Tips for Sewing one of this Seasons Hottest Trends … Faux Fur

Fashion Designer: Angela Wolf ... Photographer: Johnson-Rauhoff ... Models: Laine Lu VonBehren, Jennifer Knapp, Jenna Warren ... Hair & Makeup: Shawn Frandsen and Sarah Schilling

If you saw my post a few months back, I showed off a few pieces of gorgeous faux fur that I bought at Haberman Fabrics.  Well, I promised to give a rendition of the experience of sewing with faux fur and hopefully pass on a few lessons.   I must admit this time around seemed so much easier than I remember.  One of my first faux fur jackets, a thick white shaggy fur  …  I still have visions of coughing up fur balls for weeks, right alongside my cat.  Not only that, I ended up with white fuzz/fur all over my clothes for weeks!

Either the furs are easier to sew or I learned a few lessons from the first episode.   So here are a few tips:

• Trace your pattern, with clay chalk onto the back of the faux fur.   (I love the backing on this fur!)
• Use sharp scissors!  Start cutting from the back.  Slide your scissor tip between the faux fur and the backing and cut in small snips, being carful to only cut the backing and not the faux fur.

• I use Kai Scissors.  These scissors are so sharp, I can literally slide the tip of the scissors right around the pattern pieces.  (They work great when trimming Sherpa fabric as well).

• Notice that I am only cutting the backing, leaving all the faux fur intact.  Cut small snips at a time.

• I used the salvage as the front seam and then folded it back and tacked it in place.

• Trim your seam allowances.  This really does not take long, again my Kai Scissors worked fantastic.  I read that I should try an electric razor, but this worked perfectly.  Maybe, I’ll try the razor next time

• You can see here the seam allowance is all trimmed and ready to sew.  That was it!  I used the same process on all of the faux furs.

All in all, I really enjoyed sewing up these faux furs and believe it or not, one quick vacuum and the studio was back to normal.  Although, I must confess, I could not part with the cute little faux fur scraps.  So I have decided to use them as bows on my Christmas gifts

Fashion Designer: Angela Wolf ... Photographer: Gregg Rizzo ... Model: Dawn Yarborough ... Hair & Makekup: Shawn Frandsen & Sarah Schilling

Fashion Club – Color Blocking with Angela Wolf on PatternReview.com starts December 1st

Join me for Fashion Club on Patternreview.com .  This month learn to transform a simple shirt or pattern with color blocking.  Combine different fabrics and seams to create unique one-of-a-kind garments.This process is so easy!  The concept not only works for combining unique fabrics like knits and silk charmeuse as shown in the top above, but also in creating unique seams in a basic pattern like in the faux leather skirt.

Click here for a Preview of the Color Blocking Online Class     Class starts December 1st and stays open for the entire month.

Coming in January … The Classic French Jacket on Patternreview

Angela Wolf Collection

Fabric for the Holiday Season by Angela Wolf on PatternReview.com

Get inspired to sew something for the holidays with this months Fashion and Trends Column on PatternReview.com

Angela Wolf Collection

Photographer:  Johnson-Rauhoff      Model:  Amy McWhirter

Sewing with Faux Fur on PatternReview by Angela Wolf

Faux Fur is a must have for this season!  I have a few tips for sewing with these messy fabrics on PatternReview  and I see that Kenneth King is teaching an online class on sewing a faux fur coat.

I found these gorgeous faux furs at Haberman Fabrics in Royal Oak, Michigan.  Now I am just trying to make up my mind on what to make,  probably a vest out of one and a collar out of another.  I am cutting this afternoon so we’ll see

Sewing a Tweed Skirt and Tweed Jacket on www.sewingclasses.patternreview.com

There is still time to sign up, join me!

Tapering Pant Legs – Online Class on PatternReview.com

There is still time to sign up for this month’s Fashion Club on Patternreview - Tapering your pant legs!

Join me on PatternReview.com every month for  new sewing project!  Next month I will  feature sewing up a tweed skirt and a special wardrobe feature on proportion.

Online Class – Learn to hand-dye fabrics with Angela Wolf

Online Class starts June 19th  on  www.Patternreview.com

The love/hate relationship with the popular trends … wide leg pant and the skinny jean!

The wide leg pant …

Well, as you have probably noticed the wide leg pant is very popular for spring/summer and even into fall/winter for 2011.  I often hear women say, “I can never wear those pants, they make me look short and wide!”  Just the effect we want our clothing to have, right?  I don’t think so!  Although every trend is not for everyone, I can give you a few tips on how to pull off this look.  First, consider your overall proportion when coordinating tops and jackets – keep the rule 1/3 – 2/3 or 2/3 – 1/3.   That means never cut your body in half.  You will see this rule come to fruition here.  The pants will end up covering 2/3 of your body and your shorter jacket will cover the remaining 1/3.  (If you have questions on this, let me know and I can explain further).

• Keep the jackets and tops short, ending at your natural waistline. 
• The hem can be the magic trick here, especially if you wear heels.  Hem the pants 1/4th of an inch from the floor, unless the pants are white or a very light color, then go with 1/2″ from the floor so the bottom edge doesn’t get dirty.

So what’s the big deal about heels?  With the hem so close to the floor, you are covering up your heels giving the illusion of longer legs.  I must admit, I have a bit of a shoe fetish … or is there a term “shoe-aholic”?  I love my three-inch heels, and with the longer pant hem; I visually gain 2 and ¾ inches in leg.  Not too shabby!

Another thing you can do is taper the legs a little from the hip to the knee and then back out to the hem, creating a little more of an exaggerated boot leg style. 

In all actuality, be realistic about your own figure and remember not every trend flatters everyone.  If you try on the wide leg pants and all you see are short, wide legs … bag this trend!  I have to admit, I bought a pair of brown linen, wide legged pants three years ago.  Every time I try them on I HATE the look, and the pants go right back into the closet.  Those pants make me feel like I gained ten pounds overnight, despite the fact I have very long legs AND wear the major heels!  I realized it was the linen that ruined the look for me.  I have since designed a pair made of wool gabardine and I live in them all winter.  It is amazing that fabric can make such a difference;  keep that in mind.

 

The Skinny Jean …

Now take a 180 degree turn to the skinny jean and jeggings.  Did I hit another nerve?  It is amazing that the two hardest trends to pull off are in a marriage for the next year.  So, if you attempt this trend, think totally opposite of what I just told you:

• Hem to the ankle.  It is even more fashionable if the hem scrunches at the ankle like the picture above
• This look goes great with flats or heels!
• Wear longer, loose tops and try layering those longer tops

The 2 Second Color Check …

The 2 second color check before you buy fabric and clothing …

 

Great silk charmeuse outfit ... Not so great color for me!

 The color of fabric or outfit you choose is as important as the style, if not more.  Just because a fabric may be so gorgeous you can’t resist, that doesn’t mean this will look good on you – wouldn’t you rather know before you spend hours sewing up the perfect jacket.  I will never forget when I made a pair of olive-green silk charmeuse pants with a coordinating wrap blouse.  I spent hours on sewing this outfit, not to mention the price tag of silk charmeuse!   I felt like a million bucks every time I put it on – the problem was that I didn’t look like a million.  Every time I wore this out people would ask me if I was feeling ok, I soon realized that the color was washing me out.  So here is your color tip … hold up the fabric to your face and look in the mirror:

• If you look washed out or “sick” find another color or a different tone within that color pallette (for example instead of a yellowish teal look at the teal with a blue undertone)
• If your cheeks become rosy and bright – BINGO you found one of your perfect colors!

This seriously takes 2 seconds, and works every time.  If you have a fabric that you know is not one of your “Bingo” colors, try layering it and using a better color closer to your face.  Good Luck!

A closet full of clothes with nothing to wear!

 A closet full of clothes with nothing to wear!

 

Do you find yourself scouring thru your many pieces of clothing, but end up wearing the same outfits over and over?   This morning I tried on 20 tops, threw them all in a pile and grabbed one of the same 15 tops I wear everyday – sound familiar?  I try to clean out my closets twice a year and today I realized I am well over due.   If you have closets overflowing and nothing to wear, these tips are for you.  Put some good music on and pour a glass of wine and you are ready to tackle this dreaded chore …

check the fit & color

Start with your dresser – empty every drawer on the floor in a huge pile

• If you have any of your everyday favorites in there – fold them and place them in one of the drawers (I have a whole drawer with all my favorites). 
• Try everything else on and check the fit and the color with your skin tone
• Make 2 piles:
  • Pile 1 – the giveaway pile
    • items that you haven’t worn in years
    • items that the color just doesn’t look good on you (if you wear something and everyone asks you if you are feeling ok – pretty good sign you are wearing the wrong color)
  • Pile 2 – items you just can’t part with or they don’t fit correctly
    • With a minor alteration the item will fit
    • Items that you really like, just don’t have anything to match
    • Some of your older favorites that with a little dye in a pot could be refreshed
    • Anything with holes, missing buttons, broken zippers, …
  • Back in the dresser
    • Everything that fits perfectly and you know you will wear it!

Now if you have enough motivation move on to the closets … be honest when you try on all those pants.  Seriously, I have way too many black pants – most of them are too big or too small somewhere or other,  every time I wear black pants I grab one of my favorite 3 pairs.  If you really like the style, but they don’t fit … they go in PILE 2.  If you haven’t worn them in years really consider PILE 1 – departure!  

Once you are finished, take PILE 1 and put all those clothes in a garbage bag – I usually leave this bag in the garage or extra bedroom for about a year – Just in case I wake up in the middle of the night dreaming of that not so fabulous top that I just can’t part from LOL!

Now PILE 2 – divide up into more piles and, by the way, this pile can start very large.  For the items you really like, but don’t have anything to wear it with – those go in one pile, or hang them in a separate section of the closet.  I usually leave a few of these in the car for when I go shopping.  Now for the items that are really looking worn, but you love them for some reason or other – consider dyeing them.  I have revamped so many of my old favorite sweaters – a pot on the stove with some dye and you are ready to go.  Now on to the items that don’t fit … make an appointment with a seamstress and get them altered or be very daring and alter them yourself

That’s it!  Now every morning you know that anything you might grab will fit, look great on you, and match something in your closet!  if you make the clothing removal I usually do, you will also have plenty of room to go shopping … don’t forget to check out www.AngelaWolf.com for some great spring tops

www.AngelaWolf.com