Special Presentations • October 27 & 28, 2007 in Essex Junction, Vermont

Threadneedle Fabrics has invited me to give both a seminar and a hands-on class this fall. If you’re in the New England area or southeastern Canada, I hope you can come to one or both of these events – I'd love to see you!

For registration and more information, please visit www.threadneedlefabrics.com and click on "News and Events."

Good Design: What You See and What You Don't - The interrelationship between the exterior and interior of garments.

Most sewers know that some garments are more successful than others. It’s not that the “okay” garments are awful. But they just seem to be missing some little “something” that would make them one of your favorites. And those really great garments . . . wouldn’t it be nice to have a closet full of them? Spend the day exploring design and your garment success rate will soar. This seminar will lead you through the elements that comprise good design, from the garment’s exterior and how it looks, to the goings-on inside the garment.

Knit Necklines and Finishing Techniques

In the first segment of this hands-on class, I will work with each participant individually helping you develop several neckline shapes that are flattering for your figure and face. You’ll need to bring two T-shirt mock-ups for this purpose; complete information and a supply list will be provided after you’ve registered for the class. (Don’t fret over these mock-ups! It’s really just the front and back of a T-shirt with a high neck opening big enough to put your head through, that’s needed – no sleeves, and no neckline finish.)

In the second part of the class, I will both demonstrate and teach participants how to sew a wide variety of knit neckline finishes. A pre-cut kit will be provided for all the samples you will do during the workshop. You will also be able to examine the neckline finishes in my collection of knit garments.

Day of Fabric Shopping in New York • November 28, 2007

We’ll concentrate on finding a variety of wonderful fabrics, along with all that New York’s garment district has to offer. Transportation to and from New York will be with Superior Tours Bus Company, which departs Baltimore at 6:30 a.m. and returns around 9:30 p.m. Sarah will help you swatch and select a beautiful palette of fabrics that work for you, and you’ll receive a copy of her annotated resource list. Fee for shopping day, including bus: $135.00; fee if you meet the group in the garment district: $80.00 (meals on your own).

Define Your Style: Designing Softly Structured Garments for Women (Design I) • March 24-29, 2008

What's the difference between an ensemble that is appealing and one that is stunning? Why do some women look overpowered and stiff in their clothes while others look comfortable and graceful? What is it that really happens to push clothing into that “absolutely exquisite” category?

This six-day class will give you an opportunity to explore and understand the many facets of design and soft tailoring for women. We will study the elements of design and their interrelationship, including visualization and the value of sketching, flat pattern manipulation, draping, fabrication, engineering, fitting, and construction techniques as they pertain to soft tailoring. This class will be held at my home/studio, and enrollment is limited. (Class fee: $695.00)

Practical Patternmaking • Dates to be announced

I’ve had a number of requests for this class and would like to set the dates. One suggestion has been between Christmas and New Years (December 28-30, 2007); another has been February 29- March 2, 2008. If you are interested in this class and have date preferences or suggestions, please contact me! Following is the class description.

Are you frustrated with sewing because garment patterns don't seem to work for you? Do you wonder why the depiction of a garment on a pattern envelope often bears little resemblance to the way the sewn garment looks on you? Have you tried altering patterns but gotten mixed results?

During this three-day class, we will study and explore the basic principles of patternmaking using your mock-ups as our laboratory. In addition to fitting each class participant, I will teach you how to accurately change your pattern accordingly. You will develop good patternmaking skills as well as gain an understanding of how a pattern and fit are interrelated. Participants will have time to work on a number of different projects. (Class fee: $395.00)

For more information about Sarah's classes, custom clothing, and writing, please visit her website, www.sarahveblen.com, or contact her directly via email: sarah@sarahveblen.com; phone: 410-472-9253; or mail: 15 Cross Falls Circle, Sparks, MD 21152.

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