This New York trip was very special because I actually had time to explore the city! Many call it the city of opportunity, I call it the city of inspiration. It’s everywhere whether you find it in art galleries or museums, fabric stores or retail shopping, even just walking down the street and observing peoples’s outfits! Well the fashion capital of the world never lets me down, and neither do all the exciting people living in it!

I walked around Fashion Avenue, and visited with The Jones Apparel Group and got to see their innerworkings! It was great to see the day in the life of a fashion house! It helps to understand the important factors that go into being a designer. It’s a much larger process than what first comes to mind. But the people who do it, love it!!!

I found many treasures in the city but some that I must mention are the resale consignment stores in NYC. Take note of “A Second Chance” on 78th and Madison and “Michaels” between 80th and 81st and Madison. You can find great deals on the top designer clothes and even inspiration from some of their vintage collections. Even though you sometimes have to dig, it can really be worth it.

After the consignment shopping I headed down to Chelsea where you can find the most amazing art galleries! Galleries are a place where I get my artistic inspiration because I am an artist and painter myself! I saw some fasinating exhibits including pieces from Chuck Close. One of my favorite exhibits was one that was interactive. Besides the fact that you could play pinball and smash rocks that contained hidden treasures inside, I loved the color themes and the geometic shapes within the paintings. One display was done on multipe canvases which were strategically hung creating a beautiful collage of art. Another work that I took inspiration from was a painting of a distorted cityscape, I loved the urban feel and again the bright colors!

A piece I saw that sewers can relate to was embroidered wall art that pieced together differend fabrics. I was thinking of telling the artist about the Quilt Show!! I always hate leaving the city, but I am now returning to Portland fully inspired and full of ideas to be drawing, designing, sewing and painting with! Thank you New York City, I’ll be seeing you again soon!

Love,
Melissa

Wow. I have been just engulfed by design projects from the moment I stepped back in the door at Stephens. This is my senior year, and boy do they have us off and running! I just completed this Rejectamenta project, and thought you would like to take a peek. The challenge is to make a garment from all recycled materials, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. Our garments will be judged by a jury and some will go on display at the Komen Foundation annual conference.

My theme is “Don’t gamble with your life….get regular mammograms”. Unfortunately the pic does not do it justice, it looks way cooler on a model with the headpiece, necklace and train that makes it all come together. When we get some professional model pics done I’ll be sure to post one.

For now I’m onto finishing a tailored and lined wool coat, and matching dress that is due shortly, sketching hundreds of illustrations for my upcoming Senior Collection, and sewing my heart out at every turn. I’ll try to come up for air once in a while to give everyone a quick up date, but for now just send me lots of positive energy………it’s going to be one challenging and exciting year in fashion design school!

Allyce

Amy Butler is a fab friend of DIYStyle. See what she has been up to…….she’s one busy (and talented) lady!

Cindy

From Amy:

It’s been an incredible summer! The season has been full of many exciting launches and loads of new product development. This is one of my favorite times of year! My gardens explode and I love watching the drama unfold before my eyes, it brings me so much joy, I love hanging in the garden in the evening at the end of a long day. The Lotus bog is soothing and if feels wonderful to be surrounded by lush plants in bloom. All the hard work in the spring nurturing the beds really pays off! I was able to extend my “August experience” this year with the launch of my newest home decor collection of prints for Rowan…. “August Fields”.

The collection is made up of four diverse color stories celebrating the inspiration of gardens and wild fields in high season. Everything peaks in August! Poetic combinations of elegant natural prints and modern textures make it easy to mix and match designs for your next home dec or fashion project. Here’s a sneak peak below with some fun shots of my AF photo shoot last weekend at my friend Brian’s house! I’m using AF for everything! Bedding, pillows, bags, ( of course right?! ) and clothing. My friends here at DIY Style will appreciate the fashion focus with this collection! I’ve made tons of beautiful garments. Check out some of the shots.

In the first shot above my friend Andrew captures Jesse in one of my new dress designs! And his beautiful shots follow!

Drenda is wearing on original necklace made by my dear friend Kim Mettee. You have to check out her Etsy shop…… amazing, crazy cool jewelry. She uses rare materials and gems to create her organic and spirited masterpieces. Thank you Kim! I love to work alongside my friends and loved ones, it makes the creative process even more thrilling and rewarding.

Here’s Mr. Butler caught red handed in one of my sets! We had an incredible day of shooting. Just the night before he had a rock and roll show with his band the Black Owls! I don’t know how he looks so rested…….. he’s my Dave!

Here are my friends Christina and Nichole shot by Mr. Butler just a few minutes later. The girls are wearing my new apron design made out of August Fields!

Here’s the props room with all the details and goodies to embellish my girlfriends.

I’ve staged all of the props and accessories by color stories….. of course! Everything on hand to style my ladies!

The details in and of themselves tell a beautiful story! Color explosions everywhere! I love it!!

Another long awaited addition to my fabric mix has also launched this summer! Amy Butler Solids. The material is beautifully woven with a gorgeous feel, my solids come in both home dec and quilting weights to coordinate with all of my print collections with Rowan. The pretty colors will enhance and compliment any project and are sure to stir your creative passions! I have a fun mix of projects on my web site that feature both the home dec and quilting weight collections. I also have a great free quilt pattern you can try……. I named the quilt after my friend Thea, she’s a wild creative fire! I just love her. You can grab the project as a download under my “free patterns” section on the site.

This month I will be introducing my newest quilting and fashion weight collection for Rowan. The line is called Daisy Chain and it is embellished with artistic flourishes that give a nod to our free spirited past! Daisy Chain is filled with earthy chic prints with a modern folk feel that harmonize in the four zen like color palettes. These romantic prints are perfect for fashion, home dec or quilting projects. I had a blast creating several fashion pieces to show off the range! It’s the best when all of my worlds collide…… color, prints and fashion. Building the story with my style shoots is one of my favorite things to do. This shoot we invited our friend Andrew Baasch to take some pics with Dave. The results are amazing! You’ll have to check back on my web site soon to see all the gorgeous inspirado! Enjoy!!

Drenda above models my Angel Dress and Christina is styling in her Daisy Chain head scarf, lounging on my new Daisy Chain quilt. The quilt will be a FREE pattern on my web site soon! I can’t get over the color of her eyes and how she blends so beautifully with the navy DC palette! These shots were captured by Dave…….. gorgeous Mr. B!

One of my most recent product launches featured my new GIFTWRAP GREEN collection with the Giftwrap Company. The line is made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper and is printed with soy inks. The line includes gift wrap, bags, and giftcard boxes. I’m very proud of this partnership with the Giftwrap Company, we worked very hard to create an ecologically sound line. It’s incredible to be able to offer a green alternative to gift giving and entertaining.

Alongside the gift wrap & bags, we’ve developed an eco line of paper tableware (plates, napkins & guest towels) that coordinate. The plates and napkins are printed with 100% soy ink, plus the plates use a water-soluble coating so that they can be rinsed and recycled too! I had my family for the 4th of July and it was great to rinse the plates and then toss them in the recycle bin. The plates are very sturdy as well as stylish! The perfect combo!

I told ya I have a lot of fun Projects and books releasing this season! I love my new Little Stitches sewing book! It’s lavishly illustrated and inside you’ll find charming and contemporary projects for the nursery, baby wear, soft toys, and many more surprises! The projects are designed for babies 0-12 months and their mothers, featuring beautiful photos of the finished designs by our friend Colin McGuire. It was fun to produce these little treasures, and I think you’ll find many projects in here for all the wee ones in your world.

Here are a couple of my favorite projects……. the Cheeky Monkey Laundry Bag and the Sleepy Snail with removable Shell Pillow. The other detail I love about the book is that I rated the projects by difficulty level so you can ease right into a project that’s perfect for you. This is a keeper! A great book to keep on hand for gift giving!

I wanted to give you a little peek at my upcoming December launch of Midwest Modern 2! This small release includes brand new prints to compliment Midwest Mod 1. Here are a few shots from my camera that I took during our shoot at Brian’s. Luscious and floral inspired! You also get a peek at my new apron pattern for Fall!

I hope you’ve enjoyed our time together. I sure have……. thanks for spending a piece of your day with me and my dear friends at DIY Style! DIY Gals……….Keep doing what you’re doing and sharing all of your lovely inspiration and ideas. What a fun, creative and loving community we work in! Thank you everyone!
XO Amy

Thanks for hanging in there with us……..we had some glitches yesterday that prevented us from uploading our new season DIYStyle vodcasts……sorry! We think we have it all covered now, and they are uploaded and ready to view. And, I’ll be posting Amy Butler’s fab blog later this evening. You’ll want to read and see all the gorgeous pics she sent to all of our DIYStyle creative chicks

Cindy

Hey everyone!I am getting ready to go back to school on Tuesday and have been working all day to get stuff done for McCalls. So far I’m pretty much caught up. I just love the beginning of a new school year, it always feels like a fresh start with so much potential. Now that I have my designs done I am starting to work on a project that my AMA (American Marketing Association) board wants me to put together. It will be an event in the Spring for a fashion show at PSU. I am really exited about the event because it is something that I am very passionate about…..fashion! We will be collaborating with the Art Institute of Portland and my marketing peers at PSU to produce this event, the design students will bring the fashions, we will market & advertise the event, and of course do the necessary fundraising. I think it will be a great experience with something that I am already interested in! I also get to help to bring fashion to my school!!! How fun!!!

Best!

Melissa

Hi All!

I know several of you have asked about the next season of DIYStyle. Drumroll please…………we start upload tomorrow, and subsequent Tuesdays with DIYStyle Projects! AND, since the feedback on the summer Quick Takes was SEW (I couldn’t resist!) positive, we have decided to start delivering DIYStyle to you in smaller bites, 2x a week! So, each week you will get DIYStyle Tuesdays which will focus on a new fab project, and then on Saturday, you will get DIYStyle Weekend, and that will be a selection of sewing tips, exciting places and people we visit, designer interviews, and other surprises to get your weekend off to a creative start. 

Even though September 30th marks the end of National Sewing Month……..we have only just begun to get you lots of inspiration and encouragement to keep on sewing and designing your own fashion. Our first project for the season is part of the Go Green! Sew Green! initiative that National Sewing Month encourages. A super cute purse fashioned from repurposed sweaters (a fall must-have) found at the local resale shop.

And, we have some blog treats in store for you too! Amy Butler has checked back in with DIYStyle after her incredibly busy summer (watch out Martha!!) with a scrapbook of photos and lots to tell. We’ll post that on Wednesday, and we’ll be having other “special guest” bloggers throught this new season.

Just a reminder to subsrcibe to the RSS feeds so that DIYStyle blogs and vodcasts always come straight to you, and if you check email, join as a Creative Chick to start receiving our DIYStyle news updates (more on that later).

It’s a fashion forward Fall ‘08 with the help of your Creative Chicks team at DIYStyle.We’re excited for all the support and notes from our growing community………pass the word to all the other creative chicks in your life about DIYStyle, and let them in on the fun!

Cindy

Worn out deck cushions? Well, that was my dilemma, and after shopping the stores for new replacement cushions (eeek-the prices!!), I decided on what I thought was the smarter option…slipcover them myself! But whoa…have you seen the prices on that treated outdoor fabric?! It would have cost me more to cover them with that than to buy brand new cushions. I knew there had to be a better option, and after some sleuthing, I found my solution!

A local department store was clearancing out their outdoor tablecloths (treated for sun, water resistant….AHA!). Used as my “fabric” this was a fraction of the cost of the outdoor fabric I just could not afford. So I bought the largest tablecloth they had, and some coordinating inexpensive natural colored canvas, and made slipcovers for the cushions. It’s a super simple design, made with an opening like a pillow sham, to insert the cushions (the opening sets under the seat where it won’t show). I added some matching ribbon ties, and now I can slip them off for washing and storage when I want.

I even went back and bought the matching tablecloth that zipped around my umbrella, and now I just need to hem it to fit my curved oblong deck table. All for WELL under the $200 the other fabric would have cost! Now with deck re-painted, I feel like we have a brand new outdoor space. And the weather has been so nice here lately in the St. Louis area, I’m hoping to enjoy some breezy evenings lounging with a glass of wine after a long day here at DIYStyle!

Let DIYStyle know what you have been sewing this summer, and what you’re wanting to sew for fall. And, we’d love to see some pics too, so send them along. We’ll even post some of your projects in upcoming blog entries–so send us the results of your creative endeavors! I can’t wait to see what you have all been busy with.

 Cindy

I’m back from filming the next seasons episodes of DIYStyle in Saint Louis. It was a packed couple of days and it turned out to be really fun! I had prepared for filming by watching some older episodes to see what I could change or improve on. We made some really great projects that will be fun for making presents this winter, and included some creative tips that will help you fashionup your wardrobe.

Something to look for is our “zipper clutch” it turned out to be soooo cute and would be a great Christmas present for your girlfriends. I think I’m going to make all of my roommates one! Another cool thing with the clutch is that you can use lots of different fabrics, we used an inexpensive faux suede, but you can use tapestry fabric, Ultra Suede (as it you don’t need much so it wouldn’t be too pricely, but would look REALLY expensive), a faux leather or faux patent leather. You can also use a nice velour or velveteen (look for non ravelling versions) to make a great holiday bag.

Another super quick project to look for is our poncho! We made one out of a sweater knit and a polar fleece. They made two completely different looks that were equally cute! The one thing you need to keep in mind with this one is the drapiness of the fabric. Get creative with the textiles you choose….you can re-do a project many times and get a different outcome each time! 

Melissa

Oh my gosh!!! I can’t believe my summer is over and I am back to school. Can life get any crazier??!! This year I am a resident assistant which is a 24/7 job. I am taking 17 hours of classes and doing some work for DIYStyle. Now I know I can handle all of this….the thing I’m worried about is my APPAREL CONSTRUCTION class. Even my mom is gearing up for the stress. I know the basics of sewing and how to make small things, but this is a different story! For example I made my highly fashionable eco-tote bag at the DIYStyle party in Chicago, but making outfits for a whole semester is going to be an experience. I really enjoyed my summer job with DIYStyle and doing office work tasks; I think I really enjoy the business end of things. For my major of Fashion Merchandising though I have to know the basics of sewing. Seems crazy, right??? Maybe not. I just hope my mom can be on call 24/7! Wish me luck!!

Sarah

As one of the assignments in one of my summer classes, we were to do a presentation linking what was taught in the class to our “University Studies” goals. I decided to branch out and use my skills in designing and sewing to do my project. I made a mini quilt with pockets on the front, and on the four pockets I embroidered and painted the four elements of University Studies: Communication, Ethics and Social Responsibility, Appreciation for Diversity, and Critical Thinking. In each of the pockets I put things (notes on paper) that I learned from the class about these topics. The idea behind the quilt was to tie everything together in a presentation in an oral and physical way. See you can even use your sewing skills for an untraditional “outside the box” project like this one!

Love, Melissa

I have been lucky enough to be able to travel to some popular fashion spots this summer. It was exciting to be able to go to different parts of the US to get a good view of trends for my senior collection. I have been to Portland, Las Vegas, Chicago, and will be going to New York here soon.

Just a few weeks ago I was in Las Vegas for 10 whole days! This meant I could go shopping, sketch, get color ideas, and note the interesting way the designers manipulate the fabric. I went window shopping pretty much everyday. My favorite spot for this kind of “research” shopping is The Fashion Show Mall. With a fashion show that rises out of the floor (everything is a show in Las Vegas!), this place is a mecca of shops. I feel it has the most variety featuring high end to low end stores. When doing research you can’t just relay on the high end stores like Neiman Marcus or designer boutiques to get a complete picture. You have to understand where the trends are going. Whether they are widespread enough to have hit the discount stores like Target, or if they are still in designer stores. A mall like this one has it all, making my research a bit easier.

The Wynn is another fashion sleuthing haven. I found some great inspiration visiting the Chanel store there. They had done some amazing fabric detailing. Some of the sweaters on display had small chain that was woven into the knit fabric so it made the sweater completely two toned. I also tend to get a lot of inspiration from shoes! I don’t know if it’s when I look at shoes I design as if I am making an outfit to match, or if they just set a look. There were SO many garments that used large overwhelming prints combining odd florals and geometric shapes. I was really intrigued by the combination of prints in a really cool dress that had a leopard and floral combination. And animal prints have stuck around and seem to be getting larger! There was this amazing Dior belt that was really inspiring… it was made in a zebra fur print with a huge grommet with a bar and chain to hold the belt closed. Another trend that is sticking around and I feel keeps getting more and more exaggerated are garments constructed in a origami pattern. It seems to be in all the high end clothing, from pockets that look like middle school fortune tellers to interesting design lines with lots of pleats and gathering.

Las Vegas shopping has definitely inspired me to sketch a lot of garments for my senior collection and give me a good view on what trends are hot! If you get to Las Vegas, be sure to fit in some shopping..it’s some of the very best around!

Allyce 

So I’m doing my part to be green! I found this really neat second hand store outside of Portland called “The Dig”. Everything was sooo inexpensive! I bought a cute sweater and a dress that looks like it is from the seventies all for just $9! I like the dress but I am going to restyle it…..I think I am going to make a skirt out of it. It will be so easy because it already has a zipper in it and all I will have to do is make the band! I’m taking this find, and restyling it to make something new…. talk about recycling! Us DIY girls really have a knack for thinking outside the box. So, have you taken something that you bought really cheap and made it into something you wanted?? Let me know!

Love,

Melissa

Well, we all make mistakes….and here’s your chance to see a few of ours! Take a look at our Quick Take #3 and you will find that we are FAR from perfect! Chances are it takes us a few tries to get a spot right….along with a few laughs to boot. Glad Matt (our video producer) is patient with us. He’s been stashing these aside just for you all to see. Enjoy!!

Allyce and Melissa

xxxooo

We have had such a busy summer, including the long awaited trip to Chicago! This event was something that DIYStyle has been planning and looking forward to for months. Our very first DIYStyle party was held during the American Sewing Guild convention…..we thought it would be a great place to debut this new event.

The Chicago trip was a BLAST! At the party there were four different project stations…a panty station, where we had more material than you could have wanted (courtesy of Vogue Fabrics!) including our lingerie pattern for making the scalloped edged panties. Another station was distressing denim using sand paper and everyday objects to create an interesting look. A really popular station involved reconstructing tee’s. Digging into a huge pile of tee shirts, attendees made anything from a purse to a skirt to a tubetop. The last station was our DIYStyle eco friendly tote. Overall, people loved the day long sew-in and we personally think it was a hit with the girls our age who came.

Many girls were combining supplies from different stations to be a creative as possible. We also had a great DJ (thanks Matt–we never knew you could DJ too!) that made the whole event really upbeat. And to make it even more exciting, we had two fashion shows that featured original designs from local Chicago designers. It was so much fun for us to greet people at the door and show off our DIYStyle McCalls patterns (we were wearing our own designs of course). Some at the party had never sewn in their life and they loved the experience! We hope everyone who attended had fun creating and partying. Stay posted…there may be more DIYStyle parties coming to other cities soon.

The rest of the trip was good too. We even watched Pati Palmer (Melissa’s Mom) give a keynote speech to hundreds of people at the convention, where she was also inducted into the ASG Sewing Hall of Fame! All of us had a chance to do the tourist thing too, walking Michigan Avenue and around downtown Chicago. It is a really beautiful historic city and we can’t wait to go back to visit again!!

Thanks to everyone in Chicago and to the people who came to the DIYStyle Party…hope to see you all (sewing) again soon!!

Allyce & Melissa

xxxooo

Hey All…..

You may already know that we held our first DIYStyle Party in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. During all of the commotion, a reporter from the Chicago Tribune visited with us, and several of our sewing fashionistas. Here’s the article that showed up in Sunday’s Trib! For all of you that live in Chicago and get to see the actual newspaper, it had lots of nice pics of everyone making their panties, t-shirt creations and more. It was super cool to see everyone having such a good time, and for the Trib to capture some of that for the world to see (we want to show everyone that sewing can be rewarding AND a lot of fun!). Keep watch as we plan more DIYStyle Parties…and if you have suggestions for where we should go, let us know. And in the meantime, hold your own “Panty Party” with your girlfriends, food, a bottle of wine, and dish. Fun is what this is all about

 Happy Sewing,

Cindy

I had so much fun at this seasons Quilt Market! I have gone to all the quilt markets (two per year) for the past few years and this one was especially interesting. It was also memorable, because I got to spend time with Melissa in her hometown. It was neat to see some “faces” (usually we’re on the phone or email from across the country!) I catch up with only at this show.

My favorite fabric designer, Phillip De Leon from Alexander Henry Fabrics, had some really great prints that were new for the upcoming season…young looking cotton prints great for a little pop in your wardrobe. I was honored to do two demos of projects from my book at Krause Publications and Brewer distributing. I showed buyers the projects from My Style, My Place and gave away signed copies. It was really cool to talk to people about the young customers that come into their stores and what they have to offer our age group.

I also got to catch up with my good friend Mark Lipinski the editor in chief of Quilter’s Home magazine. I’m not skilled at quilting but I love his magazine (if you haven’t checked it out, you should)! I was also really excited that Robert Kaufman debuted their new line of knits! I love working with knit fabric. They are a fabric company that specializes in wovens, (I even used their fabric in my book) and now they make knits too. My favorite part about market was doing my very first schoolhouse presentation! I had the opportunity to present my book to buyers, show the projects, and Melissa and I presented our McCalls patterns.

Market is a great way to connect with what’s new in sewing, and this trip was perfect for that. If you ever get a chance to attend a trade market, GO! It’s really cool to see all the new stuff that will be in the stores in the coming months, and to talk with the people who design all of it. Too cool!

Allyce   XXX, OOO