Christine Haynes's Blog, page 21

Want To Win My New Book?

First of all, thank you all SO much for all the kind comments on my book announcement! I'm so glad that everyone is really excited about it! And speaking of wanting to get your hands on my book...

My publishers are doing a giveaway of my new book, The Complete Photo Guide to Clothing Construction, on the Goodreads website! Visit this link to enter today!

Thanks everyone!

UPDATE: Apparently it is only open to US residents so my apologies to all the non-US folks. And to everyone else, don't worry, there will be more giveaways in the future!

Introducing My New Book!

I am so excited to finally reveal my new book, The Complete Photo Guide to Clothing Construction! I wrote my first book seven years ago, and it feels amazing to finally be able to follow it up with something I am so proud of. Over a year in the making, my book will be available February 1st! And even better, you can pre-order it on Amazon!


So, what's inside The Complete Photo Guide to Clothing Construction and how is it different from all the other sewing books you already have? First off, it's a photo guide, so that means that every single thing, step, tool, etc is photographed. Everything! So the steps are clear and easy to follow along with since they are shot in clear color photographs.


Also, you will find that all the basics of garment construction are covered. All that I have learned in my 30+ years of sewing I have put on these pages, and I hope you learn some new tips and skills!


In Chapter One, Tools of the Trade, I cover all the tools necessary to get the job done right. Including cutting tools, notions like buttons and lace, thread, the sewing machine, measuring tools, and many more!


Chapter Two, Patterns, Fabric, and Your Body, I discuss how to read patterns, choose a size, measure your body, choose and prepare your fabric and interfacing, understanding grain, as well as pinning, marking, and cutting your fabric.


We really get into the meat of things in Chapter Three, Construction Basics, where I cover everything basic from how to sew a seam, how to sew on many kinds of buttons, installing multiple types of zippers, finishing seams in both basic and complicated ways, and other tips like grading and trimming seams, pivoting, and handling knits.


Chapter Four, Taking Shape, is the biggest in the book, as this is where we get into darts of all kinds, pleats, gathers, pin tucks, casings, shirring, princess seams, waistbands, pockets, bias finishing, collars, and sleeves! Phew!


In the final chapter, Finishing Touches, we get into those final items, like patch pockets, many ways in which to hem, and how to make a simple sash belt.


On a personal note, I am so happy that my publishing team allowed me to be the photo stylist, so while the book is part of a greater encyclopedia series and formatted as such, I'm in love with the photos and am so happy that I was able to feature many friends in the book. I really feel like the photos look like me, and I loved being able to personalize it that way.


Who will you see inside? Well, of course, my patterns are featured, along with Colette Patterns, Green Bee Patterns, Sewaholic, Grainline, Jamie Christina, and Made by Rae Patterns. Fabrics featured are from Melody Miller, Rob Bancroft of Green Bee, Marisa Anne and Creative Thursday, Lizzy House, Amy Butler, Lotta Jansdotter, Denyse Schmidt, Nani Iro, Anna Maria Horner, Suzy Ultman, Liberty of London, Heather Ross and more! Yes, all my favorites in one happy place.


Another nice treat for me is being able to feature so many vintage tools and notions in the book, so in addition to all the new tools I use everyday, many of my late Grandmother's tools and vintage buttons are featured as well. A nice homage to my Grandma Ruth.


I am so happy with the book and I hope that all of you love it as much as I do! Oh, and if you're in the Los Angeles area, stay tuned for information on a book party! Hell yeah!

Thoughts For 2014

I'm not really a resolutions type girl, because I'm not sure they work. Kinda like diets. They feel temporary and punishing in tone, so I don't use that word. But I do believe in pausing, assessing where one is, and honestly thinking about what is good, what needs to change, and so on. So, let's have that moment in regards to the new year, shall we?

Things I'd like to do better in my life:


Blog What I SewFor the love of god, I need to actually blog the things I sew! My lack of documentation isn't funny anymore! It's darn right pathetic. I seriously wear about 90% handmade, and looking at the last year, I hardly properly blogged any of the things I made. You saw them here and there in selfies and group shots, and during Made Me May, but did you get proper blog posts? No. No you did not. So goal number one: blog what I made!

Not that I need an excuse, but honestly the reason I think I don't do it more, is that I don't think I have proper set up for taking really interesting photos. But the reality is that many of my favorite blogs don't either, and I most certainly don't judge them for shooting photos in their studios or in their living rooms. I really don't have the kind of set up where I could shoot outside all the time or anything like that, but I need to get over the stigma of simply shooting in my home, interesting or not!


Sew From My StashI usually start my sewing projects with the garment design first, then decide what fabric would be best for the job, and if I don't have the right fabric, I buy it. I think that it is time to work in reverse: look at my stash, pick a fabric, then match a garment to go with the fabric I've selected. That way I use the fabrics I already loved enough to buy, and slowly work away my massive stash!


Get My Body BackOkay, this one has nothing to do with sewing… or does it? If I was someone that bought all my clothes, I would simply go buy new jeans. Instead, I've taken tons of time to painstakingly make garments that I love and that fit me well. But with last year's book writing, I put on a few extra pounds. I seriously had trouble writing without a bag of blue corn chips at my side! True story. So now I find that all of my favorite dresses don't fit quite as ideal as they used to when originally sewn, which makes me really sad. So, not to sound all "new year, new me" cliché, but this year I seriously plan to whip my ass into shape!

I don't know how others motivate themselves to work out, but one thing that helps me are inspiration images. For me, I see the ladies above, (both images from Boden), looking like they feel light and having fun, unburdened by fatigue or excess weight. It's not about skinny, it's about stamina, and feeling free. I already eat well, now I just need to get moving!

Do you want to follow that part of my journey? I most certainly will not be turning this into a blog about health or weight loss, but if you all want updates, let me know! It might make me more accountable if I have to check in with you all from time to time, like once a month. Sound good? Let me know!


How about you all? Any changes you'd like to see for your life in 2014? Tell me in the comments!

Upcoming Emery Dress Workshops!

I'm so thrilled to announce that I will be teaching two more sessions of the Emery Dress classes at Sew L.A.! The classes are 4 sessions long, 3 hours each session, for a total of 12 hours of class time. We will make View A (as pictured above) with short sleeves and the bow (which is optional). Who better to teach you how to make the Emery Dress then me?!

The January session begins on Wednesday, January 15th, and sign ups are open! Enroll today to save your spot! Simply click here to sign up on-line, or call or stop into the shop to sign up on the phone or in person. The cost of the class is $155. The March class is not yet up on the Sew L.A. website, but you can sign up by calling or coming into the shop, so don't let the lack of on-line link stop you!

Class spaces are very limited to make sure that everyone gets a lot of personal one-on-one attention from me, so sign up today to reserve your spot!

This class is for intermediate or advanced students and moves very quickly. If you're unsure of your level (based on how the classes are taught) simply call the shop at the number above and discuss your previous sewing experience with the staff. Or ask me in the comments!

And if you recall from this post, my previous students had some pretty stellar results! You can also read about Kathy's experience in my class at her post here.

Hope to see you in class!

Happy New Year and Last Day for Multi-Packs!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you've had a great holiday season! Are you ready for 2014? I say bring it!!!

This is also a friendly reminder that today is the last day to save with a multi-pack! Looking to get more than one of my patterns? Or want to get one for yourself and give one to a friend? Save 10% by getting a multi-pack! Only available until the end of day today.

Thanks to you all and here's to a wonderful new year!

The Best of 2013: Life

Ahhhh.... life. The lines between my work, day job, and life are all very blurry. Sometimes I love that this is true, and sometimes I envy those that leave work 100% behind when they clock out at 5pm Monday-Friday. For the most part I'm happy with the blurriness, but it takes real effort to draw the line and clock out for the day, especially when you work for yourself.
When I did punch out, here's some of what I did this year!

Took many selfies, and learned to master the cat eyeliner :)Lost many rounds of Scrabble to my way-to-smart-for-his-own-good boyfriend!Continued to try to understand the French language!Saw my French boyfriend Romain Duris on the big screen :)

Visited the Griffith Observatory for my birthday - my first time!Had many lovely quiet moments with my man.Went roller skating with the girls from Sew L.A. (that blur is me)!Was in a gorgeous wedding at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito near Santa Barbara.

Got sicker than I've been in years at the May Quilt Market & stayed on the couch for many days!Had a girl's day at the Four Seasons Spa... nice!Hit the beach here in LA!Made my man proper French lemon tarts for his birthday!

Bought many records, mostly from Trevor at Jacknife Records & Tapes.Saw some glorious films at Cinefamily.Dined a number of times at a local favorite, Figaro.Went to the Hollywood Bowl for a few shows, including an amazing night with Tony Bennett.

My mom & brother came to visit just after we returned from Paris, and just before my mom got married! Eeep! So weird but wonderful. We hit the beach, went thrifting, shopped for records, and drank PBR's :)

I did a wee bit of non-business and non-dress sewing this year:Made my man a massive quilt and embroidered a secret message on the back in French.Sewed the lovely Olivia a new dress (pattern from Green Bee)!Made myself a matching set of bra and high-waisted panties. Went shopping for more fabric with Sarai (of Colette Patterns) at Mood and The Fabric Store.

I also got my studio reorganized after finishing the book, which whipped through my studio like a tornado! The top photos are before and after a newly added bookcase! I picked up a vintage yellow table to be my new desk and splurged on an Orla Kiely hanging lamp.Added some Orla Kiely organization bins to my book case for hiding all my magazines.The fabric stash was organized: the left side are works in progress and washed fabrics, the right side is unwashed yardage.And after being paid for the book, I bought myself a new (old) machine! I LOVE HER. 

I am lucky that I get to see my friends in conjunction to my work all the time, but I did do some non-work related visiting this year too!Marisa (of Creative Thursday) and I hit Renegade this summer, and it was my first time as a non-vendor! I hid under my big hat and had a glorious time!As you know from the Best of Travel, I had a great time in Palm Springs with my BFF's Jenifer & Ileana. Marisa, Alexia, and I shared a room in Portland during market, and also met up here in LA. Love those ladies!!!Marisa and I took the Canoe leather tooling workshop in June and had a great time!At the start of the year I helped my pal Jenifer make herself a Washi tunic! Haley (my Sew L.A. partner) and I enjoying martinis at Bottega Louie. Yum!While at Renegade, of course Marisa and I had a cocktail as well :)And since I was in Portland for market, I was able to visit with my friend Tonya!

Lastly, the kitties and I had a good but challenging year. We watched many runway shows and they helped me form opinions on what was good and what was simply meh. Lloyd went to live at his old home in Venice since he needs constant care and attention. He is not of good health and since I live alone and travel a lot, he needed more 24/7 care than I could give him. It was a tearful and bittersweet parting, but I know he is well.I got the girls a new cat bed and they instantly fought over it.And post-Lloyd, there was much consoling for Sally and Pinta. 

The Best of 2013: Sew L.A.

If you have to have a "day job" having one in the field your personal business is in is pretty much like winning the lottery. I am lucky to manage one of the finest sewing shops around, with the best teachers too! Okay, I might be biased, but it is an awesome place to work and it's great being face to face with my own business' customers on a daily basis.

Some of the highlights from this year include parties, traveling, and making amazing friends! See the photos below to see for yourself!


Event highlights!
Top row left: Alexia from Green Bee Patterns came to teach a workshop!Top row right: Jamie and Amber from Fancy Tiger dropped in to say hi!Middle row left: we hosted Gertie's west coast book party! Middle row right: Who doesn't want to host a cocktail party for the lovely Amy Butler?Bottom row left: Artist Lisa Solomon lead an amazing embroidery workshop!Bottom row right: Marisa of Creative Thursday taught us all how to make valentines!

Shop highlights!
Top row left: Haley, Shaerie (Sew L.A.'s owner), and myself, all in Colette Patterns Dresses!Top row right: Thanks to LA Weekly for naming us the best place to learn to sew (for men & more)!Bottom row left: The Bearding Ladies quilt bomb our tree!Bottom row right: Training Shaerie's son Lux on how to safely use the rotary cutter!

Quilt Market fun!
Top row left: Melody Miller and her amazing fabricsTop row middle: Amber and Jamie from Fancy TigerTop row right: Hanging out with Rae, Rashida, and KarenSecond row left: The adorable Lizzy House wearing her version of my Emery Dress!Second row middle: Sarai hosted a quilt market party at the Colette Patterns HQ!Second row right: Me and the amazing Lotta Jansdotter (major super fan moment)!Third row left: Me and my BFF Alexia of Green Bee PatternsThird row middle: Shaerie spinning the wheel at the Westminster boothThird row right: My Emery Dress sewn in Carolyn Friedlander fabrics in the Robert Kaufman boothBottom row left: Me in an Emery Dress at the Portland marketBottom row middle: The amazing new label Cotton + Steel!!!Bottom row right: Me :)

The Best of 2013: Work

I am tremendously fortunate to get to do what I love for a living. I work extremely hard, but most people do and many hate what they do, so I recognize that this is something not to take for granted. Most of my success is thanks to all of you, keeping my little business moving forward!

This year saw some great highs and also saw a lot of work that has yet to be revealed. Trust me when I say that 2014 is going to be epic! Here are some of my highlights for my business in 2013.

Teaching
Though my teaching has slowed down due to all the other things I have going on, I still teach about one class (sometimes more) a month. This year had me teaching both my patterns (Rosemary Collar on the left) and some of my favorite patterns from other designers (Anna Maria Horner's Painted Portrait Dress in the middle, and Colette Pattern's Laurel Dress on the right). 2014 starts off with me teaching two sessions of my Emery Dress! Craftcation Conference
The Craftcation Conference is such a good time and I'm happy to announce that I'll be back in 2014 for  the whole stretch this time! In 2013 I taught an apron and skirt class so the most fun and enthusiastic students ever!Press
Every seamstress dreams of good reviews, especially in reputable publications like Threads Magazine, and I was so happy to have a great write up of my Derby Dress pattern in the spring issue. Thanks Threads!
Writings
In the spring issue of Sew News Magazine is a lengthy article I wrote, full of my favorite Parisian sewing spots. If you haven't seen it and are planning a trip, find it on their site!
Emery Dress Pattern
The response to my only pattern of 2013, the Emery Dress, has been so overwhelming and flattering. Everyone seems to love it and I couldn't be happier! Haley (on the right) helped me with my sew-along, so if you've not yet made yours and need some pointers, check out all the Emery Dress Sew-Along posts. 
Upcoming Book
I have announced the book that I spent a huge amount of 2013 working on, and soon it will be released! You will hear more than you probably want about this very soon, so I will spare you any additional details, but look for much more on this epic project shortly!

The Best of 2013: Travel

I love to travel and while I do it a lot, I could do it even more if I could get away with it! This year had me traveling to Paris, London, areas around Paris, back home to Michigan & Chicago, and to a girl's trip to Palm Springs. All were awesome in their own special way. Below are some photo highlights of each trip.

I do also travel some for my business and for my day job at Sew L.A., but those are going to be separate posts, so look for those soon!
Paris
Chartres

London

Palm Springs

Chicago & Michigan

The Best of 2013: Pop Culture

I don't watch too much TV, and with my schedule I hardly ever get to the movies, but I have seen some good things this year, and rounded up some new favorites in my music stash. Here are some of my high moments in the world of pop culture this year!

Favorite New Records - Laura Marling and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
I love all kinds of music but my favorites are honest singer-songwriters that play real instruments. Brit Laura Marling has been in rotation in my place for a while, but her newest album, Once I Was An Eagle, is a masterpiece. It came out the day I left for this year's Paris holiday and I listened to it nearly everyday of the trip. Totally spectacular.

Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zeros are a massive band that play with such honesty and joy that it's hard to not love them. They have a classic LA sound, melding laid back west coast sound with a modern sensibility. I saw them play at the Hollywood Bowl this summer and loved every minute of it.

Favorite New (Old) Records - Françoise Hardy and Soul Groove
My day job is two doors down from Jacknife Records & Tapes and I seem to come home with a record nearly once a week. The fun is discovering things you didn't know existed! I love Françoise Hardy, but did you know that she made an album in English? Yeah, me neither! I can't even find much about it on-line. If you find the album Loving, get it. It is awesome.

One of my favorite things to find in used record stores are compilation records. It's like an old school mix tape! The album Soul Groove has some of the best on it- Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderley, Bettye Swan, and more. It's funky and fantastic!

Favorite Live Concert - Atoms For Peace
I think Thom Yorke is completely brilliant, but the last few years he has gotten into electronic sounds a bit more than I usually go for. But watching his newest band Atoms For Peace play live was truly one of the best concerts I've ever seen. The electronic sounds from the album were performed live, but with real instruments, creating a raw and persistent rhythmic sound that had us dancing at our seats! Awesome!!!

Favorite TV Show - Call The Midwife
I am not particularly into babies or midwives, or nuns for that matter, but for some reason this show just works. If you haven't seen it, seasons 1 and 2 are on Netflix and I've read that there are more seasons to come! Set in London's East End in the 1950's, the ladies (and gents) on this show are simply delightful. Plus, the costumes are super cute!

Favorite Films - Inside Llewyn Davis and Before Midnight
I wish I could see every film that suits my fancy, but the reality is that I simply don't have time to see as many as I'd like! Of the films I did make it to this year, these two were by far my favorites. Inside Llewyn Davis is the latest from the Coen brothers and follows a down-and-out folk singer in New York City in the early 1960's. It's funny, sad, and filled with fantastic music. Come on, you know you want to see Justin Timberlake as a 1960's folk singer...

Before Midnight is the third film in the series with Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, and filmmaker Richard Linklater. The trio have made smart, well acted, well written, honest films that follow the most realistic couple on screen. If you haven't seen the first two, do yourself a favor and see those prior to watching this one. Sure, you'll likely understand what's happening, but being invested in this couple's history is part of the story. Here's to part four!

What were your favorites of the year? I'm always looking for new things to watch and listen to!