Patterned History

Back to WOOOK!! 11/28/11

2011-11-28T12:33:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgivings! I spent the entire weekend building Ikea furniture and setting up my Black Friday purchases around the house (we only bought interior type stuffs). We did take breaks every now and again... 7 - 40 minute breaks in fact. This was the perfect amount of time to fully take in the glorious show that is "Downton Abbey." We watched the entire first season over the weekend.

I'm not going to bore you with details about the show or how much I loved it (WHICH I TOTALLY DID!) I will however let the pictures do the talking! Look at all this workness!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOOK!! 11/8/11

2011-11-07T10:41:00.000-08:00

It's MONDAY! Life has been crazy for the Kathleen and I but things are starting to calm down. I found this strange little video and I hope you guys enjoy it. Afterall what's better on a Monday then an 18th Century food fight?

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 9/6/11

2011-09-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

We had Monday off, thank the lord baby Jesus for Labor Day! I heard the original reason for Labor Day was to celebrate the birthing Mary endured for our lord and savior but they moved it to December in order to make winter a little more fun. Not sure if that's true or if I made it up.

Speaking of labor how about the work it takes to get to the top! Well as I've always said I'm not opposed to the pretty girls marrying well. Billie "Glinda the Good Witch" Burke had the right idea. She was the second wife of one, Mr. Florenz Zeigfeld. Maybe you've heard of him. Inventor of the Ziegfeld Follies... Father of Broadway. Well if you're gonna aim girls... AIM HIGH! With a mug like that a gown that chic one can't help but have men throwing themselves at you...... WOOORK it out lady friend!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 8/29/11

2011-08-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

Well now that the Great Hurricane Scare of 2011 is over we can all finally get back to our normal lives. But will anything ever be the same? Of course it will! It's Monday and you've still got to work. So charter a burro and get your lazy bones into the office or so help me... SO HELP ME!!!

Lucille Ball. Maybe you've heard of her. She starred in a little TV show called "Life With Lucy". Well Miss Ball was working it long before she made her mark on TV. She was in a delightful movie called "Dance Girl, Dance" (1940). She played a dancer who worked her way to the top as a bawdy burlesque hoofer. So if she can do it looking this good then you've got no excuse. Se get out there and WOOORK! But don't forget to stretch, because "I live to DANCE!"

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 8/22/11

2011-08-22T12:23:00.000-07:00

Ok Monday... we get it. You can stop now. Everytime I turn around it's Monday! I feel like it was just Monday like 7 days ago! Oh well... I have to apologize for my lack of posting. My job has kept me extra busy to where I had barely enough time to write anything but emails. But now I'm back and you're safe.

So I was on Zappos and I came across the vintage looking men's shoes... and that gots my brain to thinking. How fly would I look if I revamped my wardrobe to be entirely 1920s?! Talk about SUPER DUPER WOOORK! Now I haven't decided if this is something I am actually going to do. After all it would require A LOT of commitment and a decent amount of money. Swanky clothes ain't cheap... but I would look pretty WOOORK!!

I'll take one of each... in 3 every color.

The is NOTHING better than a vintage tux.

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 7/25/11

2011-07-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

Mondays ugh!.... Am I right? Don't get me started. Don't EVEN get me started! Take a cue from Anita Page. Throw on something rife with sex appeal, give Monday a sassy look and say "Put an egg in your shoe bustah.... and beat it."

Philip - In Brooklyn

Halloween is in the Works

2011-07-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Let me start out by apologizing for my blog-tastic absence. I have been working myself to the bone on my other blog project, http://www.hiremebobmackie.com/. The news over there is that I have begun the marathon leading up to Halloween! The plan is to do the Wizard of Oz cast but reverse the genders. I will be a Bob Mackie inspired Wicked Witch (see sketch below).

Pretty sweet huh?! I'll be posting milestones on here but for the blow by blow action visit the Bob Mackie Blog.

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 7/11/11

2011-07-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

Monday is upon us once again. Let's all take a lesson from Miss Dietrich. If you have to work. You may as well show up looking like this. WOOOORK!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE!!!

Try and take it easy today.

Finished! Emma's Bonnet

2011-06-29T16:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Here's another little project I finished recently. It's a dog bonnet for my friend's beautiful adopted puppy, Emma.

Ain't she adorable, y'all??

Meet Emma!

This bonnet was based off of Honey's old calico one.

A little technical sketch and measurements of Honey's original bonnet.

Pattern drafted of the brim, body, and crown based on Honey's bonnet measurements.

The pieces, all cut out in black & white polka dot cotton. I cut an extra piece of the crown in plain black cotton, which will be the lining. The brim is "Cut 2" in self fabric and "clean finished" along the front and side edges.

The bonnet coming together: The body is bound in black bias tape at the edges of the ear holes. The brim is gathered and about to be attached to the body. The body is gathered into the crown, and will be sewn after the brim.

Brim is stitched to the body to the wrong side with grosgrain ribbon folded in half and layered on top.

Outside View #1: The brim and ribbon trim is pressed to the outside and topstitched in place. The body of the bonnet has been gathered and sandwiched in between the crown self and lining before sewing.

Outside View #2: Grosgrain ribbon has been applied as binding to the bottom edge of the bonnet.

Inside View: As you can see, this construction method "clean finishes" the inside of the bonnet with no raw edges. Built tough. Built to last.....That's how I roll!

Close up of the bonnet's brim detail. (Sorry for the weird lighting...it was a beautifully bright day!) I created matching grosgrain bows that will sit on top of each ear. Hella Cute!!!

And here's another view of the bonnet flat, with matching grosgrain ribbon ties tacked at the sides of the bottom edge. The narrow plaid ribbon is tacked at the front and back sides, and sits under Emma's ears to hold the bonnet in place.

Finished! A front view

....And a side view

Stay still, Emma!!! The bonnet fits a little big all over, but she's gonna grow into it!

Emma and her lovely bonnet were going to make their debut at this year's Pirate Faire in Vallejo, until we found out that dogs were not allowed this year.
To bad, really...
Emma's a wiggle-worm of a puppy, but she's quite the well-behaved lady...except when she's trying to drink your beer...watch out! She's a big fan!

I'm a Miller Lite gal myself....but to each her own!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Finished! Another "Commuter" Rosette

2011-06-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all!

Sorry AGAIN for the lack of posts.....I'm workin' hard for the money over here, and there hasn't been a lot of time to blah-blah-blah about the fun projects lately....but they are a-happening, bit by bit!

Anyhoo, here's a lil' something I finished this week while commuting to work. I take TONS of public transportation every day, and always have sewing projects with me to pass the time efficiently/keep hope alive.
Mostly, I make rosettes. Lots of them...like this one here, which is a full cardigan knitted ruffle recycled from a old sweater...I LOVE the sparkly Lurex thread...It's so 80's!!

The silver leaves are sold by-the-yard at Stone Mountain and Daughter Fabrics in Bizzerkley.
They come in silver and a pretty, natural green ultrasuede. I love having them on hand for stuff like this.

The underside of the rosette is neatly finished with an antiqued copper barette.
I must say, these metal clips are wonderful, and can be easily worn in the hair, on a hat, or in the lapel of a jacket.

More pretty things to come!!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Back to WOOORK!! - 6/20/11

2011-06-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

Good Monday to you all! Speaking of WOOORK take a look at this video! I saw this on one of our friend and follower's FaceBook page. Talk about effort!

So now you can feel extra bad for thinking your job is hard and tedious all these years. Now get back to WOOORK!
Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 6/13/11

2011-06-13T07:57:00.000-07:00

Well here we are again. Another weekend has ended and Monday has cleched her steely grip upon us. Never you fear though, Sydney Guilaroff is here to help.

Sydney is shown in this fantastic press photo working on some wigs for "Marie Antoinette" starring Norma Shearer. No prom tendrils up in here! You know Wendy Williams is burning with envy! WOOOOORK!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 6/6/11

2011-06-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to work babies! I hope you had a wonderful weekend as we have had. If there is one thing that exemplifies WOOORK it's an amazing clothes horse that marries the boss!

Miss Norma Shearer, I respect this broad's moxy. Not only was she a great actress and drop dead gorgeous, she also married Irving Thalberg. Thalberg just happened to be one of the heads of MGM. Come to think of it Norma was a contracted star at MGM. Well itsn't that convenient? You go girl. Make sure your bills get paid. The essence of WOOORK!!

Oh yeah... can we talk about that gown.... UGH! Sadly I don't know much about this picture. I downloaded it a while ago and didn't make notes of what it is in reference to... Help a brother out guys!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Cinch It: Making 18th Century Stays!

2011-06-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Very sorry for the serious lack of west-coast entries lately.
My "real" job has been all-consuming for the last couple of months.
Whatever.
On to pretty things, like these STAYS I'm almost finished with!

These are made from Simplicity pattern 3635 I purchased for like, 2 bucks at Joann's a while back.

Yes, I know, Simplicity patterns are not historically accurate blah, blah. blah....
Yes, I know about JP Ryan, Mill Farm, and alllll the others being the "better" patterns for this era...I get it....I angsted over it, then moved on.

But, I went with the Simplicity pattern for 2 very good reasons:
1.) I saw decent reviews and pictures of this pattern all made up on Patternreview.com that can be seen here. Not bad! And since this is my first attempt at anything stay-like, I figured it was a decent starting point.
2.) Making even the simplest of corsets/stays cost MONEY. Even if you have a pattern & fabric on-hand, the boning and additional tools needed can set you back. ESPECIALLY if you wanna get crazy like I did and do "fully boned" stays with hand sewn eyelets.

I used 2 layers of tightly woven khaki twill...the exact same kind used to make chino/khaki pants.
Only 2 layers? Seems thin for a corset you say?? Well, let me tell you, this shit is deceptively bulletproof! Hand sewing on this fabric is a real bitch, but in a good way, because I know its STRONG!

The Front & Side Front Pieces, after stitch all channels for boning.

Later, when the stays are all done, I will hand-stitch a plain muslin lining inside to make it extra smooth & comfy.
All channels for the boning are topstitched in rose pink thread. With a bias tape maker, I created my own binding out of a rose printed cotton. I really dig how the khaki and warm pink harmonize together.

Front & Side Front pieces, with boning inserted and bottom edge finished with binding. As you can see, I'm having a hard time getting that binding to lay flat where the self fabric is split to form the tab... I will work that out later. I decided to finish the binding on each piece before joining them together, after seeing *real* stays constructed that way.

The boning I used is actually 3/8"-ish wide zip ties specifically designed to hold AC ducts together. They are sold at Home Depot with the Air Conditioning supplies. *Pls note: These are NOT the same as regular zip ties. They are slightly thicker, and much stronger. Plus they are a whopping 40-something inches long and sold in a pack of 25 for like, 13 bucks. I used over half the pack to full bone all the channels properly!

Front & Side Front pieces with zip tie "boning" sticking out. IMPORTANT: All edges of boning were carefully cut to have a rounded edge in an effort to keep from poking through.. You can see the imprint of the rounded edge through the fabric. I made sure the smooth side of the zip ties faced outwards for consistantcy.

I must admit, my whole life, I've been totally intimidated by the idea of making thread eyelets. They just looked really, really hard to do. Well, with this project, I was able to conquer that fear, and now I LOVE them!

ADVENTURES IN EYLETS! The other part of this project I had to spend money on: Japanese silk buttonhole thread and a good tapered awl make the process vertually painless! Since 18th c. stays lace up a special way with just one tie, eyelets at the top and bottom need to be offset for the center front to line up properly. I sewed the offset eyelets with pink thread to highlight them for this post...and lets face it, they look pretty too!

Here are the stays so far, folded in half and layed flat. I deviated away from the original construction by closing up the center back with a seam, and moving the eylet closure to the center front. Why?
Because this is 2011, and I need to be able to get dressed all by myself!

Lookin' good!

That's it for now!
Hopefully my next post will show off the finished stays!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Back to WOOORK!! - 5/31/11

2011-05-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a holiday, and if you had to work I pity you. For the rest of us today is our "Monday". In order to keep our spirits high I thought I'd dig up some work-ness from the movie "Gypsy" starring Natalie Wood as Gypsy Rose Lee. The montage of Gypsy 'stripping it up' near the end of the movie is one of my favorite scenes. They squeeze in a few different Orry-Kelly costume changes and the last one is to die for! The true essence of WOOORK!

As Gypsy says "And if you're real good. I'll make you feel good. I want your spirits to climb!"

Philip - In Brooklyn

Adventures in Tambour Beading

2011-05-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

As you could tell I haven't been able to post much about projects. I actually have been pretty busy working on my niece's prom gown. It turned out pretty great. I will post pictures of it soon. Since I have time I've been teaching myself how to use a Tambour hook.

I purchased a Tambour beading tool from Lacis in Berkley, California. The only reason I knew what it was is because many years ago they did a news piece on the House of Lesage during the French Haute Couture fashion shows. They worked from both sides of the fabric using a chain stitch to place the beads or sequins in place. Lesage and other companies that do this type of embellishment. They have the fabric stretched across large frames so that the work is tight as a drum.

I do not have the space in my apartment to have the frame set up that Lesage has, so I had an idea that I would make a smaller frame. That way I can work easily on my lap or counter top. When I was window shopping in an art store I noticed they had canvas stretchers in varying sizes. So I figured this would be the perfect way to build a frame without having to get wood cut to size at Home Depot. I know you find it shocking that I don't own any power tools (except a cheap drill).

The first thing that I did was to drill holes and set screws in to keep the frame square. I padded the frame using quilt batting that is sold by the yard and then covered the batting with fabric that I had left over from a previous project.

I stitched the batting in place by hand.

I mitered the corners so they weren't all thick and lumpy.

When pinning the batting and fabric I made sure to pull it as tight as possible.

The finished frame!

A little sequining experimentation. Curious George has YET to look so fabulous!

The revese side of the fabric showing the chainstitch that forms.

I realized that I need to add some heavy duty staples to keep the fabric and betting in place since it tends to slide inward. The key is to keep the fabric as tight as possible! I need to get my hands on one of those big staple guns.

My pictures make it look like I just hit the ground running but let me tell you it was the exact opposite. The sequins shown was about an hours worth of work. The function of tambour is that you have the hook of the bottom of the fabric and your sequins/beads are strung on a thread on the top side. You are working with the bottom side of the fabric up. Seems simple enough when using organza or other sheers/semi sheers. Then my ming got to going. How in the hell are you supposed to see what you're doing on an opaque fabric?! TO THE INTERNETS!

I found many videos showing people embellishing using a tambour technique. I got super inspired when I saw a video showing them using the hook on the top side of the fabric with the sequins loaded onto the hook itself! This causes the chainstitch to be on the top side but obscured by the sequins. I tried this out with better luck. The technique is still pretty tricky and my motor skills are slowly catching up. I have faith and big plans. Sequins on everything!

Are any of you out there familiar with this technique? Any pointers or words of wisdom you can share would be great! More to come on this technique!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 5/23/11

2011-05-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

Getting back to WOOORK on Monday is tough. So enjoy this beautiful Cecil Beaton sketch from the opening scene of "My Fair Lady." All this Cocoon Coat work-ness really cuts the edge, like finely processed cocaine... I mean coffee! Like a finely processed COFFEE!

Enjoy... and get back to WOOORK!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 5/16/11

2011-05-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

Yes I'm a day late... but I was wooooorking. What were you doing? What ever it was I'm sure it was glamorous. You go on with yo bad self! Speaking of going on with your bad self check out this sassy number.

This is a beaded mantel circa 1890. The fringe is a mix between beads and tape ribbon. The body is beaded in a swan motif. This is an epic jacket kids! Head on over to VintageTextile.com to see more detail pictures and commence the drooling! When you're done cleaning yourself up get it back to WOOORK!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 5/9/11

2011-05-09T04:53:00.000-07:00

Many apologies friends and family! We missed last week's Back to Wooork because Kathleen and I were off celebrating my 30th birthday... IN VEGAS! So you will need to bear with us as we are still in "Vegas Mode". Please enjoy this week's edition of Back to WOOORK brought to you by Sin City!


Roll the dice with some vintage showgirls!

The Tropicana Showroom 1959

Freemont Street 1949

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 4/25/11

2011-04-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

So it's Monday yet again... lovely, I know. The silver lining though is that through my aimless internet wandering I came across the auctions of the costumes from "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever". This costume sold for over $8,000 to benfit the Barbra Streisand foundation. I hope these amazing images of this Cecil Beaton design brighten your Monday. But seriously.. get back to WOOORK!!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 4/18/11

2011-04-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

It's Monday and we could all use a shot of glamour in our morning cup of Joe. Today I'm going with some Leslie Caron for desperately needed that pick me up. Hollywood's French Prima Ballerina is oozing with unscrubbed beauty that most girls pile on the make up to look like.
In the 1955 film "The Glass Slipper" Leslie plays Cinderella perfectly. That hoe shows up to the ball to holler at her man in a gown that is the defenition of WOOORK!! Not to mention her "F*&# Me Pumps" made of glass. That bitch is serious!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK! 4-11-11

2011-04-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

It’s Monday. Again.

But don’t let the M-word get you down!

Today’s back to wooork is brought to you by our dear friend, Esther Williams. In her heyday, this she lived in her bathing suit. Don’t hate!! This gal worked hard for the money!! Making “aquamusicals” was her bread & butter. Miss Williams spent so much time "dancing" in the pool that she became a co-designer and fit model for Jantzen. They developed and tested out a new fabric called Lycra, and created swimsuits for her films. With Esther's input, they contributed to the revolution of womens mass-market swimwear in the 20th century.

Before Esther Williams, girls swimsuits fastened closed with a metal zipper...and did I mentioned they were knitted out of wool? Yeah. Gross. We have a lot to thank her for.

….imagine if a bikini was your uniform?!

Now get back to WOOOORK!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

I Wear Many Hats: The Dog Bonnet, a Tribute.

2011-04-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

Hey Y’all,

Clothing can be so sentimental.
Sometimes, it's the most tangible thing you can have to connect with someone that is gone.
You can see them wearing it, touch the fabric that they once wore, note the creases and wear marks their body made in the garment. It can be very moving to re-visit.

I wanted to share something I made a long time ago that is very special to me.

Cotton Calico Bonnet, trimmed in goldenrod yellow grosgrain ribbon.

FRONT VIEW: Modeled by the Medium-sized Doggie dress form at work.

SIDE VIEW: Earholes have self binding, bottom edge is bound in grosgrain ribbon.
All hand-finished with tiny pick stitches.

BACK VIEW: Bonnet is gathered and clean finished into a half-moon yoke.

EAR HOLE DETAIL: 3/8" satin rainbow ribbon was fitted under the ear to hold the brim in place.
Ruffle brim has folded edge, and is clean finished to the main body with grosgrain ribbon, all hand-finished.

INSIDE VIEW: All clean-finished inside for Doggie-proof durability!

This fully-functional cotton bonnet was specially created for Honey, our beautiful family dog who changed our lives forever. Honey was a Yellow Lab/Chow mix, a stray, found abandoned in the little gulf town of Rockport, Texas in 1997. Thanks to some very well organized small-town vets, we were able to research who she was and her past history. Honey was originally named Sandy. Her previous owners even had her fixed, but left her behind in the back yard when the moved away.

And there she was, months later, sitting at a gas station, ready to follow me home. I called her “Honey” the moment I saw her, and the name stuck ever since.

She was like all Texas ladies I know, TOUGH and BEAUTIFUL. Honey survived months of abandonment on the Gulf Coast, with the biggest & largest tick infestation I’ve ever seen, AND THEN went through a heartworm treatment! She was already 4 years old when she came into our lives, and lived over 16 years until we had to make the painful decision to put her down.

Honey was gentle giant, a mother-dog who never fussed about anything….even little children riding on her back was just another day of fun for her, lol. And boy, did she loved to dress up! We adorned her in pink baby T’s, tiaras, bunny ears, cat ears (too funny) ….she was just a perfect joy to play with. PERFECT.

I designed & made this little bonnet to fit her head, and Honey wore it every Halloween when she greeted the Trick ‘or Treaters at the front door with my Mom. Our little Texas pioneer!

It will always be one of my favorite projects, and proudest accomplishments.

And here's Honey in her younger years....Ain't she lovely?!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Well Hello, Mr. Rochester!! 1840's Fashion, My Way

2011-03-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

With the release of the new Jane Eyre film this month, I thought it would be fun to share this lil’ dress project I did a few years ago, but didn’t actually get an opportunity to wear it until Dec ’09:

Me, Dec 2009, in my Laughing Moon Round Gown

This dress is the product of a pattern test I did for a lovely lady in Sacramento. She has her own line of costume patterns, Laughing Moon, and a shop in Old Town Sacramento. I had the wonderful opportunity to sign up and try out the pattern before it was published for the masses. A style know as the Round Gown. She sent an unpublished copy, and I had to make the dress according to the pattern & directions, step by step, to review and ensure the process was clear and highlight any errors/typos in print or wording, ect.

This was a worthwhile experience in more ways than one. Not only did I create a dress, but I was a contributor to the creation of a historical pattern, and a GREAT one at that! It can be purchased here.

But my favorite part, the icing on the cake, was finding a way to actually like dressing up in this particular silhouette in history.

Women's fashion plate from 1844.

You see, I love the story of Jane Eyre…my sisters and I grew up watching the BBC min-series in the 80’s with insanely handsome and brooding Timothy Dalton, and adore the latest version from 2006!

But frankly, women’s fashions from the mid-19^th century scare the shit out of me. I would not willingly choose this silhouette or even this Laughing Moon round gown to make for myself. Perhaps it’s those severe center-part hairstyles and bonnets, or the confining drop-shoulder bodices? Or just the fact that all the women look so …sad?

We all have era’s of time we are attracted to for different reasons. That’s why civil war reenactments, Dicken’s and Renaissance faires exist, right? As much as I love costuming, these time periods have always been my least-favorite eras of fashion. Judging by the images of women in these periods of time, it does not look fun or pretty to me. (Such as the Tudor (left) and Elizabethan (right) ladies below)

The Laughing Moon pattern test gave me an opportunity to “make it work”.
Here I was, faced with the challenge of making a dress from a time I did not care for, so I found a way to like it!
What inspired me the most?
Reading bios about various women from the 1840-1850’s. Women who lived unconventional lives in America and, in particular, California. Since the Gold Rush started in 1849, California is a wealth of mid-19^th century unique inspiration.

And that’s how I stumbled upon this crazy bitch, Lola Montez.

FIERCE: Note the tight leather gloves and what looks like a hand-rolled cigarette.
My kinda mid-19th century gal!

What a perfect blend of beauty, scandal, and mental illness! I found her story and images very inspiring. Lola Montez: "Special friend" to writers Franz Liszt and Alexandre Dumas, Mistress to a German King, dark and dramatic, known for her “Spider Dance”, SHE is the original vamp! The song “Whatever Lola Wants” was written just for her! This broad knew how to LIVE!

I ended up making the Laughing Moon Round Gown in a blood red “crackle” print calico cotton. The cotton makes in so “American” and the bizarre crimson print makes it intriguing and dare I say…sexy? The buttons I chose for the front closure are actually “Teddy Bear” eyes intended for stuffed animals. (I didn’t know this until I went up to the counter to buy them…needless to say, it adds to the “crazy” factor.)

My hair was full-on Lola inspired with the bun in the back, a Spanish comb, and curly sides known as Spaniel Ears (not hot). Miss Lola Montez was basically a white girl pretending to be Latin and exotic, so I accessorized with a Lace Shawl and Spanish fan:

I went to the Dicken’s Fair in San Francisco looking like this, and felt scandalous and extra-spicy! Definitely stuck out from the Bonnet & Cape crowd…and since I’m anti-hoop, I felt liberated in my net petticoats!

I was VERY happy with the end result! So early California!

Me, Dec 2009: Dicken's Faire @ The Cow Palace, San Francisco.
(yes, that is sawdust on the hem of my dress...classy!)

And that’s how I was able to inspire myself to sport an 1840-50’s round gown!

By looking to the American West and going outside the Jane Eyre/Dicken’s/European history, I was able to have the mid-19^th century “talk to me” in a different way.

Perhaps, one day, I can have that same experience with the Tudor/Elizabethan fashions. Until then, I can remain content in knowing the Mid-19^th Century ain’t so scary anymore.

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Back to WOOORK!! - 4/4/11

2011-03-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

We all know what Doris is thinking. "Please God. Let it be any other day than Monday." After seeing this photo I am promptly putting "The Glass Bottom Boat" on my Netflix que. Doris Day is bringing it in her Ray Aghayan couture! WOOORK!

Philip - In Brooklyn

My New Frontier: A1960’s cocktail dress: Part Two- Sewing a Wearable Muslin

2011-03-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Long overdue, its time for PART 2 of my 1960's cocktail dress pattern project!
Part 1 was posted almost a month ago.

In an effort to use my valuable sewing time to its fullest, I created something called a “wearable muslin”.

The 1st cut of my size 10 pattern, graded up from an circa 1960 "size 14", wiich is a modern-day 4-6

I do this as often as possible when developing or testing a pattern that is fairly simple (for me) and hard to mess up.

Why did I do this instead of just the plain ol’ muslin mock-up fit process?

For this dress, I feel confident it can be sewn it up as a real, wearable garment the first time around. It may not fit 100% perfect, but it will still be adorable and very pretty.

Keep in mind, if this was a corset project, or a weird bodice pattern I’m Frankenstien-ing, then HELL YES, there will be a plain muslin fitting!! …. maybe 2 or 3 before the good stuff is cut!

While creating this wearable muslin, I utilized my time to experiment with different things. In this case, I made up the dress in funky stripe cotton, with a bias-cut silk waistband and my own construction/finishing techniques.

Gutsy?! Maybe.

Fabric purchased on clearance (1/2 price!) at Stone Mountian & Daugher Fabrics, in Berkeley, CA

OK, here’s what I did:

The bodice is a single layer of the striped cotton, but I omitted the facings for the neck & armhole area included in the original pattern. Instead, I used single fold bias facing to finish the inside of these areas, and finished by hand:

The zipper was hand-basted to the inside of the side seam, and stitched into the garment by hand. Don’t be intimidated by this, folks! In fact, hand-sewing a zipper does not take long at all! Plus, if you don’t have a lot of experience sewing a zipper in by machine, this can be WAY less frustrating, less damaging to the fabric, and looks like a million bucks every time… even if you are not a super-star hand sewer!

For the waistband, I kind of walked away from the original design/construction.

The original pattern was just for a single layer waistband of fashion fabric only (front and back with side seams), without any finishing/lining/interlining inside. Weird? I thought so too.

To mix things up a little, I created new, revised waistband patterns with center front and center back seams. Here’s how I did it:

REVISED WB PATTERNS: I cut the bias pieces out of a scrap of black dupioni (fashion fabric) and the straight-grain pieces out of black cotton (flatlining).

*Backing or flatlining the bias silk pieces with cotton cut on the straight grain will add stability and strength.

ORIGINAL WB PATTERNS: I cut Waistband pieces as per the original pattern, on the fold, out of black cotton. These pieces became a lining, which I added in order to “clean finish” the inside.

I also flatlined the skirt part of the dress with black cotton for added body, and to minimize any VPL in the future ;)

Now the dress is ready to try on and have a fitting!

A little wrinkled: All the seams are sewn up except the shoulders and hem.

Stay tuned for Part Three: “Analyzing the fit” where I will be looking at the (almost) finished garment with a critical eye, checking overall balance, dart placement, and making notes of any other little fit tweaks that need to be made.

-Kathleen, In Oakland

RIP - Elizabeth Taylor

2011-03-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor

1932-2011

You will be missed.

Philip - In Brooklyn

100th Post!

2011-03-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

That's right!! We've finally reached 100 and we don't look a day over 25.

But let's be honest being 100 is the new 40 and ain't it beautiful?!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 3/21/11

2011-03-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gents today is the 1st day of SPRING!! It also happens to be everyone's FAVORITE day of the week... Monday. So let the bells ring out and let us all rejoice the wonderful season which is Spring!

We have some help from Mr. J.C. Leyendecker to ring in this most wonderful of seasons, but here in NYC it did little good. It's raining and threats of snow are on the horizon. Honestly?! What is the point of Spring if it's gonna be gross out. Anyhow enough ranting... get back to WOOORK!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 3/14/11

2011-03-14T07:22:00.000-07:00

Ms. Bacall has the right idea.... F*CK Mondays! And you too Gregory Peck! Never trusted him as far as I could trow him. And with my bad back I shouldn't be throwing anybody! But that Helen Rose gown ain't hurtin' no bodies!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Special Collections... INDEED!

2011-03-11T09:58:00.000-08:00

While trolling the "web" one evening I came across the Flickr account for the FIT Special Collections. They turned out to be a treasure trove of fashion illustrations. I had to just share them with you guys! I hope you find them as inspiring as I do!

BALMAIN

DIOR

BALMAIN

MADAME GRES

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 3/7/11

2011-03-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

It's Monday again. Aren't we lucky? Wouldn't things be better if your office manager was rockin' something sassy like this. She would be walking around the steno pool keeping the girls in line, tapping her fan against typewriters that aren't clicking away. I think Venetian masks are always a wonderful business casual look. I have to go shopping if I'm going to look professional and be taken seriously. It's promotion season after all.

Philip - In Brooklyn

RIP Jane Russell

2011-02-28T19:56:00.000-08:00

1921-2011

Photos via Stirred Straight Up and With a Twist

Back to WOOORK - 2/28/11

2011-02-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

Last night was the Oscars and everyone looked wonderful, didn't they? But today's edition of WOOORK is not about last night's togs. It's about Oscar Night from years gone by. And the winners ARE...

Philip - in Brooklyn

My New Frontier: A 1960’s cocktail dress: Part One - Introduction & Sizing Up the Pattern

2011-02-25T12:51:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Our adventures in pattern drafting continue with our much loved circa 1960 cocktail dress, Spadea’s # N-1077, otherwise known as Philip’s stunning creation, Black Beauty!

Spadea is a long-gone, mid-20^th century pattern company, and their history can be found here.

Philip has already made up this dress as is, in its original size, out of a sumptuous black satin. Then, he proceeded to bedeck, bedazzle, and encrust his creation in iridescent black glass beads.

As you can see, it is a wonderful example of finery and sophistication. Who wouldn’t be inspired by this amazing work of art?!

Bottom Line: I want one. But I want a West-Coast version, made in a cool yet bold Hawiian Barkcloth, with no drape, and embellished with black palette spangles on the solid black background:

I have *just enough* Hawiian Barkcloth fabric to create this dress with no drape...
but how cute will it be?!?!?!

Our Spadea pattern is a vintage size 14, which is a modern day 6, which I am not.

In order to make this style fit, I will have to increase (grade up) the original pattern from a size 6 to a ~~size 8~~ size 10.

What is my end goal?? To have a fabulous, flattering real vintage dress pattern that fits me. This Spadea style is perfect to start with because it is:

1.) Simple – Just a bodice, waistband, skirt, and optional front drape! The facings at the neck/armhole area can be easily replaced with bias tape to finish the inside, which I plan to do.

2.) Flattering –Bateau neckline, hourglass shape, what’s not to LOVE?

3.) Easy to sew - with areas of opportunity to tweak , simplify or improve the construction quality and finishing.

4.) Versatile –Looks great in anything from Satin to Cotton to Lame’! Can be made with or without the drape in front for a sleeker, or less formal look. In fact, without the drape, this is a simple, sweet little boat-neck wiggle dress….wooork!

Well, here I go again….a whole weekend of nothing but tracing & re-tracing patterns, and the results are worth every moment!

The entire original pattern consists of 9 pieces: Front/Back Bodice, Waistband. Skirt, facings, and the front drape. ***I will be showing the front bodice only as an example of the tracing/sizing up process. Note: The Front Drape piece will not be included in this 1^st dress, but will be explored/sewn at a later date, in a different fabric.

First, I trace all the original tissue pieces, marking all punch holes and perforations. This 1^st tracing is now my master copy, and it will remain unchanged, as an exact copy of the real vintage pattern.

Original tissue pattern from 1960

1st Tracing: Exact copy of the original (Sorry, the photo is light, but you get the idea :)

I create a 2^nd tracing from the first, and I make adjustments to the body width and length by slashing & inserting strips of paper. I have calculated how much I needed to add to the original pattern to make it fit me. In order to increase black Beauty up to a size 10, I had to add 3 ½” total to the original pattern width, and 1” to the total length.

2nd tracing: slashed and spread to evenly increase length & width.

Here's a lil' breakdown of what I did:

WIDTH: Since the patterns for the Bodice, Waistband, and skirt are placed on the fold and represent one quarter of the body, I divided my total width measurements by 4, then applied that number to each piece.

In other words, 3 ½” divided by 4 is 7/8”, so I added 7/8” to the width of each piece.

LENGTH: I evenly divided the 1” length needed between the bodice and skirt.

So, ½” was added to the bodice length, and ½” to skirt length.

The best way increase the overall size of a pattern, is to add throughout the body, instead of just adding to the side seams and bottom edge.

I’ve created these quick ‘n dirty images of the bodice and skirt to clearly show what I did, and what you should NOT do:

Once all the pieces are increased in size, I clean up the overall shape, double check & triple-check notch placement, making sure everything matches and lines up for good sewing.

Now all the pieces are ready to be cut in fabric!

3rd tracing: All cleaned up in a size 10 and ready to use!

Stay tuned for Part Two: “Sewing a Wearable Muslin” where the dress will come to life in all its size 10 glory!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Public Enemy Finished Product

2011-02-23T15:40:00.000-08:00

Hey there readers! Sorry about the delay in posting the finished sweater vest, Public Enemy. Being that my camera ran away from home one night it was tough to take pictures of my progress. I did get myself a new camera though, so all is not lost and life can continue.

Well look what we've got here... well if it isn't a finished sweater vest.

When I last left you I had seamed up one shoulder in order to knit and apply the ribbing. First I knitted the armhole ribbing the width of one of the armholes. After it was finished I transferred the stitches from the ribber onto the knitter bed and hung the armhole onto the machine and crochet cast off the seam.

I wanted to try something new for the V-neck. Usually I knit the neck band in 2 pieces (round necks can be knit in 1 piece if the knitting machine is large enough), 1) one side of the front and the back of the neck and 2) then the other side of the front. But I figured since I was going to sew the center front as a miter I figured I would just knit it all in one piece and sew the center front like you would a jersey or any other cut and sew knit.

Here is the inside view of the Neck rib at the bottom of the "V". The trouble I found is that the bulk of the rib is a bit annoying but when you're wearing it you don't even notice it. Going forward I don't think I will repeat this technique I like the 2 piece neck better because if you sew it mitered you can press the seam allowance open and tack it to the seam and it looks much flatter.

Here is the outside view of the finished Neck rib. The bulk of the miter isn't all that noticable. But as I said before I'll stick to the 2 piece neck rib.

After my neck rib was finished I sewed up the other shoulder then repeated what I did for the previous armhole. All that was left was seaming up the side and weaving in loose ends. So far I've worn it once and it looked SUPER dapper. Next time I wear it I will make sure to snap a couple pics for posting.

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back To WOOORK: 2-21-11

2011-02-20T21:58:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all!

Philip and I are getting really amped about our lil' trip to Las Vegas coming up in a couple months. Let's just say there's lots of lame' involved.

In an effort to grab Monday by the balls, today's Back to WOOORK is brought to you by the late, amazingly great Cyd Charisse and her famous pins, Vegas style:

And please take a moment to see her hard at wooork dancing the Franky & Johnny number from "Meet Me in Las Vegas" sung by Sammie Davis Jr.

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Back to WOOORK!! - 2/14/11

2011-02-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

Well here it is "Monday" again. This is a stupid day. YOU HERE ME GODS!! STUPID! But on the bright side it is fashion week here in New York Cit-ay, and the air is electric with champagne, contradictory fashion double speak and model puke. It's a magical season really. So in honor of fashion week this edition of WOOORK will be brought to you by the House of Dior, by John Galliano. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did and it helps you quickly forget today is "Monday" (insert dry heave noise).

Philip - In Brooklyn

Hand In Glove, Part Deux: The Revenge of Mitts and Mittens!

2011-02-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

Hey y’all!

This is just a little “Part 2” entry about our pattern restoration project we posted last week.

The main objective is to utilize an old, forgotten crumbling pattern, and create our own glove design with adjustable finger length.

However, I simply didn’t have the heart to ignore the Mitt and Mitten pattern also included in our original assortment…..seriously, how adorable are THESE?!

LOVE & NEW LIFE: These styles are also unique, and have fabulous potential!

So, same process as the gloves: The original, fragile tissue pattern is traced AS IS onto white paper. Carefully mark the overall shape, all notches and punch holes:

Above Images: Left = Original Tracing of Mitten. Right = Oringinal Tracing of Mitt.

Double-check, TRIPLE-CHECK all markings, then, immediately put the tissue pieces back in the original envelope for long-term storage.

As with the glove pattern in the previous post, this first tracing is now the original, exact copy, and will remain that way for reference.

A 2^nd tracing is made from the first:

NOTE: Overall shape is “cleaned up” and all punch hole shapes are translated into modern-day labeling of grainlines, slash lines, and seam allowances.

AGAIN, VERY IMPORTANT: Before these tracings are shipped to Philip for testing, I make a copy of each for our records, and the possible “what if’s” to be prepared for when developing any new pattern.

Enjoy!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Back to WOOORK!! 2/7/11

2011-02-07T06:58:00.000-08:00

Welcome to yet another Monday. Seriously enough already with this retched day. On the bright side I have heard from the politico rumour mills that congress has been considering nixing the whole day altogether. That would be the first good thing they've done in a long time. So since this day emotes self loathing I felt that we needed a good soundtrack. Allow me to introduce my close personal friend Dame Shirley Bassey. So put this video on a loop, crank up the volume and slap the shit out of Monday!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Hand In Glove: Pattern Preservation and Re-use

2011-01-31T11:19:00.000-08:00

Hello Readers!

As some of you may know, Philip and I are on a coast-to-coast adventure to appreciate and re-create gorgeous beautiful things from the past.

(And be sassy biz-natches the whole way!)

We have always shared a burning desire for custom-made gloves, ever since we saw Barbra slip them over her extra-long manicured nails in "Hello, Dolly".

Babs had gloves made with extra-long fingers to accommodate her beautiful hands in historical films like Hello, Dolly!, Funny Girl, and our personal favorite: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever.

Glove patterns are pretty damn near impossible to find, but we got lucky when Philip found this little gem from 1940's wartime:

This old pattern journeyed from New York to California!

I started the painstaking process of tracing and interpreting the tiny, fragile pieces.

Falling Apart: Brittle directions page and glove pattern pieces for fingers and thumbs.

Close-up of the revision date in these hand-illustrated instructions.

Last revised: June 30, 1943!!

My #1 goal throughout this process: Preservation. Do not cause any more damage to the pattern, instructions, or envelope. Open and unfold all paper as little as possible. Minimize the folding/refolding and prolonged exposure to light or moisture.

Don't forget to copy the front and back of the envelope!

When working with old patterns, often the instruction page(s) are in far-worse shape than the actual pieces.

This is because pattern pieces are usually put away right after the fabric is cut, but the direction pages are often left out, and heavily handled throughout the entire sewing process.

So, the first thing to do is copy the directions as quickly and carefully as possible. As soon as you're done, fold the original back up and put away ASAP.

Sadly, the paper that these directions were printed on is so dry that it wanted to crumble and tear at the slightest touch!
I opened the directions ONE TIME ONLY, and carefully copied all sides on the xerox machine to 11x17" paper.

Before pulling out the pattern pieces, be sure to give those directions (the copy, of course) a good read-through. Take note of any special markings or symbols. Get to know the pieces through the pattern layout and instructions.
I traced all pieces as they were, marking all punch holes and symbols:

Patterns from this era were not printed on. Labeling on pattern pieces was performed with a series of punch holes in different shapes and sizes. All the little circles, triangles, and squares represent grainlines, cut lines, slash marks, and pintucks, so it's very important to have those instructions as a key understanding all markings!

Some of the teenie-tiny pieces for the fingers were falling apart, so I had to machine copy, then re-draw. (no pressure, RIGHT?!)

Once I double-check, then triple-check that all info has been properly captured, I immediately put alllll the pieces back in the envelope.

Now the old pattern can officially go back in its cool, dry, dark storage space :)

This first tracing, as seen in images above, is the true original pattern. I will keep it unchanged so I never have to pull out the old fragile pieces again.

Then, I trace a 2nd copy from the 1st unchanged tracing.

On this 2nd copy, I clean up the overall shape and "translate" the old pieces by changing the punch holes to clear printed labeling of the grainlines, seam allowance, details, and piece name.

This is where the pattern goes from copy to customize, and our own design adjustments are made!
Philip and I want to create a glove pattern with adjustable finger lengths. So, I added a slash line through the fingertips of all pieces where length can be lengthend or shortene. (BLUE LINE)

Close-Up of revised pattern for the glove body.

Big Improvement: All pieces for the finger insets and thumb, with grainlines, slash-marks, piece name, and seam allowance clearly labled.
*All these pieces are so small they fit onto an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper.

This fresh, new pattern, along with copies of the original instructions and envelope, are neatly packed in a clear plastic sleeve, and shipped post-haste back to Brooklyn for Philip to test out:

Philip will begin mocking up our new pattern, testing the fit and construction, and make notes of any changes or progress.

*VERY IMPORTANT: In case of an emergency, I photo-copied our "New" pattern to keep record of changes, or go back to if needed. When changing a pattern, it is very important to keep a "paper trail" of the progress, should you ever have to go back and start over.
Always plan for the "what if's"....

Yay!

And here's another pic of Babs and her gorgeous nails....just for fun:

um.....WOOOOOOORK!!!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Back to WOOORK!! - 1/31/11

2011-01-31T09:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not gonna lie to you kids. Daddy had a rough weekend. I lost my camera! That's gonna put a damper on my posting skills. It's alright though I'll be getting a new camera. So in order to prop me up-right on this most evil of weekdays I called in the only thing I knew that could help.

There they are, Miss Kay Kendall's epic eyebrows. It's funny I have the same outfit in Black.... no I don't. I said earlier I can lie to you guys. You do have to admit Orry-Kelly knocked it out of the park on the "Les Girls" costumes. Essence of WOOORK!!!

Philip - in Brooklyn

Paris Haute Couture - Ribbon Binding

2011-01-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

So I was browsing through the Paris Haute Couture shows for Spring 2011 and I came across Alexis Mabille's Collection. Overall it was very beautiful and I recommend check check checking it out!

One thing that stood out, to me at least was his use of binding on a couple of his looks. He may not have used Ribbon binding but you certainly could achieve the same look using that technique. That's why I'm gratuitously reposting our instructional video on applying a ribbon binding.

   Hope the rest of your French Fashion Week goes well!!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Quit Frontin'! - Public Enemy

2011-01-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen. I would like to proudly introduce... THE FRONT! (The crowd goes wild!) So I whipped up the front of Public Enemy and it ended up being easier then the back for some reason; not sure why. I blocked that fool and look at it, just look at it! Marvel in its majesty. I'll leave you with your thoughts.

More to come...

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!!! - 1/24/11

2011-01-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

So it's another Monday and that means... you guessed it WOOORK!! Now check this mug out. Imagine if this was where you worked. Bitch please! I would never leave! I would probably set up a bed under my desk a la George Costanza. Alphonse Mucha can crack the whip over me any day! PS - How hot would that runner on the bottom be as an embroidered silk wrap!?.... ooooh WOOORK!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

The Backside - Public Enemy

2011-01-21T09:32:00.000-08:00

Hey there Patterned History folks! I finished blocking the back of the sweater-vest I am lovingly calling Public Enemy. It looks awesome and came out perfectly on spec! I can't wait to knit the front and wear this little sucker out. I think it'll look amazing with a light colored shirt under it and a nice black sport jacket... maybe I'll bust out a tie for the full affect!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 1-17-11

2011-01-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

As you can tell by this photo from 1874 these two gals, they would refer to them as "roommates" back then, are getting ready to head off to their high pressure jobs in finance. You see Belinda, on the left, was just promoted to VP of Overseas Currency Exchanges; therefore she must look her best and exude an air of authority. On the other hand her "Lady Friend", Marjorie has been the head of acquisitions for 2 years now and is very established as a leader in her field. Now that you've ogled these fine females and imagined them in compromising situation... GET BACK TO WOOORK!!

Philip - Brooklyn

Public Enemy - Cable Swatch

2011-01-13T08:45:00.000-08:00

So I sat my happy ass down last night and did some cable swatching. So I ran 3 plys of Navy Merino Wool through the machine at tension dial #6. Looks pretty rad! The first couple cables look a bit bucked up but then I figured it out on the last 3 passes. In addition to using tension #6, I also used the switch on the ribber that makes "softer" purl stitches. The swatch is incredibly soft and lofty. I CANNOT wait to knit this sweater-vest and rock it on the daily! John Dillinger ain't got shit on me!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Inspiration is Everywhere!

2011-01-12T11:35:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

Here’s a little mid-week inspiration, courtesy of the San Francisco Ballet and the St. John’s store on Market Street.

(I snapped these pics with my blackberry, so my apologies for the quality)

Like a moth to a flame,

Like a fly to honey,

I was drawn in by the tractor beam of THIS:

Traditional tutu gown: Princess-cut white crushed velvet, with silver snowflake appliqués and sequins.

I wonder if St. John's has hidden cameras in front of the window?

Because the reaction of every woman walking by is priceless.
Just watch our eyes light up with awe and wonderment!
What's that sound?? Oh, that's my inner child squealing with delight, for a dress like this is what we all dream about, isn't it?

I was never a big fan of white crushed velvet, but suddenly I want yards and yards of it!!

Here's another bit of magical ballet goodness:

Just Amazing!!!
Liquid-y silver asymmetrical toga-style gown, with stunning strategic silver beading,
sequins, and rhinestones.
Moon wire headdress with pearls and silver beads.

Enjoy!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Always on My Mind - Public Enemy

2011-01-11T11:23:00.000-08:00

My Mind was wondering today so I started sketching a sweater I've been mulling over. Ever since I knitted Ryan his V-neck Sweater Vest I've been pining for my own. While watching "Public Enemies" I spied a Navy Blue sweater vest that looked like it had some fancy cabling going on. It was that instant love at first sight you feel in a fleeting glance just before it disappears. The man wearing it was a non speaking character so I can't find any pictures of it online. So I'll just have to go off of initial gut inspiration. The plan is to do a varigated cable on the front and back of a solild color Navy Sweater Vest. I think it will be super sophisticated. The rich Navy color will be very masculine and the cables will add a touch of soft texture.

I have a few pounds of Navy Merino Wool that I plan on trying out on this classy little number. It's fairly thin so I'm gonna try running it through the machine 4 plys; probably on tension setting 4 or 5 so it's not too stiff. Just for shits and giggles I think I'll try 3 plys Navy Merino and 1 ply Black Wool Mohair I have, just to see how it looks. Certainly more to come on him, Public Enemy.

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 1-10-11

2011-01-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to WOOORK!! I know it's tough to get back into the swing of things. I've actually found myself going through "Holiday Snack" Withdrawl. I've been found walking aimlessly around the office searching for cakes, cookies, candy.... ANYTHING sweet that may be left over. Like a crackhead I'd be muttering to myself out of sheer frustration. They say the first couple weeks are the worst. And if this doesn't work there is always the Methadone clinic so all is not lost. But to help me out I found my dear old friend Claudette Colbert's shoulder to cry on. Her only request, "Try your best not to get any tears on the Travis Banton gown." Something about being back on the set of "Cleopatra" or some such nonsense. Well I hope Ms. Colbert helps you through your work week as well.

Philip - In Brooklyn

VIDEO - How to Sew a Silk Ribbon Binding

2011-01-04T07:03:00.000-08:00

Hey there Patterned History Peeps! So today is very special... VERY VERY SPECIAL. For today is the launch of our first Video Blog Post! (Hold for applause). Today's video is about the Haute Couture technique of applying a silk ribbon binding to your sewing projects. This technique is AWESOME! You can use this technique anywhere on soft drapey fabrics. Works wonderful for sheers and solids. Recently I used this to edge a bridal veil and it gave it such a beautiful and crisp finished edge. The technique does take some time and might take a few rounds of practice but once you master it it will raise the level of your work to that of the French master. The best part is that you use narrow ribbons, 3/8"-1/4", and since you fold the ribbons in half your finished edge can be as narrow as 1/8". In my own sewing I will find any reason to use it.
Now please be kind this is my first try at shooting, editing and doing voice-overs. But I hope you find this video informative and inspiring. Let me know you’re thoughts. We would love to know more about our readers needs and interests.

Thanks for Watching!

Philip – In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 1-3-11

2011-01-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

The first Monday of the new year!!! But it's still time to get back to WOOORK!! Don't you worry though. The 2 time Oscar winner Miss Barbra Streisand is here to help! Decked out in her Friday night finest. Poor Carol she didn't see Barbra's chops gleaming in the night, salivating for her role... but on the bright side Irene Sharaff did I pretty awesome job once again. We all love a jewess ina fully beaded gown and hand made gloves. The very essence of WOOORK!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Corsets - Just Cuz

2010-12-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

Kathleen is the corset expert.. trust me.

She's got an encyclopedia's worth up in her noggin.

Me? I just think they's pretty.

Christina Hendricks looking like a romance novel cover.

A Victorian Corset

Corset Pattern from 1906

Detail of a corset from 1780 from the book 18th Century Fashion In Detail

The book Underwear: Fashion In Detail

The interior of a corset from 1878

Philip - In Brooklyn

More fun with flower-making...tiny cocktail hat: Part 1

2010-12-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Over the Christmas break, I broke into my ~~out-of-control~~ extensive collection of ribbon and went on a marathon of rosette-making, trying different trims and techniques.

I thought it would be really fun to create a lil' cocktail hat (of sorts) that is festooned in tiny ribbon roses.
Something I could wear when I have ~~drinks~~ lunch with The Ladies, ya know?

So.... I made a small headband-style frame out of wire with a pointed front:

Aluminum wire covered with scraps of printed black cotton. Heavyweight non-fusible interfacing is used to interline the point for smoothness and comfort. All edges are clean-finished and whipstitched closed along the back.

Yep, stays in place like a headband!

Then I started pinning all the various silver roses on it:

Mmmm-Hmmm!!!
This hat is intended to be worn with an updo.....think I might add a veil too!

More to come!!

-Kathleen

Fun with Xmas clearance ribbon...

2010-12-29T10:37:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all!
Hope everyone had a WONDERFUL Christmas holiday!

We have been hard at work creating and finishing beautiful projects to share with our readers.
While on the subjects of beautiful projects....isn't Philip's latest sweater (Seawolf) f'ing A-MaZING!?!?

It's not every day you find detailed blogs on MEN'S KNITTING, right?!
Ugh, so much WOOOORK-ness!!

Anyhoo, here are some lil' quickie fun projects I completed just in time to wear for Xmas: A couple of ribbon rosettes made from holiday ribbon I found for 60% off at Michael's a few weeks ago.

Big-ass Christmas rosette made with 2 different printed ribbons. Glitter stamen centers (found in the cake-making section @ Michael's) The leaves are 2 different colors of green organza ribbon for just the right sparkle 'n pop!

Another Christmas rosette, made with 2 different kinds of "peppermint twist" printed ribbon for that Willy Wonka effect, lol. The unusual pill-shaped stamen centers add to the weirdness. Leaves are pre-cut microsuede available by-the-yard at Stone Mountian & Daughter fabric store, in Berkeley, CA.

A under-view of the "Willy Wonka" rosette. Note the matching red clip. I was super-stoked to discover good quality painted metal clips at the beauty supply down the street...YAY!

-Kathleen, in Oakland

Seawolf - Finito!

2010-12-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

Hey there P.H. peeps! So the day has finally come Seawolf is FINISHED!!! I got distracted by projects that had due dates but that's forgivable. In order to finish my baby boy all I had to do was set in the sleeves. So I pinned those mugs in place and used the yarn tails and back stitched them in place stretching slightly after a few stitches to make sure the seam didn't tighten. Then I wove in all the loose ends and VOILA, a finished sweater!

CHECK IT!

Please forgive my appearance...

I was snowbound indoors that day so cut me some slack.

For your enjoyment I've included the video "Wicked Blood" by the band Seawolf.

One of my faves. Enjoy!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Sea Wolf - Ribbed for Everyone's Pleasure!

2010-12-27T12:42:00.000-08:00

The snow fell in record numbers last night. Almost 20" in some places! Hopefully this reaches the outside world before we run out of provisions. I'm sure it will, the internets is crazy magic. Since I have so much indoor time on my hands I thought this would prove to be the perfect opportunity to share with you the ribbed collar and pocket ribs I hooked up on Seawolf.

I learned from a video on machine knitting back in the day how to construct and finish a sweater. The nice lady recommended sewing on shoulder together then rehanging the neck line back on the machine so you can attach and knit the collar rib all at once. After the Neck rib is finished you can cast off the rib and seam the other shoulder and neck rib all at once. It's a great idea and works like a charm. The only thing I find tedious is casting off rib knit so I found another way to work it out. So my system is to hold the neck line up to the machine to see how many needles I will need to rib. But instead of hanging the sweater back onto the machine i just knit the rib as you would any other piece of the sweater.

When you reach the proper width you desire you just transfer all the needles onto the knitter and then hang the neckline onto the machine (purl side facing you). Then you crochet cast off and BOOYAH!

The ribbing is complete and sewed on all in one simple and easy step. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that when conventionally knitting you normally have your end stitches on the knitter, but since you are knitting so that you will be sewing right sides together you will need to have your end stitches on the ribber. On a crew neck or "U" shaped neck line you can knit the neck rib all in one piece. On other shapes such as V-Necks and Shawl Collars like mine you will need to knit in two pieces and seam at the shoulder.

For the ribbing on the pockets I did the same thing. I used the tails to sew the sides to the body in place. They turned out just right! Next up... Attaching the sleeves to the body!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 12-27-10

2010-12-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

For those of us who have to work this Monday I know that we'll need all the help we can get. Luckily we have Louise Brooks to help us out. And thankfully she came with reinforcements... her ensemble!! Now get back to WOOORK!!

Philip - In Brooklyn

I Wanna Wish You a Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T06:43:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Yall!

Go get some spiked nog and try not to punch your brother/sister too hard!

Here's hoping you have a good time!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Twas the Night Before the Night Before Christmas

2010-12-23T15:33:00.000-08:00

And not creature was stirring except the Arrow Shirt Collar Man, reading this classic Christmas tale so a few lucky kids. Obviously they aren't his kids. He's too stylish to be saddled with rugrats. So have a delicious cognac you deserve it.

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 12-20-10

2010-12-20T07:56:00.000-08:00

Well it's the Monday before Christmas but it's still time to get back to WOOORK!! And since Christmas in the air that means it's time for the endless commercials with lame gift ideas for that special lady in your life. All the ads that interrupt my stories remind me of one of my favorite "parfume" spots. Allow this to be the inspiration you'll need to wooork through those rough days before a long weekend.

Philip - In Brooklyn

Black Beauty - Just a Taste

2010-12-14T12:47:00.000-08:00

Hey there Patterned History Readers! I've been beading on Black Beauty off and on and I felt I should throw a picture up to tide you over for a little bit. I've been adding some beads to the bodice to mirror the beads trickling down the skirt. So far it's looking pretty rad. Let me know what you think.

Philip - In Brooklyn

Fun with Lurex

2010-12-13T16:21:00.000-08:00

Hey there Patterned History readers. Hope your weekend was the bee's knees. If not I hope who ever ruined your weekend gets what's coming to him. This weekend I did a bit of sewing and while I was sitting at the machine I decided to bust out some Lurex thread. I picked this thread up at a little trim store in the fashion district of NYC when I was out buying stuff for a project. The colors just spoke to me. Mostly saying "Sparkly sparkly.... buy us," and I couldn't help but obey them. In order to give the thread more body and make the sparkle more subtle I ran the lurex through the machine with one ply of standard black thread. When I ran these deco stitches that actually look a bit raised. It's very luxe... oh la la! Hopefully I'll find a use for these threads in a project soon!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! - 12-13-10

2010-12-13T06:19:00.000-08:00

Allow me to introduce Alla Nazimova. Being that it is Monday she'll be helping you get back to WOOORK!! This striking image of the silent film star from the 1923 release of "Salome" shows some serious use of pearls. Keep up the good work kiddo!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Mystery Solved!

2010-12-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

So I did some reading and Googled some film titles and figured out that this little gem is Lili Damita in the 1925 film "Red Heels". I need to check this little puppy out one day. Look at these faboo scenes below! Thanks for all the help guys!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Feast for the Eye

2010-12-09T12:21:00.000-08:00

Um.... Ok. So this picture, which I ran across on the internet, is AMAZING! The way she is posing... such grace and elegance. The cut of that dress is breathtaking. Now the only problem is I have no idea where this pitcure is from. It looks like it's a still from a movie, but which one?! And who is she? And furthermore, who made her gown?! I must know! If anyone has any information please alert the authorities!

Philip - in Brooklyn

Fashion 101: Madeline Vionnet Lecture at the DeYoung Museum, San Francisco

2010-12-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

"when a woman smiles, then her dress should smile too."

Hello Everyone!

A few weeks ago, I attended THIS amazing lecture on the Haute Couture creations of Madeline Vionnet:

http://www.centerforpatterndesign.com/pages/Vionnet%2C-The-Art-of-the-Cut.html

The lecturer has spent the past 30 YEARS intensively studying and teaching the techniques of Vionnet. She is also an instructor at The Center for Pattern Design in St. Helena, CA. It is a magical place that holds drool-worthy workshops on serious smarty-pants fashion stuff. For instance: Their next class is a 2-day extravaganza in January 2011 on draping the Dior Bar Jacket:

http://www.centerforpatterndesign.com/pages/Draping-the-Dior-Bar-Jacket.html

But I digress….

One can find many sites on the web devoted to Madeline Vionnet’s life and career, and many images of her creations that are timeless and iconic.

Madeline Vionnet, circa 1920, working on her 1/2 scale dress form. She did not sketch her creations. Instead, she worked in "3-D" by draping all designs in half scale, then grading up mathmatically to fit the actual human form.

BEFORE THEY ANNOUNCED "NO PICTURES!" I snapped THIS with my phone: Half-scale dresses draped and created the "Vionnet Way" from the Center for Pattern Design, on display at the Vionnet lecture.

Much like the Cubist art movement which coincided with her own success, Madeline Vionnet was seeing life and the human form on a whole other level, a new dimension in geometric form:

"Woman With Guitar" By Georges Braques, c. 1913

"Le Guitariste" By Pablo Picasso, c. 1910

*Le Sigh!* A Vionnet Chiffon Gown developed around the same time: 4 equal squares, cut on the straight grain and worn on the bias. Corners of the squares are joined at the top and draped from the shoulder. The delicate bias hugs the body beautifully and floats with movement. Dresses like this were usually finished off with a waist sash or tie to create definition. All edges are rolled and finished by hand.

The lecture was a cool 10 bucks to get in, and worth every penny. It focused mainly on her principles of design rather than her personal life and timeline.

Here is a little re-cap of the notes I took at the lecture.
(with LOTS of amazing pictures added in!)

“The cut is all”

Madeleine Vionnet practiced 6 principles of elegant cutting:

1. Cut Geometrically (circle, square, rectangle)

2. Weight creates fit and form

3. Any part can extend into twist, ties, folds or loops.

4.     Design should integrate the closure (simple, but never plain)
5.     Decorative details create silhouette, fit & finish
6.     Use insets for specific shaping

c. 1914

c. early 1920's

More Teens-20's Fabulousness.
Vionnet was often inspired by the geometry of early Grecian style.

Vionnet’s work is nothing short of genius.

When it comes down to it, she was a fabric mathematician, solving formulas to shape and fit that people are still trying to understand.

"I have tried all my life to be a physician of the figure. I wanted to impose on my clients a respect for their bodies, the habit of exercise and the practice of strict hygiene which would rid them forever of those artificial armors that deformed them".

c. 1931 Vogue Magazine (and personally one of my favorite images EVER!) Note the absolute
unrestricted fit. A precision-perfect cut & drape gives this creation its ethereal float, and grace.

More early 30's jaw-dropping fabulousness. Again, note the ease of movement and drape.
This is "Less is More" at its finest!

Recently, I learned that she hated being labeled as or referred to as a Designer. She chewed up that word and spit it out! Technician or Dressmaker were titles she preferred.

Couture Lablel for the House of Vionnet

The House of Vionnet was one of the most important fashion houses of the 1920s & 30’s. Approx. 1200 seamstresses were employed at once, and Vionnet was the 1^st to create a ready-to-wear clothing from haute couture.

A Vionnet creation from the 1920's

Court Dress, c. 1938

She fought for copyright laws in fashion, and ran a progressive (revolutionary) workplace for the time, offering paid holidays, maternity leave, day care, dental and health benefits…even a gym!

"Blithe Spirit" c. 1938 (Metropolitian Museum of Art, NYC)

Gorgeous Gold Lame' creations, c. 1930's

The onset of WW2 and the eventual heavy influence of structured, uniform fashion contributed to her (early) retirement from the industry.

She went on record admitting that she could not and would not change her style and methods of dress design, and therefore believed that her time, her era, was done.

Dress: 1938, Silk Tulle, Panne' Velvet & horsehair, with silver Lame' underdress and Lesage embroidery.

On August 2, 1939, Madeline Vionnet showed her “Farewell Collection” and closed her house that same year, on the eve of war between France and Germany.

Vionnet continued to mentor other designers until her death in 1975.

The Master Technician herself, in her Paris flat, c. 1970's

-Make it simple

-Make sure everything is integrated (function ,cut, behavior)

-Balance is #1

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Seawolf - Front

2010-12-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. Seawolf is coming along nicely. Finished kitting the front. I designed the sweater to have a kangaroo pocket on the inside, hidden if you will. I wanted to knit this in a way that had as little sewing as possible. Here is a quick run down of how it went.

1) Knitted the bottom rib

2) Using waste yarn marked the center needles where the pocket will be placed

3) Knit to the bottom of the pocket opening

4) Put sides on hold and knit center stitches and decreased as pattern shows for pocket

5) When pocket is finished cast off top onto waste yarn. Remove from machine and let hang to the knit side
6) Rehang the marked purls back onto the machine knit to bottom of pocket opening
7) take sides off hold and continue to knit to the top of pocket
8) Transfer center needles onto the ribber to move them out of the way
9) Rehang the top of the pocket onto the machine making sure no stitches get dropped and unravel waste yarn cast off
10) Transfer needles from ribber back onto knitter and continue knitting

I continued kitting up to the bottom of the armhole, marked those and decreased for the shaping. I designed this so it had an area of purl stitched surrounding the neck to give it some stitch texture. This was easy to do since I followed my pattern grid and just transferred the stitches to my ribber. I had to do some partial knitting and some decreasing the shape the neck and the shoulder slope. After all that it turned out pretty nice. Notice the pink yarn? It is waste yarn that I knit the shoulders onto so I can "graft" the shoulder seam together. Grafting is simply a way of attaching shoulder seams seamlessly.

I hope you enjoy the pictures of my progress. More to come soon!

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 12-6-10

2010-12-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

Well hey there beautiful Patterned History readers! Yes another weekend has passed us by and it is time to get back to WOOORK! Imagine if this was your work uniform... so quit bitchin about your hangover.

Philip - In Brooklyn

It May Be Cold Outside...

2010-12-02T07:53:00.000-08:00

... but these vintage illustrations are broiling hot! In the first episode of the 4th season of "Mad Men" featured Jantzen coming to get some ad magic from Little Donnie Draper. But as we all know they passed on his work and returned to they're old stand by campaigns. With illustrations like these why WOULDN'T you!? Which reminds me I am no where near ready for 2 piece Resort Wear!

Here is some actual Jantzen ads from the late 50s.

Thanks to Tom and Lorenzo for finding and posting them.

Philip - Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 11-29-10

2010-11-28T21:50:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all!

Just another Monday posting of fabulousness to get you through your WOOORK week!
It's cold out there. Don't forget what a wonderful opportunity this is to don your gay apparel, such as the dashing hat and gloves modeled by our good friend Jean Harlow below.
Enjoy!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

Google Search "Merry Widow"

2010-11-26T10:35:00.000-08:00

Google image searched "Merry Widow" here is some of the results.

Um.... OK! Work it out Australian Ballet

Just having a ball and laughing in my foundation garment.

Dorothy Francis 1921

Merry Widow Hat circa 1909

Indeed

Philip - In Brooklyn

Happy Thanksgivin's!

2010-11-25T17:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgivin's Patterned History Readers!

Sorry this comes a bit late in the day but guess who got stuck with cooking duty. That's right, I did. But it's ok. I kind of enjoy being a host. People get to make Donna Reed comparisons and that is NEVER bad.

I hope everyone ate more than they should have and said some snide comments to their least favorite family member. My gift to you on this day of thanks is the J.C. Leyendecker painting commemorating Thanksgiving 1928. I don't know much about this painting since I'm too full to research it further. The couch is where I am and also where I'll stay for the rest of the night. But hey, the footballer is easy on the eyes so it's got that going for it.

Philip - In Brooklyn

Seawolf - Sleeve Y'all

2010-11-23T06:59:00.000-08:00

So this little puppy is finally getting some love again. I broke out the knitting machine and whipped myself up some sleeves. First i had to finesse my pattern a bit and work it out on a grid. I decided to knit it with a cable design going down the sleeve. I used my Hand Manipulated Stitches For Machine Knitters book that I purchased earlier this year and found a beautiful opposing rope cable.

I patterned my sleeve out on a knitters grid in order to mark out all my increases and cable crosses in order to make sure no row counting got messed up. That happens a lot and cables must I say MUST be placed the same amount of rows apart. No one wants wonky cables. Unless you're into that sort of thing, but I'm certain that's exactly the sort of thing that would get you into hot water with one, Mr. Joe McCarthy.

Don't worry fellow knitters. I plan on doing a post on machine knitting cables, please stayed tuned.

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 11-22-10

2010-11-22T06:13:00.000-08:00

Well it's time to get back to WOOORK! This edition is featuring none other than Miss Millie Dilmount. Julie Andrews, in "Thoroughly Modern Millie", portrayed a young "modern" in 1920s New York City. Millie is looking for love, types 40 words per minute and excels in singing catchy bad ass musical numbers. Also while all this is going on she rocks a Jean Louis ensemble that really delivers. No I mean REALLY delivers! This is one of those "Punch a Bitch in the Face" kind of looks that leaves your jaw smartin' for days! Little known fact is that Miss Dilmount, in the opening sequence of this movie, is the original inspiration for the term "WOOORK!"

Philip - In Brooklyn

Taking a Moment, Bob Mackie and His Pal Cher

2010-11-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

Ok peeps I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Bobby Mack. We're pals so he lets me call him Bobby Mack. And we all know that Bob and Cher are, as a busted New Jersey Housewife once said, "as thick as thieves". Although I think she was talking about how she liked her gravy at that moment. Those two kids are always hangin out, doing each other's nails, talking about boys and most of all playing dress up. Well you know who benefits from all of that dress up time? I DO! I mean, WE do. Come on... this shit speaks for itself!

Bob's buddy Cher in "Vanity Fair" this past month.

The dude to her left is prolly creamin his panties!

Cher "Turning Back Time" at the VMAs 2010.

Singing "Take Me Home"... I wanna take that ensemble home.

I've got a baby shower coming up with nothing to wear!

Cher in Bob's "understated look"

             On a serious note, I did get the rare honor to meet Mr. Mackie. I was in design school in L.A. in 2001 and called his costume shop in order to see if they could ID some sketches he may have illustrated. The gentleman on the other line was more than happy to invite me down to the shop so he could tell me if Bob drew them. I asked if he was that familiar with Mackie's work and career, and he said "Of course! I AM Bob!" I was floored! So we spoke for a bit more and coordinated a time for me to stop by and before I hung up he told me in passing to bring my portfolio too. I mean REALLY! The Raja of Rhinestones was gonna take time out of his day to just shoot the breeze with a 19 year old kid and look over his college level portfolio!?
              When I showed up I asked to see Bob, he met me out front where he quickly IDed the sketches as being his work and then he invited me to take a tour of his facility, lead by him, Bob Mackie. Who does that!?
              He showed me his work table where he still sketches in Prismacolors and behind him were all the Barbie (registered trademark of the Mattel corporation) patterns. So at this point I felt like I was on some sort of Acid trip gone awry. This can't be real, but it kept on going. He showed the room where the little ladies were beading a gown.  Then we walked past a magenta fox fur cocoon coat on a dress form and he stopped to show me the narrow strip of beading inserted between the pelts. He said "You can't even see it, but I'm a masochist." SO CHARMING!
              After the tour we sat at his work table where he went through my portfolio. He was very complimentary of my sketches and ideas. Even is he was patronizing me I didn't care. My idol was looking at me book!
              I will never forget that meeting and it fuels my inspiration and attitude toward the fashion industry to this VERY day. He's at the top of his fashion career and he is still nice and personable. He's not hiding behind dark sunglasses and a fan with a sour look on his face barking orders. He's smiling at his coworkers and sitting at his desk doing his own illustrations. That dude is my hero! So much so I had to make it known by hand sequinning a t-shirt. Which I rock as often as I can! Mad props to Mr. Mackie!

Philip - In Brooklyn

THIS JUST IN! Mulligan Cast in Luhrmann's Gatsby

2010-11-17T07:48:00.000-08:00

           The Oscar nominated actress of "The Education" was on the red carpet last night for the CFDA's when she received a phone call. On the other end was the director of "Moulin Rouge" Baz Luhrmann. He said "Hello, Daisy Buchanan".
            This was his slick little way of signaling to Carey Mulligan that she had in fact won the role in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 classic novel "The Great Gatsby". The film is set to be released in 2012 by Columbia Pictures. Already cast is Leonardo DiCaprio, as Jay Gatbsy and Toby Maguire, as Nick Carraway.
            Personally... I'm pretty stoked for this.

Mulligan Photographed During her Audition

Philip - In Brooklyn

Back to WOOORK!! 11-14-10

2010-11-15T08:38:00.000-08:00

It's Monday again and it's time to get back to WOOORK! Today's installment is brought to you by Schiaparelli, the makers of "Shocking Pink". Elsa Schiaparelli was brought in to design the gowns for Miss Zsa Zsa Gabor for the 1952 MGM film "Moulin Rouge". There's nothing better than a sassy Hungarian in some French haute couture to stoke the fires.

Philip - In Brooklyn