2006 Fantasy World Cruise

ASG Santa Rosa Chapter 2nd Annual Fashion Show

2006 Fantasy World CruiseASG Santa Rosa Chapter 2nd Annual Fashion Show

• Our members had such a great time last year on their Santa Rosa Chapter Sewing Guild fantasy cruise, we decided to do it again in 2006. This year our cruise takes us to the Mediterranean with visits to many interesting and exciting ports of call.

• Our travelers begin to board the ship in Barcelona, Spain after their long trans- Atlantic flights and everyone is abuzz with excitement and anticipation to see what clothes everyone has made for the trip.

• The narrator is ASG Santa Rosa Chapter member Debbie Valentine.

• MARION HULL arrives confidently wearing her “Saf-T Pockets” Flight Jacket #0413. In this age of tightened security, Marion did not have to deal with airport screeners and a cumbersome purse because in the 10 pockets of her jacket, she stashed her passport, money, credit cards, travel documents and other items. Plus as she goes about sightseeing, she is not worried that unscrupulous hands will be reaching into her handbag. 100% cotton corduroy fabric is used for the jacket and it is lined in a floral print . Both fabrics were purchased at Jo-Ann’s.

• PENNY PIAZZA wore her all weather black coat on her flight from California to Barcelona. She used the Sewing Workshop Sotto coat pattern which she modified. After cutting out all the pattern pieces, Penny painted and then stenciled them. After the coat was sewn together, Penny applied hot fix crystals. Her coat is polyester lined. The hood will protect her hairdo from inclement weather.

• The first night at sea is the Captain’s Dinner and the guests from many countries were encouraged to dress in attire reflective of their nationalities.

• JEREMY NICHOLS is wearing an exact copy of an antique frock coat that had been found in an old brownstone in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The silhouette and style typify those worn from about 1850 to 1915. The frock coat is double breasted and can be buttoned on either side. The silk lining shows at the notched collar. It has tails at the back open to the waist and inside pockets in both breast and tails. The wool herringbone fabric is from Stone Mountain and Daughter and the coat is lined in Bemberg Rayon Ambiance. The lapel is silk as are the buttons. The pattern is from Laughing Moon Mercantile. When we see photos of American Presidents from Abraham Lincoln to Theodore Roosevelt, they are almost always wearing a double-breasted frock coat. They were also very popular in the American West and worn by Bill Hitchcock, Ike Clanton, Luke Short and Doc Holladay among others.

• For this special night, PAT SPENCER selects her bolero jacket with coordinating pants. She had been intrigued by a bolero jacket she’d seen in Sew News magazine and decided to make one. The McCall’s New Look #6564 pattern which she modified was her choice. A fastener keeps the jacket closed in front. Under her jacket, Pat is wearing a satin top made from her own pattern. You’ll notice the top is a little longer than the jacket, a popular look seen in today’s fashions. Pared with her jacket is a pair of faux suede pants also made from her own pattern. She accessorizes her outfit with a necklace and earrings of fused blue and silver glass that she made after attending a bead and gem show in Sonoma. The jewelry was the inspiration for this outfit.

• CHERYL SCOTT found the 2 tapestry fabrics for her jacket from Hancock Fabrics and a solid color one that perfectly matched from the Legacy in Sebastopol. She modified a 1999 Burda magazine pattern which originally featured both the front and back in 2 sections. Cheryl added a yoke, inseam pockets and a Mandarin type collar. It is pieced with the 2 fabrics and the solid color fabric makes up the yoke. Her buttons are vintage reproductions she purchased from NorMar Fabric store in Napa. Cheryl has since seen the buttons at Beverly’s Fabrics.

• As our ship cruises through the evening hours, TERRI ABRAMSON strolls to the top deck to admire the beautiful star-filled night. She’s keeping warm with her purple wool cashmere wrap made from a pattern she got from a class with Ginny Winter. Terri finished the edges with a wave stitch on her new Baby Lock serger. She used both black and purple thread in this unique stitch.

• Our next day promises to be a sunny one and we’ll be leaving the ship in Malaga, Spain for a day of sightseeing.

• DARLENE WILSON is ready for the excursion in a pair of red Capri pants paired with a floral top. She made both in fabric imported from Greece that she had resting in her stash for the last 15 years. Darlene decided the 100% cotton fabric did not have enough body for pants so she added some light weight interfacing and finished them with an elastic waist. Her Cynthia Guffey top is a wrap over with buttons on 1 side and features red piping along the front closing. Her buttons are from Stone Mountain and Daughter.

• CHRIS FOX will enjoy the warm weather of Spain in her pink flowered short sleeved dress.

• The fabric is 100% cotton and the dress is made with an elastic waistband that will allow for expansion after all the good buffets onboard ship.

• The pattern is Simplicity #9491

• MARGUERITE COUVILLION is looking forward to the next port of call in Nice, France. She is wearing a jacket and pant outfit that was nearly 3 years waiting to be made.

• The unlined jacket made in a heavy linen magenta color was copied from a hand woven jacket she had. Marquerite accessorizes her jacket with a purchased belt.

• The black pants are made from the wrong side of a polyester crinkle satin. She used the Sewing Workshop Panel Pant pattern.

• PENNY PIAZZA is joining Marguerite on shore in her 3 piece outfit that starts with a jacket in a bone and taupe colored cotton waffle fabric made in a Decades of Style 1929 Evening Kimono. Under the jacket, she wears a shell in a mix of cotton and rayon fabrics made from Vogue 9456. Her pants are a combination of her various patterns and also made in cotton.

• PAT SPENCER is taking a side trip to Cannes, France and the casinos where she is sure to turn heads in her top of royal blue and silver that nicely coordinates with the faux suede pants she wore previously. She converted the Vest 3 pattern by Lois Erickson into a top with the addition of sleeves. With a color combination of royal blue and silver, she has embroidered on the back and on the trim in front. Using both sides of fabric, a silver trim has been added.

• JEAN YEAGER has selected her 100% cotton crinkled gauze skirt and blouse to wear as she tours Naples, Italy. She’ll be cool and comfortable in the sleeveless pullover top made from Simplicity #7884. It has a self binding finish on the arm holes and neckline.

• Her skirt is a simple 8 gore flare with an invisible zipper in back and is made from McCalls #4411.

• Joining Jean on the shore excursion is SHARON ROPER who chose to wear her “one pattern piece vest”, a garment she designed making her own pattern.

• She has combined fabrics – one a cotton-poly knit and the other a leopard print rayon she purchased as a remnant from the Loes Hinse gallery in Carmel. You’ll see the left side is overlapped to the right. There are no buttons as it pulls over the head. It includes a self fabric belt.

• It’s a day at sea and CHERYL SCOTT dons her origami jacket for a stroll on the deck. You’d never know it is a copy of the jacket she wore last year and in fact is also a copy of an original Issey Miyaki. The copy was done by Tara Arnold at the Sewing Workshop. The fabric is something inexpensive she says she purchased at Discount Fabrics.

• Cheryl teams her jacket with a 2-rectangle skirt also a copy of an original Issy Miyake by Tara Arnold. Cheryl took 2 rectangle pieces, met them at the sides and then crossed the pieces over in the front and the back. The skirt is held together with one button.

• The weather has unexpectedly turned cool and DARLENE WILSON is glad she remembered to pack her wool blend pant suit. The suit which she made at a Santa Rosa Jr. College tailoring class using a Burda Pattern #8279, features custom pockets. The English 90% wool 10% micro-fiber had been languishing in her stash for over 9 years. Darlene has lined her suit in kimono silk.

• Determined to make a coordinating blouse, she found she had only scraps of the kimono silk left over. Draping the scraps on her dress form, she then drafted a pattern in a fan shape and the blouse was created. With the last bit of fabric scraps, she made bias binding and finished the blouse with sunburst stitching

• It’s been a busy and eventful trip and MARGUERITE COUVILLION is planning to forgo shipboard activities in favor of curling up in bed in her kimono dressing gown to watch the in-cabin movie.

• She has used the Advance #8723 pattern at least 7 times since she first started making the dressing gown at age 24. It is sewn in a bright print fabric and so comfortable that Marguerite wouldn’t trade it for the finest silk kimono.

• As the ship docks in Venice and with the weather remaining on the cool side, MYRNA DEMARTINO is going to wear her coat made in a polyester fabric she purchased at an American Sewing Guild Convention. The floral print lining is cotton. She has finished the coat with fabric pieces from her stash – a rust and gold dupioni silk for the bias trim and a purchased piece of gold/taupe rattail which she uses to outline the decorative pieces. The coat was quilted using batting purchased at Quilted Angel. This sewing project took Myrna between 80 and 100 hours of work. She used a Vogue pattern.

• The weather warms as we cruise back through the Adriatic Sea and for the next port of call, CHRIS FOX selects a princess style dress she made from Butterick #4063.

• She had the silky type fabric for some time and loves how it favors the sleeves that come down in points almost to the wrists. A tiny bit of elastic brings it in at the waist for a smooth fit. It’s a perfect dress for a summer evening.

• PENNY PIAZZA will visit our next port in Italy attired in a combination of black print and solid color blouse with tulip sleeves made from a Decades of Style pattern #1919.

• When she made the matching pants using the Sewing Workshop modified Ikina pant pattern, Penny decided to add little carriers close to the hem line for matching print strips. These strips can be changed to wear with another outfit. The fabrics are cotton.

• When the ship arrives at the port near Rome, BILLIE BLANKENSHIP, leaves our group to join several sewing friends who are part of the international couture set. They plan to tour a number of important fashion houses in Italy and there will be many receptions, fancy dinners and occasions for dressing up. Billie wants a special ensemble that is a “knock out” because everyone will be looking to see what the Americans are wearing. So she has delved deep into her collection of her own creations and spent countless hours hovering over her design table to create the perfect outfit she hopes will show those Italians they aren’t the only ones who know how to design beautiful dresses.

• So now we see this spectacular dress that was made of exquisite fabric purchased on one of her many shopping trips in the U.S. Note the front pockets she designed for removal if she so desires. The touch of fur on the neckline and sleeves add a bit of glamour. The lapel pins are from her vast collection of unique heirloom jewelry. The blue sleeve made of knit fabric is very comfortable and protects the driving arm from sunburn. To make the dress easy to put on, Billie Jane has inserted a hand picked zipper in back. The belt, a designer original and “one of a kind” is hand made by Billie form durable baling twine. Notice the unusual and interesting hemline. A matching slip with some pretty lace helps to set off the asymmetrical cut. This is sure to be a trend setting rage next spring.

• Notice Billie Jane’s shoes which she has carefully decorated with some antique jewelry and buttons. Her hat features a California Wild Tom Turkey feather, a unique item favored by many famous designers. Billie searched a long time for the right plume. Finally Kathy Titus’ cat, Zeek, discovered and presented this lovely feather to Billie. The flowers, buttons, and little bird complete this captivating ensemble. Billie is especially pleased that this latest in fashion dress can be worn for any occasion from morning, to lunch or for a more formal affair.

• Although many of us will be tempted to copy her beautiful creation, please note the dress is registered with the U.S. Government Office of Copyright. However it is certainly going to be a popular spring dress featured in stores such as Nordstroms and Bloomingdales.

• We’ll leave our fantasy cruise now and as the ship sails off into new waters. It’s not too early to start thinking about our next cruise and beginning to search out patterns and fabrics that inspire us to continue in our love of sewing.

• Thanks to our wonderful models and the sewists who created all these lovely clothes.

• Thanks to Carol Jacobsen for writing the script and to Kat Guinn for the photos.

Fashion Show 2007 will be held around the first

part of October.More Information to follow.