Modernize Or Die

As many of you may know, I teamed up with Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman of FatChanceBellyDance a couple of years ago to create a line of versatile clothing - both for dance and for fashion - and we carved a little sewing studio out of part of her dance studio in San Francisco. We've come up with some fun garments that have been doing well and this is where I sell the Bessie Skirt. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the city had other plans for us and a dance studio that has been a huge part of my life for many, many years now has to close.

These things don't happen overnight, of course. Bit by bit San Francisco has been rubbing out its diversity with greed. The Bay Area is congested beyond belief. The commute into the city is a nightmare unless you hit it just right - and this is getting worse by the day.  If you have to schlep lots of stuff around, public transportation isn't feasible, Parking is all but nonexistent, the landscape changes daily, businesses are gone overnight, citizens are fleeing  because of the impossible conditions of trying to get by............and then it is exhausting to come back in............dance class attendance was down and getting worse because of all of this. Despite obvious interest in sewing classes, it was just too hard to fill a class............

I knew it was all over when I came into the city for our weekly meeting/ product development/sew-fest and the cheapish parking lot ( the only one close by) was closed.  That was the nail in the coffin for me. And then the landlord died. Well, we know now what comes next.

So everything is changing and the studio is shutting down. Classes will be spread around to make it easier for all to attend and Carolena is opening a shop in Half Moon Bay where the Bessie line will be featured. There will also be online shopping, of course! The magic will continue and it will be awesome! There is much more fun to be had!

An era is ending, but a new one is beginning. Modernize Or Die is the new motto.

Good Morning!!

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen! As most of you - but not all of you - know, I have been helping Carolena E Nericcio-Bohlman create a fun line of wearables that can be worn to dance class or cross over into your day and evening wear! This is the Bessie line of clothing that started with my Bessie skirt! This skirt was designed to be practically lived in and Carolena and I worked on some improvements to the design and then went on to make more great things to wear! The Bessie skirt was designed to be worn in more ways than I can mention here - I wear mine ALL THE TIME!!!!! I have been seen chopping weeds and digging in my my garden in my old one - and sashaying into a party in my newer one. It makes your butt look dynamic!! All the butts.......
What makes the Bessie Skirt unique is the way in which it is designed to be flattering on all bodies, and to be worn in many different ways. You can leave it down, or take one or more of the loops placed at the hem and attach them to one or more of three buttons at the hip line. You can wrap it around your body, wear it as a strapless dress, bustle it up in back or at the sides, or turn it into a pair of pants - I kid you not! 

And now we have the Choli Dress, which is also a smashing success! It has a built in choli underneath, is open in the back, ties in the back like a choli, and has buttons and loops so that it can be worn in a myriad of ways!

Come here to this link to buy your very own or to see more photos! Keep checking in! We are working on so many new designs and ideas! I can tell you one thing......Plus sizes are going to be offered for the Bessie Skirt ! The pattern is being graded as we speak! More is coming down the pike, my friends!!!! Keep Checking In!!!

COME SHOP HERE

Next Week - The 10 Yard Skirt!

This last Wednesday wrapped up with our students completing a pair of pantaloons made from 4 yards of taffeta. We used the Tribal Dancer Folkwear Pattern designed by Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman. (she and I co-teach this class) They both picked the same  fabric and color, but ended up using the pleating techniques in their own individual way. Isabel created smaller pleats and Helen created larger pleats. Both ways were challenging in their own right, and both ways of creating pleats created a lovely, blousy, full pair of dance pantaloons!

Next week, we  move on to sewing a 10- yard skirt out of 8 yards of fabric! Go HERE to sign up or to find out more about it. Seating is limited, so hurry! We have a LOT of fun and a lot to share!

Sewing Instruction Starting September 16th at Studio SF!!!

August 16th started my new project: a collaborative effort of sewing and textiles instruction with Carolena Nericcio - Bohlman. I have been sewing and making things since the age of  5 and Carolena has been sewing since her teens. She has formal training. She has an extensive knowledge of textile, sewing, design, construction, and costuming. She has a tribal belly dance costume pattern that has been published through Follkwear.  I have an extensive knowledge of textiles, sewing, design and construction with a couple sewing patterns for sale under my belt. Ive done years of high end garment making and costuming. I design, do quality alteration work, understand the ins and outs of reading and following a pattern, I know how to make a pattern fit everyone or how to choose a design that will work for you - between the both of us, we have a lot to offer.

It is time. Time to break down the barriers between the sewing world and the world of the person who yearns to make things, but has no training. As we all know, the basics of making one's own clothing are skills that most of us are not taught any longer. We all should at least know how to sew on a button or hem a pair of pants. Many of us have fit problems or are sick of what the prescribed fashion of the day offers us.

So I took two new students down to Fabric Outlet: the local fabric store located conveniently down the street from the San Francisco studio, and I gave them a tour of the various sections. See - they don't look scared or confused at all!
Here are Isabel and Helen about to purchase taffeta for new pantaloons!

 I grew up navigating fabric and notions because if was common for little 5 &  Dimes to have a sewing department when I was a kid. More people sewed in those days and. it became second nature to me. We don't have access to all of that fabric abundance now. Most of us have never been in a fabric store. Our options are limited. Sewing machines that are now very user friendly scare us to death. What the hell is a bobbin??????????? And even though there is probably a Joannes or Hancock Fabrics near many of us somewhere.........most of us are still overwhelmed when entering the doors.

After our fabric store tour,  I gave a little tutorial on the basics of a sewing machine. It helped. They now have  fabric and notions that they were able to pick out without a lot of stress, and with some practice, they can take on their sewing machines with less fear. And there was a lot of laughter. That was a good sign.

Because Studio SF is set inside a belly dance studio, and because Carolena has her tribal pattern at the ready and  our first students are dancers, we are starting three segments that pertain to ATS (American Tribal Style belly dance) : Pantaloons, Dance Skirt, and a Choli. The Pantaloons class starts on September 16th!

And with luck, our intention is to be able to move on to things like hand sewing, simple alterations, and MORE Folkwear patterns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG - there are so many to choose from and there are so many I want to make. What a great excuse!!!! :)

Register here  - Space is limited, but we have room for a couple more students!  Register now!!

Here are the deets for the classes:
Join Kathleen and Carolena in a series of classes designed to teach you the love of all things textile! Make your own costume using the Folkwear Tribal Dancer Pattern.

Pantaloons - 16, 23, 30 Sep
10-Yard Skirt - 7, 14, 21 Oct
Choli - 18, 25 Nov, 2 Dec

* Learn to shop for fabric and prepare it for sewing. Choose yarn and needles appropriate for a project.
* Understand how to read and fit a sewing pattern.
* Learn basic, intermediate and advanced sewing skills.


Week 1: We’ll start with a trip to the fabric store to select appropriate fabric for Pantaloons, a 10-Yard Skirt and a Choli. Next we’ll prepare the fabric for sewing and take a peek at the pattern instructions.

Week 2: Measure twice, cut once! We’ll take measurements, cut the fabric and start sewing.

Week 3: Fitting and final touches.

Price
$110 for the three-class in series.
Class Size
Limit 5 students per session

Please note: Fabric shopping starts at 5pm to give us time before the shop closes at 7pm.

Class Time: 6pm - 9pm

Address:
670 S Van Ness Ave
San Francisco, Ca 94110
415-431 -4322
www.fcbd.com

SALE - HAPPYHAPPYJOYJOY

This summer is flying by! What have I been doing? Working on a wedding dress and Halloween costumes, developing a few new items for the Bessie line of clothing, prepping for a couple photo shoots, developing a few pieces of bridal wear,  gearing up to co-teach a few sewing classes with Carolena Nericco - Bohlman in the fall,  and slowly building a new website where everything can be all in one place.....all the time......that's all keeping me very busy!

What better time than a sale! Take 20% off of your purchases in my Etsy shop at checkout by using this coupon code: HAPPYHAPPYJOYJOY

I'll be discontinuing some of this merchandise, so if you like it, please grab it!!!

There are lots of adorable festival skirts  and tops!! Halloween is right around the corner - and some of these garments would be just perfect for the season! 

Slow Fashion and the birth of The Bessie Design Studio and Boutique

Ive been busy lately helping to set up a new sewing/design studio over at the FatChanceBellyDance, Inc. studio in San Francisco! I'll be working on my KCCC projects over here in the Crockett studio and *mostly* working on the Bessie line of clothing and accessories over in the city. So sorry to anyone who has attempted to contact me and didnt get an answer back.........Ive literally been pretty overwhelmed with juggling commitments and projects!

 We now call the whole FCBD studio "Studio SF". It houses the FatChanceBellyDance studio and store, the Nakarali Jewelry Company, and the Bessie Design Studio and Boutique. Carolena Nericcio- Bohlman has completely redecorated the whole place = including swanky new fixtures and office! The dressing room is wonderful! Its coming along nicely!
 Its pretty exciting!!

 Despite the commute, I am liking this arrangement and I'm having a lot of fun! Not only am I seeing new and familiar faces again, it has been awesome for me to get out into the world - now I feel that I have the best of both!!!! (and my favorite fabric suppliers are right down the street!!!!! How I and my wallet have missed them so!)

At the moment, Carolena and I are learning how to master a new little  coverstitch machine that may very well be a game-changer in our Slow-Fashion production. After we did some research, she ordered the Janome Coverpro900. We're working with that slinky drapey cotton/lycra jersey and while Ive previously avoided it like The Plague, there is no denying that it makes a fine, wearable garment that is economical to produce. We have a cute little top that would benefit by a good coverstitched hem and neckline and we've got quite a learning curve. We will both be taking classes in how to use her. And the reviews and tutorials in the PatternReview.com website are invaluable.  So in true Gemini spirit, I am again in two places that suit the many facets of my personality and skills. One always feeds off the other. The New Baby:

 Every day we are rearranging and expanding our space - and making it work.  And when we've got it a bit more under control and flowing smoothly, we will expand to include a class or workshop or two....we have a lot of great ideas that I think will be fun to share!  For now, we are focusing on fullfilling orders, getting our stock up, and getting ready for vending at Cues And Tattoos in Seattle and then, of course, Tribal Fest! I see us expanding into other sectors...but baby steps. It IS Slow Fashion after all. We are right on trend.

For ordering/shopping for your Bessie Design items, go HERE!! You can, of course, find out all about American Tribal Style Belly Dance and see what classes and workshops are offered!

A Successful 2015 ATS Homecoming Event

I seriously have a hard time describing the ATS Homecoming event that was held this January.........what an endeavor! Week long classes and workshops. Three days of Vending. I put on a  vendor fashion show and there were more performances than one could imagine. All American Tribal Style. All the time. Kudos to Carolena Nericcio- Bohlman and Terri Allred for putting this together and pulling it off! I was asking poor Terri questions constantly and her replies came faster than any promoter Ive ever worked with.

For those who may not understand what ATS Belly dance is, it is actually called American Tribal Style Belly Dance and is a style initiated and perfected by the troupe FatChanceBellyDance under the direction of Carolena who I mentioned above. I have been affiliated with these ladies in one way or another for a good 20 years. This was the first event of its kind that was completely 100% geared towards this dance style. Women came from all around the globe to attend. It was truly a homecoming...........

There was some down time during all the workshops, and we had a lot of time to hang out and catch up with each other - and then we would be swamped with either selling or catching up with our friends and customers - or both - and that's how these things work. Salomes' Suitcase came together once again to sell our unique and locally made artisan wares.

I threw together a fun little vendor fashion show on Friday night which brought attention to the vendors and I think everyone benefited from it nicely! And I got to know some of the vendors that I might not ordinarily have talked to as much. I made new friends - always a nice thing to experience......here is Cyndi Elliot working her Bessie as Carolena MCs in her Bessie...........

The Bessie line that Ive been working on was featured and sold at the FatChanceBellyDance booth - and pretty nearly sold out! The Bessie skirts were being worn everywhere and that was so rewarding to see!

 That was Bethany Maxwell showing off her skirt. She was stage manager and worked the skirt during the duration of most of the event!

Michyo Salsbury showed me an iPhone cover that her husband made of her wearing her Bessie Skirt! That is the cutest thing ever...........

The tears they were falling like rain at the end of the event as the participants went home. There was so much bonding that week that it was hard for many to leave. I don't often see that. So we are all excited to participate again next year at the Hilton - a much better venue.Thank you, Carolena!!

Get your Bessie skirt here!!!!

ATS HOMECOMING 2015 !!!!

The brainchild of Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman, ATS Homecoming is a new three day convention for ATS (American Tribal Style) Belly Dancers and lovers of this dance style. This first of its kind event will be held at the San Francisco Marriott from Thursday January 8th - 11th. I will be vending along with many other amazing designers and artisans. I hope to see some or all of you there!

I am also organizing a little Vendor Fashion Show on Friday evening, January 9th so that we can each show you a sample of our clothing/adornments on a live body - and some ways you can coordinate your wardrobe with our fashionable offerings! Its going to be fun! If you plan on attending and would like to be a model - you can email me at kc.costumecouture@gmail.com.

The Bessie Line of clothing will be at the FatChanceBellyDance booth. I will be vending my KathleenCrowleyCouture wares with Salome's Suitcase for your shopping pleasure!!!

You can go HERE for more information and directions on how to get to the venue!!!

Studio SF

Well, Happy New Year everyone! 2014 was pretty good to me and I hope it was for you as well! And on that note, 2015 is coming in with a bang for me!! I will be spending a great deal of time at the newly renovated FatChanceBellyDance studio in San Francisco where I will be working closely with Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman on our growing Bessie Line of clothing and adornments!

 Carolena and I have known each other for a very long time now and we are melding our ever-growing love of fashion that is flattering, easy to wear, and makes you feel awesome at any age. But with our naturally maturing minds and bodies, we are gravitating to wanting older women to be able to feel as awesome as we did when we were younger. We do not strive to be invisible. You can still be fun and faithful to living outside the box. You can still feel alive and vital in your clothes! And that is our mission. We don't like what is being offered to us and so we will make it for ourselves and for you. Being dancers and of the dance world, we know how your clothing needs to make you feel and fit...........................

So I introduce Studio SF:

Stay tuned!!! And Happy 2015!!!

Free Shipping For USA customers!!!!

I'm offering free shipping within the United States through Christmas!  Ive been up to my eyeballs in private custom projects and don't have a lot of new things in my Etsy shop yet, but maybe free shipping will help you out if you have been on the fence about investing in one of those adorable vests or slip dresses!  I don't really do the Christmas retail thing. The stress is not pretty. I cant handle the buyer's remorse and the trouble that this causes me. And it ONLY happens at this time of the year. I would love you to buy me out, but I cant do all that pressure thing. Its ugly. Use discount code FREESHIPPING at checkout when you make your purchase!! Its always lovely to know you are wearing my creations!

What have I been up to?? I was commissioned to make a pretty little Alice in Wonderland dress for a sweet young thing who always has to wear costumes on stage that are falling apart. Chris March sent me the lovely baby blue moire taffeta and the ideas and I whipped her up a cute little ensemble. He provided her with the apron, petticoat, shoes, and stockings. Lucky, lucky lady! I hear she is over the moon!

Ive been making a couple corsets and doing lots of alterations and vintage repair. Hand beading, moving and replacing zippers on delicate fabrics. The things that I really enjoy doing...........I am a total clothing doctor, no doubt. I need a doctor's bag and a smock!

But I indeed did make myself a bit of a linen smock dress, actually. I am so in love with the linen right now. Total love affair going on! So easy to throw on and not be too hot or cold.  Its perfect to meet clients in or go fabric shopping. I just love it more than ever!
Ive been making a new robe for Joan Crawford to wear in Christmas With The Crawfords. Go see it if you are in the NYC area this holiday season! I made the little blouses in this flyer. LOL

And now I am working on making new merchandise and a fashion show for ATS Homecoming in January. More to be announced about that soon. Oh - so much more to be announced...........

Whew.

SPRING SALE!!!

Hi Everyone! Im having a little Spring Sale in my Etsy Shop! You can have 15% off of anything listed in the store until Wednesday the 11th!

Let me know if you dont see your size! I might POSSIBLY have something in stock that isnt listed. Esp. the Sampants - sometimes I forget to relist when one sells!

Just use this discount coupon code at checkout:  15PERCENTOFFYAY

Bessie Has Been Launched!

The Bessie Skirt - "Kathleen Crowley for FatChanceBellyDance®" - is now exclusively available online through the FatChanceBellyDance®  website! Regular and Petite sizes are available with a handy size chart to compare your measurements to! GET IT HERE!

I have been living in this skirt. It is easy to do just that. Its my go-to skirt for many occasions - or to simply go to the grocery store. You can wear it so many ways! I love being able to wear it with my torso covered and be able to wear it rolled down as well. When I was up in Seattle last weekend, for Cues And Tattoos and to visit my family, I just hiked this baby up in quite a few interesting ways to keep if off the wet ground. I didn't design it specifically for dancers, but as you can see, dancers are kind of my life - so you will usually see my work on dancers. But they look awesome on everyone - so go visit the website and get one of your very own! If you don't see your size, contact them and we will see what we can do for you - one size does not fit all and we understand that! And who knows.........maybe you will be inspired to get into belly dance!

 

Carolena Nericcio - Bohlman, founder and director of FatChanceBellyDance® has written a wonderful post on body image and the story of how this Bessie Skirt came to be. Read It Here!! I could not have written it better.

Other colors and variations of this skirt will be available soon - we started with black because black is what we all can wear - but other colors are coming! So stay tuned as we work our magick and bring you more elegant, fun, and wearable styles of clothing that you will surely love and wear for a long time!!!
Models in order of appearance:
Wendy Allen
Anita Lalwani
Kae Montgomery

Awesome Photography:
Sean Vallely (BlueFortySeven)

A Formal Introduction Of The Bessie Skirt!

 The Bessie Skirt! A skirt that looks amazing on all shapes and sizes! I don't think that its possible for anyone to look bad in this garment. I'm serious. They are designed to accent a woman's curves. Its that dip under the bum that makes it work on everyone! I know this sounds funny, but you just cant help walking around like a sexy siren in these things! One woman told me this weekend that she got a date the first time she wore it out. The words elegant, fun, sexy, powerful, and dynamic all apply to this skirt. Lots of loops and buttons give you numerous ways to make this design work for you for almost any occasion!

Last year, I was experimenting with this concept of a skirt that flattered everyone. I found that great weight of cotton lycra that holds its shape and has some body to it. I played around with buttons and loops for additional looks. I played with lengths. And then one day, Carolena Nericcio - Bohlman of FatChanceBellyDance, Inc, started telling me about this concept of a skirt that she had been dreaming of - and I showed her the one that I had been working on - and that was that. Magic! So between the two of us, we improved upon this design and named it after her mother, Bessie. And you know.......Ive always had a car named Bessie........Bessie s are good......the name Bessie stands for charm, dependability,  elegance, and a good friend! Its a win. So these skirts are available at the FatChanceBellyDance studio in San Francisco. They will be online soon, but until then, you can order one by  emailing them through their website at fcbd.com or popping into the studio if you are in town. Sizes are available in XS, S, M, L, XL - and in Petite sizes as well!!  I know these sizes don't cover everyone - so feel free to message me if you are hard to fit - or just tall like me!

I'll have other colors to offer soon, but we're doing basic black for the time being. Because black rocks. It goes with everything and everyone looks good in it!

I was just vending in Seattle at Cues and Tattoos - and these skirts flew out the door! I was basically living in mine. They are great for travel! They are great for dancing/performing in! They are great for going grocery shopping! All three of these activities were done in the Bessie Skirt! Get Yours Now!

The lovely ladies modeling these Bessie Skirts are from left to right:
Kae Montgomery
Carolena Nericcio
Wendy Allen
Anita Lalwani

Cues & Tattoos 2014!

I

I'll be bringing some fun things for you to try on at Cues and Tattoos in Seattle at the end of this month!
I'll be vending with Carolena Nericcio at the FatChanceBellyDance booth! Come check out our new Bessie Skirt  and new vest - You had better grab one fast because I have a feeling they will be flying off the racks!

The Cues and Tattoos Marketplace @ The Seattle Center Armory will be open:
Friday, March 28th:
12:00-5:00pm
Saturday, March 29th:
11:00am-9:30pm
Sunday, March 30th:
11:00am-4:00pm

Evidentally, I Am The Wolf

 A dear friend of mine is calling me "The Wolf."

I just thought this was the funniest thing, but then when I thought about it, its kind of true.

 In Pulp Fiction, The Wolf is played by Harvey Keitel. In this small part, he  is the gruff older dude who was consulted to solve the problems.......because he was experienced and knew how to get stuff cleaned up....and he was impatient with the guys who didn't know how to clean up their messes.  And now I'm starting to call myself that too. Because its funny. And kind of true at times.

 I cant tell you how often over the years that I have been sent projects that costumers don't want to work on or they found themselves in a bind, and my help was called for. There is a certain amount of trust needed there, and I was usually happy to help out until I realized that they needed to learn this stuff on their own. This is how we learn.  And you don't learn this stuff overnight. Every project is going to bring a new set of challenges if you have not done that particular project several times before. Much of costuming is about problem solving. And we learn from our mistakes and experiences, both good and bad.. So I generally prefer to get my own clients and do my own thing these days unless I'm getting paid to teach and to consult.

Kendra Katz brought this teal, slinky fabric to me because she wanted a draped skirt to take to Russia on her current world tour with Mira Betz.. It was a rush job and had to be a group effort at that point, so having had plenty of experience with slinky fabrics, I knew what to do. And it made sense to send it to me. Nobody wanted to touch it, there wasn't time to problem solve and learn about it, and Ive worked with slinkys a lot.

 I worked with Kendra on some sketches and draped this lingerie fabric on my dress form until we got the look fairly correct. I basted and pinned and copied the design out onto paper. I cut the fabric out and re-draped it on the dress form. And then of course, when it was sewn up and tried on, it wasn't quite right because she actually has curves like a real woman - unlike the dress form, so we had to tweak it a bit to make it do what she wanted it to do on her body. But with a little work, it was a fun project and looked awesome on her, as you can see in the photos. They came to The Wolf (LOL) and that was the right decision. It all turned out real pretty on this lovely lady!

.Belt by Medina Maitreya, bra base by Dusty Paik, bra embellishments by Medina Maitreya and Marci Ann. I had the medallion for part of the belt closure - it was a great collaborative effort................there are a lot of really excellent costumers here in the San Francisco Bay Area!

Lace Cuffs

Check em out!
Etsy!

SKIRT SALE!!

Hi All! I have put my Rattie Tattie Skirts on sale until Friday October 11th! All that I have is what is currently in stock in my Etsy store. Im not sure when I'll be making more - so if you like one of these babies and it is in your size, grab it now! They are perfect for this Halloween season, but are fun all year long! There are three channels with ties for ruching and scrunching up and down in a variety of ways for a variety of looks. Most of my Rattie Tatties are sheer or have parts to them that are at least semi-sheer. They are fabulous for layering or wearing with leggings!
I hope you are enjoying this Halloween Season!

Sparkly Fluff

So what do you do when you find a few yards of sparkly silver micro dot in one of your bins of fabric and you have a Burning Man Pre-Playa trunk show to vend at? Well, you make a bit of fluff to accessorize a leg with, thats what. Fusion Belly Dancers, Hoop dancers, Poi dancers.........these are great for something fun to wear with garters.......

                                                                                                                                                                                         

You can get yours here