Vogue Patterns Magazine February/March 2014 Sampler

THE ULTIMATE SEWING MAGAZINE

Spring Color Forecast!

NEW DESIGNER STYLES

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

FREE PATTERN OFFER

SEE PAGE 93 FOR DETAILS

Donna Karan Ralph Rucci Anne Klein Tracy Reese Pamella Roland Rebecca Taylor

THE ART OF FASHION VOGUEPATTERNS.COM

SAMPLER

Contents Vogue Patterns Magazine February/March 2014

FEATURES

16 PaintWork Learn how to use your sewing machine to paint artistic elements on your garments with the new PaintWork tool from Bernina.

by Kathryn Brenne

18 Drawing On Fabric Discover how to give your garments a personal touch with fabric markers. Easy techniques and inspirational ideas make fashioning your own fabric fun.

by Diane Ericson

24 A Top With Texture A lesson on how to create your own basket-woven fabric to transform a T-shirt into something extraordinary.

by Sandra Betzina

28 Makeover Magic How to transform a simple blouse into a formal tuxedo shirt.

by David Page Coffin

66 Novel Nets Creative ways to interpret one of the newest looks on spring runways—fishnet fabrics.

by Gillian Conahan

70 The Art of Fashion A visit with Koos van den Akker, the Dutch Master, who tells us how he creates his one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

by Kathy Marrone

ON THE COVER V8946, Misses’ 8-24. Polyester/spandex jersey from Myletex International, Inc. Necklace and bracelet: Zenzii.

Hair and makeup by Joseph Boggess.

2 VOGUE PATTERNS

39

FASHION

FASHION REPORTS

36 Designs For Spring

62 Accessory Forecast

From the runway to your workroom, a fabulous collection of top-name designer fashions.

The outlook for spring is hot and tropical with shoes, bags, belts and jewelry infused with bright pops of color.

46 Mix and Match!

Five pieces in one pattern stretch your wardrobe options, not your wallet.

50 Bright Ideas The fashion forecast is hot with pink, orange and red on the horizon. Days will cool down with refreshing shades of purple, blue and aqua.

74 Chic Easy Pieces Easy, breezy tops in relaxed fabrics that will keep you looking fabulous on your day off.

78 Wardrobe Essentials Katherine Tilton shows you how to dress casually and comfortably and still look chic.

84 The Vogue Man Suits, vests, and carry-all bags keep him looking debonair at work and on the weekend.

64 On The Runway The Hole Story. From New York to Paris, one of the newest looks to come down the catwalks was ďŹ shnet, mesh, and laser-cut geometric fabrics.

IN EVERY ISSUE

5 Editor’s Letter 6 What Are You Sewing?

10 Must-Haves 13 Web Watch 14 Star Blogger RESOUCRES

90 Guide to Pattern and Fabric Requirements 94 Body Measurement Charts 96 Fabric and Accessory Guide

51 29

75 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 3

EARRINGS AND RING: ANNE KOPLIK

RUNWAY INSPIRED

Novel Nets Sew a Raglan Top in Sweater Net for a Sporty Statement, or Weave Into Your Nets for More Coverage and a Touch of Luxury

By Gillian Conahan

To create this relaxed look, we sewed a raglansleeve top (Vogue Pattern 8952, view A) in soft polyester “sweater fish net”. We added bands of sheer knit in a matching shade at the neck and wrists for stability and a tidy finish, and cut the back hem in a downward curve (following view C). The flexible net allowed us to ease the darts in the sleeve cap instead of sewing them; simply gather the net with hand basting and secure to the neckband. Since the netting doesn’t fray, we left the hem raw for the best drape.

CHOOSING YOUR NET FABRIC

Be careful of the scale when choosing your netting, especially when buying online. Nettings that are too small will be time-consuming to weave with, and large cargo or sports nettings may be too bulky and stiff for garment use.

Fishnet fabric is sometimes available in dance or swimwear sections, and specialty sources such as Spandex House and Spandex World stock large net fabrics in a variety of colors. Nylon/ spandex “big hole fishnet” and polyester “cabaret netting,” both of which have openings ⅜"–½" (1–1.3cm) across, are a good size for these projects. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, try looking around the house for alternative materials.

See page 14 for one idea.

WORKING WITH NETTING

Once you’ve settled on your fabric, buy a little bit extra so you can experiment before committing to your final design. If you plan to use a backing fabric, try stitching scraps of your net and backing together to see how they behave. If your net is very soft and stretchy, or if it will be heavily embellished, you may need to tack it in place to prevent sagging. It’s a good idea to practice stitching on your netting as well to make sure you’re happy with the results. All of our nettings were dense enough to sew without special tricks, but be aware that net with very large openings may be difficult for your sewing machine to grip.

Try sewing with tissue paper above and below your netting if it’s getting snagged or not feeding properly. Strips of organza or another sheer woven or knit fabric may be helpful if you need a little more stability in your seams.

V8952 66 VOGUE PATTERNS

RUNWAY INSPIRED Mesh fabrics can be used alone or interwoven with other materials for even more design opportunities.

Try bias strips of spectacular fabrics like the shantung, charmeuse, and Liberty cotton shown below, or use a few strands of fluffy yarn twisted together to make a stylish faux bouclé. Ribbon is an easy way to create a range of looks, and weaving in different directions can produce a variety of patterns with the net. Leave a few rows open for a flirtatious sheer accent.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 67

MASTER INSTRUCTION

The Art of Fashion One-Of-A-Kind Designs from The Dutch Master, Koos van den Akker

BY KATHY MARRONE

W

hen we arrived at Koos van den Akker's West 35th Street studio at 9:00 a.m., the place was humming with activity. Van den Akker had already been there for three hours. In the main workroom, six members of his staff were quietly cutting and sewing fabric under his guidance as he greeted us and brought us to his personal work space in the next room. Immediately we were struck by the creative chaos.

One wall was filled with personal photos, mementos, posters, and art, with a fully dressed mannequin standing guard. The opposite wall housed overflowing bookshelves for its entire length. A full-size cutting table in the center of the room was piled high with fabrics, trims and sample books. In the back corner was a rack of garments waiting to make its way to his shop on Madison Avenue. It was at once overwhelming and fascinating. Then van den Akker cleared off some chairs and we sat down to chat.

THE INSPIRATION

The reason for our visit was to learn more about a coat van den Akker had sent to our offices a few months earlier. It was an alternate view of his coat pattern V1377, featured in the

70 VOGUE PATTERNS

last issue of Vogue Patterns. Unlike most of today's top name designers, all of van den Akker's garments are one-of-a-kind masterpieces—nothing is mass-produced and no two pieces are alike—created in his NYC studio, pulling from his piles of materials and piecing them together with an artistic eye, much like a painter. Van den Akker has always advocated that sewers not follow his patterns exactly, but only use them as a guide to let their creativity flow. Make them in whatever fabrics and embellishments they like—or have on hand—to create their own one-of-a-kind pieces. And so, he had sent the alternate version of his coat to show how the same design could look made-up in different materials; a lightweight silk spring version compared to the original winter wool. Because van den Akker's signature look is piecing and collage work, we didn’t immediately see that the coat was made from men's ties. Not a new concept, you say? True. But what was different was that they weren't recognizable as ties until you took a closer look. We were intrigued. We wanted to know where the ties came from. Some looked vintage. Others featured maps of London and Paris and we imag-

Opposite page: Van den Akker talking animatedly at his sewing machine; a hanger full of ties waiting to be blended into one of his designs. This page: The silk coat made of ties, V1377, modiďŹ ed. Gloves: Carolina Amato, Shoes: Jessica Simpson Collection.

V1377

CREATIVE MASTER INSTRUCTION EXPRESSION

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 71

From the runway to your workroom, a fabulous collection of topname designer fashions.

36

HAIR AND MAKEUP: JOSEPH BOGGESS WWW.VOGUEPATTERNS.COM

DESIGNS FOR SPRING

Opposite page: DONNA KARAN’s silk charmeuse bias-cut wrap dress with snap closure. V1384, Misses’ 6–22. Shoes: Donna Karan.

This page: RALPH RUCCI’s linen dress with topstitching details on the bodice, shaped waist inserts, and cuffs.

V1381, Misses’ 4–20. Shoes: Ralph Rucci.

37

HAIR AND MAKEUP: JOSEPH BOGGESS WWW.VOGUEPATTERNS.COM

The royal treatment. Opposite page: A softly shaped dress with pleats and waist wraps, V8921, Misses’ 6–22. Necklace: RJ Graziano. Handbag: Zenzii. Shoes: Type Z. This page: Knot-at-the-waist dress from Lialia by Julia Alarcon.

V1359, Misses’ 6–22. Ring: Charlene K. Necklace: Zenzii.

59

30%OFF Cover Price

Subscribe Now!

V8944