San Diego Wedding

Finally finished this dress for my mom to wear to a wedding.  She says it may be too flashy for a Kansas wedding, but it will work in California.  The wedding is today!  Lot's of pattern drafting and re-pattern drafting involved on this dress.  Sewing the fringe was a little tricky, but not quite as bad as anticipated.  

Girlfriend of the father dress

Perhaps you have noticed that my "Kids Stuff" section has been growing more rapidly than others.  Quilts take me around thirty hours, woman's dresses ten hours, but it only takes me one and a half to two hours to pump out a girls dress.  So I guess it's that instant gratification thing.  I am embarking on a new project to even out the scales.  A dress for my mom to wear to her boyfriend's son's wedding.  

This is a loose drape of what the dress will look like.

She picked out the fabric.  When she pulled out the shaggy tassled fabric I wasn't quite sure what to think, but  I think it will work out well as the skirt.  She assured me there was lots of fringe and tassles in the latest Vogue.  I guess I am out of the loop.  

Egyptian inspired top

It's been too long since I made myself something, so I whipped up this little number.  The unique detail is the pleated neckline.  I never would have been able to do this before I got a baby lock machine to finish the edges.

April Fools dress

I designed this dress for an April Fool's day fashion show.  Every designer was asked to design one dress with "fool" being the theme.  I went in the direction of a court jester and this is what I came up with.

Simple Silhouettes

These dresses have simple silhouettes so the fabric can be the star of the show.

Paisley Top

If you haven't noticed I like lots of details.  I designed this top to look like a tank with a little shrug over it.  I trimmed it with lace and did rows of pintucks down the front.

Silk, Suede, and Appliques

This dress (on the right) is silk.  The appliques I cut out from scraps of a print, which I zig zagged on.  (I don't have the patience to hand sew anything.)   The dark turquoise is real suede.   Click on "Sari to see it Go" to see more of the dress on the left.

Floral Top and Dupioni Skirt

Black and Blue and Punk all over

Gold Metallic Prints Unite

The bodice and front details are all taken from a vintage 60's home decor fabric.  The skirt fabric I got from a cute little fabric store in downtown Taos, NM. 

Teeny Weeny Ruffles

I know these aren't the best pictures, but I just had to share the dress.  It was a beast to sew.  It was falling apart like crazy.

Maroon Medallion

Assymetrical Ruffle

Ombre Dress----Thanks Grandma

The top of this dress was cut out of a scarf from the vintage collection I mentioned getting from my grandma.  They were all in mint condition, and many of them were labeled with stories about where she bought them  or when she wore them to a certain event.   

"Open Weave" Shrugs

I had been admiring all those cute little open weave scarves wishing I had a loom to create them on, when I found this great product that allows you to get the same look without actually weaving.  It's called Ultra Solvy.  It's this plastic sheet on a roll that you zigzag your yarn onto with a sewing machine.  Then you dissolve the plastic in warm water and you are left with just the yarn.  And it is surprisingly sturdy.  Once I had made a few scarves, I decided to try to make garments by making each pattern piece separately, and then sewing them together.  It's a little complicated and time consuming.  But I enjoying figuring out new ways to do things.

The two shrugs here are still available. 

$45 each small (purple) /medium (red)

Visit my etsy site.

 http://www.katesfrocks.etsy.com/

Sari to see it go

This is one of the most detailed dresses I've made.  The bodice is pleated every 1/4 inch.  I had the fabric for years and could never figure out what to do with a plaid sari. I ended up cutting the center piece on the bias top break up the plaid.  In the end it was stunning and I'm almost sad I sold it.   

Purple Chiffon Dress

 I laid pink chiffon over a pale blue lining to make this soft purple color.  There is an assymetrical ruffle running down the open back.  It's hard to see in the picture, but there are ruffles running down the seams on the skirt as well.  Everyone loved this dress at the fashion show, but it never sold.  Their loss is your gain.  It's still available! 

 $150 (Small 6-8) 

Visit my etsy site.

http://www.katesfrocks.etsy.com/

Bird Kimono

This kimono inspired top has been my best seller, thus far.  Generally all of my clothing is one of a kind because I get bored making the same thing more than once, but I had many requests for this one.  The handcrafted touches keep each one unique.  I appliqued cutouts from the Japanese fabric onto the midrift along with vintage buttons. 

Beaded Army Dress?

I was excited about this dress, until I started making it. It was feeling like an army uniform.  My mom was taking a trip to San Francisco, which happens to be the home of my favorite fabric store, Britex.  So I sent her on a mission to get the perfect trim.  She came home with a couple of different options.  But this beaded metallic trim was perfect.  It ended up being one of my favorite dresses.  It was very popular at the fashion show, and it sold quickly, too 

White Paisley Dress

The top of this dress has boning to give it the look of a corset.  The lace detail is from a large collection of vintage scarves and hankercheifs I inherited from my grandma.  I really enjoy incorporating vintage fabrics into my designs.