Fitting Your Bodice and Sleeve • June 2-4, 2006 *NEW CLASS*

After my two articles in Threads Magazine "To Get the Armhole Right, Fit the Bodice" (March 2005, Number 117) and "How to Fit a Perfect Sleeve" (May 2005, Number 118), I've had a number of people ask if I would teach a class on this.

This 3-day class that will provide plenty of time for each participant to develop and fine-tune to perfection a bodice pattern and sleeve pattern. Once the pattern development has been completed, I'll explain how to make changes to these basic patterns to create different looks, and I'll work with you individually so that your garment has a flattering silhouette for your figure type. I do not intend for this to be a "sloper" class where you develop a pattern that you aren't quite sure what to do with next. Rather, you'll work on a pattern for either a jacket or a blouse (or both if you work quickly). Plus, I'll teach you how to change a jacket pattern to fit like a blouse, and a blouse pattern to fit like a jacket.

This class will be held in my home/studio in the Hunt Valley area, north of Baltimore, Maryland. For information about local accommodations, visit the accommodations page of my website. I will send further information about what patterns to use, how to mark your mock-ups, and include a supply list a few weeks before class. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

The cost of the 3-day class is $395.00. You can register for this class on the registration page of my website.

Sewing Retreat with Sarah Veblen • June 23-25, 2006

Friday, June 23 starting at 9:00 a.m. and ending on Sunday, June 25 at 6:00 p.m.

If you'd like to use the retreat as "learning" time as well as “sewing” time, I’ll also provide a creative exercise each day to enhance your design abilities. There will also be a side trip to A Fabric Place, a wonderful local independent fabric store, for anyone who would like to go.

The retreat will be held in a spacious meeting room at the Hampton Inn, in Hunt Valley, Maryland (just north of Baltimore). Please note: you do NOT need to stay at the Hampton Inn to participate in the retreat.

Retreat Fee: $225 for 2 days; $300 for all 3 days. The retreat is limited to 12 people – reserve your spot by registering on the registration page of my website.

Understanding Sheer Fabrics • June 12-26, 2006 *Online Class with Pattern Review*

Class is a combination of 15 lessons in PDF download format, Q&A boards and interactive real time chat sessions with the instructor (4 chats EST: Wednesday, June 14 – 9:00 p.m.; Saturday, June 17 – 12:00 noon; Thursday, June 22 – 9:00 p.m.; Monday, June 26 – 9:00 p.m.)

How many times have you been in a fabric store and seen a sheer fabric that you just had to touch? Sheer fabrics are indeed alluring: light and airy, with so many interesting textures and variations.

But how many times have you decided not to buy a sheer fabric because you didn’t really know what type of garment to make from it? Or were uncertain how to handle the fabric. Or decided that you already had enough sheer fabric in your stash that you’d never gotten around to sewing.Whether you’re a novice or seasoned sewer, this class will delve into every aspect of sheer fabrics so that you’re eager – and confident – to start sewing with them.

The required class kit contains 30 swatches of interesting sheer fabrics, in a variety of fiber contents – cotton, silk, rayon, linen, wool, and polyester – and in all kinds of interesting weaves, textures, and surface designs. Each swatch will be described in the class lessons, including information on sewing the fabric as well as design ideas for using the fabric in really wearable clothing. The kit also includes 2 half-scale skirt patterns (a six-gore skirt and a circle skirt) as well as enough fabric to sew the skirt samples (2 different silk chiffon prints and 2 colors of China silk for linings). These half-scale garments are a great way to practice seaming and hemming techniques. Plus, part of the fun of sheer fabrics is changing the overall effect by simply changing the color you put under it.

The cost of this online class is $125.00, which includes the required kit. Please register for my Pattern Review classes through the registration page of my website (a little more advantageous for me than if you register through the Pattern Review website).

Practical Patternmaking • Class Forming

I’ve been asked to teach Practical Patternmaking again, which is always a fun class. A link to the full description can be found from the Classes page of my website (in the Teaching section), or by clicking here. If you are interested in this class, please let me know if any of the following dates are good for you – or suggest some that are!

July 28-30
September 2-4 (Labor Day weekend)
September 8-10

Silk Fabrics Now Offered Through My Website!

Silk fabrics in 102 colors now available! After years of offering my students the chance to order silk fabrics through me, I am now selling 10 different types of beautiful quality silk fabric in 102 colors to the public. The silk fabrications are: crepe de chine; charmeuse; crepe back satin; stretch charmeuse; chiffon; crinkle chiffon; georgette; 4-ply silk; China silk; and organza. A fabrications swatch set (5” x 5” swatches) and color card are also available. The swatch set and color card are available for purchase online, and fabric yardage will soon be for sale on my site as well--visit the Fabrics link under Store on my site.

For more information about Sarah's classes, custom clothing, and writing, please visit her website, www.sarahveblen.com, or contact her directly via email: sarah@sarahveblen.com; phone: 410-472-9253; or mail: 15 Cross Falls Circle, Sparks, MD 21152.

Newsletter Preferences

If you would like to receive a plain text version of this newsletter, would like issues only containing information about NYC trips or issues only with class information go to the newsletter page on Sarah's website and fill out the subscription form with your new preferences. Click if you would like to unsubscribe from this monthly newsletter.