Coup de Soleil

I came across this airy crepe de Chine and bought it by accident. It was not long before my summer vacation. Its luminous lemon color with grey polka dot print and a light breezy texture were hard to resist to. And it seemed to be ideal for an outfit for my coming beach vacation.

I decided to turn it into a flowing blouse with cool yet comfortable details - a cascading hood, loose roll-up sleeves, unusual hemline and a cinched drawstring waist.. The ideal pattern for this shirt was found in the fall issue of Burdastyle magazine for 2014.

Dramatic Ruffles

This dress immediately drew my attention in the fresh April issue of the BurdaStyle magazine. The Princess-style silhouette, the original shape of bustier with a little slit and its dramatic ruffle collar were just irresistible. 

I thought that this model would look lovely as a Little Black Dress.  But then shortly afterwards I came across a nice shirt poplin of a deep navy blue colour. Ooh la la!  Bleumarine goes well with any other colour and the dress looks great either with golden accessories for the evening or with white sneakers for the street style.

The dress is quite easy to make. I added two black cups for the bustier just by sewing them to the inside.

The dress drew lots of attention be that at the theatre or at the seaside resort during my vacation. I might cut it shorter to be able to wear it more often.

Acqua

I made this dress for my last year  summer vacation. Everything started with the fabric.       

It was difficult to overlook this cotton of a beautiful color that seemed to have come from the advertising of Armani's perfume Acqua di Gio. The color made me think about the sea, the freshness of a swimming pool and about all the beauties of a vacation period. 

I immediately saw in it a little summer sheath for my coming vacation.

For me, the little sheath dress is an ultimate summer staple. Some find this classic dress boring but I think it is an excellent basic piece of wardrobe for any occasion and any style. 

I wanted this dress to be minimalist. A simple tank top-like neckline, moderate slit at the back, and close fit. The dress goes equally well with high heels, summer shimmery flats "Les Tropeziennes" or the white sneakers. 

Cotton with elasthane, no lining. I raised the neckline for about 1,5cm both at the front and on the back.

Hermès Orange

Don't hesitate when you find a piece of original fabric from a Parisian fashion house while on a fabric hunting mission on Marché St. Pierre in Paris. Just take it!  Especially if it is a beautiful vibrant orange gabardine from Hermès. I treated myself to a cut of 1.5 m to make bright funky pants for that spring summer season 2014.

I do not make pants very often as I wear jeans almost all the time. But the new pattern in April issue of BurdaStyle magazine was very original and I was quite intrigued by the model. Gabardine was not the kind of fabric most suited for this model yet I wanted to play with the volume and liked how the pants eventually turned out.  They became my favorite last summer.

L'autumne précose

This painting was inspired by the works of a famous american photographer David LaChapelle. His exhibition took place in Paris a few years ago. His other series of photography are a bit too provocative for my taste but at that moment I admired his series "Earth Laughs in Flowers" for the unconventional floral still-lifes.

Написать этот натюрморт меня вдохновили работы известного американского фотографа Дэвида Лашапеля. Я пропустила его выставку, которая проходила в Пети Пале в Париже несколько лет назад,  да и остальные серии его работ не в моем вкусе. Но в свое время меня восхищала серия его работ "Земля смеется цветами" за его неординарные натюрморты с цветами.

L'autumne précose

Oil on canvas, 50x60
January 2013

Ранняя осень

Масло на холсте, 50x60

Январь 2013

Camel Coat

This was the first coat that I made myself. The classic coat had to be of a timeless camel color, made of wool with cashmere. I was looking for something stylish and comfortable, and something that corresponded with my lifestyle. 

The pattern from Burdastyle magazine that I eventually picked for my coat is one of the most popular ones. It is not very difficult for the novices who are eager to take on the challenge of making this substantial piece of wardrobe. This model has classy raglan sleeves. The pockets are situated in side seams. The original model was designed without buttons - and therefore without any buttonholes.  This spares an operation which requires a lot of experience and skills, if you want your coat to look good.

My version of the coat was slightly longer due to my height. I added two horn pression buttons, and could not help but to experiment with a contrasting lining with a print. Due to this silk lining, the coat turned out as light as a feather. It is perfect for the early spring, or the fall.  

My own Dior

This time around everything started with the photo of Natalie Portman on the cover of September issue of the French "ELLE". I liked the dress from Dior the actress was wearing so much -  I had to have it. While I was looking for an appropriate fabric, there appeared the fresh issue of the BurdaStyle magazine with a perfect pattern of a dress of the X-silhouette. The fabric -  excellent red wool with the right percentage of elasthane, fluid but with some body - was a timely find at the market of Fontainebleau.

The dress turned out quite versatile and goes well with many different accessories and for different occasions. 

На этот раз все началось с обложки французского ELLE с фотографией Натали Портман в платье от Dior. Меня не столько заинтересовали модные тенденции, освящаемые в журнале, и интервью с актрисой, сколько это красное платье (фото прилагается). И мне непременно хотелось иметь нечто похожее! Пока я подбирала ткань нужного мне оттенка красного цвета и выбирала модель, вышел ноябрьский номер Бурды с этой великолепной выкройкой. Я очень люблю X-силуэты, и уже не раз шила такие платья, поэтому выбор был очевиден. Ткань - костюмно-плательная шерсть с эластаном, достаточно плотная, но эластичная, хорошо укладывающаяся в складки и держащая форму.

www.dior.com
www.burdastyle.ru
www.burdastyle.com

Flower Power

The creation of this dress was a special experience for me back in 2010 as the fabric that I used for it was the exact original of the dress shown in the February issue of Burdastyle magazine. How could I not fall in love with these dramatic poppies and with the little sheath dress with an open back?

Inspired by Gucci

The inspiration for this coat came from an unusual source - the blouses and dresses of spring-summer 2013 collection of Gucci. Airy and romantic ruffles in vivid colors seemed to be everywhere I looked that spring - in my daily copy of New York Times, in the showcases in the streets of Paris, in the magazines that I grab from a newsstand before taking a train...And since the summer with light fabrics and open neck lines was still quite in a distant future, I decided to turn this ruffle-mania into a comfortable spring coat.

Wool loden-jersey
2013

Сшить этот жакет меня вдохновила весенняя коллекция Gucci. Яркие цвета и изысканные воланы коллекции весна-лето 2013 просто не выходили из головы, и так как лето было еще очень нескоро, то я решила сшить такой вот жакет на раннюю весну. 


Жакет сшит из мягкого шерстяного джерси-лодена, который как раз в ту весну в изобилии всевозможных оттенков  появился в моем любимом магазине тканей на Монмартре "Tissus de la Reine". как и любой лоден, он не требует обработки срезов, но гораздо мягче и поддатливей в работе и носке. Таким образом, жакет вышел без подклада. Подборта жакета проклеены флизелином, а проймы и горловина укреплены клеевой формбанд антрацитового цвета. Подгибка низа и рукавов выполнена вручную. 

Gucci Printemps/Eté 2013

www.gucci.com
www.burdastyle.ru
www.burdastyle.com

PJ style

I made this overall a few years years ago. I was looking for something practical yet original to wear for my trip to the seaside with my 6 month-old son. This overall has a wrap top and very loose pants. Long ties wrap around the waist. The fabric, viscose crepe, is fluid and comfortable and I still love this busy and colorful print.

Tweed for spring

Three meters of this lovely summery tweed was one of those exciting finds on the market of Fontainebleu. After some consideration I decided to turn it into a dress for the coming spring season. This fine blend of silk and cotton was quite easy to work with but due to the grainy texture of this tweed many parts of the dress were hand-made.  I am happy that even three years later, I still enjoy the result.

Model 133 BurdaStyle 08/2012

Vive les vacances!

The pattern for this blouse in the new issue of BurdaStyle magazine appeared just in time before my summer vacation. And the small piece of this tropical jersey that had been waiting for its time for quite a while  was just enough to make this shirt. the result matched perfectly my new COS skirt. 

May 2012

Tulip skirt with a bow

This tulip skirt dates back to 2010 but I still love it even though I hardly wear it now. It was one of those pieces that you fall in love with, quickly make it and then wear it all the time for several seasons in a row.
I love all the details: the classic tulip shape, soft colour, my favourite detail - a bow, and occasionally want to make another new copy of it.

Pattern from BurdaStyle 4/2010
Light but firm cotton. Zipper in the left side seam. The belt is attached to the back of the skirt and wraps around the waist to be tied into a bow.

Summer souvenir

This is one of my earliest and most favorite works. I painted it after a photo of me taken by my husband in Saint Tropez during the summer vacation in 2009. Admiring the sun-lit scenery of the bay and the roofs of Old town I asked Andrew to make this shot. I knew I would paint it one day.

Oil on canvas, 73x60,  June 2010.

Это одна из моих ранних и самых любимых работ. Прогуливаясь по Сан-Тропе во время нашего отпуска на Ривьере, я попросила мужа запечатлеть момент. Я точно знала, что когда-нибудь попробую передать это впечатление маслом.

Exploring Fauvism

Vlaminck à ma façon. Huile sur toile, 55x46, Mai 2015

Мое видение Вламанка. Масло, холст.

After Derain, Oil on canvas, 55x46, October 2014

Мое видение Дерана. Масло, холст.

Прошлой осенью я открыла для себя художников-фовистов. Обе картины выполнены маслом на холсте.

New Season - New Sheath Dress

The idea to make this dress appeared last fall but it was ready just in time for the beautiful season of blooming magnolias. The cold light pink color of this wool crepe reminded me of these gorgeous flowers.

The dress s made of wool crepe and is fully lined.

About me

Hi and welcome to Katya's Gallery!

My name is Ekaterina, but friends and family call me Katya. I am Russian and I have lived and worked in several countries both in North America and Europe. Now I have settled with my family not far from Paris, France. In love with sewing, attentive observer of fashion trends and a big admirer of craftsmanship, I started this blog in 2015 to document and to talk about my sewing projects as well as the sources of my inspiration. Having a graduate degree in Public History, I remain an avid museum-goer. Living so close to Paris and its cultural treasures, I rarely miss any significant exhibition, and you might have a glimpse of some of them here.

                                            

I started sewing when I was a high school student and over years it became my passion. Now it occupies a big part of my life. For several years I have been showing my work on Russian fashion and sewing web-site Burdastyle.ru. My projects have been selected by editors and featured on the biggest DIY site BurdaStyle.com  
                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                         

I am happy to share my ideas and projects and my passion for sewing. I hope the things I love and people I admire might inspire you!          

Thanks for stepping by!

Exhibition "Fashion Forward:Three Centuries of Fashion", Museum of Decorative Arts, Paris

You can also follow me on Instagram @katyasgallery

Photo credit: @fifi_bristoche