Shop and Work Spaces in Köln

Three years ago, I took a notion that I would like to live in Paris. I took time off from my steady, pensionable job (which was making me miserable at the time) and lived in the Latin Quarter for a month. But I couldn't bear it. I barely survived three weeks. My niece had been born in Germany (she was born while I was still in Ireland) and I couldn't wait to go and meet her. Here I was, on continental Europe and so was she! So I abandoned ship, I left Paris a few days early. I paid a ridiculous price for a train ticket to Köln.
All of that is an unecessary prelude really... the real story starts like this...
I had a few hours to kill in Köln before catching my next train. I went walking through the city. I was blown away by all the high street stores. Every shop you could name. From the UK or France or Germany or Italy - Pimkie, Body Shop, l'Occitane, HandM, Next, Benetton, Penney's/Primark - they all had huge branches in Köln. I don't really favour high street shops but I couldn't help be astounded. Brussels was similar but not as big, and not all together on the broad pedestrianised street: Hohe Strasse and Schildergasse.
And then I meandered on to smaller streets. And loved what I saw there too. Designers with workshops behind their shops. So a shopfront, and then maybe a mezzanine floor where the clothes were being sewn and made situated above the till / dressing room / stock room. And there was more than one of these! I loved it. Eagerly, I asked the shop owners and designers for their business cards. I saw it as maybe an option for me. An alternative to returning to my dreary desk in Dublin.
And on my next visit to Köln, I was excited to revisit this street. Of course, I hadn't made any life changes. I had returned to my safe job. So I was seeking inspiration and reassurance that these alternative places existed.
But I couldn't find the shops. I walked along the streets where I thought they were. I had mislaid the business cards. I remembered "Breite Strasse" very distinctly. I walked it and the adjacent streets. No luck. Maybe they'd gone?! Maybe they couldn't survive? The dream isn't a practical reality. Other "cool" shops were now inhabiting the streets in the area. Gentrification.
I have visited Köln twice at least since. And each time, I've walked in the vicinity of Breite Strasse hoping to see something I'd missed. It's put me off Koln. I don't like the place as much anymore. With the hipster Belgian Quarter. Sure, I've discovered the amazing Die Wohngemeinschaft hostel, the fab hairdresser a few doors up, Mythos, and the lovely coffee shop called Yummy Müslibar.
But back to Paris... the other day I was going through my old travel diaries. And I was delighted to find, tucked into the back of the Paris scrapbook, the business cards for the designer-maker shops in Köln. With trepidation, I checked their webpages. And I was ecstatic to discover that they both still exist!

rkm-kleiderkunst.de
schinkelwitz.de

I blame the map on one of the business cards for my confusion. The map highlights Breite Strasse and other streets in the area and only has a big spot on the shop location... but *doesn't* hightlight the actual street that the shop is on.
The street name? Auf dem Berlich. And I can't wait to go back to Köln and walk along it.

The birth of a new blog

Over this past while, and especially these past few days, my interest in sewing has grown. It is fascinating - FASCINATING - to see the variety of blogs that are out there.

• Some people blog to gather their own ideas together like a collage (which is what this Design blog has been for me, a collecting-point for my thoughts and little by little I can see my own style become recognisable)
• Some people blog for support and to share their projects and ideas
• Some people blog as a business - they promote their shop or their products
• Some people blog to promote their ideas and way of life, to voice their opinions

One blogger, Adrienne, from All Style All Substance, is doing a thesis on feminine studies, and if I understand correctly the topic is sewing and women and the blogosphere.

I enjoy my Design History Musings very much. And I am still grappling with what "design" really is... or at least what it really is for me.

I don't want to confuse my sewing projects with my design musings. I want to partake in the sharing and commenting and admiring of the community of sewing bloggers! And my sewing projects don't need to be interrupted by postings about spoons!!!

There are many other online ways to gather together sewing enthusiasts. And by 'sewing' I really mean dressmaking because there are quilters and crafters out there and they're a whole other kettle of very interesting fish! Other tools include

• burdastyle
• flicker for photos
• etsy or dawanda as an online shopping 'street' for retailers, consumers and window-shoppers all
• pinterest (although I don't get the need to link to facebook or twitter)
• facebook
• twitter
• patternreview

But for all that, I find blogs are leading the way.

My past few posts have been very wordy... that needs to come to an end too! More images, please.

I bought this postcard in the Museum in Ixelles in Brussels recently. I saw so much on my month in Europe that I haven't processed the half of it! I loved the postcard because the work is so concentrated and the pencil is touching the paper. He his Paul Hankar, an architect during the Art Nouveau style period. It is a poster drawn by Paul Crespin (1859-1944) and shows Hankar's concentration while doing the work and his body bent over the desk. I need my mind to give way to my hands and give way to physical production too.

I chose another two postcards while I was away; it strikes me now that they all have that theme of physicality and concentration on the task at hand.
This one is of a choral singer doing a solo line, or maybe she is a soloist and the other singers behind her provide backing... I'll never know! It resonated with me because I sing. I sing in a choir. And just before I left for Europe, I sang at the funeral of a good friend's grandfather. And I daresay I didn't look as composed  or as humble as this soloist does!

The image is a painting by Henry Lerolle (1848-1929) entitled À l'Orgue. I picked up the postcard in the Orangerie gallery in the Jardin des Tuilleries in Paris.
The next image could be haunting, but when you study the girl, she is just so concentrated and so immersed in reading the pages that the feeling changes to one of intrusion on her space. I imagine she's reading a script and about to go on stage. Or maybe she's directing the play or the film or... I don't quite know why I like it and I don't quite know why I can't help looking!

This postcard was bought in the Pompidou Centre in Paris. It is from an oil painting by Gerhard Richter (b. 1932) and is entitled Lesende.
I hope these three images are a satisfactory way to remind me of the purpose of this particular blog and to satisfactorily make the move to a dress-making only blog. Find it at fuail.blogspot.com

Irish Sewing Blogs and suppliers

I'm off work for a few days, off sick and not up to much other than sitting up in bed with my laptop and surfing and planning projects and things to do when I'm back to myself.
Yesterday, I got immersed in sewing patterns... and blogs and fabrics... I ended up spending almost €100.
Today, it struck me that I should have a trawl around the web for local bloggers, and find out where they source their patterns and their fabrics and notions. How do they avoid paying overseas postage and packaging... etc.
I'm going to start off with a "disclaimer" and that is my disinterest in quilting and patchworking so I have quickly left blogs on those topics that I have come across rightly or wrongly. Wrongly, undoubtedly, because there is something to be learnt from everything but the sheer amount of blogs and postings causes me to impose some kind of 'rules'.

A great start: Etsy Ireland Crafty Team - but they seem to be quite beady and cardy and crafty orientated as opposed to sewing specific. Hmm. This sourcing is tough.

Fiona in Dublin has an Etsy shop called Threads2000 selling 100% egyptian cotton threads sourced from Greece.

Fabric Shops in Dublin:
Hickey's on Mary or Henry Street (can never remember where on starts and the other ends)
Murphy Sheehy's near the Powerscourt Shopping Centre and Grogan's Bar
Woolen Mills, near Ha'penny Bridge on North Side (upstairs for the big range of fabric)
TWI, 24 Mountjoy Square East - I haven't been here yet.
Ikea

Other crafty shops in Dublin:
The Yellow Brick Road, Bachelor's Walk (though I think it may have closed down?!)
Trimmings shop on quays near beside Crown Alley / Temple Bar / Ha'penny Bridge
Rubenesque in Powerscourt Shopping Centre (used to have shop next to the music shop but may have moved from there into bigger premises)

Knitting shops:
Craft Cottage, Ratoath, Co. Meath
Trim, Co. Meath
Winnie's Wool Wagon, Woodbine, Booterstown (near UCD), Co. Dublin
woolshop in Swan Centre, Rathmines, Co. Dublin
This is Knit, Powerscourt Centre, Dublin
The Gingham Duck, Sligo

Lots of info on Knitting Classes in Ireland. I keep getting distracted by information that is available as opposed to the information that I want.


The Crafter's Basket, North Sligo - have the facility for selling patterns but none in online shop as I look today. Sells fabric, vilene, a dressmakers dummy, sewing machines and other items.

Yay! I've found Pippablue. She's blogging from Galway, Ireland. Further investigation... there's an online Pippablue Shop - hurrah! The list of products is potentially very exciting... but the stock is very low. One to keep an eye on, I suppose. The real shop is on 1 Middle Street, Galway City.

Just Judith is in Belfast - a quilter though, not my métier!
A room in a cottage - sewing homewares made in Ireland
Sarah from Cork is also a quilter
Fluffy Sheep Quilting is based in Ireland... but I think the clue is in the name! She has blogged a brilliant list of quilting fabric stockists in Ireland
Emily lives in Ireland and she likes to make things... here's hoping there'll be a link or two to a whole world of Irish bloggers in her blogstream....
Linda Coleman is in Dublin. Her projects seem different to mine but I might steal a friend from her blogging community.
Cuada are a textile designer in South West Ireland... website seems to just sell finished products.
Millie (the same name as my Gran!) lives on a dairy farm in Ireland and she SEWS. Just like me. My hopes are raised again.
The Roma and Mary blog is kept by Amanda in Ireland who likes a variety of handiwork and crafts, including sewing, she says.

A lot of these links were found using the "Sew Irish" group on flicker. But many of the members of that group are not based in Ireland. I just think in terms of sourcing materials and fabrics and patterns, and sew alongs (for practical time-zone-related reasons!) that it would be nice to be part of a community of Irish amateur dressmakers. But maybe my expectations are too high. I have a few leads and will follow them later.

Sewing patterns

Wow! There I was thinking that sewing patterns were limited to

• Burda
• Butterick
• Simplicity
• New Look
• Vogue

Because that's more or less the supply in a Dublin shop (Hickey's); the only shop I know of in Dublin that stocks patterns. Murphy Sheehy fabric shop will order Vogue patterns.

But oh! My delight today in discovering other pattern brands / companies / drafters:

• Sewaholic
• Lisette
• Colette
• Sewing Workshop
• StyleArc (nice tunic dress with large pockets but postage from Australia is $16!!!)
• Anna Maria Horner
• Betty Kingston
• Megan Nielsen
• Sew Liberated
• Eva Dress - accurately reproduced vintage patterns
• Jamie Christina
• Ottobre magazine
• Farbenmix
• Make It Perfect
• Neue Mode
• HotPatterns
• Rebecca Ruth Designs
• Favourite Things
• Victory Patterns
• Modkid
• Jalie
• Marfy
• Fishsticks Designs
• Serendipity Studio
• Sis-Boom
• Indygo Junction
• Imagewear magazine
• Sewn Square One

Japanese (pattern books):

• Simple Chic Dress Patterns by Machiko Kayaki
• Feminine Wardrobe
• Stylish girls' clothes
• I Am Cute Dresses by Sato Watanabe
• Linen Wool Cotton by Akiko Mano
• Simple Modern Sewing: 8 basic patterns to create 25 favourite garments by Shufu To Seikatsu Sha

and for children only:

• Clever Charlotte
• Figgy's
• Peek-a-boo
• Oliver and S
• Leila and Ben
• Olabelhe
• Sewbaby
• The Handmade Dress
• Ellie Inspired
• Brynnberlee
• Frog Legs and Ponytails

Underwear:

• Danglez

Bags:

• Amy Butler
• Ali Foster
• I Think Sew (including shoes - for adults and kids - and bags)
• Artsy Crafty Babe (Rebeka Lambert)
• Keyka Lou / Michelle Patterns
• Lazy Girl Designs
• Studio Kat Designs
• Patterns by Annie (I chose the yoga bag as a lot of the others are very quilted-y)
• Atkinson Designs (bags and other 'projects')
• Betz White (I especially love the Sidekick Sling)
• Charlie's Aunt (esp. The Poacher's Bag; Melford Messenger)
• Hemma Design (lots of bicycle bags!)
• Make your day designs

I'm not really into quilting but Lizzie House's stuff impressed me.
Curious to know more about The Lutterloh System of pattern making.

Sewing "cake" or "frosting"

Reading another blog about sewing, the blogger, Tasia, discusses her concept of "frosting" and "cake" and how she much prefers sewing frosting.
She puts it much better than I ever will! And you can find her post here.
Put simply:

• frosting = fancy dresses, beautiful fabrics, lushness, showing-off, fun and frolics
• cake = jeans or black skirt, for example. the sensible, classic items of clothing that form staples in a wardrobe.

As a designer, I think I'm ALL about the cake!!! I don't go for frills and decoration for the sake of it, I want my core object to be beautiful and practical and wearable and interesting. 

I wonder what my favourite cake is...? I do love lemon drizzle.

I certainly and absolutely prefer a soft lemony sugary cake to a cupcake, for example, which is normally all sponge and mostly sugar-coated excessive swirl of excessive coloured sugary cone on top.

My reason for sewing is to make wearable unique clothes that suit my style and my shape. I have no desire to be a couture fashion designer or be on the catwalks. If my friends come to me with fabric and an idea, and I can produce an outfit, I'll be happy!

Sewing Project #1

I started going to sewing classes recently on Wednesday evenings in a nearby Technical College; night classes for adult-learning.

I love it!

I bought a simple pattern to start with: Simplicity 2906 "It's So Easy" Skirt and Purse

The purse was sent to my sister-in-law before I got a chance to take a photograph.

Here is the skirt I made in the class, slowly, gradually, over six evenings (and some homework!):

The red fabric is not appropriate, so the teacher says. It didn't hem well... but then I'm not a great hand-sewer and was instructed to hem by hand. But I think I probably bought a basic cheap cotton mix red fabric. I'm begining to learn that the key to nice garments is starting off with a nice fabric...! The second project will also demonstrate this lesson:

The fabric in this blue skirt is a heavy cotton/linen type; almost suitable for worker's overalls. I find it so hard to assess these things in a shop. I made this item in an afternoon.

Although I not overly happy with my finished items and will probably not wear them, I have learnt a lot of dressmaking skills already:

• inserting a zip
• dealing with a lining (the red skirt is lined)
• what is twill tape?
• body measurements
• reading a pattern, the conventions used etc
• not to mention putting thread on a bobbin, threading the sewing machine
• stitch used for hemming by hand
• that tacking or basting is sometimes more useful and easier than pinning
• not always necessary to do back stitch (eg at bottom of side seam which will be turned into hem)
• side-split (red skirt)
• what are the selvages?
• pressing the seams
• zig-zagging the edge of fabric to protect from fraying
• tailor tacking (well I should have learned it but not very good at it!)
• darts and how to make/sew them
• ... and other little things, I'm sure.
• oh - most importantly - the key to a nice garment is starting with a nice fabric ;)

Sewing - absolute - Basics

This may seem overly idiotically simplistic. Two recent sewing projects of mine have failed because of some very basic things that I overlooked.

The Fabric
Most fabrics are woven. The terms for the threads going in different directions are "weft" and "warp"
Cutting fabric
In terms of cutting a fabric, I get the idea of cutting "on the bias" - that is diagonal to the threads (both the warp and the weft).
It's ordinary cutting that I'm not so clear about. For example, should the waistline of my garment be parallel to the weft or to the warp? Or if the question is easier phrased thus: "should the waistline be perpindular to the weft or to the warp?" It seems so simple, so basic, but I'm stumped.

(And this is to say nothing of the fabrics inside and out-side.)

Another term - "selvage" - that's the edges as seen on the right and left in the images above.

Window Dressing
I did pick up a nice tip about cutting a fabric "on the straight of the grain". Make a snip through the selvage, pull a weft thread and it will cause a puckering effect through the weft line of the fabric (if loosely woven enough). The fabric can then be cut squarely along this line. So certainly with window dressing, I am confident that the fabric must hang as it was woven, eg the top of the window is parallel to the weft.*

Dress-making
Now for dressmaking... aha! often the pattern will have arrows# - these arrows indicate the direction of the grain (direction of the warp, me-presumes). Therefore... I will take it that my skirt is to hang like a curtain and its waistband is to be perpendicular to the warp, parallel to the weft. I understand this now. Will it still make sense if I need to re-teach myself six months down the line?

*This tip was picked up on: www.seweasywindows.com
#Learnt on www.startsewing.co.uk

Sewing a purse

My flatmate wanted a purse that was slim enough to fit in her back pocket. But also had dividers for coins / notes / cards.

It was her birthday. I headed into town.

There are so many basic purses in the shops. €4, €5, €7, €8 and onwards and upwards for a zip attached to a pretty-patterned fabric; no dividers!

I popped in to the trimmings shop and bought a 4" zip for €1.50 and with some black satin fabric I had at home, proceeded to piece together the purse.

Here's the design:

• 4x rectangles of fabric, same size + zip
  
• turn down the long edge one of the rectangles and sew an edge - do this with two of the rectangles
• sew the zip onto a long edge of the other two rectangles
• place all four pieces of fabric on top of each other (placing the edged pieces and the zip on the same side) and sew the three edges
• voilá