Come Visit us in Indonesia and meet my skilled Couture Seamstress Ms. Yati

In June of  1994, when we were over a 3-week period back in Indonesia, for consulting at the mushroom farm, we arrived from Jakarta in Yogyakarta and then some two hours driving up into the mountains.

At the Guest Bungalow in Kalianget we stayed and were enjoying a leisurely Sunday.

Before dark, we did go to nearby Wonosobo for bringing my sueded silk from Hong Kong to Ms Yati.She was an excellent couture seamstress from Jakarta and she also knew English.Due to her aging Mother having dementia, she'd come to rural Central Java as a caregiver...So that's what we did, dropping off the material, sewing pattern and explaining to her how and such.That gave her the time for finishing my dress, before we would depart back to the USA.

That's the dress!

Wearing it on a Sunday to Mass and then changing, before heading to the airport for our flight to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, visiting my Parents and Family.

Pieter on the wood trail in our garden in his Burberry summer suit.

Always hard for leaving a perfectly blooming summer garden behind.

Here, Pieter is indulging in the perfume from the Ginger lilies...

Ms. Yati did an excellent job on this sueded silk dress with silk lining from Britex Fabrics in San Francisco, with zipper and silk thread from Britex Notions.

Pieter happy for soon being able to visit with his two brothers and family...

We always looked forward to those trips to The Netherlands; did that 66 times!

Loved the fabric when I touched it in Hong Kong, and loved my choice of dress!

Related link:

HONG KONG 1st International Conference on Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products | when I purchased the silk fabric

{Raw Silk Purchased in Hong Kong for Sewing THIS} | previous post by me about my sewing creation

{Silk Velvet Dress from Hong Kong Trip Fabric} | previous post by me with other creation by Ms. Yati

Gone With the Wind used Kirsch Rods in 1939 - Team Vedder Finished Ours

Yay, on February 11, I had my second half of the newly sewn Ripplefold curtains hanging on the Fascia Wood Kirsch Rod!

So very proud of Team Vedder!

Lots of research I did before finally daring to order this Fascia Wood Kirsch Rod in white, with the snap carriers already pre-installed. Also the additional length of Ripplefold snap tape, for sewing onto my existing curtains.

Already in 1907, Charles W. Kirsch founded the Kirsch Company in Sturgis, Michigan.
kirsch.com

In 1939, Kirsch Rods were used exclusively in "Gone With the Wind."
Hah, and on July 6, 2012, I did read a blog from blogger friend Ginger, under the name of Savannah Granny: Ripplefold Curtains Tutorial, Pin It! and I have saved that link ever since... It was coming closer to home so to speak, as she lives only 2 hours away from me in the state of Georgia!

But HOW to figure out how much fabric was needed for such a Split Draw Ripplefold Drapery System?
I found this on the internet but it did not reveal much.
Ginger's tutorial was not helpful as she had a curtain in one piece...
Only on BRIMAR Hand Drawn Fabrication Chart I found my answers...
So I figured out that I had to order for 80% fullness and went ahead to place my order for the 78 inch Kirsch 2 inch Estate Fascia Wood Ripplefold Rod!

Non returnable and it is after all over $ 300...
We got ours from Designer Drapery hardware: Kirsch 2 inch Estate Wood Trend Ripplefold and it arrived by UPS on the 8th.
They also delivered the Ripplefold snap tape under item # 9003.

So off came our Rayon Cotton damask curtains with Rose pattern and I started taking the tape and everything off.
I'd bought them on March 5, 1998 from Britex Fabrics in San Francisco, California.
Still LOVE their quality in a soft cream color!

This was the inside. Don't think that with those hooks on, it would have been possible to launder them.

After sectioning the curtain with my serger, I did launder them however!
I had dry cleaned them only once and was not very happy with the result.
Now they looked like new!

The trick for preparing for those Ripplefold draperies is to measure and adjust the tape while the Rod is still on the floor, within easy reach!
Instead of reaching above your head, way up on the wall or ceiling...
For the Master Butt the distance between one snap and the next is 1 inch so you have to cut the tape and sew it together again.

You have to snap the tape on, or at least count the carriers on your rod so you know exactly where to cut off your tape.
To the right you can see how much extra I  left on for the sides of the curtain, beyond the last snap.
Left shows both centers where the Butt Master is!
My 50 year old quality scissors from Italy...

While I prepared for the sewing, the other half of Team Vedder, did hang the white Kirsch Fascia Wood Rod with the Butt Master for the left panel visible here.
You also can see the carriers with the openings where the snaps will be snapped in.
They fully rotate!

This shows the right panel's Butt Master with Ripplefold Carriers.

On the side, it got hung and this is before husband Pieter did paint the brackets.
Oh, on the ends there are also decorative wooden stoppers!
It only is a half round wooden 2 inch rod, backside is flat!

Okay, around 2:30 PM on February 10, Team Vedder's installation part was done...
Now only waiting on my sewing to snap them on!

After first neatly pressing the panels, I started sewing on the snap tape with the use of a zipper foot!

On the sides of my curtain panels, I did fold the fabric back and stitch it, as shown here.

After turning and pressing it, I now started stitching with a regular foot, the side seam of the drapery panel. 
I had pressed that too, for having a smooth stitched seam.
You can tell I've been using pink chalk... for marking the fabric.

 Now I can start putting the snap tape on at the end here. It could have been cut a bit longer but it's double and thus okay.

Just folding the tape over and stitching here the bottom part of the tape.
Of course, on the inside of the curtain!
Again, using a zipper foot which you can use left and right side.

Tada, by 8:15 PM on February 10, I made this photo with one panel hanging!

Showing you here the left outer side of this left panel, with the overlap. 
It nicely folds back, creating a perfect 'S' wave.

Kirsch Ripplefold Helpful Hints Kirsch Training video shows clearly the Master Butt, how to work the snap tape. Keep in mind that over the years those snap carriers have been improved also. In this video you needed to spin them around for finding the 'one' side in which to snap the tape.

Ours did have both sides available, so no need to worry at all! 

They come a bit hard off though but when I measured the tape at the Master Butt carrier side, I used a small screw driver for prying them open and that worked easy!

After all, you don't need to take them down for laundering every month.

How to set the folds by forming 'S' shapes in the drapery is being shown perfectly in this video: Wave Fold Drapery - How to hang for theperfect look even if this is NOT the Ripplefold snap tape being used but I learned from it!

At 2:30 PM on February 11, both panels got hung!
Okay, a 100% or even 120% would have been even better but keep in mind that I had already those curtains and that was the limit; using the fabric width I had.
Letting them dry after the moist pressing I did, and for those 'S' waves to settle a bit more, I took this photo today.
On the side on top of the cat-scratch tower, I have again a vase with Ehrlicheer daffodils that were blooming today.
So happy this is being done and it is simple and easy for taking off and back on.
The Hepplewhite shelf to the right still needs to be moved a bit away from the drapery.

This is how the Master Butt shows in the center at the right panel.
Maybe these photos might help someone in measuring and sewing such Ripplefold curtains, using a Kirsch Rod. 
A kind of a tutorial...

Pieter did fasten this cord glider to the wall, on the left side.
It's functioning well.
All in all, I'm very much satisfied and happy that this alteration project got completed and off our list of things to do!
Grateful for Pieter, that he still is able to do this!
In March these Rayon Cotton Rose draperies will celebrate their 19th Birthday at our home.

Thanks for your visit and have you been completing a project lately?

Related links:
{My French DMC Rose Filet Lace Crocheted Curtains} | previous post by me showing the Rayon Cotton Damask Rose Curtains

{My Sewing Creation in Graduating Ombré Silk Velvet}

During our time of consulting, we often came in San Francisco, California and my favorite store was Britex Fabrics.

It was there, that I did find a beautiful French panel (that's what they call the piece of about 1.5 yard) of Graduating Ombré Silk Velvet.

I'd been looking for a kind of Golden Brown color.

From Laurèl, Escada group, I did have this Giraffe print skirt and wanted to create a top to wear with it.

That's the disadvantage from Premium Outlet shopping; you snatch up one piece but can't find the matching top...

Photos are not high quality and these are taken on May 23, 1998.

From the Dutch Nouveau magazine, I got this idea for using two types of silk in a graduating color of golden brown. The above piece is from Ritmo di Perla. The edges are done in a silk charmeuse and the rest is silk velvet.

From a Burda pattern, I selected this top.

It was not an easy one as the silk charmeuse had to be padded for all the rolled edges along arm holes, neck and bottom. Also where my hand is, an invisible zipper had to be sewn in.

CHALLENGING...

Showing you the other side where you clearly can see the graduating of color!

But I loved the result and felt proud for having tackled it.

Happily with husband Pieter during a wedding...

The front of my sewing creation I like the best!

Have you ever worked with silk velvet or any rolled edges?

This post I've created for a reason, to show you another project that I completed by using a remnant of this very Graduating Ombré Silk Velvet; 18 years apart from creating my top!

Below you also find a link to a post where I have my LONG BRAID framed on this Graduating Ombré Silk Velvet 

Thank you for your visit!

Related post:
{Did I loose my strength?... Like in Samson and Delilah?} | previous post by me

{Silk Velvet Dress from Hong Kong Trip Fabric}

Of course we did get some up market shopping done at shopping centers on both sides of Hong Kong harbor when we were at the First International Conference on Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products in Hong Kong. As a result I got this fabulous silk velvet fabric...

The Conferene got organized by the Department of Biology of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the UNESCO Network for Microbial Resource Centers.

We did stay at the Royal Park Hotel Hong Kong  from 23-26 August, 1993. Yes, quite a while ago but such regal fabrics are timeless and I will keep my dress; if only for fond travel memories!

My couture seamstress Ms. Yati in Indonesia, did turn it into this button down dress, pattern from the German Burda magazine.

Husband Pieter in matching gray silk sportscoat and silk tie from Bachrach

This silk velvet has a very nice and soft relief pattern. The dress has silk lining from Britex Fabrics in San Francisco where I frequently shopped, whenever we did some consulting work in California.
Pink pearls are from Escada Outlet Store with matching earrings with a pink pearl, bought at a gift shop of the Camino Real hotel where we walked from our Hyatt Regency hotel stay, for 3 free nights after our consulting work of two weeks in Mexico.

Matching scrunchy, made to wear with pony tail...
That's the bonus if you keep your size for decades and it's a nice combination of treasures from several countries.

Related link: HONG KONG 1st International Conference on Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products | when I bought this silk fabricCome Visit us in Indonesia and meet my skilled Couture Seamstress Ms. Yati | later post by me showing another creation by Ms. Yati

{My Hand Knitted Silk Lace Shawl in Peacock Pattern}

It is about time that I show you my Hand Knitted Silk Lace Shawl in Peacock Pattern. Most bloggers know that it takes time for styling things and it's even harder for items you have to wear! The weather at home had been quite dark and dreary so we thought we take all those pieces with us in the car to Florida - to the SUNSHINE STATE.

Well yeah, SUNSHINE behind those gray clouds...

Here we are again on September 19, at the Hyatt House Miami Airport, our favorite home away from home.

Never mind, their botanical garden is still great for making photos!

So here is my hand knitted (yes, by ME!) shawl from Swiss Lang Yarns in a 100% taupe silk, which  I had obtained from New York by the box, wholesale. 

Closeup of the Peacock Pattern in Silk

As a matter of fact, I did three of these silk shawls. One was a gift for a dear friend in Australia and one I donated to "THREADS OF LIFE: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S TEXTILE ART" from the Georgia State University. You can read more from my LinkedIn profile.

Knitted after this Anna Burda pattern.

The skirt is my own sewing creation in a matching tropical wool from Britex Fabrics, San Francisco with silk lining from Britex Notions.

Shoes are Charles Jourdan from the Outlet.

Pantyhose are Wolford from the Outlet

Bag is from Chanel, from I Magnin, San Francisco.

Cotton peplum shirt is by Escada from the Outlet.

Gold Cameo brooch is a gift from my Pieter, bought in Eindhoven, The Netherlands as an estate piece at a jewelry store.

Cane I used only because the model in the Anna Burda held one...

Watch is a Rado from Switzerland; tax free.

Pearl Majolica earrings are from Singapore airport; tax free.

Pearl bracelet by Majolica is from Neiman Marcus at Oahu in Hawaii.

When shopping frugally at Outlets and tax free, one can afford some little luxuries... 

Closing my eyes... dreaming of SUNSHINE.

That's a FULL size 4 or European 34

captured by photographer P.J.C. Vedder

Related links:
Rose lace pattern with rippled diamond edging | blog by Astrid from Sweden with lace knitting shawl
GEBREIDESJAALS | blog by Mieke who is a Dutch artist in fine lace shawl knitting
Faden Stille | blog by Anett who is German artist in lace knitting, living in France
Träumereien Angel Smile | blog by Brigitte from Germany who does also lace knitting
Bergzauber stricken | blog by Marlies from Switzerland showing a knitted silk lace shawl

Britex Fabrics

Britex Notions

{Raw Silk Purchased in Hong Kong for Sewing THIS}

Traveling to International Conferences gives you a great opportunity for some special shopping. Such was the case when we went to Hong Kong and I got to purchase some lovely Raw Silk. Very soft, not that thin and it drapes perfect. So look what I created from my fabric...

A short cropped jacket with elbow length sleeves over a narrow skirt.
This is from a Burda pattern in a size 4 or European 34.

I used antique buttons as a garnish.

The entire suit is lined in black silk from Britex Fabrics in San Francisco. 

My top is a knit rayon by Escada.

I do wear a Chanel belt through the added on belt loops.

Wolford panty hose and Italian Bruno Magli patent leather shoes from the Outlet.

Yes, that wasp catcher behind me will get painted white one of these days...

There are two pockets sewn on in the back and the skirt has a center slit.

Yes, I did match the plaids in all seams...

This raw silk fabric is a bit slubby.

Detail of the antique button...

And my Rado coupole watch that we bought tax free at Singapore airport. 

Later I added the wrist band as it came with a black leather one.

Bracelet is white and yellow gold from Costco wholesale.

Lots of topstitching done on this suit; all with Japanese silk thread from Britex Notions.

Meet the photographer Pieter in his cotton plaid shirt with linen Zegna jeans from the Outlet.

Related link:
HONG KONG 1st International Conference on Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products | when I purchased this silk fabric
{BRITEX FABRICS & NOTIONS} | previous post by me with links to Britex San Francisco

Britex Fabrics

Britex Notions