Pandemic Apparel

PANTONE Trends "Splashes of sunshine for Spring 2010 New York Fashion Week, September 10 – 17, 2009 Designers bring splashes of sunshine to the runway for spring 2010. Vibrant brights add a sense of excitement to the color palette, while practical neutrals provide a safety net for cautious consumers. “Now more than ever, women are vigilant when it comes to spending,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Instead of re-inventing their wardrobe at the start of each season, consumers want pieces to complement what they already own. Pairing a bold color with a basic piece or freshening up their look with bright accents addresses the need for practicality, as well as fun.” Preview colors for Spring 2010 ." <- download PDF file from Pantone website.

I've recently updated my Vimeo account. I've added a Channel & a DIY Sewing Group . I enjoy viewing videos on Vimeo , although there aren't a lot of sewing and craft tutorials, so I decided to start one. Sign up to Vimeo and add your own videos to my group " DIY Sewing ". I never saw any reason for having a Facebook account until recently. I've started a Facebook Page in the hopes of getting feed back from my viewers. iTunes is another recent addition to my list of accounts I've set up in the past week. Hopefully getting viewers will inspire me to create more tutorials. I receive no profit or free stuff to make my tutorials. I do them because I enjoy sharing my knowledge with other people.

I have often found old text-books helpful when sewing. The pictures are black & white, but the instructions are very clear. They also have little projects with illustrations & drafting information. Plus I love finding old books from the 1900s. Here are two books I found in Google Book Search: • Text-Book on Domestic Art • School needlework

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/cleaniron By Susan M. Keenan Cleaning your iron on a regular basis is essential to maintaining clean, crisp clothes. At first glance, you may wonder how it is that one goes about cleaning an iron. In fact, you may even avoid the task simply because you don't know how to go about it. Fortunately, cleaning the iron is no more difficult than cleaning most other small appliances. All it takes is a little bit of time and a few simple tools. Cleaning the Reservoir The reservoir of your iron needs cleaning if it looks as though small deposits are being left in the small holes on the soleplate. Typically, the deposits are minerals from the water that you are using in the reservoir. The deposits may have a white color, and they may resemble salt. Cleaning the reservoir requires the use of white vinegar and a clean rag. Fill the reservoir of a cold iron at least one fourth of the way with white vinegar. Turn the iron on and place it on the steam setting. Stea

It's amazing what one can find on the internet these days. Not only from reading fashion magazine or blogs. I found a 2002 article in Science Daily about stain removal. Apparently a "retired extension educator" updated a 1975 cornell publication called "Removing Stains at Home". It's basically a 12 page booklet that explain how to removal almost any stain. It even list the stains that can't be removed. They go on to say one will get the best results if the stain is fresh. I download the PDF and I think I might even have a section on my website devoted to textiles (i.e. how to clean, store & about care label symbols). REMOVING STAINS AT HOME ARTICLE: ScienceDaily "How to remove 250 Stains from Clothes & Textiles"

How to make dryer sheets. Materials: • Cotton Fabric • Pinking Shears • Spray Bottle • Fabric Softener (any brand) Instructions: 1. Using your pinking shears cut fabric into 8"x8" squares. 2. Fill your spray bottle with fabric softener. 3. When you're ready to do a load of laundry, spray a cotton square 6 to 8 times & toss it in the dryer. Tip: Wash your squares every once in a while to remove buildup of softener. With a little care, these dryer sheets should last for years. "… Dryer sheets are made of fabric softener, like Downy, dried onto a small piece of fabric. It's just the stuff you put in the wash, but in solid form… If you make your own dryer sheets, one bottle of fabric softener can last you more than a year, & you'll save some big bucks…" [ Book: The Big Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano] After reading this book I decided to research this for myself and I found more recipes on how to make your own dryer sheets. Below are a list of t

I just finished reading about New York's Fashion Week and guess what? The dreaded eighties style has come back .... Marc Jacobs Fall 2009 - "... delivering an over-the-top ode to the New York Eighties ..." Donna Karan Fall 2009 - "... Karan reached back to the mid-Eighties with crystal transparency..."

By Hilary Alexander, Fashion Director Last Updated: 10:31AM GMT 22 Jan 2009 DIY fashion: Vivienne Westwood's joyously haphazard approach to dress Vivienne Westwood's powerful show featured DIY fashion and was based on the idea that time is running out... In pictures: Vivienne Westwood s/s '09 collection “DIY! Don’t buy my clothes. Well, if you are rich or can afford a stylist, you can get me. But if not, do it yourself. My idea is that you can mix charity, vintage, Portobello Road, pieces of Ikat fabric; wrap it all around yourself, use a handkerchief as knickers, mix safety pins and jewellery. But above all do something! Be optimistic!” Vivienne Westwood’s passionate pre-show dialogue was all about saving the rainforest and she was not in the slightest bit cautious about letting her politics invade her collection. “We are in the most terrible danger. In 100 years 5 billion people could be dead, London could be inundated in 20 years. Time is running out.” The inevitability