave me a great deal because I ordered mega yards of this red and white stuff..
And by "WE", I mean my friends who I bribed to help me with this (and who never let me forget it) and the people who hired me to carry out the concept. Everyone chipped in on this group effort and you know who your real friends are when they actually show up. If you read this and want to be linked - please give me a shout! Special thanks to Chris March (who referred me), Matthew James and Steven LeMay of Retrofit. I want to give you all credit where credit is due: you guys kicked ass and have been my pillars of strength on numerous occasions!!!

As you can see, We had some trees, planters, and benches to cut around. And we had to work fast. In the end, it was so nice to be able to sit down on the giant tablecloth and enjoyed some catered food and watch the smiles on the tourists faces!!

The only down side to the project was that I was hoping some recycling businesses would take this off my hands. No way. :( This was pretty disheartening and I had nowhere to store it, so we had to throw it in a pile behind the store and I'm sure it was hauled off to the dump.

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Dont Be Mad At Us Vendors: Be Mad At The Republican Party

2011-09-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

Ive been too busy to post lately and I was too busy to celebrate being here in my new studio and little town for one whole year as of August 15th! I have to be honest. Without the support of my customers, the move would never have been possible. I had great dreams for moving my business forward , decorating my studio, and getting a car. Well, as the bottom fell out of the American Dream, I ended up just trying to ride this roller coaster out and there was no moving forward. Treading water and trying not to sink was the focus for that year. And it was very scary. And I was really, really angry. All my hard work was just sliding into the toilet.

As when all apple barrels get upturned, someone gets mad regardless of whether you overturned them apples yourself or not. And so Ive managed to be overly late on a few custom Fluffie Rufflie orders that were being placed just when the shit came down. This isn't normal behaviour and these are special times. I do state on my Etsy listings that anything and everything can and will affect your order. It states right there in plain English all my info for you, the buyer. All you have to do is read it. Its just that simple. And everyone gets their goods. My postal receipts are sure fewer than they were last year, but I do still have enough to show that Ive been busy! Sellers don't want to talk about angry customers, but everyone gets one now and then. Its a numbers game. But I am here to talk about it all. Sometimes you get one or two that just don't get it, or don't read, or don't get the email that you sent, and sometimes you, the seller got it all wrong despite how hard you tried. But the truth is, nobody could stay in business if everyone hated what you did. I personally have had a few bad experiences buying online. Just enough to make me wary of doing it. But the vendors seem to have a happy customer base, so it was probably that this was when my number was up. Like I said, Shit happens and most vendors are more than willing to try to make you happy somehow. Nobody can make everyone happy all the time.

All my pending Fluffie Rufflie orders are done now ( except for one - and its almost done - and she knows about it) and I wont be making them again like I was. Ive never believed in that saying that the customer is always right and I never will. If it were, we wouldn't have pages and pages of rules and information and contracts for you to read to cover our asses. Because my loves: shit happens. And while I generally bend over backwards to give the customer what he or she wants - because I want us both to be happy with the product, this year pretty much almost did me in. Its nobody's fault. Fear is everywhere. And where there is fear, there is bad behavior. I have not been exempt from the fear factor, so Ive done my best to keep positive. Its hard to do sometimes and I have had my moments, but I don't want to attract that fear into my life any more than is already there.I want to thrive.

BUT. During this whole time, I have always felt that something new or different is around the corner and I still do. I have no idea what this "something" is, but its coming. Somehow, for some reason, Ive managed to keep this roof over my head and eat. And I owe this only to anyone who has ever purchased or commissioned anything from me. And I am here for a reason. The right people are starting to find me, and things are slowly feeling better. It may be another rocky winter, but for some reason, I feel that its not going to be that bad.

I love what I do and I'm going to keep doing it one way or another. Ive got projects that I'm working on and Ive closed out the work that isn't viable for me any longer. Its been a year of transition and those are always difficult, but very, very beneficial if you can get out of them in one piece. I'm still alive, I'm still working, I'm still in my dream studio, and if it wasn't the year of paying off debt, or buying a car and mega yards of brocade for new draperies that I had planned on, hopefully next year will be.I still got to make some really cool stuff! And now that all those smaller orders are not hanging over my head, I am freed up for more work - for bigger projects. For making new merchandise. For a new day.

So don't be mad at us sellers. Be mad at the Republicans or Demons of your choosing. We didn't cause this mess. Thank you.

Alana's Wedding

2011-07-31T18:09:00.000-07:00

Alana was referred to me by a mutual friend that Ive known for over 20 years. Her friend Amy was actually the go between for us. We communicated a bit first via email, then they set up an appointment to come into the studio.

Well, I liked them both right off. Alana is an architect and knew just what she wanted. She had purchased a beautiful designer dress, but it wasn't fitting and she wanted the bodice reconstructed. This was going to prove a bit of a challenge because it already was an asymmetrical cut and we were going to have to cut into the matching lining to get some extra lining.

This was one wedding story that brought tears to my eyes.. The groom to be had been in an accident and had suffered traumatic head wounds. They nursed him back to health, although progress will still be long and difficult. I met him as well, and this couple brought the meaning of commitment back home to me. The meaning of love. The meaning of why I do this.

Sure I like to make really cool things. I love to make unique and personalized wedding gowns. I love the whole process. And sure, most people are happy in love when they get around to marrying. But these two are the prime example of why dressing up a bit for your commitment day is important. Its a showing of respect for each other and the whole circle of people who love you.

So Alana brought her thoughts and ideas to the table. We discussed budget and what could and couldn't be done to the dress. We had about 4 fittings altogether because of the difficulty of the design. I cut off the existing straps, re cut the bodice, made the bodice lining lie flatter under the bodice, gave it a more sweetheart type of neckline, made thicker straps, took it in a bit at the sides,covered buttons for the bustling of the train, and made little swing tags for the hem where we wanted to hike it up.

It turned into an easier dress for her to wear. She can have her poolside reception and be comfortable. She can wear it again and again. I'll post photos of her in it if I can get them!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Kellsie's Wedding Dress

2011-07-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

I met Kellsie a few years ago at a party at my last house in San Francisco. Her sister was my roomie, Kristine Adams, and we had a big birthday/housewarming bash. So later on down the road, Kellsie came to me to work on the gown that she wanted for her wedding. She brought me a dress that she had purchased earlier but it wasn't working for her any longer. She loved it, but wanted a more Steampunk feel for her wedding attire now. Silk was the main fabric used in the purchased gown. So she brought me some beautiful jacquard fabric, the dress, some ivory silk, and a Truly Victorian pattern - style # 1879, the Cuirass Bodice with Evening Options. You can purchase this pattern from Lost Coast Historical Patterns or Lacis.

This was the dress before I cut into it. We decided that we would take the bodice off and make it into a skirt. This was a very full skirt and more of a hobbled bustle effect was wanted. The skirt was a wee too small, so when I started cutting down the skirt, I added more fabric to the back, repositioning the zipper, and that took care of that. I constructed a sturdy, wide waistband to carry the weight of the skirt and to produce a nice line under the jacket.

This is the skirt unbustled. I ended up using most of the extra silk fabric given to me to make the inner structure of the bustle skirt. I chopped off quite a bit in front to shorten the skirt and to create a slimmer front. There were a lot of flowers on the train, but I repositioned them and placed them in strategic points where there would be hooks for bustling up the train when she wanted to do so. It was nice to have the option.

I followed the pattern for the jacket pretty closely. I always make a mockup first and it fit pretty well the first time with a few adjustments. Im dont even think I had to read the instructions more than once. It was pretty straightforward. I think I shortened the sleeves and lowered the front, then further squared off the front of the bodice. I used hooks and eyes to fasten the front. When I was done with the dress, Kellsie took some of the extra fabric flowers and made a veiled headpiece. She also did the beautiful embroidery on the upper bodice. Kellsie picked out her trims and I placed them where I thought they would look best. I think we did a lovely job. She had a strict budget and we used as many existing materials as we could. We reused a beautiful dress with lots of yardage in it, and we made something it much more interesting. And now she has a Victorian two pieced gown that she can reuse if she likes.I'm sure she will since she too, is a costumer and loves to dress up now and then!

This is Kellsie and Kristine - two hot babes! Congratulations, Kellsie!
kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Dance Cholis

2011-07-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

Ive started making cholis again.. I had some cut out and so when I had a few hours a while back, I put them together and posted them in my Etsy shop. At the moment, Im experimenting with fabrics and basic choli patterns. Its kind of hard (I think) to make a design that works pretty good, even better. But I dont really like how the larger sizes look sometimes on larger bodies. There is a woman who has designed a way to make cholis more supportive, but the bottom line, is - you cant really do this the way she does it without some discomfort. And I dont like how those look either. You need to wear an undergarment if you are a full busted woman and want to wear a choli - AND have the girls held up. Or you need to wear a good supportive dance bra over the choli. Not those little tribal tie on bras that hang there. But a real bra with substance. A choli by itelf cannot support without some inner structure.

This, of course, is doable, but going to take some work. As soon as Ive got my current last few orders out of the way, Im going to enlist the help of some ladies that I know and start to really tackle this problem. A smaller busted woman has no problem finding cute cholis. Those cute little stretch velvet and cotton lycra tops are adorable, but not so flattering on a womanly figure without either some inner support or outer. So we'll see what we can do.

Kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

A Cut Above - Literally

2011-07-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

Lynne Rutter is one of those friends who started out as a client and ended up being an integral part of my life. Over the years we have made corsets, costumes, wedding attire, soft home furnishings and I even had my work studio in her garage for two years.

This woman is amazing - read about her Here and then go Here to read her blog. And HERE is a great recent SFGATE article about her! What exquisite talent and taste Lynne has! When Lynne gives you her opinion or assessment on any given subject, the woman knows what she's talking about!

Lynne was wanting a painters smock that was a cut above what was being offered anywhere else. She had some ideas and off we went to Discount Fabrics to buy a roll of beautiful Belgian linen. She planned on wearing it on site and in her studio as well. It had to be well made and stylish as she often works in her clients' homes. We made two or three of them and they have lasted her years and gone through some heavy wearing and abuse. This one still looks great! I think we did a good job with this project. Lynne looks well polished and represented as the professional artist that she is.

There is nothing like linen. Linen is one of the most environmentally friendly plants around and has been used for centuries. Every part of the plant can be - and is used. It is an extraordinary fabric and a joy to work with - as is Lynne!

Ramblings And Musings About An Online Phenomenon That I Dont Like

2011-07-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Its getting to be time to be preparing for Burning Man!I kind of want to go again., but I want to go in comfort. Its just turned into that for me - gotta be comfortable. Gotta be clean before climbing into my sleeping bag. Dont want to be sunburned!

For those who don't sew, I have lots of little vests, a pair of Leg Ruffles, and some cute Sampants up for grabs in my Etsy Store!They would be perfect for the Playa!

Ive got a few more custom orders of Fluffie Rufflie's and then I'm done. Yes, thanks to this new thankless economy, the orders have slowed to barely a trickle and Ive been forced to take on other kinds of work. I was really sad at first, but everything has its' season and now Im happy again. These Fluffie pants and pantaloons are taking way too long to make for some folks, and the stress of juggling isn't worth it for me. If you REALLY want a pair and are prepared to wait as long as it takes me to find the materials and make them just the way I need to while juggling projects, then I'm more than happy to make you a pair. I still love them. I still love how they look, how they feel, how they make you feel...............but you can buy my pattern and either have them made or make them yourselves. Its a win/win situation for both of us! And PLEASE send me photos of what you make! I REALLY want to see them!!! I feel like they are my grandchildren!!!

I'm going back to my roots. The roots of making special wedding dresses and costumes custom fit for you and back to the art of making your clothing look like it was made for you - even if it wasn't. I think it is especially important in this day and age to keep your already purchased clothing in good condition. And if you bought something new and it doesn't look right, chances are that a tweak here - a dart there will make it fit beautifully. And this is what I like to do!

My new client , Nirmala, and I agreed today that finding a good seamstress is like finding a good hairdresser - you don't want to let either one go............and I like that kind of thinking. She's my kind of gal!

Which leads me to something that has been bothering me this year. Ive been mulling it over and over in my mind for months and trying to make sense of what is going on with people. Since the economy collapsed last year, Ive tried to go with the flow..........Etsy pushes and tries to convince its sellers that having sales on our merchandise and goods is a GOOD thing. I don't really think that having a sale on handmade goods is a good thing UNLESS you are sick of it being around and you just want to clear it out. But Etsy is trying to convince us to behave like a retail store in a retail market. Of course, this is all left up to the individual seller and I resisted for a while. But with sales down and this being my only means of financial support, I eventually caved to see what would happen.

I actually think its fun to have a sale now and then. The whole process is kind of a kick when people sit up and take notice. I actually enjoy taking a few bucks off now and then if it helps someone purchase something that they might not otherwise have justified. It makes me feel like I'm giving back in a small way. So I tried a variety of tactics. Sometimes just a few things were marked down. Sometimes just my particular custom goods; sometimes everything. I tried different price points or discounts for different reasons. At first it seemed to be a good thing. And while my profit went down the tubes on occasion, I was making a few more sales that might not have been made, and my name was getting passed around.

And then the abuse started. I could not figure out what was happening for the longest time! People were not reading all the info on my custom listings all of a sudden. They were expecting custom goods to be made in a few days or a few weeks - while I specifically state that this is never the case with my process. I had one or two people cause me so much grief at Christmastime that I was ready to throw in the towel. I was forced by Paypal to return money at a time when I could ill afford to while custom projects were in the works. (it completely ruined my Christmas - there were no gifts for anyone.) I could have and should have fought these people. I would have won, but it would have taken time. Paypal froze my account. Certain people complained to Etsy about me for taking too long. One woman's package was in the mail when she complained to Etsy before consulting with me. I was confused and in hell.

I NEVER and clearly state this - give money back when in the middle of custom work. I was in tears. I had a customer accuse me of taking the public's money and waiting til the last minute to work on projects. Another accused me of stealing.

WTF. I wondered if this was what selling online is like for other sellers and I wondered what I was doing to deserve this (yeah - I know that was wrong of me - but I'm only human and make mistakes now and then)

I heard from two other vendors that they were also getting bullied from customers all of a sudden.It seemed to be happening all at once.

I was flummoxed. Totally and utterly bewildered. Never in the 20 or so years of making custom goods have I ever been treated this way. Sure, Ive had the bride who lost her mind during the wedding. Who hasn't! The stress alone from a wedding can kill you! Nobody can ever be 100% perfect with everything they do. I only do my best and I think that I've developed a pretty good reputation with that - I have 99% of the time always been treated with respect. And I do admit when Im wrong. But this new phenomenon really blew my mind. If this is business, then I didn't want any part of it. But I knew that something was going on and it wasn't personal (even though I couldn't help taking it that way). I'm growing as a business person and trying on all sorts of hats just to get the right fit.............so I decided to try the Etsy sales thing.

I was talking about this with the owner of Fool Proof Studio the other day and she made a comment about how she thinks that sales on handmade goods cheapen the product.

And the bright incandescent light bulb about to be discontinued turned on full blast over my head - and ta da - there was my answer to this dilemma. But it is actually a two-fold problem. By putting my handmade wares - esp. my custom made to measure garments on sale periodically - these garments were cheapened and made less special in the buyers' mind. And wrong as some of these people are, it gave them permission to treat me terribly - to bully me - to literally sometimes make my life a living hell. I suppose I knew the answer to this this subconsciously already. It never felt right. It felt like I was coming off as desperate to make a sale - and maybe I was at times. This is a tough world to try to be self employed in without any backing or financial support. Most of us who are making it on a shoestring are having a rough time and the shoestring is now very frayed.........this is simply a fact................. but by cheapening our art, or designs, or whatever you want to call our craft, we can be putting ourselves in harm way. Because not everyone understands the difference between handmade and stuff you buy from an assembly line in a retail store. It is up to us to educate those who don't know. And those who don't know or respect this should not be our customers.

Also, being online can be very impersonal. As best as we make our little smiley faces and XXX's in our emails, this cannot be a face to face relationship where we actually KNOW each other. It is far easier to abuse a character in print than to a real live face. I am quite sure that none of these people would have treated me this way in real life. And this has confirmed in me the value of someone actually coming into my studio, forming a relationship with me, and getting something special made to their standards with my creative process, and getting an experience that they would not get anywhere else.

I think that Etsy is a wonderful platform for the creative who wants to sell his or her wares. If things are not selling, maybe Etsy should be used as kind of an online portfolio. And if it sells, all the better! I'll continue to sell there while its working for me, but for those who really put a lot of effort into their craft, mark down sales may not really be the answer. Everyone is looking for a bargain these days, but should your hard work and effort go unpaid and disrespected? Maybe it depends on what the item is and how it was made, but to me, handmade items, if they are made well and are special, should by their very being, be a higher price point. The customer who will never buy unless the item is marked down substantially should never be your target customer. I know that not everyone is self employed and that maybe their crafts are just made for fun only - and I do understand that - but if the crafted items are unique and the effort taken to buy the technology and learn the skills to make them look nice in real life and online are applied - should not these items be treated as the gems they are?

Ive learned a valuable lesson. I'll be conducting business differently from now on and treating my work with more respect and I'll be expecting the same respect in return. Oh sure, I'll probably have a sale now and then on ready to wear and pre-made merchandise, but its got to be fun for me as well. No more sales on the custom goods. No more abuse. I'll be sending out info that must be read first for custom work to commence. Perhaps this is part of working with the public from behind a computer, but if I wont treat you this way, I should not be treated this way. NONONONONONONONO. I DO take things personally. I put a lot of ME into my clothing. Even if I'm making 10 pairs of Sampants. I made them! With my own two hands! I think a lot of us feel that way. Not everyone, but a lot of us.

And as most of my customers are fabulous and "get" it, this dilemma in no way reflects you!!!! I just now have to protect myself from the bad eggs out there. I got a little sucker punched from my own naivete. I would be very interested to hear from anyone else who has noticed this happening. I was previously blaming it on the economy and maybe people being tighter and more sensitive to where their money is going.. Maybe feeling less secure and perhaps feeling guilty about how the money is being spent and therefore getting punchy and more abusive...........all of the above?

Artists, fellow craftsmen/women - protect yourselves! Value your goods!!! No Abuse allowed!
kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Vestuses for the Bestuses

2011-07-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

I keep telling people to go to my blog, and Ive just realized that I don't have many photos of my work up - a lot of inspiration, but silly me - where's my work?
I like my pictures big and taking up all my space on this blog, so they sometimes get cut off - click on a photo if you want to get the whole view!

I had been trying to make a simple vest for quite some time, but that thought materialized into these cute little shortie underbust vests that I sold at the Salome's Suitcase trunk show during Tribal Fest. Ive sold out of most of them, but I still have about 5 left in a variety of sizes in my Etsy store. Once Ive got my current orders under control, I'll make a few more of these out of different materials. I took my button and applique stash to embellish them randomly in different patterns which was a lot of fun for me since I love watching tv and doing hand sewing! So any excuse to do that makes me a happy camper.

They button in the front and fit rather tightly. They are meant to be form fitting and not a loose fit at all. Ive worn mine with Capri's, skirts, dresses - I really, like them. I think they are flattering on just about everyone who likes this sort of style. The buttons can be moved over if you need a tighter fit, but they are not really built to be made larger. Its best to buy a size up and move the buttons over if you are questioning your fit. But you can email and ask me to measure the vest again.

These are bound with a self bias and fully lined. This fabric is a microfiber fabric that I found somewhere - there is no real fabric content info available. There is a sheen to the fabric, but its not shiny. Great for day or evening!

And last but not least, this vest would be awesome for Burning Man!

Here is Daniela Adriaenssens wearing her Vest at Tribal Fest. - and isn't she adorable!
kc.costumeccouture@gmail.com

Betsy Ross In The Silent Films 1927

2011-07-03T23:10:00.000-07:00

Its getting to be a tradition with me. Every year I must pay homage to Betsy Ross. She was a real person and she knew George Washington and the story goes that he asked her to help him out with making a flag to unify the country. They had umpteenth flags too many and he just wanted the one flag to symbolize the United States of America. She and her first husband were upholsterers. And supposedly there is very little proof of her actually making a flag, but she gave George some advice on the design and created a 5 pointed star instead of one with 6. I think she told him where to put the stars too. (that didn't come out right.....)

Now, some say that her grandson made up the whole story - Blasphemous! Some stories should just be left alone.
She went through a lot of husbands. they always died, it seems.

Happy 4th of July Everyone! I'll be spending my Independence day working on drapes. They are looking pretty sweet!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

America

2011-07-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

No matter how you want to look at this country, its an interesting one. Everyday we realize that things are not as we thought they were. I just read recently somewhere online that there is a thought that the Druids came over to America and intermarried with the Natives here.Sorry - I have no idea where I read that and I should have bookmarked it. It said that the Druids and natives in South Dakota became the Lakota. Im sure the Lakota would have something to say about this - and you cant believe everything you read online - but the fact that the Vikings were here long before Columbus was but a myth not too long ago. We pretty much know they were in fact here wandering around and probably intermarrying with the natives.So who knows......maybe the Druids DID come over and have been here a long time. That would be very exciting. They had to go somewhere, now, didnt they, since Cesar insisted on exterminating them. (Those Romans ........)! I guess what Im trying to say is that this has always been a country of immigrants. Even the native people who were here thousands of years before the white man, came from somewhere else. And who knows who or what was here before them.

Oh - HERE it is - it looks like someone made it up or heard it said - but its a fun thought - hope it pans out to be true one day. This would be a fun twist on history!And to be honest, its a fascinating subject, but I am very ignorant of a great deal of knowledge on the subject - well, we all are, since there is very little that has been passed down. It all died when they died. Just not into much revival stuff..........unless it has to do with costuming.

We need to get over all this illegal immigrant bullshit and start respecting anyone who risks their life to come here and work for shit wages doing the shit jobs that nobody white wants to do. We all complain about no jobs, but I see house cleaning jobs all over the place listed on Craigslist.. Put your gloves on and start cleaning toilets if you are out of work! Get thee into the sweat shops! Its good honest work and having done it before, its not going to hurt you if you are fit. (except wear you down to the bone and break your back) Do something useful and take back those jobs that these immigrants are taking away from you, you idiots. And lets take care of those horribly paid workers, shall we? The child of one might be smarter than you and be a future president.

So back to Druids. I know very little about their spiritual practices.Ive never felt comfortable donning robes and standing in circles.(Like I even know what Im talking about ) But I say more power to any group who trys to recapture the old ways. Maybe not the human sacrifice part, but even I, who tries to be a more loving and humane person these days can see the wisdom in putting rapists, stalkers, and pedophiles in wicker baskets.

Well, if I were Queen.......................
Happy Independence Day to everyone who actually made it to the U.S. and survived. I hope it was worth the effort. Some of us seem to have forgotten what we've got and don't want to share.And just remember that you cant do what you want in a lot of places in the world. This dreamland country of ours is flawed and going down hill fast. This Rome is burning........the powers that control us are insane and watching it burn.........but if we all pull together, we can douse the fires and make this country strong again. We can have our dreams here.

Put on those gloves and lets get to work!

The Allure of the Stripe

2011-06-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

Something about stripes.......they make a strong statement and they draw the line down towards the feet, making you appear slimmer and longer.

I just made a small lot of these ADORABLE black and white striped Sampants!
Ive got Small through Extra Large listed on Etsy, and I have two each of most sizes.
I'll repost the extras as they sell.
These are made of the good stuff - the nice heavier weight cotton lycra that holds its shape and lasts a long time.
Im always on the lookout for this heavier weight stretch cotton.. I don't buy in bulk, so its hit or miss when it comes to finding this fabric.I just happened to be at the fabric store at the same time they were unloading the truck.
SCORE!

Get em while they're hot!
kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Happy Father's Day To The Men Who Nurture!!!

2011-06-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

My son is doing one fine job. Ive watched him take care of Ivy - and you can tell when someone is genuinely into what they are doing. Im very proud!

Having come from a home where the dad was broken and the theme of the house was chaos and mayhem, I appreciate every effort on a man's part to find that place for the love of a child. You dont have to be perfect, but you do have to play with them and lead them and give them hugs. You can make mistakes - everyone does - you dont even have to like those kids all the time (I think this is impossible - who likes everyone all the time?????????) But you have to genuinely love them. That will show in the long run. That will be remembered in the end.

Happy Fathers' Day!