Host Carol Fresia and I unpack it all - ageism in fashion (and in sewing), process and design, how Style Falcon patterns are different, and what's next for this fledgling sewing pattern brand.
Please listen and let us know what you think!
]]>While binge-watching historical dramas during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, I had an idea.
Brocades should be “in” again.
And not just for Regency cosplay. Or for pretty people in movies..
For anytime. For you and me.
So I bought some and played around with it. I learned a few things pretty quickly.
Brocade has a pretty stiff hand and has no give, so it works best with garments that have some structure. Brocades can be expensive, but there are lots of affordable options, too. Silk brocades often come in narrow widths - 30 inches or less - but poly ones are wider. Lots of brocades have delightful metallic elements - who doesn’t love a little bling in the threads?
While I was experimenting in the sewing room, I connected with a friend who'd finally found the perfect wedding outfit - a fancy jacket with an embroidered collar, over a plain sheath dress. What a great idea for a sewing pattern - a jacket you can dress up or down, with the perfect collar for one-of-a-kind embellishment.
I jotted down some ideas. How about a simple jacket shape, to really let a brocade or other fabulous fabric shine? How about a single-button closure, because who doesn’t have a pretty single button in their stash?
Then I experimented with collar and sleeve shapes. I settled on a big statement collar that could be quilted or embroidered, or that would use a little fancy fabric if someone wanted to splurge.
Here’s what I sent the patternmaker, Christine Groom, to work with:
Christine quickly judged that the jacket needed a bust dart and that the collar needed to be cut on the bias at center-back to wrap nicely around the neckline. She asked some questions about the collar. Did I really want a collar that big? Yes I did!
At least I thought I did. Ha ha ha. Here’s the first sample Christine sewed, out of some leftover upholstery canvas.
She was right - I did NOT want a collar that big. She, I and the fit model, Meg Greene, had a few laughs over it, then we set about pinning the ginormous collar into a better shape. We hit on a square shape that works well with the geometry of the rest of the jacket.
The second sample, done in plain muslin, hit on the idea perfectly.
The jacket on Meg really framed her face beautifully, creating this “negative space” in a sense. The jacket was just called “Style 1201” at this point. I started playing around with the idea of negative and positive space to name the jacket.
Next up - testing the collar embellishment idea. I sewed a jacket in some gold and black poly brocade, then embroidered a design by machine with metallic thread on some black poly satin. Batting between the collar layers adds dimension. It worked really well!
Christine and I played around a bit with cuffs for the sleeves for another look, but I couldn’t decide what to do. I will revisit a cuff another time!
Brian Lee graded the pattern - here’s the back lining piece for example. The orange, aqua and blue lines represent the three grade rules for Style Falcon sizing. Most of the size difference comes in the side seams, with a little at the sleeve and none at the center-back or hem. The only other pattern markings at this point are the sleeve notches, grainline and the waistline.
Then it was graphic artist Adrianna Aguirre’s turn to make this pattern look gorgeously user-friendly. She starts with the technical flats, working from the pattern pieces themselves and from photos of the jacket on Meg.
I am always so happy to see the flats!
Adrianna beautifully shows the jacket’s shape and style, with unlined or fully lined options. She even made a little embellishment for the collar! This was a complex job and a great collaboration. Her illustrations of the bagging-out process for the lining are especially masterful!
I also contacted a local student to get started on the fashion illustrations. I told her the story of the perfect wedding outfit - sheath dress and embellished-collar jacket - so she drew that look, plus a more casual look in a brocade with pants.
I would wear either of these outfits, anytime!
The jacket was ready for final testing. Several members of the Style Falcon flock jumped at the chance to make it. I was delighted to see the gorgeous variety of jackets, in different colors, fabrics and stylings.
Tester feedback helped fine-tune the instructions. But they were pretty great already! "I found your instructions really clear and easy to follow. Possibly the best I’ve tested," said Emma (bottom left).
Jo, who's modeling the back of the jacket with a fringed collar says: "I love the jacket so much." She posted a video on YouTube - check it out!
Thank you again, testers!
Finally, I made a Positive Space Jacket for myself! I had just the fabric for it - a gorgeous and ginormous poppy print matelasse. Perfect for spring and summer wear. I sewed it up in time to pose for photos with the poppies in my garden.
I fully lined this but left off the collar in the end - I didn’t want anything to get in the way of the poppy print. So there are three ways to wear this jacket! I also did a YouTube video if you want to see the 360 view.
I look forward to seeing more Positive Space Jacket creations. Please drop us a line at hello@stylefalcon.net or tag your creations on Instagram with #positivespacejacket.
]]>I based the idea on an old ready-to-wear knit top. I liked it and got compliments on it, but I always wanted it to be drapier and more fun. So I played around with sketches (I am soooo not an artist) and sent some drawings with a description to Christine Groom, the patternmaker.
I wanted Style Falcon to always offer options for those of us who run hot or cold, so a sleeveless look and scoop neck for one version, and a long-sleeved cowl neck for the second version.
Christine took this sketch and my description and came up with a proper sketch on a croquis. Looks better already, right?
She had lots of questions about how drapey the top should be and the size and shape of the cowl so that it would fall into pretty folds without being droopy or collapsing inside the top. Also - note the date here - February 2021. This top was released for sale in March 2022 - it had been in the works for a year.
Christine got to work on the top, building off of the block we'd already made with Meg Greene, the fit model for Style Falcon patterns. Christine applied the design to the block to make the pattern, then sewed up the first sample to test the pattern out. Here it is, modeled on Ruby, my dressform:
The sample is made of knit fabric leftover from a lining Christine made for a client (she’s a custom couturier in addition to a patternmaker). Those of us who sew understand not using your best fabric for first draft sample. But my friends who saw this wanted to know why the top was the color of an old bra!
Meg tried it on and we made some fit and drape decisions from there. The shoulders were a little wide, for example, and the top was too long. But the cowl was pretty and the drape was excellent from the beginning!
Christine revised the pattern, and I sewed up the next sample. I haunted the remnant section of Jo-Ann and came up with this mishmash - a little Wilma Flintstone cosplay to make it fun:
I also tried samples in different types of knit fabrics to see how they behaved. Here’s one that was not successful at all:
I thought the top might look cool in a striped fabric. I also thought it might work in a light sweater knit. I was wrong on both counts. The top really needs knits with four-way stretch to work well. And the stripes? They just look sad because the drape distorts them. So I learned that stripes are cool for the godets, bands and sleeves, but not for the body of the top.
Now it was time for some nice fabric. It was also time for me to write down the instructions in short form and test out the construction order and techniques.
We had one last fitting session with Meg at my house in Connecticut (masked up, as Covid was raging) and Christine over Zoom from California in late April. Meg had provided feedback on how the top felt to wear and how it looked all along, but now was the final test. How did it feel to put on and take off? Did anything feel too tight or loose? Could you do the Funky Chicken in it? We also made sure to test the top seated. Everything was great.
Christine, Meg and I worked on other patterns this same way. This pattern and the others in development went to the pattern grader, Brian Lee, in late summer.
Meg, as the fit model, is in the middle of Style Falcon’s size range - size F. From there, Brian graded the pattern five sizes smaller and five sizes larger, for 11 sizes in all, A through K.
Here’s what the cowl looks like graded. F is the black line in the middle. Grading took a while, as we had to decide on the grading rules - that is, how much larger or smaller to make each size. For most pattern pieces, the orange lines follow one rule, sizes G, H and I follow a different rule, and sizes J and K follow yet another rule. (For the cowl, just two rules were used, since you don't really want the cowl growing as much as the body of the top.)
Brian's graded patterns are pretty simple to look at. There are just the cutting lines, grainline, notches and label for each piece. This was enough for me and two other experienced seamstresses to sew up samples in September to test the pattern, grading and basic order of construction, seam types and other details. We all used the same fabric to ensure consistency. And we all came back with great results.
Once I knew the grading was solid, it was time to sew a version for myself in my size, D:
I am a fool for a poppy print!
At this point, the top was just called Style 2301 A and B. But now that it was ready to wear and share with the world, it needed a catchier name. I showed a friend the pictures, and she said "Wow, that's gorgeous!" TA-DA! We had a name!
The samplemakers and I used a very basic order of construction to sew our versions. Here's what that looks like:
Most home sewers were going to need more guidance than this, so here's where Adrianna Aguirre, the graphic designer, came in. She made the line drawings, illustrated each major step, and made the patterns look gorgeous with bold, clear markings. She also created the layered .pdfs for printing at home or at a copy shop. Her work ran through the fall and winter on this and other patterns.
I wrote all the instructions and then sewed more samples to ensure they all made sense and were clear. I also wrote the pattern description and all the other copy for the pattern, Website and line. And I built the Website. I really missed my sewing machine during this time!
I called a local fashion school to see if any students would be interested in doing some illustrations for me. I really wanted traditional hand-drawn fashion illustrations for my line - I just love the artistry behind them.
I connected with a student who created several great looks. I especially love these, and they became the illustrations for the Website:
I needed one more round of testing to make sure everything was OK. I asked for help with a few home sewers I've known for years through blogs and pattern reviews. They all generously gave of their time - and fabric - to help me in February. (Note: I pay testers or make charitable donations on their behalf.) Their feedback provided valuable tweaks to the instructions and pattern markings, and ensured one last time that the pattern sews up as intended.
Ready for some looks?
Elaine in the UK (laineemakes on Instagram) made this pretty pretty pretty version and enjoyed it on her vacation to Portugal.
Janine in Canada (janineerm on Instagram) did a cool version with contrasting godets - an animal print inspiration so much better than the Wilma Flintstone sample I made.
This top already has been to more places in the world than I have been during the past two years! And since it went on sale in March, it's traveled even further.
I'd love to hear how you make out with the Gorgeous Godet Top and other Style Falcon patterns. I hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look. Please drop me a line in the comments or at hello@stylefalcon.net.
]]>Hi! I'm Diane, the creator of Style Falcon. I'm a home sewer, writer, researcher, wife, daughter, sister, friend and poodle mama. I live in New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
I'm the visionary and creative force behind Style Falcon, but I don't do it alone. I work with a skilled professional team - a patternmaker, a grader, an illustrator and a graphic artist - to bring Style Falcon patterns to you.
The patternmaker is Christine Groom, owner of ZigZag Designs, a pattern company and custom couturier in California. Christine has a degree in Fashion and Apparel Design. She really understands how to design for mature figures. Her expertise makes each Style Falcon pattern work.
We work with Brian Lee of PatternUSA to grade the patterns. PatternUSA is based in Los Angeles and works with many large fashion brands as well as boutique firms.
We work with a graphic artist, Adrianna Aguirre, to make the patterns readable and user-friendly. Adrianna also does all the technical illustrations. She has a BFA in fashion design. You'll see her artistry and attention to detail in the instructions and on the patterns themselves.
We work with an incredible fit model, Meg Greene, whose beauty, humor and grace comes through in every Style Falcon pattern.
And then there's a small flock of Style Falcons who have proofread pages, tested patterns, provided feedback and ideas, and have been a great source of support and fun.
I look forward to telling you more about everyone soon!
]]>Sure is. I’d like to tell you about it.
When I was trying to come up with a name for this sewing pattern business, I had a few rules in mind:
I turned to nature for inspiration. I love birds, so maybe a bird-themed name would work?
I Googled various bird themes and motifs, and something struck me. There are a lot - and I mean A LOT - of negative mash-ups of women and birds.
The ancient Greeks and Romans spun myths about harpies - monsters with the heads of beautiful maidens and the bodies of rapacious birds of prey. A harpy today is a very disagreeable woman.
And then there are the sirens, whose beautiful songs drove sailors to crash their boats into rocks. What did the sailors see when they emerged from their shipwrecks? More bird-women hybrids, also hideous to behold. Today’s siren is a woman who tempts a man to a bad end.
In modern times, we have these gems:
I could go on.
What if I turned this on its head? I thought of the British naturalist Helen Macdonald’s award-winning book “H Is for Hawk,” in which she trained a goshawk for hunting. Unlike many birds, female hawks are stronger and larger than the males. They are sharp and beautiful and powerful. All things I wanted my brand to be.
So “Style Falcon” it is. Maybe it was a dumb name for a sewing pattern business, but I like it.
The Style Falcon mascot is named Mabel, after Helen Macdonald’s goshawk. I am training her to cut out fabric for me.
And in the Style Falcon logo you can see how the negative space from Mabel’s wings suggests a traditionally feminine sweetheart neckline. We have a soft side, too.
Thanks for reading!
]]>Sewing patterns were designed for mature figures?
With adjustments built in, to help you get a great fit?
For the 92% of us who are not “hourglass” shaped?
Or have had a baby or two or three or more?
Or have health conditions that most fashion ignores?
Or have taken 40 or more trips around the sun?
I started Style Falcon because I asked myself these questions. I knew that most fashion is designed for a youthful, slim woman with so-called “perfect” posture and proportions. But why are most sewing patterns also like that? After all, when we sew, we can do what we want. We can reject fashion’s so-called rules. We can create the perfect look for our bodies, our lives, our values. There was no sewing pattern company like that, so I figured I had to start one myself.
With Style Falcon sewing patterns, you will always get sharp, dramatic and fabulous fashion, designed for you:
Mature figures deserve fashion that fits!
We'd love to hear about your sewing and fit journey - drop us a line anytime.
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