ITAA Conference Recap

ITAA Conference Vancouver November, 2016

What an exciting opportunity to present a workshop on Sewing with Knits and Stretch Fabrics at the conference! Fairchild Books, a division of Bloomsbury Publishing sponsored the workshop. Below is a photo of me with Amanda Breccia, Acquisitions Editor, with the giant poster they prepared of my book cover.

Sharing the teaching methods found in my book, presenting ideas of the various ways the material can be incorporated into current curriculum, demonstrating sample-making techniques that produce amazing results on a standard sewing machine, were a few of the subjects of the workshop. Also included for consideration is the use of the half-scale form for design and pattern development using more complex sewing techniques. A discussion of  students  graduating, preparing their own lines and garments supports the need for students to have a vast array of  sewing skills, utilizing the resources they have at hand.  

I had the pleasure of meeting sewing icon and author Claire Shaeffer, and discussing with her various couture techniques that can be applied to sewing with knits. She is such a well of knowledge and inspiration, and we had a few minutes to talk about her vast collection of Chanel, a personal favorite designer of mine, and the source of her life-long research.

It was amazing to meet professors, teachers and instructors of multiple-level classes and talk sewing!