the real drape drape

the king asked if i'd like to review a couple more titles, and i said yes indeedy.  they sent me draping, the complete course, which will be released in october.  i'm crazy about draping, but my real knowledge of it is crazy limited.  i basically just throw fabric at the form and hope for the best.

so, i was anxious to learn a thing or twenty eight from author and professor karolyn kiisel.  this book was devoured front to back immediately upon arrival, over 300 pages, and although much of it is fantastic, i wanted more why.  MUST ALWAYS HAZ THE WHY. 

first of all, if you're going to take the plunge into this tome, you absolutely need a dressform.  the why on that should be pretty clear.  in fact, go get a dressform, yo.  having spent the summer without my mine, i was reminded daily of how much i love that gal.  i was chomping at the bit to get home and crack this book open next to my wolfie girl!

my exuberance is showing, no?  karolyn instructs moderation in pinning, as too many pins can spoil the balance, but i went bananas anyways, and started draping the first of the "dress" projects: the audrey hepburn "breakfast at tiffany's" dress.

(and yes, i did remove some of those pins to quiet those stress points.) 

it's still under construction, and i'm shocked to see that it's turning out okay.   truing up that muslin was not a pretty thing.

what is truing?  truing is a task, yo!  karolyn gently explains that it will be, via the wonderful video included with the book.  while the instructions on the page lean towards the technical side, her video demeanor is more like that of a breezy, i don't know, wedding planner... odd description, but i mean the perfect kind that only exists in dreamland, the kind that will fix every problem with a delicate wave of her manicured hand, making your day into a perfect 73 degree, cumulus cloud sky.  she makes this look soooooo easy.

i'm pretty sure every outfit she sported was draped.  even her luxurious curls are draped.

having that visual reference really changed the feel of the book for me.  i'd say watching the videos first, or at least alongside, is the way to go-- you absolutely need the video to support the book.  i took notes on almost all of the video chapters.  in hot pink.  naturally.

i expected the bulk of this book to be more about the principles of draping, but really, karolyn shows you how to jump right in with both feet (or rather, hands) with step by step instructions on how to drape specific pieces. you're actually getting patterns for draping, sans paper.  you create the paper patterns out of fabric. and i mean patternS... an absolute BOATLOAD of projects including pants, gowns, dresses, tops, jackets, and bustiers.  

yep, bustiers, you corset-crazed crowd!!!  like a metric ton of info on that!  

so, my tiffany's dress?  after truing the pattern, i was at odds with my verdict.  but today, after sewing up my muslin, i was happily surprised.  she fit!  she doesn't look exactly like karolyn's (on the video she does a little quick magical tug to peg the skirt on her absolute hoot of a model and i said out loud YES DO THAT, it was kind of amazing)... but she fit!  perhaps i can't learn everything there is to know about draping on my very first try.  

verdict?  i was lukewarm while truing up yesterday, because it looked like *what i like to think of as* MY BEAUTIFUL SELF-GRADED STRAIGHT A AVERAGE was going to get a red mark.  today, after my first draft of sewing, my grades are looking up...i'm starting to get a crush on this teacher.

if you're in the san fran area and want a firsthand look, britex is holding a pop up event this thursday, where karolyn will demonstrate how to drape the audrey hepburn dress.  if i had that teleportation device, i'd go for it.   

this book (and the frenzy of activity that ensued) was provided to me by Laurence King in exchange for an honest review.