ASG Recap

Day Two is here! I'm just checking in quickly before heading out. Yesterday I went to Louise Cutting's session--we made the ABO jacket from some wonderful rayon fabric. All pieces save the right front were from the rayon. The right front piece was created by joining a variety of fabric strips to create unique and different "fabric" from which the right front piece was cut. We got lots of tips and ideas for other garments. I'm going to make a sleeveless ABO from some Japanese cotton I bought last night from Louise. I need to go back to her booth to take a picture of the vest to keep my memory accurate!  Will try to include that photo at the end.  Louise is a wonderful teacher.  She is humorous, knowledgable, patient, and so creative!  I also took her one seam pants class!  I'm going to tweak the pattern using her detailed directions and make myself a pair.  She insists the first pair must be made from the ugliest fabric in the stash!  LOL!

Well--you can see I didn't get much further on posting the info.  I have almost finished the ABO jacket, but will wait until we go home next week so I can use the machine I bought to do button holes.  I also bought some fabrics from Louise.  Left to Right--Japanese cotton I plan to use for a sleeveless ABO jacket.  AKA a vest!  LOL!  I'm not a real fan of vests, but saw both Louise and Sandy wear versions of this garment and I am anxious to give it a try.  Second is some lovely Italian linen for pants--not sure what pattern.  The third piece is exquisite linen for a blouse, and the final piece is a rayon mix to coordinate with the jacket above.  That will be pants, but I'm not sure what pattern I will use.

More about sessions--I spent a day with Susan Khalje learning hand sewing techniques used in constructing couture garments.  I can now confidently use the whip stitch, overcast, back stitch, catch stitch, pick a zipper, bind a buttonhole, and some other tricks I noted in my handouts.  If anyone has an opportunity to take a class or workshop with Susan, do not hesitate.  She is the kindest, most supportive and patient person.  I wasn't sure I really wanted to take this class and thought I might be a dropout after lunch.  Not so!  It was wonderful.  The lesson, the other students, and the teacher.  Primo.

Here is Sandy, Louise Cutting's assistant, wearing  a white shirt version of the ABO jacket with a vest version over the top.  You can see that she lowered the height of the collar on the vest so that it would allow some of the white shirt's collar to show.  Similarly, she lengthened the white shirt so that it would also show beneath the black vest.  Very sharp look!

 Below are the vest and jacket versions of the ABO jacket--in green.  I think the two garments to the right of the green vest are from the soon-to-be-released pattern.

I also took a pants fitting class from Judy Kessinger and a blouse class from Peggy Sagers.  Also good classes full of useful information.  Finally, I took Anne St Claire's class in changing necklines on knit shirts.  Can't wait to get started making some changes to my favorite knit top patterns.  Whew!  Great convention!  I met a few new friends and thoroughly enjoyed the experience!