For the next two weeks (through October 11, 2011), we’re offering a 40% discount on our Modern Workshop fabric packs.
To receive the discount, use coupon code MW40 at checkout. Please note that supplies are limited, and the discount is only available on remaining in-stock items.
You can view a short video of Liesl introducing the Modern Workshop line here.
Labels: fabric
I was on my way to a presentation in Midtown yesterday morning and ended up chasing down a man ahead of me. I was curious about his raincoat, which it looked like he was wearing inside out, and I just had to get a better look. So if you can imagine it, I went dashing down the subway platform in heels, carrying a heavy tote bag on one shoulder and swinging a large portfolio in the other hand (very glamorous, me with all my bags), just hoping I could catch up to him before he got onto the subway and the doors closed without me.
But I caught him! And I’m still not certain, but it looked like his raincoat wasn’t inside out at all but was designed to look as though it was worn inside out. It was a stone-colored trench coat with a full lining. The edges of the facings and the seam allowances were all bound in bright orange, and the label sewn into the center back was also bright orange. I didn’t see who made the jacket, but it was really beautifully made, and if it had actually been inside out the lining would have pulled and distorted. (Linings are usually a bit smaller than the jacket itself.)
Anyway, this got me thinking again about bias binding as a design element. The Oliver + S patterns often use a little bias binding at sleeve hems for a neat, clean finish. For example, both the long sleeve and the three-quarter sleeve version of our new Apple Picking Dress use bias binding at the sleeves. But have you even considered using bias in other places on a garment as a design detail? What about using it as the hem on both skirt ruffles of the dress (View A) as well? Here are two illustrations that demonstrate what it might look like.
I think it’s a cute way to emphasize the double ruffles at the hem and to relate back to the sleeve detail. It’s also a great way to incorporate a contrast or complimentary color or print.
And you won’t need to wear anything inside out to get the look, either.
Bias is easy to make and to apply. I’ve given very though instructions for it in Little Things to Sew, if you’re interested in trying it. I’m curious to see how you use it in your own sewing projects!
Labels: details
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the little things that make a garment special. A running stitch is an easy hand-stitched detail that can be added to a collar, a placket, a side seam or hem or lots of other places.
These are a couple of shirts I found in S’s closet, both with a running stitch at the collar. I like the variegated thread colors in the blouse on the right.
A running stitch would be an easy addition to the Music Class blouse collar. It would be cute on the sleeve cuffs, too. You could also use it anywhere you would usually topstitch or edgestitch. In fact, when I was shopping yesterday I noticed a beautiful blouse that had contrast running stitch on pintucks in place of the usual tiny machine stitches. Easy detail, lots of impact on the finished piece. I’m still debating whether to add a running stitch to the linen Music Class blouse I finally finished making for S.
Thankfully, it fits, even though I cut it out last summer. If this hot weather continues, she might even wear it a few times before she outgrows it!
Labels: details
Welcome to the Oliver + S stop on the Moda Country Fair Blog Hop.
I’m Liesl Gibson, designer of the Oliver + S line of fabrics for Moda and Oliver +S sewing patterns for children’s clothing.
My next collection of fabric for Moda, Cape Ann, will be out in October. Here’s a little video preview of the line filmed at last spring’s International Quilt Market.
And, now, thanks to the list of questions from our fearless blog hop leader Lissa Alexander at Moda, you get to learn more about me than you ever wanted to know.
What’s your favorite fair food?
I love cotton candy at the fair. It’s awful anyplace else, but it’s somehow perfect when you’re hot, sticky and tired after a day at the fairground, isn’t it?
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Oh, only one? I have two: ice cream and time spent alone at night when everyone else is asleep. That’s when I’m most creative and relaxed.
What’s on your bucket list?
I want to travel a lot more, and hopefully live in a few other countries as well. I’d like to spend more time in France and Japan especially, and take at least one trip to India. I’d also like to spend more time making things. I’d love to make at least one garment entirely by hand using couture methods, and I’m looking forward to having time to weave. But that’s all being saved for a different life stage, when I’m not concentrating on family and business quite so much.
What inspires your work?
So many things. New York (where we live) and its people are a huge inspiration to me. Also art, my daughter and her friends, and the books I read. I love to visit vintage stores and thrift shops and used book stores, too. I seem to find inspiration all over the place, really.
State fairs have become known for what they can fry? What would you fry?
It’s all been done, hasn’t it? I saw a story earlier this summer about one fair that had a vendor selling deep-fried sticks of butter. After that, what’s left? Fried tubs of Crisco? I give up.
What’s on your night stand?
My daughter painted a little wooden family a few years ago. I still love it and steal the little people for my night stand whenever she isn’t playing with them. That, and an alarm clock I never use. I’m not a morning person, much as I’d like to be.
Do you sing when no one else is listening? If so, what is the song or artist?
I usually pride myself on being quite high-brow and out of touch with pop culture, but lately I’ve been obsessed with Katy Perry and her video for California Gurls. I think it’s such a great, catchy song, and the video has a completely over-the-top aesthetic. And I love it that she collaborated with the artist Will Cotton (whose paintings I’ve admired for years) on the video and the album cover. She’s very tongue-in-cheek, and I adore her for it. But I must warn you that if you’re offended by borderline-graphic material you probably won’t care for the song or the video. . . .
Tell us about your pet…picture?
We have a fabulous cat named Parker. She’s 14 now, and she is a real sweetheart. She puts up with an awful lot of shenanigans around our apartment. We like to think she’s so good about that because she’s still thankful to us that we rescued her from a very different fate.
If you could be any age again for one week, what age and why?
I’d love to go back and be a kid again for a short time. Maybe age 5 or 6. It would be so amazing to see everyone as they were back then. I’d love to check back with old neighbors who have moved away, to visit our old house. You know, the whole nostalgia thing.
But if I did go back in time, there’s no way my sisters and I would wear our matching dresses to the Wisconsin State Fair. I think I must have been 9 in this photo. I’m the one in the red tights–with sandals?!?– on the left. (Sorry Mom. But the photo is too good not to share. Again.)
Are you related to anyone famous? Or infamous?
Not any big celebrities, but there is a mountain in Antarctica named after my dad in recognition of the 40 years of research he has done there. It’s called Mount Bockheim. And it even has its own Wikipedia entry. I still think that’s just amazing!
If you could go back in time and talk to yourself at the age of 12, what would it be and why?
Relax and don’t worry so much. I’m still telling myself this all the time!
If you could produce one free project to give away during the Country Fair Blog Hop, what would it be?
It would be the Popover Sundress and a matching doll dress, of course, because it’s the perfect dress for a little girl and her doll to wear to the country fair. (OK, that’s not one of Lissa’s questions, but I needed a transition.)
We don’t get many country fairs here in New York City. We often manage to come across a fair someplace during our summer travels, but this year it wasn’t meant to be. So we shot these photos near our studio in Brooklyn and hope that they have a bit of a county fair vibe. But come to think of it, I’ve never been to a country fair that featured graffiti-covered walls like these.
You can download a free PDF with the pattern pieces and instructions for making these matching dresses from our website.
If you were going to give away some fabric pre-cuts from your Cape Ann collection, what question would you make people answer for a chance to win?
Yeah, that’s not one of Lissa’s questions either.
But if you would like to be entered into a drawing for a jelly roll and a fat quarter bundle, leave a comment telling me what you would wear to your local Country Fair. We’ll pick our winners at random tomorrow morning. Once we do, we’ll notify the winners by email and will close down comments on this post. Good luck!
(Oh, by the way, whatever you do, do not check that little box below that says “Notify me of follow up comments via e-mail.” Trust me. You don’t want to get hundreds of emails today from strangers telling you what they would wear to the fair. Seriously.)
Who’s up for tomorrow?
That would be Joanna of Fig Tree. Be sure to pay her a visit!
Labels: popover sundress
I love teaching, but because I have so many other commitments in my schedule these days I don’t get to teach as much as I would like to. That’s one of the reasons I decided to do the DVD series that we’re releasing with Interweave. With that, I get to teach a technique once, and you get to watch it anytime you want.
That said, I still plan to teach a handful of courses each year. And one of the teaching engagement I’ve taken for 2012 has just begun to take registrations.
I’ll be a guest teacher at the Makerie retreat in Boulder, CO, next April. The Makerie looks like a lot of fun. Everyone stays at the Colorado Chatauqua National Historic Landmark (I think the locals just call it “Chatauqua” but the full name sounds pretty snazzy too) in cute little cottages.
I love the Victorian charm of cottage #23 , but #106 is awfully cute too. I wonder if it comes with that adorable baby. And if you’re really going for the full summer-camp experience #802 looks perfect for late-night pajama parties. And then when we’re all there we spend our time making stuff! How great is that?
I love the diversity of the class offerings, and I’m only a little disappointed that I’ll be teaching every day because I’d just as soon take some of the other classes that are being offered. You’re going to have a difficult time making up your mind which classes to take, if you’re planning to come!
On April 20 I’ll be teaching the Oliver + S Sleepover Pajamas pattern and giving lots of little tutorials and sewing tips and tricks along the way, like how to lengthen and shorten a pattern. Of course I’ll be available for individual attention as you’re sewing and have questions or need a little extra help. I’ll try to come with lots of silly stories to tell as you sew, too. That’s the best part of all-day sewing workshops–while you sew, I chat. So don’t give me any coffee at breakfast, ok? That gets dangerous–me and caffeine.
And then on April 21 we’ll be sewing from an upcoming spring Lisette pattern for a really flattering and cute A-line dress. If you click through to the class description you can see some of my early sketches of the dress. I just approved this dress at the third fitting last week, so we’ve been working hard to make this pattern absolutely perfect for you. I forgot to take photos at the fitting, so you’ll just have to go by my sketches and trust me on this for now. The dress can be made sleeveless, with short cap sleeves, or with 3/4 sleeves. You can also choose the length: mini dress, just above the knee, or full-on maxi dress. I’ll help you to make a muslin so you can get a great fit, then we’ll talk about fabric selection and get started with your sewing. So you’ll be all ready for summer, no matter which style you choose, and you’ll be able to make lots more dresses once we’ve gotten a good fit for you.
Follow the links above for complete class descriptions, and I hope you can make it to the retreat. It will be fun!
Labels: appearance
Today is the first day of school here in New York City. Summer was great, but we’re all glad that S. is going back to join her friends at school again today.
The end of summer usually means the end of lazy days at the lake, sleeping late, and dinners outside on the porch. It’s also the end of fair season, right? Well, not so fast.
This week, in honor of National Sewing Month, Moda kicks off its big Country Fair blog hop.
Every day for the next month, a different Moda designer will be answering a fun set of questions and providing you with a recipe for a free country-fair-themed project on her blog. Here’s the full schedule.
In addition to the laughs and the projects, there will be giveaways and a ton of great fall sewing inspiration. So make the rounds and get to know some of these wonderful Moda designers a bit better.
There will be bonus points awarded at the end of the hop for anyone who can name each of the designers in this photograph which was taken at last spring’s International Quilt Market in Salt Lake City.
Unless otherwise credited, all work on this blog is © Liesl + Co., Inc, 2008-2012. You are welcome to link to this blog, but please ask permission before using any text or images.
