Sewing and designing Saori hand woven clothing

Welcome Dawn to Saori Santa Cruz designing and sewing clothing class! Lets look at how this progression  class went from hand woven cloth to jacket

Here is Dawn's  happy hand woven fabric she wove Saori style and brought to class in her luggage from Canada .

 I had the studio all ready for cutting and sewing and trying on….

 Dozens of muslins to try and finished garments as well for ideas…..

  Dawn confess that in her soaking stage of her finished cloth  she some how felted part of it . …. you can see ruching and textures  and narrowing widths varying . But this is Saori!  not to be deterred . I told her " We will work with what we have and use the textures as design elements!"

 Trying muslins  and , and  then trying on my finished pieces . Dawn especially kept going back to one design, a jacket I designed. although there were vests and  tunics that she loved as well.

  I helped her with her decision  by seeing if she had enough yardage to make the jacket style she wanted. She watch as i layed out and showed her oprtions for piecing. she helped with her own esthetics  to where she liked pieces placed but the goal is not to over think this process to much ever! The magic happens by trusting in your  true self.

Ok deep breath… lets cut!!! we really just had barely  just enough fabric  to make the jacket but we made it work!

 ….and sew and piece and re cut

  and CUT some more and SEW and PIECE some more

  NOW  she is   basting  the  main pieces  of the jacket together to  try on and see if it fits etc

"I am going to love it"

 So I said , " it fits great! so lets  sew it up now!!  It is a beautiful spring day here in  northern california lets move  the sewing machine out side to sew your jacket after lunch" 

 ….. and sew we did! In the mid 70's  in February BLISS!!!

 the try on……...

  It is getting late but the jacket is almost done!!! Lets keep going …...

 Now back into the studio to press for hems and sleeves and ...

Back outside to sew  more and to secure all  the seams on the  jacket's inside.

 NOW FOR THE FINAL PRESSING!!!

 Dawn has her beautiful amazing jacket to wear tomorrow to the airport and  to her next American art journey !

"I love it Jill, I learned so much"

…. and I love it it to bits too ! don't you?

A email from Dawn:

 "First I want to tell you how much I enjoyed meeting you and Lee. 

Secondly. thank you so very much for a wonderful day at your studio. I enjoyed myself immensely, and I simple LOVE my jacket. It's couldn't be better. Thank you again. I also love the photos and stories you shared on your blog.

I hope that we meet again. I would love to be able to bring a group of weavers (or even beginners) down to your studio to weave and learn about SAORI.

Best, Dawn"

I enjoy meeting new students and sharing my life long skills of fibers and sewing and art with them.

more  info about my classes or to schedule a class or intensive go to my web site SAORISANTACRUZ.COM

you can find my email there as well.

PEACE FROM THE LOOM

Jill Nickolene Sanders

MyEtsy shop