April 2013 Shows: Coming to a neighborhood near you!

Polka dot crop jacket, comes in two versions

Harobed Designs, my company, is currently booked to do three shows this April!

Rather than create a separate blog post for each, I've decided to post once and put all the details in a single post, for everyone's reference.


Here are the dates and cities; full location details are at the end of the post, below the photos.






Sunday, April 14 - Thornhill, ON

Shawl in abstract design, from silk pieces

Sunday, April 21 - Bronte, ON

Saturday, April 27 - Waterdown, ON

With the approach of summer, I'll probably be changing the mix of items I offer, although everything has been designed here in Canada and made here as well.

Periwinkle cozy wrap

I'm still rather surprised - and sometimes shocked -  that, for some show visitors, the "Made in Canada' moniker seems to be a turnoff. These folks actually favor factory-made product from India and China;  when it is offered by one of the vendors, that's what sells.

Some shows have stricter policies and do not admit foreign imports

One-of-a-kind vest

Detail of vest

April 14, 2013

B.A.Y.T. Craft and Gift Sale, 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sponsorhood by the Sisterhood of BAYT synagogue, to raise funds for their community outreach work

Peony & sea foam hangers

613 Clark Avenue West, corner York Hill Blvd. Thornhill, ON, near Bathurst Street.

The show is in the wedding hall. Parking is available!



April 21, 2013

Spring Has Sprung!  10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bronte Legion Branch 486
79 Jones St. Oakville, ON near Lakeshore Rd.

Sponsred by The Paper Bag Bride.  Beneficiaries may be a local dog rescue organization, which the craft sale organizer hopes to have on site, with dogs for adoption.

I've been told there's "tons" of free parking spots and lots around!

April 27, 2013

Hostess pinny in sunflower

2nd Annual Spring Artisan & Craft Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sponsored by the Waterdown Legion's Ladies Auxiliary (Branch 551)
Proceeds allow the Ladies Auxiliary to continue their work with veterans and their families.

If you have any questions, I can be reached at:

deborah(dot)harobeddesigns(at)gmail(dot)com

Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

  

Spring Fling at Scadding Court (March 23)

With spring on the way - at least, in these northern parts, we hope it is! - I am planning on taking even more spring items to my next show, which is called "Spring Fling". It's being held on March 23 at Scadding Court, which is at Bathurst St. and Dundas West. Full details at the end of this post.




And with some of the fashion trends forecast, I think I'll offer customers my very versatile tunics with peplums, as peplum skirts are part of the silhouette trend this year.

One is shown on the model in the photo. What's really useful about my tunics - which are made from washable Dupioni - is not only that they travel well, they can be worn with the V-neckline at the front or reversed for a plunging back neckline look!









Other customers may also find my crop jackets, in 100% cotton spandex, a must-have for the hotter weather. These jackets are unlined, so they are great for warmer temperatures on patios but also provide some coverage when you are inside with the A/C cranked up (which it usually is in most offices).







I'll still be offering some of my one-of-a-kind vests, in brighter or pastel shades for the coming spring-summer season. These vests can quickly dress up a T-shirt or add a layer over a camisole, plus they pair well with skirts, jeans, dresses, etc.

I've just made two new vests in colors that customers are describing as "gorgeous" - for example, a combination of ecru, periwinkle and gray and another in a combination of aqua, silver and white. I create the fabrics for the fronts of these vests using my Maypole Weave (TM) technique.

Spring Fling hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Entrance is on Bathurst St, just south of Dundas St. West. The event is being held in the gym.

Streetcars serve this location on both Bathurst (from the Bathurst subway station) and on Dundas (with subway connection at Dundas on the Yonge line).  Scadding Court is also walking distance from Trinity Bellwoods, Little Italy and Kensington Market.
Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

You can reach me at deborah(dot)harobeddesigns(at)gmail(dot)com.

Unleash Your Inner Scarlet Woman!

February is all about Heart! Not only do we have Valentine's Day on February 14, the entire month has been chosen as heart month.

As a result, my company, Harobed Designs, is offering to donate $5 to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, for any item purchased from the following, curated from our collection for our Unleash Your Inner Scarlet Woman special.


First, we offer several items in sumptuous velvet - stretch velvet, that can be washed in most cases.

 Pullover in luscious red velvet with white fox trim, size M

 Flirty Velvet vest with ruffle trim, size M

 Deep Crimson Poet jacket, one size fits most.

 Regal velvet vest with satin back and half-belt at back, size M

 Sheer scarlet cover-up, with black trim, one-size-fits-most








 Our Cranberry Glamor Wrap adds a touch of luxury to whatever you're wearing, especially when you are too busy to change before going out. A travel must-have! One-size-fits-most.




















You can also unleash your inner scarlet woman in more subtle ways... as with scarlet accents.

 Silk noil hostess pinny with stunning scarlet poppies. One-size-fits-most - and it's wasahble!

 There's no limit to where you can add a dash of scarlet! Chic hangers such as these give new life to your closet!

 Another cover-up option. Stylish enough to wear out and about - or save it for the boudoir. Again, scarlet adds a subtle but stunning accent. One-size-fits-most.

To purchase, please go to our Shopsite at the following link. Please note, to return to this page, you'll need to use your browser back button, not the Shopsite links.

http://www.deborahcsawyer.com/shopsite_sc/page6.html

Questions about items can be sent by email or via our office line 416-968-0786 or 716-852-2220.
Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

A Sweetheart Deal! (February 2, 2013)

If you didn't get shopping out of your system over the holidays late last year, here's another opportunity!


Even better, the Sweetheart Gift Show and Crafts Sale will provide opportunities to contribute to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, just bring all your pennies for the donation jar.

Other than that, admission is free and you can shop till you drop, at least for a few hours.

And...  Harobed Designs is taking part! Once again, it's short notice, so we're busy planning what we'll offer for sale...

For example, even if you won't get an opportunity to spice up your love life this Valentine's Day, you can spice up your closet - or the closet of a friend - with some of our sensuous silk and satin padded hangers.



Perhaps you have more conventional plans for February 14?



In that case, we'll bring some of our flirty pinnies or perhaps a little something in red velvet?







Then again, it's that time of year when people make plans to travel. Harobed Designs' one-of-a-kind vests make great travel accessories.

They fold up really small and offer great ways for wardrobe stretching as you gad about on your travels.

 All are made from re-purposed fabrics and ribbons, many from remnants that would otherwise have been discarded, and are completely washable.

Then again, maybe we should be more practical? After all, this is Canada and it is winter... So perhaps we'll offer some of our fleece vests, which combine the warmth of fleece with some extra style!

To join in the fun, here are the details you need:

Sweetheart Gift Show and Crafts Sale
Saturday, February 2, 2103
Noon to 5 p.m.
Port Dalhousie Legion
Rooms 1 and 2
57 Lakeport Rd.
St.Catharines ON
905-934-1261


Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

This season, not just shades of gray...

There's been a lot of attention paid to gray lately with the publication of the book, 50 Shdes of Grey, but it's not just literature where gray is strong.



Some people are even referring to gray as the new black and, in truth, it is far more multi-seasonal an option than black. In the warmer weather, black can look heavy and make you feel heavy, whereas gray is lighter in look and color.



And, when temperatures drop, gray in suede, wools, knits, silks, etc., creates an extremely elegant silhouette for women of all ages.



With that in mind, I've created a few gray pieces for the upcoming Made By Hand Show on October 27, 2012, in S, M and L sizing.


These vests are truly versatile, you can wear them over a maxi dress... with a sweater and slacks... with a tunic and leggings, ...with a two-piece skirt suit, to turn it into a 3-piece and add another very stylish layer to your outfit.
The fronts of these vests feature our signature Maypole Weave (TM) fabric while the backs are made from washable micro-suede.

The photos show just three of these designs - and, just for those who truly seek the individual and unique, NO TWO ARE ALIKE. When you purchase one of these vests, you will truly own an original!

You can also learn more about Harobed Designs on our Facebook page, including an overview of some earlier designs:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harobed-Designs/167779129904463

For show details, please go to http://www.madebyhandshow.com

Glamor! Style! Luxury! - and 100% washable!

Ebony with butterfly motifs

Many people nowadays try to avoid having too many garments that need dry-cleaning. For one thing, some dry-cleaning methods are not environmentally-friendly, for another, there's the cost associated with dry-cleaning.






At the same time, not all fabrics can be washed. The real reason they cannot be washed is that they don't have memory built into their yarns or fibers to spring back into shape after washing. In other words, the washing isn't really the issue, it's how the garment dries up that's the problem.

Teal with maple leaves

No such problems exist with the Glamor Wraps (TM) from my company Harobed Designs, I'm pleased to say. The glamorous satin crepe fabric is 100% washable as are the Dupioni silk motifs we applique onto the wraps.

A show volunteer in an amethyst Glamor Wrap

Dressing up a gray sweater and slacks with a cranberry wrap

Another plus is that these wraps fold up well for travel and spring back into shape relatively quickly. We designed them to offer women an option for dressing up in a hurry.






No need to take off a comfy sweater and slacks to go out, just pop on a color-coordinating Glamor Wrap and you're good to go!



Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer




Don't forget. We're at the Made By Hand Show on October 27, 2012. Details at the following link:
http://www.madebyhandshow.com

Bits and Pieces: Creating Wearable Art

One area of design that I'm pursuing more and more is that of creating something wearable out of remnants.

Often, once you've finished making a garment, there are pieces of fabric left over which are too small to use for a garment and too big just to toss away. The type of fabric or the pattern/design of the fabric may mean it isn't suited to making infants or children's wear while the size of the pattern/design may eliminate using it for doll's clothes!

My solution has been to take these pieces and create a wearable item out of them.

My method involves making the "fabric" while I make the garment. I actually start by pinning the shapes together - and I usually use the shapes as-is, left over from cutting the garment. This means I use my mannequin to pin and drape the left-over fabric shapes while I create the "new" overall fabric and thus the garment.

In the photos, I'm showing some silk scraps I made into a shawl-cape. (As it sits on the body more firmly than a shawl, I combined the words "shawl" and "cape" to convey this.) There are actually three types of silk used: Shantung, Dupioni and Noil.

I also combined two colors you don't usually see together - copper and hot pink.

The result is a great piece that is both subtle and stunning.

Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

HAROBED on the runway!

HAROBED is back on the runway - and for a good cause. We're taking part in a fashion show to support the children's charity Variety.

It's being held on Sunday June 24 and Harobed Designs will be showing 10 special occasion jackets - for weddings, evenings, parties, whatever is special in your life.



Even better, we are showing both Regular and Plus sizes, which we are especially excited about! It's often hard to find opportunities to showcase designs for a range of sizes in a single show.



As we don't want to spoil the surprise, I'm only showing "teasers" of the outfits I'll have on the models walking the runway.

Come out on June 24 to support the "Make A Statement" show at The Hideaway Restaurant, 180 Yorkland Blvd, Toronto. The number of the restaurant is 647-347-2808. The Hideaway is on the basement level and the entrance is in back, close to the parking lot.



To learn more about the children and the charity which will benefit, go to:

http://variety.bc.ca







Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer