The worlds of entertainment and international flair come to Portland Saturday, May 11.  
       That day, Portland Sewing brings together eight emerging designers with two local stars at its third annual Fashion Forward Show. The show takes place at White Horse Studios, 3747 NE Sandy. Doors open at 7:30 pm; show starts at 8 pm.
Four of the designers hail from places as far away as Germany, Turkey, Hong Kong and Inner Mongolia. One studied in Italy. Another worked apparel in Europe. All are making a transition in their lives and applying their experiences to their clothing lines. That includes one designer who is applying his skills in the world of dance to improve style and comfort in the world of menswear.
        “Television shows, such as Project Runway and Portlandia, have noticed Portland designers and Portland style,” says Portland Sewing owner Sharon Blair. “They’ve helped bring people from across the United States and the world to Portland to buy our fashions and study fashion design.
        “They’ve brought the world to us. Now it’s time for us to start sending our style back to the world.”
Blair’s vision is to create a market center for the apparel industry in Portland, “We have so much talent here,” she says, “why not?”
        Portland Sewing is a prep and finishing school with the goal of serving those seeking jobs in the apparel industry. More than 2,000 persons have taken Portland Sewing’s classes since it launched in April 2010.
       Many of Portland’s designers have studied with Blair. Four students, Gretchen Jones, Janeane Marie, Becky Ross and Bryce Black, have gone on to compete on Project Runway.
        Proceeds from the show benefit Portland Sewing’s Fashion Design Scholarship for teens. The scholarship prepares Portland-area high schools juniors and seniors for a career in the fashion industry. Last year’s scholarship winner, Stephanie Linn, has been accepted into London’s Central St. Martin’s College of Design.
        The show celebrates the third anniversary of Portland Sewing and the scholarship.
       Co-sponsors are Superfly Vodka, OSI Photography, Beau Monde College of Hair Design.  Show director is Elizabeth Mollo.  Music is provided by DJ Gregarious.

Third Annual Fashion Forward Show
Saturday, May 11.  Doors, 7:30 pm.  Show, 8 pm
@ White Horse Studios, 3747 NE Sandy
The world comes to Portland through 10 fashion designers
Sponsored by Portland Sewing
Co-sponsored by Superfly Vodka, Beau Monde College of Hair Design, OSI Photography
Director: Elizabeth Mollo.  DJ: Gregarious
Tix: $20 @ www.portlandsewing.com; $25 @ door

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Designers featured at this year’s Fashion Forward Show are:

Caitlin McCall for Quick Study “Be a quick study. Dress appropriately.”
Portland native McCall earned a bachelor’s in fine arts from CalPoly in San Luis Obispo, Calif., then spent three years in Europe – Stuttgart, Berlin, Amsterdam — working freelance for apparel companies and riding a rusty bike between odd jobs. After returning to the United States, reverse culture shock sent her into a tailspin until she realized there was one simple import that could improve her quality of life. Stop driving. Start biking.
“I want my designs to enable more average women to get on bicycles.” McCall says. “Portland is setting a great example for the rest of this country by accommodating cyclists in city planning choices. I see us going the way of Copenhagen and Amsterdam: Giant, safe bike lanes filled with casual commuters in stylish, normal clothing.”
She makes her garments from a mixture of upcycled materials and performance textiles. “They can be dressed up for work, down for play and are uniquely suited to the bike ride between,” she says.

Claudia Relyea for Jade Nomad. “Travelwear for the stylish adventurer.”
Relyea was born in Germany and came to the United States after high school. She holds a bachelor’s in electrical engineering and lived in southern California before moving to Portland eleven years ago. She learned how to sew from her mother when she was a young girl and uses those skills as a creative break from her technical job.
“At Portland Sewing, I developed an obsession with fashion design, illustration and sewn product manufacturing,” she says, “It perfectly combines my technical and creative sides.” She also has a passion for travel and has traveled extensively for work and for pleasure.
Jade Nomad’s A/W 2013 line, Paris to Portland, “brings the classic style of Parisian women and infuses it with a Pacific Northwest vibe,” she says. “These are clothes for active women, comfortable enough for traveling but chic enough for any occasion.”

Karen Chow for Jade Nomad. “Travelwear for the stylish adventurer.”
Chow’s background in fashion design is rooted in her family. Her grandmother was a tailor and custom clothier in Hong Kong. Her mother taught her how to sew in middle school. After a long break from sewing, Chow’s mother-in-law taught her how to quilt. That started her current passion for working with fabric.
Chow was born in Hong Kong, has lived in both Calgary and Ottawa in Canada. She moved to Portland in 2003. She has traveled to more than forty countries. She shares the Jade Nomad line with co-designer Claudia Relyea.

Gupse Spasaro for Undeniable
Spasaro was born in Naples, Italy and spent most of her childhood in Turkey before relocating to the United States. After earning a bachelor’s in psychology from Portland State University she decided to explore her interest in fashion and apparel design and was accepted to Portland Sewing’s fashion forward program.
Her tastes are inspired by her international travel experiences as well as her love of history. Her goal is to create a trend conscious but timeless wardrobe. She feels there is a need for ready-to-wear, minimalist pieces that can be worn from place to place and year after year.
“My brand is sophisticated yet effortless, contemporary yet classic, simple yet inspired,” she says, “a thoughtful reimagining of traditional style joined with an understated portrayal of modern trends.
“I want my designs to be part of a woman’s go-to outfit; the pieces she can put on anytime for any occasion and instantly feel poised, in control, and ready to meet any challenge.”

Heidi Bergin for Adelheid Bergin “Dress the part, love the dress”
Bergin was born and raised in Oconomowoc, Wisc., a remote town less than fifteen square miles in size. Bergin left that behind when she graduated from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee with a business degree and aspirations of continuing education in apparel.
Her interest in fashion design comes from her German parents: A mother who instilled a love for style and her father who was meticulous in his dress standards. She calls her A/W 2013 vegan collection Bavarian Twilight. “It combines the harsh elements of a German winter with the beauty and affluence of the Neuschwanstein castle,” she says.
“My customer is an industrious woman who needs the right garment for any one of her career related occasions. She faces a trade-off between stylish and appropriateness, a choice my line, AB, does not ask of her.”

Joshua Buck for Chicago Harper. “Tradition updated. Engineered for fit. Detailed fearlessly.”
Buck has spent most of his life studying art.  From childhood, he has painted, sculpted, made prints and collages.  At age 15, he saw an editorial in Vogue magazine featuring Chinoiserie.
“It was the first time that I felt in a fashion context the same emotive characteristics that I cherished in art.  You could see the pleasure in its creation, both from the perspective of an observer, and from the perspective of an artisan.  It was the pleasure of exquisite craft.”
Buck studied painting at Pratt Institute and graduated from Art Institute of Portland with a degree in apparel design.  He has appeared in several Portland-area fashion shows.

Keegan Greenwald for KMBG. “The warmth in your heart is the warmth that covers your skin.”
Greenwald earned his sewing chops on the industrial machines of his family’s custom upholstery business.
As an Oregon native, he was always looking for something more formal to wear that didn’t seem stuffy. In private school, Keegan pushed the boundaries of what the “collared shirt” dress code meant by digging up the most outlandish prints and giant lapel seventies leisure wear to the chagrin of the school’s principal.
Greenwald is an alterations expert at Duchess Clothiers, a custom suit maker in Portland, Ore. He also is no stranger to Portland nightlife. He sees a place for the dapper flair of the past in the attire of today’s man about town. His line, KMGB, fulfills this need.
“A lot of men have trouble finding something to wear that fits well and looks classy without being too formal,” Greenwald says. “KMGB offers them a solution.”

Lane Hunter for FACET
After spending time in the Bay area, Portland native Lane Hunter returned to perform with the BodyVox Dance company. He says his line is a “clarion call in the ‘Men’s Liberation Movement,’ freeing males to enjoy clothing according to their whim — independent of archaic formalities and fears.
“I encourage curiosity and exploration — in dress and life — for all people in an effort to establish a kinder and more colorful world.”
He chose the name “Facet” because it is prism through which light travels and separates into brilliant colors.
“People are not merely the occupation they hold but are a rainbow of interests, talents, joys and sorrows that create their unique beauty. I wanted to give men the option to step outside their beige suits and express their own spectrum.”

Lisa Silveira for Wandering Muse. “Elegance in simplicity. Luxury in comfort. Life is beautiful.  Enjoy it with style.”
One of Silveira’s greatest loves is travel, from which she draws her inspiration. She interned with a fashion designer in Florence, Italy. It was here she developed her passion for Italian fashion, knitwear and textiles.
She also studied silk painting, batik, jewelry design, oil painting, and the ways of Italian fashion and “La Bella Figura”, a way of life emphasizing beauty, good image, aesthetics and proper behavior.
Her line of Italian inspired knitwear line sells in four Portland-area boutiques.

Lisha Xie for谢丽莎
Xie of Inner Mongolia, China, brings a tribal influence straight from the steppes into her lines, colors, fabrics and details. She aims to combine the modesty of the East with the modernity of the West. “I’d like to present the every day classics accented by the cultural beauty of Mongolia; the easy chic tinted with a sense of earthiness that can embody elegance and distinctive style.”
“I believe in less as more,” she says, “a combination of effortless yet colorful fabrics detailed with stylistic trims to give a modern interpretation of a new minimalism.”
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Sharon’s inspiration for the A/W 2013 line:  Edie Sedgwick, star of Andy Warhol movies in his New York Factory day.  The line showed the transition from the close fitting long skirts of the early 1960s to the looser, shorter styles worn by Edie and her Factory colleague, Baby Jane Holzer.  Model Shaedyn shown here, epitomizes the Baby Jane look.

StudioSKB will start taking orders for the A/W 2013 line later in March.

For more about the show, follow the link by clicking here.

We’re getting ready for the Fade to Light show Wednesday, Feb 27, Crystal Ballroom at 13th & E Burnside.  StudioSKB will show 12 looks inspired by the transition in fashion during the 1960s.  These Autumn/Winter 2013 tyles will move from those epitomized by Pauline Trigere to those worn by Edie Sedgwick, star of Andy Warhol’s Factory.  And, yes, it will be quite a show.

As I told Marjorie Skinner of the Portland Mercury,

I am inspired by Andy Warhol’s factory girl film star, Edie Sedgwick, for StudioSKB, A/W 2013,  Actually, it was a conversation with Elizabeth Mollo, the Fade to Light producer, that got me started down this road.  Elizabeth looks a bit like Edie.  Our conversation made me feel the same atmosphere of that time:  The bursting desire to break free from past constraints and move into a new, exciting future.  For the early 1960s of Edie’s time, it was a break from the conventions and constraints of the 1950s.  For us now, after the re-election of Obama it is the burning desire to shake off the gray days of congressional gridlock, recession, bad economy and jump into a giddy future of invention and optimism.

My 10-piece collection moves from the well tailored details of a Pauline Trigere, as worn by Patricia Neal in 1961′s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” to the loose fun styles of Mary Quant and Ossie Clark.

With each collection, I keep joking with Josh Buck and Lisa Silveira that “this is my final collection.”  So I guess you could call this my second annual final collection for StudioSKB.

Other designers showing include Bryce Black of Project Runway, Alyson Clair of Clair Vintage Inspired, Joshua Buck of Chicago Harper, Lisa Silveira of Wandering Muse and Alicia Wood of Ms Wood.

To purchase tickets, click here.

Most independent designers start off by sewing all their garments

Once you decide to go for professionals, there are a few things you should know.
– The good ones are always busy. They may not return your call. Do your homework. Find out from word-of-mouth who is good then be persistent.
– If they do return your call, you won’t be interviewing them. They will interview you. So be prepared.  Professional sewers:

– Call your products “styles.” Every time you change a collar, a sleeve, even a fabric, you’ve created a new style.
Sew samples or sew for production. Sewing samples means sewing one style or just a few copies of one style. These are absolutely perfect so you can show them to buyers and get orders. Sample sewers will charge you more per style because the quantity is low and they are taking their time. Production sewers. . .
– Typically ask for 25 garments per style — at a minimum — when sewing for production. This is so they can take the first one or two to understand how the garment goes together. Then they can pick up speed sewing the rest. This is where they make their money. You’ll give them a sample garment so the production garment is a match to the sample. TIP: Have two sample garments, one to give to the sewer, one to keep as a backup.
– Sew only what they know. Be clear on what you need. Do you need:

• A pattern. If they can make patterns, they will need a complete set of measurements. These are often called a “spec sheet” or specification sheet. A spec sheet should give sewing details as well.
• If you provide a pattern, make sure it’s production ready. Otherwise, they will drop or delay your project, sometimes without taking the time to call you, or charge you to clean it up.
• A proto. This is a test garment made of your pattern to make sure it fits before you cut into your more expensive final fabric. You’ll need to provide a fit model.
• Sizes. This is called “grading.” You’ll be asked for “grade rules.” That is, how much the garment goes down or up in measurements between sizes. Don’t say, “The usual amount” because there is no usual amount. Saying such a thing is just going to annoy the contractor.
• A pattern layout. This is called a “marker”. All patterns for all sizes are laid out on one piece of paper. The marker seeks to make the most use of the fabric.
• Cutting and bundling. Will you deliver the fabric cut with each garment’s pieces tied together with sizes grouped together? Or will you ask them to do this?
• Sewing on knits, wovens or nonwovens. Each contractor will have a specialty. They will have only certain kinds of machines and remain proficient only on certain types of garments.
• Trims. Will you need snaps set or buttons, hooks & eyes and labels sewn on? Will you provide these?

– Expect a lead time. The larger contractors make most of their money sewing for the major apparel companies such as Adidas, Pendleton and Nike. Your small project will not take priority. It may take 30 days to more before you see your finished garments.
– Expect you to ask questions, such as:

• How long have you been in business?
• What kind of services do you provide?
• What kind of equipment do you have?
• How is your sewing operation organized?
• What do you do when you miss a deadline?
• Do you have insurance?
• What are your quality control procedures?
• May I tour your facility? Any credible professional will say “yes.”

While you are there:

• Look at their equipment. Is it the kind you need for your garments? Is it well-maintained?
• See if the place is organized and clean.
• Note if the sewers are efficient and busy. Shoes should be close-toed. Hair should be tied back.
• Ask to see other products they are sewing to see if it’s well made. Ask for references from other clients.
• Ask about pricing and their production process.

If you decide to work together, write up an agreement. You may have written a draft contract. More likely they will have one. Either way, be sure you both understand and agree to the terms.
If you have the contractor sew your sample, then set a meeting to review it before going into production. If you bring the sample, do the same. This is the time to review pricing.
Then be prompt. Fulfill your side of the terms. Follow up. Check in at least one week before the due date to make sure all is going well. Go over the final payment before you pick up your garments so you can arrive with check in hand.
Bottom line, your success is their success. With luck, you are creating a partner for the life of your apparel company.
Want to know more? Come to one of our apparel business classes:

Costing & Pricing, February 16, 10 am-1 pm with Rachel Ancliffe of Nike

Contracting Basics, March 23, 10 am-1 pm with attorney Owen L Schmidt

For a complete list of classes, go to:  www.portlandsewing.com

30-50% off all fabric;  20% off notions
We’re starting the New Year right with these special deals.
Look for fabrics from local and national designers:
– Silks and wools from Janeane Marie, Carolyn Hart and Pendleton.  Normally $12.88/yard.  On sale for $6.44-$8.50/yard
– Knits from Clair Vintage, Tiffany Bean, Pickering, Aster Park and Anna Sui. Normally $10.88/yard.  On sale for $5.44-$7.62/yard.
– Cottons from Billy Jo Retro and WeMa.  Includes blouse, skirt and shirting cottons.  Normally $6.88-$8.88/yard.  On sale for $4.82-$6.22/yard.
Plus patternmaking, sewing and leatherworking notions for your classes.
Bring in this page for an extraoff fabric purchase.
One discount per person per purchase on December 15, 10 am-2 pm only

If you have a clothing line and are ready to order fabric, trims and notions in larger quantities, then you are ready to attend a textile show.
You’ll need some things to register, including two or more of the following:
– Business card
– Federal employer or tax identification number, also called an EIN or TIN.  These are free.  You get it instantly on-line.  Get one here.
– State Resale License or Tax Certificate.  Oregon, of course, doesn’t have sales tax but they can give you a certificate.  Get one here.
– Copy of an invoice for a minimum of $250 from a vendor with your business name and address
– Copy of a store lease or Yellow Pages ad
– Copy of a brochure of the products you make as an apparel manufacturer.

A few things you should know before the show.  You’ll meet vendors including:
– Manufacturers.  Representatives from the mills.  They rarely attend shows.  If there, they’ll sell yardage in the six figures.
– Converters.  These companies dye, pleat, paint and otherwise treat fabric.  Again they rarely attend shows and will expect you to order yardage in the four figures.
– Wholesalers.  These middle men between the factory and you will want to sell yardage in the hundreds.
– Jobbers.  They sell left over yardage.  What they have is all they have.  With rare exception, you can’t reorder a fabric you like.

The vendors:
– Won’t bring rolls or bolts, instead there are headers — cardboard hangers — with swatches of fabric.  The info on the back of a jobber’s header shows how much fabric is left and how much it costs.
– Sell yardage, so be prepared to buy around 10 yards to make your samples of garments.  Wholesale vendors expect that you’ll come back to them to buy more yardage once you get orders for your garments.  You may get a price break when you buy more yardage.
– Bring a credit card.  You’ll be charged for the fabric and the shipping.  It takes about a week for the fabric to arrive UPS.
– Have a safe street address where the fabric can be delivered.  It will be dropped off on your doorstep.  UPS doesn’t deliver to PO boxes.  Have a UPS account?  Bring your account number.

Here are dates for major shows, Spring 2013:
DG Expo New York, February 4-5, Hotel Pennsylvania/ Penntop Ballroom, 18th Fl., Seventh Avenue (33rd Street) New York City
Los Angeles International Textile Show,  February 25-27,  California Market Center (The CMC), 9th & Main | Downtown LA Fashion District
Seattle International Textile Expo, March 4-5, Seattle Center.  Returning buyers have until December 31 to can forego the $25 registration fee by going to the site and using the code VIPS13.
International Textiles Expo, March 18-20, Rio Hotel and Casino, Rio Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV

Go to the websites for more details.  We’ll keep you posted as we hear of other shows.

Q — I’m interested in buying a [knitting] machine so I can explore more knit ideas at home. I was wondering if you could give me some recommendations on machines to look and possibly where to look as well. – Amy

A — One machine that I recommend is the ones we use in class, the Silver Reed LK-150.  It is a good basic machine for home use and as you learned in class they are capable of a lot and are the most cost effective.This machine can easily be attached to a table or ironing board for use.
If you know you’re going to want to do a lot of machine knitting and get into more advanced techniques in the future, the next option is the Silver Reed SK-860.  Both of these machines are mid-gauge, which work with the widest range of yarn, but the SK-860 has more features that can be added later and is a bit more heavy duty (more metal parts).  You will want to get the metal tilt stand to go with this one, as it is much heavier than the LK150.
There is the SR-860 which is a ribber attachment if you want to do a lot of ribbing or circular knitting.  The SK-860 also has the option to be electronic but you will need to purchase the electronic kit (cords, power supply…) plus the design software so the cost adds up pretty quickly.
If you don’t think you’ll ever use the electronic component, but want the more heavy duty (metal) machine, you can get the SK-160 which is the same as the SK-860 without the electronic carriage.
Personally I do most of my knitting on a manual single bed machine, like the LK-150 & SK-160, but if you plan to do a lot of ribbing, then you will want to get a machine with a ribbing attachment.
If you want to purchase one locally you can get one through Angelika’s Yarn Store downtown, or through Needle Tek which is in Washington (where you would get your machine serviced/repaired).  Needle Tek sells refurbished machines as well.  There is also a selection available online at www.allbrands.com.  Good Luck!
-Lisa Silveira, instructor, Knitting by Machine