Spring is here!

Today has been a glorious day... I can finally believe that spring is just around the corner! I know, that sounds odd for those who have been enjoying 80-degree weather already, but winter holds on long and tight here in northern Ontario and I think its grip has finally broken.

With that in mind, I've begun working on my spring orders for clients, including a really pretty plus-sized dress that combines printed Swiss cotton, bias-cut edging, and a burn-out silk fabric.

I've mentioned before that my design style is sometimes very organic -- how it begins may not be how it ends -- and that is very evident here. In the photo above, you can see where I've chalked out several curved lines that flow from the neckline to hem of the dress. Only the last one made the cut... pardon the pun! :P

Once the style lines were (finally!) determined, I stitched bias-cut binding along each edge, as seen here on one sleeve. The bias is trimmed, turned under, and edge stitched for a clean finish.

Each piece of the dress -- front, back, and both sleeves -- will get the same bias treatment before the garment is stitched together. It's not finished yet, but you can start to see the big picture!

What's in a Name?

I have a double life... and it's about to be revealed!

I often forget that most people don't know I am really two businesses: AnvilArtshop, my online boutique of leathergoods and fashion accessories; and Abbey Hill Design, in which I design couture suits and one-of-a-kind eveningwear for diplomats and CEOs.

While there is some crossover between the two lines -- from techniques to supplies to logo -- the styles are quite different.

Here's an example from my AnvilArtshop boutique on Etsy:

Here's an example from my custom Abbey Hill Design portfolio:

Textiles and surface design pieces can fall into either camp. I have the fun, sassy pieces listed on Etsy...

... and the more serious, "status" silks are made-to-order for my clientele.

So the next time you see me with two hats on, don't be concerned... it's all good!

Eyelet Ecstasy

The leather eyelet jacket begun earlier on this blog (see my post of February 4, 2009) was completed and delivered to a *very* happy client this past weekend!

As a plus size, she'd never believed she could wear a leather jacket. To her delight, I created a jacket style for her that was both slimming to the eye, and lightweight to wear.

The reverse side of this purple embossed ostrich was an amazing coral-red shade; thanks to the hand punching, the coral tone peeps through each eyelet and adds depth to the design. Oversized antique brass hooks form the closure for the jacket, unusual in that the hooks are "on display" on the front side rather than hidden underneath.

When my clients are happy, I'm happy! :D

Leather Confetti

I began work on a custom leather jacket. First step seems to be, making a mess.

This is my new leather hole punch, along with some of the zillions of "holes" from making leather eyelets in the new jacket. Each panel of the jacket will be entirely punched by hand, creating a feminine, lacy effect in the leather.

The silk charmeuse lining will be a gorgeous lavender shade, just one tone lighter than the plum leather -- you can see here how the leather was originally embossed to look like ostrich. I'm scattering my eyelets in triangular-shaped groups of three, a nice odd number. (Ever notice how jackets always have either three, five, or seven buttons? There is a DaVinci code for fashion too!)

There's lots of work yet to be done -- the amount of punching is actually bruising my hand, ow ow! -- but I am *so* pleased with the effect.