Tailored Tales - Haute Couture Club of Chicago, NFP

T a i l o re d T a l e s
Newsletter of the Haute Couture Club of Chicago
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Celebrating 50 Years
by Marty Moser
There is No January Meeting
By tradition, the club does not meet in
January. Mark your calendar for Feb. 1
when we resume with a wallop with the
redoubtable Kenneth D. King and the
Architectural Challenge.
WGN’s Linda Kollmeyer Is Emcee - 2014 Fashion Show
by Susan Gerbosi
Linda Kollmeyer, the sparkling personality who pulls lottery numbers on
Channel 9 News, will be the emcee for the 2014 style show, A Golden
Opportunity.
Linda’s effervescence and upbeat outlook on life have made her a
Midwestern celebrity as the Illinois Lottery Lady for more than 20 years.
What many may not know is that Linda also sews.
“I made my dress for the Emmys and for my wedding,” Linda said. “I
can appreciate the hours of work and the thrill of a finished garment.”
Linda admits that she doesn’t have as much time as she would like to
sew, but when the opportunity presents itself she enjoys making oneof-a-kind creations.
A Missouri native, Linda
Kollmeyer started sewing at the
age of twelve. Linda left a
nursing career and found her
way to modeling, acting, and
personal fitness. In addition to
being the hostess for the Illinois
Lottery drawings on WGN,
Linda also is a personal trainer
of Stott pilates and leads group
fitness classes of all types
around Chicago.
When asked what the favorite item was that she made, Linda
answered, “Anything done with my Mom growing up! That includes
costumes and gowns, my pony's blanket, and gifts that I made for
others.”
What brings a lottery hostess, sewist, and personal trainer to be the
emcee of the Haute Couture Club’s 50th anniversary show? “My
career and personal interests tie together because everything I have
ever done—music, sewing, television appearances, fitness training and
charity functions—all have a common link of Joy and Love from my
heart to others’ hearts,” Linda answered.
So share the love of sewing, bring your family and friends to bask in
Linda’s radiance at the April 27 fashion show at the Union League of
Chicago. We are excited to have Linda as emcee for runway
garments. We anticipate that she’ll bring along some of her cheerfully
famous quotes to thread throughout the commentary.
Constantinople or Istanbul?
By Karen Harder
Istanbul is widely recognized as the name of
Turkey's most well known city, but it was not
always this way. The city assumed various names
under the Ottomans since 1453 and, although the
Ottomans did not purposely change the city's
name, they opted to make "Constantinople" into a
more Turkish style name "Konstantiniye" (which
loosely translates as "of Constantine").
According to a popular story that has existed for
many years, the city was not referred to by its
actual name, but, because of it size, simply as
'Polis' (the City). When people wanted to say 'to the
City', they said 'eist enpolin' (is-tin-polin), which was
the (possible) origin of the name 'Istanbul'. Istanbul
has had other names at various times but none of
them was used widely or for any great length of
time. Some official correspondence and coins had
the transcription of 'Konstantinoupolis' or
'Konstantiniye'.
The name controversy was assumed to be settled
when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (founder of the
Republic of Turkey and the first President) officially
renamed the city Istanbul in the 1920s. It took
Westerners a few decades to accept the name, as
Constantinople continued to appear on maps well
into the 1960s. (The Greeks still do not use the
Turkish name, and Konstantinopolis continues to
be used on maps and road signs in Greece today.)
(Liberally lifted from
www.sephardicstudies.org/istanbul.html)
Two round-trip tickets to Istanbul, Turkey will be
auctioned off in a Live Auction at our 2014 fashion
show on April 27. Valued together at approximately
$3,000, these tickets might be had for much less. At
the same time, you will be contributing generously
to the club and supporting both the educational
programming and a scholarship fund for fashion
design students. Plans for the trip must be made by
the end of the 2014 calendar year; actual travel
must occur by the end of the 2015 calendar year.
The Haute Couture Club is very grateful to Turkish
Air for this generous donation!
Take Me Back to Constantinople
Some of us of a “certain age”
might remember the 50’s when
male quartets were the rage in
pop singing. On Aug. 12, 1953,
the Four Lads recorded the
hilarious “Take me Back to
Constantinople.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=vankaSlfSr0
Lyrics
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it’s Istanbul not
Constantinople
Been a Long Time gone
Old Constantinople still has
Turkish delight
On a moonlight night
Every gal in Constantinople
Is a Miss-stanbul, not
Constantinople
So if you’ve a date in
Constantinople
She’ll be waiting in Istanbul
Even old New York was once
New Amsterdam
Why they changed it, I can’t say
(People just liked it better that
way)
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can’t go back to
Constantinople
Now it’s Istanbul, not
Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the
works?
That’s nobody’s business but the
Turks
…Marty Moser
Golden Gate Bridge Challenge
For our second challenge, members are asked create fashions inspired by architecture which will be shown
at our February meeting and judged by Kenneth King, famed couture designer, educator, and author.
Walk around your home or out your front door and you will be faced with unlimited inspirations of fashion
and architecture. We encourage you to pull from the structured lines of bridges, buildings, and interiors or
create using the techniques of such architectural fashion designers as Issey Miyake, Shingo Sato, Tomoko
Nakamichi, Yohji Yamamoto, Hussein Chalayan, Charles James, or another you admire. If you would like,
feel free to bring a photo of your inspiration. Unconventional textiles welcome.
In addition to your own, here are a few resources which may add inspiration to your creative process:
o www.style.com
o Cool Couture: Construction Secrets for Runway Style by Kenneth King (ISBN-13: 978-1589233898)
o The Fashion of Architecture by Bradley Quinn (ISBN-13: 978-1859737576)
o The Fashion Designer's Directory of Shape and Style: Over 500 Mix-and-Match Elements for Creative
Clothing Design by Simon Travers-Spencer and Zarida Zaman ISBN-13: 978-0764138669)
Entry Form for Golden Gate Bridge challenge.
Deadline for entry forms is Mon., Jan. 27. Please print.
Name
Address
Phone
E-mail
Send entries to: Sandra Young, 525 W. Deming Pl. #322, Chicago, IL 60614 / or /
syoung812@gmail.com
For the Golden Gate Bridge challenge
think structure and style lines. Some
say Charles James was the master
architect of fashion. Since James
Clover gown, how have fashion and
architecture intersected?
Can you see the clean, delicate style
lines in Mies Van Der Rohe s Pavilion
mirrored in the looks by Francisco
Costa?
Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein
Charles
Notice the structural swirl of the
building captured in the Marchessa
gown below?
The possibilities are
endless in this challenge.
Marchessa
Tomoko Nakamichi s Pattern Magic series
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Some 70 members gathered at the
East Bank Club on Dec. 8 to
celebrate the holidays and reflect on
Club history. Dolores Panek had
archival material on display, including
old newsletters and fashion show
program books. There was
entertainment and a game with prizes
(notebook at right).
Each table had a
centerpiece (left) of
dressform pincushions
cut and sewn from 50th
anniversary fabric.
Table favors were
Dove candies
wrapped in pattern
tissue paper and tied
with antique gold
ribbon. The party
looked out upon a soft
snowfall on a perfect
winter day.
Sandy
Young,
Rhonda
Buss,
Olga
Erwin
HAUTE COUTURE
HOLIDAY FANTASY AT MY HOUSE
This version of “Twas the Night
Before Christmas” came from the
archives. It was penned years ago by
member Jean Franz and was
reworked and updated by member
Priscilla Porembski. Renee Liepins
amused us with its reading at the
Christmas party.
‘Twas the night before the Haute
Couture’s Holiday Party and all
through my house
There is wailing and moaning that
scares every mouse.
Away to the window I fly, like a
Flash,
Unlock the five locks there; throw
open the sash.
Soon gives me to know I have
nothing to dread.
They speak not a word, but go
straight to their tasks
The moonlight on the snow as it flies
in my face,
Gives a glow like the fairy
lights around
Water Tower
Place.
They cut out the
fabric—wow!
They are fast!
They baste
they chain
stitch—oh, how
can it be?
They’re
creating
a garment especially for me!
Then what
should my
wondering eyes
chance to
encounter?
Why, it looks like
Haute Couture’s sewing elves, sent
straight from the club's founder!
They’re carrying garment bags that
are larger than they,
And I know in a moment it’ll all be
okay.
The Party’s tomorrow—oh, what an
affair –
And it’s plain to be seen I have
nothing to wear!
Oh, I signed up for classes, I just
didn’t go,
I designed my outfit myself – after all,
I can sew!
Now my hemline is crooked; my
jacket looks bad,
And the way this thing fits me is
really quite sad.
The seams are all poochy, and, don’t
tell a soul,
The lining’s all puckered; the collar
won’t roll.
What to do? I can’t fix it; even the
skirt is too tight!
Aha! I’ll go to my stash and
find a project that’s
right!
Now…out on the lawn I hear
such a clatter
I put down my new fabric –
oh, what is the matter?
Well then, in a twinkling, I hear up
above,
The squeak and the squawk of a cart
being shoved.
As I draw in my head and am turning
around
Down the chimney the sewing elves
come with aplomb.
They are dressed all
in fur, from their feet
to their heads;
“Every girl should
have at least one fur
coat for this
weather!” they all
said.
Their pad
perfect!
so nimble!
But I’m
report that
a thimble.
and
stitches are
Their fingers,
shocked to
they don’t use
They press and pound cheeseboard,
they say steam is the key,
In their hands the iron seems just as
light as can be.
They baste in the darts on the dress,
front and back,
Then a sewing machine and serger
are pulled out of a sack.
They stitch, add top-stitching, and to
them it’s all fun,
They hang sleeves, turn the hem;
and then they’re all done.
This dress is a
keeper; it simply
can’t miss
Why, even Lady
Gaga would look
splendid in this.
They open their bags, they have
nothing to hide,
And it looks like they have a sewing
studio inside.
I slink into the shadows, get out of
their way,
If they see how I’ve sewn this there’ll
be hell to pay.
They pack up
their stuff; attach
their bags to their
cart,
Put their arms in
their coats and are set to depart.
And I hear them exclaim as they
move out of sight,
A wink of their eyes, and a twist of
their heads,
“Come to classes next time, and your
clothes will fit right!”
C
Ch
hrriissttm
ma
ass SSoon
ngg C
Coon
ntteesstt
Those in attendance at the
holiday party, had to put
their thinking caps on for a
game presented by
Monica Bruno. Some smart
people got all (or mostly
all) of the answers and won
a notebook with the club’s
50th anniversary logo.
Here is the test. Imagine that you can’t spit out the
name of a Christmas carol on the tip of your
tongue, and you tried to describe it as follows. What
is the song’s Correct name? (Answers follow.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
The office of two psychiatrists.
The lad is a diminutive percussionist.
Decorate the entryways.
Present me naught but dual incisors for this festive
Yuletide.
The smog-less bewitching hour arrived.
Exuberation to this orb.
288 Yuletide hours.
Do you perceive the same longitudinal pressure,
which stimulates my auditory sense organs?
The red-suited pa is due in this burg.
Stepping on the pad cover
Uncouth dolt has his beezer in the booze and thinks
he is a Dark Cloud’s boyfriend.
Far back in a hay bin.
Leave and do an elevated broadcast.
Listen, the winged heavenly messengers are
proclaiming tunefully.
Frozen precipitation commence.
Boulder of the tinkling metal spheres.
We are Kong, Lear, and Nat Cole.
On small Israel urban center.
Our fervent hope is that you thoroughly enjoy your
yuletide season.
Parent was observed osculating a red-coated
unshaven teamster.
May the Deity bestow an absence of fatigue to mild
male humans.
Natal celebration devoid of color, rather albino, as a
hallucinatory phenomenon for me.
Have hitherward the entire assembly of those who
are loyal in their belief.
Oh member of the round table with missing areas.
Nocturnal time span of unbroken quietness.
The Christmas preceding all others.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Nutcracker Suite
Little Drummer Boy
Deck the Halls
All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.
Joy to the World.
Twelve Days of Christmas
Do You Hear What I Hear?
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
Up on the House Top
Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer.
Away in the Manger.
Go Tell It on the Mountain.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Let It Snow
Jingle Bells Rock
We Three Kings
Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
God Rest You Merry Gentlemen
I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Oh Holy Night
Silent Night
The First Noel
Corporate Sponsors
By Marty Moser
Members, if you have a business, you are invited to
advertise yourself through corporate giving to the
club. There are two ways to participate.
First, you can donate an item that will be put up for
a drawing among the members at gatherings.
Each meeting has chance drawings for prizes
where the donor’s name is acknowledged. Imagine
your name before all those attending the Kenneth
D. King luncheon.
Second, on a more ambitious scale, the fashion
show committee is seeking sponsors for each of
the seven segments of the fashion show. Fashion
show sponsors pay $500 but get liberal free
advertising throughout the club and fashion show
attendees. Erwin and Associates was the first
corporate sponsor and grabbed the show’s
segment, “The Gold Standard.”
As a member of the 50th Anniversary Committee, I
am collecting prizes for the surprise drawings at
meetings. Wendy Grossman and Susan Gerbosi
are organizing the gifting program for the fashion
show. Please contact any of us about contributing.
About Us
The Mission of the
Haute Couture Club of
Chicago is to provide a
friendly, supportive and
stimulating atmosphere
for the learning of
advanced sewing
techniques.
We are united in our
interest in creating
beautifully constructed
and expertly fitted
garments.
Kenneth D. King Workshop Next Month
by ReAnn Scott
There is still room for attendance at the several functions that will be
held next month with sewing personality, Kenneth D. King. Don’t miss
the chance to study with this sewing/marketing genius. Enroll
conveniently on our website or mail the form in this newsletter.
Our goal for the KDK luncheon is 100 attendants, and as of Dec. 15,
we have over half that number of the tickets sold. The three workshops
that King is offering—Embellishment & Trims, Cool Tricks, and Son of
Cool Tricks—are, as of Dec. 15, each over half filled.
Registration will stay open for the workshops until they are filled.
Please support your organization and attend this very exciting,
educational and fun-filled event. The Haute Couture Club is all about
learning from the best
Year 2013-2014
Board of Directors
President
Norma Neuswanger
1st Vice President, Programs
ReAnn Scott
2nd Vice President,
Membership
Lisa Chaney’s
2011 biography,
Maria Curciarello
Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life,
Barbara reveals Coco to us.
Recording Secretary
Nik-ki
Whittingham
Expect to learn
about the
young French girl, Gabrielle
Corresponding
Secretary
Jeanne
Chanel, who
spent her
Olga
Erwin
early years in an orphanage
(and gained her nickname from
singing cafeTreasurer
concerts about a
Beth
Koval
little lostAna
dog),
as well
as the
woman who founded her own
FashionDiscover
Show her
fashion empire.
Karen
Harder Churchill
connection
to Winston
and the significance of her
Special
lucky number
5. Events
Feel free to
Sheril
wear your best Hughes
Chanel suit or
that fabulous treasure she
Webmaster
invented: the
little black dress!
Monica Bruno
Newsletter Editor
Marty Moser
While King has private clients for couture clothes, you will likely be more
familiar with the thought-provoking creations that are offered through
Threads Magazine, Craftsy and his own books. King’s work might be
characterized as being full of vigor, imaginative, whimsical, but expertly
crafted with the full intention of being wearable. The pictures are samples
of what might be seen in the Embellishment & Trims class.
To the Haute Couture Club’s
50th Anniversary Committee
Congratulations, Ladies! You did a fantastic job
at the holiday luncheon! Everything was
wonderful—the table decorations and program
book, the program itself, and the lively and
cheerful presentation by Dolores, full of
reminiscences in tribute to past and current
members. What a success. Thanks to all of you
for a wonderful afternoon of entertainment. You
deserve an “Oscar.”
Yours truly, Olga Erwin
February 1 & 2, 2014
The Haute Couture Club of Chicago Welcomes Kenneth E. King
by ReAnn Scott
The Haute Couture Club of Chicago is delighted to welcome
designer, lecturer, and author, Kenneth D. King as our guest
speaker/teacher for a very special meeting presentation and
three workshops on February 1 & 2, 2014.
As of today, all three workshops are over half filled and the
luncheon event is filling up quickly as well. Note – on Dec. 9,
the workshops and the luncheon will be offered to the general
public, other sewing organizations, and students at all of the
area design schools. Don't delay registering for the workshop
of you choice. Ana Koval, treasurer, will be at the Holiday
Luncheon and can take your credit card or check that day.
Kenneth D. King is a frequent contributor to Threads®
Magazine. He is a best-selling author of sewing instruction
books, which include Cool Couture: Construction Secrets for
Runway Style; Designer Bead Embroidery: 150 Patterns and
Complete Techniques; and Designer Techniques: Couture
Tips for Home Sewing. He also has online construction
classes at Craftsy.com
All sessions/workshops will be held at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, 350 N. Orleans, Chicago.
•
Sat. Feb. 1 from 11:45 am 2:30 pm in the Sauganash Ballroom, 14th Floor.
o Mr. King will present Demystifying the Creative Process: Creativity is the Opposite of Fear! Lunch is included
along with a slide presentation, trunk show and lengthy Q&A. Members - $40; Non-Members -$60.
•
Sat., Feb. 1 from 3:00 to 6:00 pm in the Sauganash Ballroom, 14th Floor.
o Mr. King will teach a hands-on workshop on Embellishments and Trims.
Members- $50 + $30 kit fee; Non-members - $75 + $30 kit fee.
•
Sun., Feb. 2 from 8 am to Noon in the LaSalle Room, 15th Floor.
o Mr. King will teach a hands-on workshop on couture s Cool Tricks.
Basic Sewing supplies and machine required. Members - $50; Non-members - $75.
•
Sun., Feb. 2 from 2 to 5 pm in the LaSalle Room, 15th Floor.
o Mr. King will continue his Cool Tricks series with the hands-on workshop Son of Cool Tricks.
Basic Sewing supplies and machine required. Members - $50; Non-members - $75.
Haute Couture Club Members have first choice of attending one or more of the Kenneth D. King couture-techniques
sessions. Please complete and send the attached registration form, along with payment, to ReAnn Scott by Sun., Dec. 8,
2013, to ensure a place in the sessions. After Sunday, December 8th, registration for all of Kenneth s classes will be
open to the public.
For any questions regarding the February Kenneth D. King event & workshops, please contact ReAnn Scott at
(reanns@gmail.com).
Page 2 Haute Couture Club of Chicago Kenneth D. King Workshops and Lectures
Please send completed form and payment with check made payable to the Haute Couture Club of Chicago NFP to:
ReAnn Scott 1702 W. Touhy Ave, Apt. 2 Chicago, IL 60626. Alternately, you may register online using PayPal by
visiting http://www.hautecoutureclubchicago.com
Session date / name
Sat.,Feb. 1 11:45-2:30 Creative Process Lecture, Slide/Trunk Show/Lunch & Q&A
Member
Non-member
Salmon with mango relish
Chicken Piccata
Mushroom Risotto
Sat., Feb. 1 3:00-6:00 p.m. Embellishments & Trims Workshop + $30 kit fee
$40
$60
$80
$115
Sunday, Feb. 2 from 8 a.m. to Noon
$50
$75
$50
$75
Please select one lunch choice below. Lunch includes salad, potato, vegetable,
dessert and coffee/tea services.
Sunday, Feb. 2 from 2 to 5 p.m.
Cool Tricks Hands-on Workshop
Son of Cool Tricks
Hands-on Workshop
Total Payment
Note: Attendees are responsible for their own lunch on Sun., Feb. 2.
Print Name: ___________________________________
Meal Selection: _____________________________
Print Email: ____________________________________
Phone Number: _____________________________
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Demystifying the Creative Process, or Creativity is the Opposite of Fear: Many think of the visual arts when talking
about the creative process, but there is creativity in all areas of daily life. Most people think that a creation just appears
in the brain (hence the belief of some that only the visual arts are creative), and then the creator just makes it up . This
is not so. There is a process (that s why they call it the creative PROCESS!) of exploration, inspiration, mistakes, misfires,
and the like that goes into the finished work. This free-form lecture/slide presentation will cover Kenneth s way of
looking at the creative process itself, and as a spiritual path/way of life. His wish is that when you leave this lecture, you
won t be so afraid to dive in and create something in whatever discipline moves you. After the lecture, we move to the
rear of the ballroom where we will enjoy a delightful lunch. As a bonus, during desert, Mr. King will take time for a
lengthy Q&A.
Embellishment & Trims Workshop: In this 3-hour workshop Kenneth will cover how to hand-manipulate trims, laces
and beads while creating a sample work. You will leave with this workshop with a fabulous, eye-catching
embellishment, which may be adapted to attach to the flap of an evening bag or jacket pocket. Kit fee: $30.00
Cool Tricks: This hands-on class covers some fun finishing tricks Kenneth has developed in the course of his work. Just a
few of Kenneth s tricks that will be covered in this workshop will be the French seam and roll hem using the serger and
pintuck feet. These are really useful for finishing sheer or fluid fabrics. Also piped buttonholes and pockets using a 1/4
generic adjustable zipper foot. He also will share his reliable welt pocket and the inner pocket for linings sewn in by
hand. (Participants must bring their own sewing machine, cords and attachments for this hands-on workshop) A
materials list will be sent upon registration. Coffee/Tea Breakout Included.
Son of Cool Tricks: This is an extension of the Cool Tricks class, where Kenneth shows more fun things, such as lined
patch pockets applied with the machine blind hem, applying a zipper with the blind hem stitch (looks like hand picking!),
easing the tailored sleeve cap with loosely woven mohair (needs no sleeve head afterwards!), and making a small, tight
French seam using the double needle and the three-groove pintuck foot. (Participants must bring their own sewing
machine, cords and attachments for this hands-on workshop.) A materials list will be sent upon registration.
Coffee/Tea Breakout included.