September Newsblog

Hi Everyone,

Well, summer seems to have returned - really beautiful here in the centre of England, warm and clear blue sky....from the studio I have the most amazing view with hardly a building in sight, and count myself lucky to have such a great place to work!

So firstly, let me tell you, if you didn't know already, about MacCulloch and Wallis, a small shop in the heart of London's West End which I see as a remnant of times when local wealthy ladies could go and buy a couple of yards of silk, and run up a little dress for a weekend in the country! And I mean that in the most affectionate way, as this shop is really a gem, and the website is beautiful.

The great thing about this shop, which to my knowledge has always been in the same location right near to Oxford Street and Hanover Square (home of Vogue magazine), is that you can get fabrics and equipment there which seem to very hard to get elsewhere. O.K., online is now the place to go for many things, but unless you know exactly what you want, it's a bit of a risk. (Saying that I recently bought 4metres of habotai silk lining for about £4 a metre, and the delivery was free from China! But that was an example of knowing exactly what I wanted, and not having to match a colour).

M & C have a fantastic range of French and Italian wools, cottons and silks, which, although not cheap are lovely, and you don't have to trail around looking at dozens of different shops elsewhere in hope. The quality is amazing, and they are the kind of fabrics you fall in love with. The French embroidered laces and the Broderies Anglaise along with countless other fabrics are sumptuous! Want, want, want...
They also have, to my amazement, tracing wheels which are the same design as mine which I bought about 30 years ago. I still think it's the best I've seen or used, the handle is made of wood and is cheaper than Morplan's plastic version...


I reckon I should get a gift voucher for all that free advertising!

Please note that I am still doing my special offer for new students - 6 classes for the price of 5, so it would be £150 instead of £180 for 6 x 2hr classes. It is one to one tuition, so you will learn and achieve a lot in each lesson, and you can come as often or as occasionally as you like. The classes do not have to be in a set block of weeks, just come when you like or when you are able.
Pattern paper, tea and coffee are included in the price!

 So, happy pattern cutting/sewing and speak to you soon!

Bobbie

In the studio

View from the sewing machine

August Already

Hello Atelier Classes students - past, present and future....

Well, it's great to have new students coming along - and so far, the only reason for anyone stopping classes has been work commitments. People mostly have to work harder, longer and with more responsibility these days. (Someone I met yesterday seems to regularly works a twelve hour day...and that's for an employer, not a self employed person).
 Some of my students are high achieving women (and yes it is all women!), and my theory is that people of that ilk are the kind of people who want to try learning another skill to broaden their 'education'. But sometimes life gets in the way...
There's something wrong somewhere - I could bang on about a lot of things related to this subject (!) but this is a pattern cutting/sewing/fashion/ blog, so I will stick to that here!
Have been studying again one of my favourite books - Pattern Magic, the book by the Japanese woman Tomoko Nakamichi, which is one of a pair (vols. 1 and 2), of amazing sculptural garment shapes developed by her as part of her research into patternmaking for herself and her students at the Bunka Fashion College in Japan. The shapes in here are so inspirational, and with a bit of time and experimentation could be adapted to suit any idea you could have. I have used some of the techniques as part of my teaching at universities, and even if a student never actually uses those techniques again, I hope that the unexpected, outlandish shapes made with fabric as shown in these books could set the design process going in another direction.
That is the job of a teacher, in my view - that of jump starting the thought processes in a student,  not so as to slavishly follow instruction, but to enable the learning of skills and ways of thinking and using ideas so that the student can launch themselves into the ocean of creativity. 
Well that all sounds a bit idealistic, but then, you have to have an 'ideal world scenario' that you hopefully work towards!

******************

An interesting variation on the way I normally work suggested by a new customer/student: 

What started off as a commission for an Audrey Hepburn inspired design and make job - a dress and jacket - has transmuted into a combination of a commission and classes. I will do the design for an agreed fee, and then my customer/student will be a kind of student apprentice while I pattern cut the design, and we then make between us, as the person in question has a lot of sewing experience.

So, designs on the go now, and we'll see how it all works out.

Speak soon!

Bobbie

Hello People in the the Atelier world!

You may wonder what this is (above).......

well, it's how one of my students returned some pins to me, which had been in  a toile which she had taken home to work on.

I was taken aback and happily surprised to have this miniature pin sculpture.....taken aback, as people don't normally return pins, well, not this amount anyway, so I was impressed by the fact of them being returned at all, and happily surprised and in wonderment at the form in which they had been returned! A beautiful small sculpture of pins and fabric. 

Amazing how something as seemingly simple and functional as this, can be such a surprise, and inspiring. I guess because it's so unexpected - if you had some pins you wanted to return, how would you do it? Put them in a very small box? (Hard to find on demand). Stick them into a piece of fabric all at once in a bunch? (Nice and quick and easy). Or place each one exactly parallel to the other, very close together thus forming a lovely raised area that looks like piping, making the whole thing a rather beautiful object in itself?

If anyone reads this, and has any other interesting ideas for pin (or needle) sculptures or fabric manipulations, please email me or comment below. 

Well....I found it inspiring anyway!! Do I need to get out more?!

On another note - it's university/college show time now, Northampton's tomorrow, and I shall be there to see how it all looks on the catwalk. Presentation isn't everything but it sure makes the work more desirable and therefore sellable, if it has been carefully preened and primped to it's best possible state. If presentation is careless, it doesn't say much about the value of the work to a prospective customer.

For the Atelier classes, I am still offering the 6 lessons for the price of 5 deal to NEW students, so if you are within travelable distance of me (near Banbury in Oxfordshire, UK), you may like to take advantage of this: normal price of 6 x 2hr lessons would be £180, but the special offer reduces this to £150, so in effect, you get one 2hr lesson free of charge! Call 07941 619992

For people who live further afield, (or even if you don't!), I am also offering longer pattern cutting / garment making, one to one workshop days by arrangement, which means that you could come for a whole day, (which would run from 10am - 4pm), with lunch, and drinks included for £150.

The exact choice of subject is yours, but you could for example:

• Learn the basics of pattern cutting, and how to make a block (template pattern) that fits your body shape, (beginners), 
• Make a finished pattern from a chosen design, which you can then use to make a garment at home, (intermediates),
• Learn practically any sewn technique - trapunto, quilting, applique´, reverse applique´, hand rolled hems, tucking, making flowers, bows, free machine embroidery, in fact most techniques you can think of,  and use this in the making of a small accessory - scarf/hat/bag/wrap.
• Learn some Couture Techniques: You may have always wondered how to set in a sleeve perfectly, make things lie flat that are supposed to lie flat (!), stop darts having annoying points, make a perfect welt pocket, and most other sewing and pressing techniques that make your garments look really professional.   

As these workshops are one to one, the workshop day would be designed especially for you as regards content, and by arrangement as regards day and time.

If you've ever had a burning desire to learn something specific in the pattern cutting or garment making line, I can almost certainly help. This is a couture lesson service!

For information about me and my previous work and experience, please look at the home page of my Atelier website: www.bobbiesroom.co.uk, and either email me through the site, or phone: 07941 619992

I am in the heart of the beautiful countryside of Oxfordshire, as you can see! 

Bobbie 

View from the studio window

Monet-like fields across the river

View from the kitchen window

That's me!

MAY NEWSBLOG-it's a Grace Kelly thing

Hello Everyone,

Well, it has been crazily busy around here.... I have to admit that my Atelier wedding and event dress business, and the Atelier pattern cutting and sewing classes are not the only things I do, and everything seems to have been happening at once lately! Must be the time of year....

And at the time of it happening, I never did get round to commenting on 'the dress', (Royal wedding, in case you've been living in another dimension),which was very remiss of me, a situation I will now try and rectify. 
I did think it was lovely, totally fitting to the occasion, suitably luxurious, generous in it's use of fabric of course, and great to hear of the use of British made lace - specially commissioned for the occasion. I am a bit of a lace girl - it's one of those very feminine fabrics which always looks grown up, and never looks 'little girly'. And I do have a thing about long lace sleeves - see the photo of the maroon lace dress I made on the gallery page of the main Atelier website: www.bobbiesroom.co.uk
I also loved the Grace Kelly, 1950's feel of it - the deep inverted pleats, lace, quite a covered up demure look. Royalty kept it's dignity that day. Also, by the by, I loved the trees in Westminster Abbey, and the mosaic floor of the nave - never has it probably been seen in so much detail before!
O.K. I digress....back to Atelier.... my students continue to slowly increase in number, and they seem to be happy! Teaching one to one is satisfying, as you can really get down to details, give little tips as you go along, and work at the pace that each person finds best. One of my current students very kindly said this, when I asked if she minded writing a line or two about how she found the classes: 

'My lessons in pattern cutting are a joy to attend.  I wanted to start by making my own personal block pattern which Bobbie was more than happy to do.  It involved lots of measuring!  Bobbie has an extensive knowledge of her subject and her enthusiasm for it is contagious...  She makes the learning process fun and we quickly produced a perfect fit!'
 
I was touched! And we do have fun - just because we are doing something a little bit technical, doesn't mean that it all has to be deadly serious - concentration is needed for sure, but the patternmaking process (after initial blocks are made), is very creative, and the best thing is that you have control over what you wear, instead of being at the mercy of clothing manufacturers.
Speak soon!

Bobbie

April Newsblog

Hi Everyone,

Well, it's been interestingly busy here in the depths of the burgeoning Oxfordshire countryside...
Both the Atelier classes, and Atelier wedding and event dresses are going pretty well. As this is the blog for the classes, I'll tell you what's new for that. If you want to hear the latest on the wedding dress front, please go to the blog on the Atelier website:www.bobbiesroom.co.uk

One of my new students comes quite a distance for her class, so I'm assuming that there aren't too many of these kind of classes in the wider area surrounding Banbury and Oxford.This is good news for me of course, and tells me that there must be a growing interest in being able to make patterns for, and sew clothes which are unique and importantly, actually fit properly! My theory on this is that, as a result of the trend towards acceptance of a more natural body shape, and away from idealised 'model' proportions, people need to have clothes that aren't necessarily a standard size 10,12,14 or 16. Added to this, factors such as not having 'standard' length arms, or 'normal' rib width, or back proportions, the desire to make a pattern and clothes that reflect one's body shape is an attractive idea.

My other theory about this is that in the 'mass produced' world  in which we live , the desire to be more of an individual becomes stronger, and not being able to buy clothes which express our individuality in the high street shops, we turn to making them ourselves...and if we can't find the fabrics we want, we recycle - but that's another whole discussion!

O.K., enough theorising already..... but there's just one other interesting thing I'd like to tell you:
Two of my Atelier class students have said independently, that one of the reasons that they like the classes, is that they are able to talk about  pattern making, sewing and clothes, with a like minded person who has a bit of a passion for those things, i.e. myself. We talk about how clothes make you feel, fit, the effects of colour, fabrics, and the detail of all these things. I am also very interested in people's history of sewing and their interest in fashion - the why's and how's....
I seem to have inadvertently built up a collection of vintage clothes, and so, in our conversations, I often show what I am talking about by referring to something hanging on the rail in the studio for explanation.

We  do also  do some pattern making and sewing!

And the very last thing, (this month's little bonus) - if anyone reading this introduces someone to me who becomes a wedding or event dress customer, I am offering a 20% discount on a set of 5 two hour Atelier lessons, so that instead of £150 for 5, (£30 per lesson), the price would be £120, a £30 discount....pattern paper, tea and coffee included.

Don't forget that anyone is more than welcome to come for 'pay as you go' lessons, 1 hour (£15), or 2 hours (£30) classes, and I encourage men, women, old, young, beginners or advanced students. Just email me for more details.

Speak soon!

Bobbie

Spring newsblog for Atelier Classes

Hello everyone,

Here's the Spring newsblog for my Atelier classes.

We're through the worst of the winter now, and everything seems easier and the light is fresher and cleaner if you know what I mean! So I hope it's an inspirational time of year for you creative people out there, and that you'll be imagining the fabulous things you can make to wear.

The Atelier classes which I run here at my home studio in deepest Oxfordshire (see photos on previous blog), can enable anyone to achieve their sewing or pattern making aspirations, from the humblest desire to do a simple repair or to take up the hem of a dress, to making a whole set of personal blocks (as one of my students is currently doing), so that the pattern for any design can be made from a drawing or photo, and plus, it will fit you perfectly.

Here are some testimonials from my students:
'Bobbie is very skilled and experienced with a comprehensive knowledge of sewing techniques, also very helpful, friendly and extremely patient'.

Bobbie's sewing classes are inspirational - she combines sound teaching coupled with skills based on her own years of experience and knowledge within the fashion/clothing/textile industry. Bobbie makes it possible for the learner to develop confidently at their own pace,with the end result of a beautiful garment'.

For those that haven't come across the term 'block', this is a basic card template pattern, from which patterns for other designs can be made. These can either be in a standard size (10, 12, 14 etc), or as mentioned before, can be made to your own personal measurements.

So the possibilities are endless (or should be!), and you can create as simple or intricate a design as you can imagine.

That's quite advanced stuff though, and these one to one classes aim to cater for absolutely anyone - young, old, male, female, experienced or total beginners, so contact me on 07941 619992, through the website www.bobbiesroom.co.uk or email at sewing@bobbiesroom.co.uk for details, even if you only want to learn how to sew on a button!

And, I can also teach you hand sewing techniques or how to use a sewing machine, if that's the obstacle to your creative process...

A little extra - please have a look at this fabulous blog run by three women, which is a total mine of information for anything to do with sewing, and where to buy/see myriad sewing/fashion related items. As I mentioned on my facebook page a while ago, one of the things I found the most fascinating, was a video of the women working in the Chanel atelier in Paris. The concentration and attention to detail - that's what makes a couture piece. Inspirational...here's the link: http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/category/couture-sewing/

Speak soon!

Bobbie

Gloomy February? Not at all.....

February NEWSBLOG

 

 The studio

 Bottom of the studio steps

 Another view of the studio

Hello Atelier Class students!

A new monthly NEWSBLOG to let you know what's gong on at ATELIER -  news about the sewing and pattern cutting classes mostly, plus goings on at my wedding dress business, and the parallel 50/50 recycled and new fabrics wedding and event dress business called ecoEureko, and as many other things fashion and clothing related that I have time to tell you about.......

This is a new thing I am starting up - an online newsletter, to let you know that the grey February gloom doesn't necessarily mean that things are gloomy!

In fact, I have a little present for new students in the shape of 2 free hour long classes.

Most people find that a two hour class is a good length of time, but you are welcome to come for hour long classes - whatever suits your schedule and budget.
 So, for this 'one time' offer, if you pay in advance for 5 two hour  lessons,  (10 hours), you can have an extra lesson (2 hours) free, if you make an advance booking. This works out at £150 for the 6 two hour classes, instead of £180.

Of course, the 'pay as you come' classes are exactly the same as before, £15 per hour, £30 for a two hour class, with pattern paper, basic sewing threads and tea and coffee inclusive.

In case you have a friend or relation who may be interested, this is just to remind them that all you need at first are:  fabric scissors, dressmaking pins and an unpicker. Ask them to ring or email me (go to the contact page) for more information.
And one last thing on that front - don't forget that I welcome students of all kinds, old, young, very experienced or total beginners - everyone has a different way of working and learning, and I love to discover the best way for each individual.  Please see the home page of my Atelier website for a bit of my personal and work history.

So, as a bit of a shortcut to latest developments for me, please see my blog on the Atelier wedding dress website: http://atelier.blog.bobbiesroom.co.uk and why not join me on Facebook (if you do that sort of thing?!) I put regular info and posts up there connected to fashion, art and music.

Lastly, please don't forget to check out our (myself and collaborator Rachel David's) ecoEureko website for bespoke wedding and event dresses, (designed and made from at least 50% recycled fabric with new fabrics), which is still under construction, but quite viewable unless I'm working on it, in which case, try a little later.

Please be a follower of this blog, (if you have any of the accounts that let you do that), by clicking on the link at the top right of the page, and please add a comment at the end of this blog, if you have a little time to spare.

Bobbie