Yelena Dressmaking & Accessories

Usually, I don’t post my clients’ photos on these pages, but I got an OK here from both of them, had to think of the best time to post it, and decided on around Mother's Day.  About a year ago, I was contacted by a bride-to-be, Brittany, who wanted her “second” (some call it reception or just “fun”) dress made out of her mother’s gown. The original gown sat professionally preserved for 30+ years. We opened the box in my studio and discussed the changes to be made: yards of length to be removed, along with about 10 bows, sleeves, and a pile of tule and mesh that held the crinoline. I also needed to adjust the sizing some — all bodies are shaped differently! I’ve done similar work before, so I knew where to start. To my amazement, I found numerous pins hidden between dress’ layers, some oxidized from age; however, it didn’t alter the plans. In some spots, I needed to move pieces of lace from one area to another.  The dress was made, and Brittany and her mother, Dawn, were happy ...

  Repurposing and up-cycling garment-industry items Level of difficulty: * DIY (maybe, with online tutorial)                             ** need basic sewing experience                              *** ask an expert Item at hand:         Quantity:     Turn it into:       Square scarf                          Scrunchie (or 3)** (Silk, poly, cotton)        1.       Bracelet (fold&tie)*                                     Purse lining***   ...

  1⬆️ 2⬇️ 3⬆️ 4⬇️ 5⬆️ 6⬇️ Lace can be beautiful, versatile, romantic as well as painful to work with, fussy, cheap-looking, and predictable. I spent years to find love for lace, which in my youth did not align with my esthetics. Even my wedding dress, designed by yours truly, had non of it! In those years, I attributed lace presence in my wardrobe to my undergarments not to be seen by general public.  As you can tell from the photos on this post, my perception has changed. Today, I embrace the lace! Sometimes, I use it as an accent as on the first photo from top, where a crochet-style cotton lace accentuates my waist on the cotton dress. Its upholstery print is muted by the craftiness of lace. Neither material has stretch which made it easier to layer. On photo 2  the top has black stretch synthetic lace over stretch beige silk crepe. It’s a comfortable combination for any season. The shirt on photo 3 is made out of a new tablecloth. Sometimes, it’s cheaper to buy lace (o...

 The sleeves can be deceiving. I will elaborate. On many occasions, I installed sleeves into my clients sleeveless outfits for warmth/modesty. Sleeves can give a wearer a jolt of confidence by covering sunspots or other skin imperfections, making limbs appear longer and thinner or plumper, depending on what’s needed, shoulders—wider or narrower, again, whichever is desired.  However, there are circumference when the sleeves should be “surgically removed” or at least enhanced. Here are the cases leading to drastic measures: 1. The sleeves are too tight around the arms due to the original cut, wearer’s muscle/weight gain, or a shrinking accident after the garment is washed or dry cleaned. 2. The garment’s back is too tight around the shoulder blade area. This can be caused by the wearer’s anatomy, or faulty cut of the garment. Shrinking can also be a culprit, but not as much. 3. Combination of 1 and 2. 4. Sleeve damage beyond repair. If the cases 2 and 3 are most definite for th...

 If you came into my workroom, you might wonder about the presence of somewhat dangerous items seemingly unrelated to my trade and holding no decorative value. Those items are my tools as much as needles and scissors are. Let me tell you about some of them. Clear nail polish. It can stop a run in the pantyhose, and if you want to save a grosgrain or satin ribbon’s edge from unraveling, apply the polish in careful brush dabs at the cut edges, just as you would Fray Check (TM) by Dritz, which is also found on my table. Caution: both are toxic. Matches. Not only can they light a candle that could scorch-finish ribbon edges (do not try in combination with the nail polish!), a single unlit match can help producing a perfect button shank every time! Caution: flammable.  An awl. From preparing holes for a hand stitch on stiff leather, to marking a paper pattern piece, to starting a cut for a butthole, this handy tool is irreplaceable, so I have 2! Caution: sharp. Rubbing alcohol and/...

 All items in one’s closet can be divided into 3 groups. This includes all items from jewellery to the “unmentionables”, from shoes to hats, from coats to pjs. There are various ways to sort the items: pull everything out Marie Kondo-style; go through one shelve/drawer at a time; tag items as you use/see them. The choice is yours. I will only explain how the system works.  The first group pretty consists of the items whose main value is esthetic. In other words, you’ve been keeping these things because they are easy on the eye notwithstanding the purpose, which some might carry and others not. Here you should place that cute sundress you got on sale at the end of last summer, that splendid hat you wish to wear to the horse race one day, Valentine’s Day-only type lingerie, any jewelry that holds no sentimental value, special occasion shoes— you get the picture. This group is the easiest to edit: if the item is no longer beautiful to you for any reason (out of fashion, wrong siz...

 I often dress like I’m out to a party, I’m told.  Why not?  The life is short. It’s not a fact that I will outlive my coat, My skirts, my dresses, jackets, sweaters, blouses… And once I am done with earthly trifles, Someone will check my overflowing wardrobe  Exclaiming, “ Oh! Why did she not  wear all these clothes? She had the time, the body and the style… Now, what are WE to do with all this stuff?” Thus— while I can— I better outfit myself  For the exciting party of the present.  This lyrical intro by yours truly should put us in a mood of discussing the longevity of garments. All clothes are not created equally, some deteriorate and others pass the test of time; some clothes we might want to keep forever, while others serve their purpose in one day and are no longer needed; some are worn constantly and others rarely leave the closet. There are a few factors to consider when choosing a wearable item.  1.First of all, the material—usually fabr...