A class in sewing clothing from your hand woven Saori yardage

I have know Deb for about 4 years. She came in 2014 for a  Saori weaving retreat for 6 days and came back this week for a sewing intensive to learn how  turn her 14 yards of Saori hand woven yardage into clothing! Here is the two day  all day sewing  intensive  class and how we designed and sewed two jackets and vest  …...

lets look at the yardage first .This is her cotton yardage about 5 and  half yards.

 Deb was the first to have a class  in the new "Tree house sewing studio" full of light!

 This is her  8 1/2 yards of wool warp and weft yardage ( we wound the  warp last she came ) For Saori Classes here or get custom classes email me

  "well what will look  good on me ? "is a commonly asked question … some students have a hard time visualizing and translating the weight and drape of the yardage into ideas…. so I have made and sewn  about 30  different  muslins ( fabric basted mock ups)  of designs for students to try on to help .

These books are very helpful Saori clothing design books in my etsy shop here
 I love every one of these saori books. Not many of the designs are ones  I  personally use are from these books but it is a wonderful way for most student of saori to start someplace and have a outline to springboard from.

  This way Deb can see the fit and get a feel whether it fits or looks good on her body type .

 I drape the fabric on the student to get an idea if certain styles will or will not work by the weight and hand of the handwoven yardage.

  we consulted decided on a style  and I  tore apart the muslin to make alterations to fit Debs body and was very supportive of  FIRST EVER CUT INTO HER HAND WOVENS!

  break for lunch at the lower teaching deck

 then back to cutting and sewing
 Deb winding the wool warp ….DEB WINDING HER SAORI WARP FOR THIS PIECE CLICK HERE

  measuring cutting and sewing and cutting and more sewing till ….

 …... Her mitered jacket was almost compleated !

  Pockets and a special hand made glass button and gussets added

Matt ,Deb's husband ,came to pick her up she is very happy !

~~~~~~~~~~~~DAY 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Cotton yardage next  coming up !

 I thought  AND VISUALIZED about how wide and how long Debs yardage was I  helped her decide what designs she could do  and from that measurment and how the yardage was sufficent to apply.and how we could adapat to make it work. At first she wanted to do a vest but there was just enough yardage to sew a jacket so we set about to do that….

when we were all done just  2  tiny small pieces of fabric only  about 3" x 5" remained! That was  really calculating it close !

Her second light weight jacket is powerful and just Amazing! we fussy cut some areas so the back and fronts would be more artistic …

 I have been sewing my own garments since the age of ten… my mother made ends meet by sewing for others I sat her feet as she sewed on the old black Necchi and Singer sewing machines  …

from the age of 14 my mother ,now a single mom working full time , said," if you sew your own clothing I will pay for the fabric and supplies and no restrained budget!" well I did just that!That is how I learned to sew and I have never stopped!

I have taught clothing construction for decades , and for 14 years I designed and sewed wedding dress and bridal wear ( heart gallery studio)

I have woven since my early 20's and spun  my own yarns for  that long of period  as well…

 It is very natural for me to touch and listen to the Saori yardage and let it speak to me... 

 BUT with that comes responsiblility to the student  as well ... I always  respect the student's  amazing weaving and garment visions and help it all come together  for them.

  and her  Saori jacket is her walking work or art !!! she is stoked with happness !

 but wait   MORE ?? whats this?

yes we had enough scraps FROM THE WOOL YARDAGE  and Debs lovely fringe  was among those scraps and  I WAS DYEING TO USE  to so just enough time to squeeze in one more piece if we concentrate so  off  to create a vest!!!!

trying vest  on before fringes added

 AFTER FRINGES ADDED AND BACK INTEREST DESIGNED

how cute is that!!!!

 Deb is off to a writer conference in Oakland and will be writing and speaking about How Saori has influced her life… these garments were worn at her conference……..  you and Matt have good flight home then Deb
thank you for a lovely 2 days of working together  and  the creativity…..

PEACE FROM THE LOOM and the cutting table in the redwood forest of California

Jill Nickolene Sanders

WWW.SAORISANTACRUZ.COM

My Etsy shop