M Missoni inspiration

I will be making a maxi-length dress sort of like this M Missoni design soon.....

  My version will have shirred insets at waist, shoulders, and cuffs, though.

Let's see....  Maybe I will use white crinkle rayon.  Or white cotton.  Or......  ?

The labor for this sort of dress would be about $200.  Let me know if I can plan to make one for you!  You will choose the fabric(s) and you will specify all the details.  FUN.

Lacey's One Dress Protest is up to Day 275!

Lacey has now worn her dress every day for the past 275 days!  The great hemp blend twill dress I made for my client in Texas last summer is Lacey's One Dress.

Read all about Lacey's One Dress Protest, and see how the dress is holding up with only 90 days remaining.





One Dress; she wears it every day for one year.




Thanks, Lacey, for the update and for sharing your insights and reflections!

A design that failed. .NOT.

Well, I at one time I feared that this design had failed.  The delightful customer for whom I made the first one in this style ended up not wanting it to be a jumpsuit; she had it made into a top and pants set!  She had had to have some changes made to the fit (this happens from time to time when I work with clients who are at a distance!) and elected to have it remodeled as well.

But no failure!  The jumpsuit I had made for myself in order to work out the design worked perfectly for me.  I have worn it about a thousand times over the past year and I love it more all the time.

I listed this jumpsuit in KathleenTempleTailor (on Etsy).  Click HERE to see the specifics about the jumpsuit as a custom creation.  I am eager to make more of these great jumpsuits!

Color, multiplies exponentially

How about some COLOR?

She wrote:  

"Oh, I do love colors!! In architecture, back in school and even till now working, everyone wears black, gray, cream, taupe, etc... (Don't get me wrong, they are nice colors, well, professional.) I'm tired of it, somewhat. I NEED colors for a change. "

And she sent this SILK COLORFEST to my studio.

I created this colorfest dress, based on one of my original designs.  It's listed here.

To show you the back.....

Front detail, to show the cross-over sashes.

I created little crocheted thread lingerie keepers inside the shoulders.

Another front view shows what the dress looks like with the sash ends wrapped twice around to finish in front.

... the back looks neat as a pin when the sashes are twice-wrapped.

YES. She loved the dress!  I am so proud and happy.  This is from my etsy "feedback" page:

"I LOVE LOVE LOVE the dress! The design is so beautiful and functional! And the color and style is so funky and original - I SO have my favourite outfit sorted! Absolutely a masterpiece. Fits and drapes exactly like what I expected. BEAUTIFUL construction. Kathleen was attentive and kept me posted all the way. Thanks SO much Kathleen for the customer service has been exceptional. Kathleen is a dream to work with, a top notch Etsy seller, I highly recommend! Cheers!!"

Hearts and Crafts, a documentary film

Documentary film to enjoy......

Hearts and Crafts (a click here will take you to the Hermes site where you can view the film)

An excerpt from the blog post by Susie of Style Bubble enticed me to find the film:

 "The film may have been commissioned by Hermès themselves but from start to finish, the most remarkable thing is that the word Hermès is never uttered.  There's hardly a logo in sight unless you count a beautiful horse seen in the stables at the beginning of the film and cantering about in the closing moments, as a reminder of the French house's insignia and its equestrian beginnings in the 19th century. 

Instead, Laffont and Dupuy-Chavanat cleverly focus on the people working at Hermès' various ateliers, occupying roles such as leather polisher, silk dye colourist, leather craftsmen, glass makers, mould makers - running the gamut across all of Hermes products, not just the famous handbags.  This isn't a sensationalist film nor does it rattle on about Hermes' achievements as a company.  This is really a quiet celebration of craftsmanship and of men and women who have found their vocational calling and have a desire to fulfil it.  Mixing up pigments for silk or massaging leather skins may seem very singular and specific but it's an important cog in the process of bringing Hermes products to life.  As someone points out in the film "We're part of a line.  It's a snowball effect."  "

dress patterns ARE available here, though....

Vlisco may not market patterns, but MARFY does.


Like this one:








Another beautiful design, the pattern for which is available.  







I could make either of these dresses for you on a custom basis; the cost would be $300- $450, depending on the fabric you might choose.  Another important variable in the cost is your size and figure type.  Please contact me to talk about specifics.  I would love to make some dresses from Marfy patterns!

no design patterns available.

http://www.vlisco.com/#lookbook_show

Oh, how I wish Vlisco would sell dress patterns.  They sell the awesome fabrics, but no patterns.  I am going to make some of these dresses anyway, though.

like these:
Vlisco Lookbook