Happy December!

Kaitlyn's plaid dress was ADORABLE
Franklynn's skirt.
Sophie's awesome dress!
Julie made her draped and sewed up her dress with out transferring to pattern!
My gown in the works! The top getting draped.
Angie, sketching her cute dress.
Franklynn hard at work on his creation.
Cecile helping Sophie, plot out her amazing design.
Kathy's cute checked dress!
Cecile and me!

I wanted to share about my experience with pro draper Cecile Pelous. Cecile, used to work for big fashion houses in paris; namely the House of Dior, under John Galliano! Who has always been my favorite designer.

Cecile is one fantastic lady. She comes to Utah on her own time and money to teach this workshop. She does it to raise money for her school she runs in Napal. Which she started with the money she got from selling her house in Paris. Her school, houses 150 kids now. She knows each of them by name and goes several times a year to spend time with them. She also has one in Marocco, she just opened. What I love about her school, is she does not allow adoption, which I thought was sad at first. She then explained that her whole goal in doing this school, is to make sure her kids learn how to be self sufficient. Several of her students have moved on to successful careers with the skills they learn at Cecile's school.

Another thing I find cool, is that Cecile is a convert to the LDS church. She converted in the 1970's. I find this incredibly inspiring. She worked hard to learn her craft and was able to work in a worldly environment and still be in strong in her faith. She saw what the lord had given her and wanted to give back and opened the school in Napal.

It is the coolest thing to watch her work, she knows exactly how to mold the fabric to the dress form. I need to keep practicing my draping, so I can master it as she has. I love watching the fabric succumb to my creation in mind. Which is why I love working with fabrics like Dupioni, Chiffons, Silk 4-plys, Charmeuses and other harder to tame fabrics. You really need to know how to handle them, in order to make them behave and shape right for your designs. They can be very moldable and fantastic for draping.

I hated draping, when I took draping last semester in school. I kinda knew the idea of how it worked, by watching the drapers at Utah Opera and Ballet West. But all the rules and prep to get the fabric ready, seemed such a pain. But the more I did it and learned the tricks to faster prep. I loved it. It's so cool to see your project come to life right in front of you on the dress form.

About are photo's from the workshop....Enjoy! Sorry they are side ways. Even when I turned them in iphoto...it didn't show up that way, when I downloaded them...I will post better pics of the finished gowns once I get them from the photographer, we had at our reception and mini fashion show.

Also, HERE is the link to the YouTube video about Cecile and her orphanage.