Rapelling from a Helicopter

It might be hard for someone who doesn't sew, or who never stretched the limits of their sewing ability, or who never cut into $687 per yard French beaded lace to understand that this isn't women sitting stiff backed in a circle with embroidery hoops in hand waiting for the men to come in from the hunt stuff. There is an adrenaline rush. Your heart pounds as that sewing machine needle pumps up and down through the layers of lace and silk, tracing the boundary of beads cut from the seam line. I imagine its not unlike the rush my son might get when he is rapelling from a helicopter on a mission as a member of the Sierra Madre Fire and Rescue Team, or the rush my husband might get when swooping down an undersea canyon wall.




Here is the progress I made today. May not look like much to someone who doesn't sew, but you just wait until next week, when I will wear this dress, completed at the opening reception for Fine Fabrics 3rd Annual World's Finest Lace Show.

Bringing Out the Color

One of the benefits of owning Fine Fabrics is that when it comes time to make something for myself, I have, well you can see at FineFabrics.com what constitutes my fabric stash.....

We have a piece of Solstiss lace that has been teasing me. Many times I have pulled it from the shelf in an attempt to find the perfect color 4-ply silk crepe to match and use both to make a gown. Every time, the colors that worked best with the lace made me look, well, old.

To make myself something new to wear for the August 1 opening of Fine Fabrics 3rd Annual World's Finest Lace Event, I once again pulled down this piece of Solstiss Beaded Lace. This time, I pulled every piece of blue and green silk chiffon we had in the store. Bringing out the intricate detail and color of these very best of embellished laces is the enjoyment of working with them. I found that if I build layers of aqua, seafoam and turquoise chiffon, over a base of deep forest green 4-ply silk, the multiple colors - forest, moss, silver and teal - in this beaded lace POP!


The weight of the lace and 4-ply crepe are balanced by the flounce of the silk chiffon layers. I have the basis for a dress that I can wear for the opening of our August Lace Show.

I'll be cutting the fabric today and tracking my progress here during the next 2 weeks. You can see the finished product when you join us for the opening of our 3rd Annual World's Finest Lace Show. Contact Solstiss @ FineFabrics.com for an invitation to the opening.

The Paris Haute Couture Collection will visit Fine Fabrics of Santa Barbara through August 31, 2009. We are open Monday through Saturday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm. Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to shop the World's Finest Lace.

Silk Appliqued Coat

All of Santa Barbara is getting excited in anticipation of what we will see at our 3rd Annual Lace Show. Solstiss is sending to us selections from the Paris Haute Couture Showroom that will be seen no where else. We, at Fine Fabrics, are honored to be the exclusive host of the collections' visit to the United States.

Today, two of our very special clients brought in a coat made using fabric custom made for, and procured from Fine Fabrics at last year's event. A black silk georgette, appliqued with a deep aubergine silk faille coat, designed and made by Letizia Alta Moda of Santa Barbara for her client Ceil Pulitzer. With their permission, I am sharing it with you here. If you are interested in seeing more unique pieces like this, please join us at Fine Fabrics 3rd Annual World's Finest Lace Exhibit.