Things to inspire... things to share...

To inspire:

I think this movie may be a game-changer for the public interest in dressmaking.  Remember "Titanic" and the garment fantasies it inspired?  This movie, which gives 40 year-old Kate Winslet a 25 year-old love interest (Hemsworth) may do the trick.  No official US release date yet... but we'll be waiting!

And when you see it, I suggest you dress for the occasion! The description alone will kill ya...

In the 1950s, Myrtle "Tilly" Dunnage returns to her hometown, an Australian country town named Dungatar, to take care of her ill mother, Molly, from which she was sent away at the age of ten because of false accusations of murder. Tilly, an expert dressmaker trained by Madeleine Vionnet in Paris, transforms the locals with her couture creations and in the process, exacts revenge on the people who wrongly accused her of murder all those years ago.

Who can help you get the dreamy fabrics and tools this film will inspire you to use? Well, in the garment district, there are many, but the best of the best map will guide you in the right direction.

Also to inspire:

Here's a great article on dressing your body... or anyone else's for that matter.  It will inspire you, and make you feel the value of your work as a garment professional, hobbyist, or artist, wherever that lands you!

To share:

Now, food for thought... what kinds of things can become fabrics?  Should they be making fabric using discarded animal parts?  Hmmmm... If not, why not?  Talk amongst yourselves, people.

A quote from the article linked above:

...one kilogram of gelatin can yield one kilogram of wool. That 1:1 trash-to-apparel ratio puts the process on par with a Nike project that converts plastic bottles into a polyester thread used for soccer uniforms. Unlike Nike, though, Stark and his team will need to find a manufacturing partner who can help develop infrastructure to produce the new fibers at scale. Because the foodstuff is derived from animal by-products, and gets made in bulk, it’s a more cost-efficient material than the merino sheared from sheep one at a time. At present, though, the European companies who manufacture gelatin do so only for niche products like gel capsules and Jell-O.

Also to share:

Are you looking for sewing classes in New York City?  Here's a site with a list of options...


Now, take a deep breath, have a good stretch, and do something meaningful.  See you later!