My Virtual Workshop

The Shaeffer Collection Volume One: CHANEL

2009-01-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

At long last I'm ready to unveil my most recent project:

Behind The Seams: The Shaeffer Collection Volume One: CHANEL

UPDATE: CHANEL IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE PURCHASE HERE:

http://shaefferonchanel.blogspot.com/

This is a CD-based album exploring Claire Shaeffer's wonderful collection of Chanel garments, inside and out. I doubt there's ever been such an extensive collection of full-garment and close-up, full-color photos—over 730 images—detailing the work and influence of a single designer, so readily available; all thanks to the wonders of the pdf format. It's been quite a mammoth task, shooting, editing pix and commentary, designing, building… But it's nearing completion, and I'm ready to start sharing previews. So, herewith some screen shots and some links, including this one that will download a 12MB PDF with working navigation, and some example slide collections.

If you've ever wondered what all the fuss was about regarding couture garment-making, prepare to be amazed at the astonishing skills and efforts that emerged from the Chanel workrooms. Each pdf page is 11x17 inches at 100%, so the slides can be zoomed in on for great detail. The couture blouses are particularly spectacular!

ALERT!

Both the Preview and the Final Version (due in the next couple of weeks) REQUIRE the use of Adobe Reader 9, the current version, to see the photos, so be sure you've got this version installed before you open the preview. Click above to get it…

I'll be updating here as Claire sorts out how she'll handle sales, but it'll be available as a physical disk, not a download, and will cost $40, plus a modest shipping charge.

Enjoy! And a Happy New Year to all…

DPC's new book: Production's finished!

2009-04-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

Everything's finalized and off to the publisher, so the previews can begin.

To see a video preview of the DVD that'll be included with the book, visit Making Trousers: The DVD.

For more details and an active blog about the project, visit DPC on Making Trousers.

Making Neckties At Home

2008-12-07T17:22:00.000-08:00

Quite a few people have indicated that they want to make ties for the coming holiday season, so I've decided that regardless of my intention to spruce up my original little booklet on the topic with color graphics, selectable and searchable text, and a short video clip or two of the most interesting and most uncommon techniques, I should offer a simple scan NOW of the original, in all it's typewritten and hand-drawn B&W glory, to anyone who'd rather not wait until sometime next Spring (when I can reasonably expect to get to such a remake) for a "better" version, if I even get to it. The info will be the same; all I imagine I'll add, besides the graphic and video upgrades I've already described, will be some current sources and links.

So, here's my current offer:

Custom Making Neckties at Home, $8US for a downloadable pdf scan of the original work, circa 1985, purchase price deductible from the projected $15 price of the 2009 update, expected (but not promised) in Spring, 09 (Hey, that's what I charged for the original booklet…!).

Payable via Paypal to me at dpcoffin@earthlink.net, or via the button below.

It's a high-res. pdf, so it can be easily printed if you like; pages 14 and 15 in particular (the guide drawings for the tip lining technique) would be good to print so you can have them handy while you're doing that step.

There's some links at right to previews and some sources.

I should point out that the jewel of the book is this technique for machine-lining the tips so that the lining is inset a good 1/4-inch from the edges of the tie, as seen in all commercial ties, and as described in NONE of the printed material on home-made ties for consumers that I've ever seen. Except, that is, for the article I wrote on tie-making in Threads Magazine issue #27, now OOP but certainly still available from resellers and public libraries, which may be all you want or need.

My booklet describes every aspect of tie-making and offers many variations appropriate for home sewers who may be limited to, or prefer, non-typical fabrics and techniques that don't require any practice to master. It includes directions for making simple, essential tools such as cardboard forms for shaping the tie while pressing and sewing, and cardboard cutting and previewing templates. It's arranged in the following sections:

Intro
Why Necktie Fabric Is So Hard to Find
Suitable Fabrics, Outer and Inner
Making a Tie Pattern
Construction Variations
Construction Steps
Techniques in Detail
Advanced Tie Construction (The 7-Fold Tie)
Useful Tools and Materials

The Silk Experience: Silk for Quilting

2008-07-12T00:57:00.000-07:00

The Silk Experience: Coloring Silk Scarves

2008-07-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here's the first in a series of clips about the CD series I've been making for Maggie Backman and her friends; they're mostly surface-design titles. These are walk-throughs of the CD interface and all the non-video contents, rather than just video excerpts, so these will be useful to see if you're wondering what the CDs are like, rather than just what the videos look like. Comments welcome!

Katherine Tilton transforms a T with curved darts, part 1

2008-02-27T15:35:00.001-08:00

Katherine Tilton transforms a T with curved darts, part 2

2008-02-27T15:32:00.000-08:00

Marcy Tilton quilts fabric for a Jacket, Part 1

2008-02-26T21:47:00.000-08:00

Marcy Tilton quilts fabric for a Jacket, Part 2

2008-02-26T21:43:00.000-08:00

Kayla Kennington on serging perfect rolled-hem edges

2007-12-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

Part I

Part II

From the CD On Making Pants; DPC looks inside a $1000 pair of pants

2007-11-18T17:17:00.000-08:00

From Marcy Tilton’s WHERE Did You Get That T-Shirt? Tissue-fitting a T-Shirt

2007-11-17T17:53:00.000-08:00

From Kathryn Brenne’s Sewing Leather; Pressing and Fusing Leather

2007-11-17T18:38:00.001-08:00