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.

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! 

Sewing And Knitting Classes For Summer And Fall!!!

Knitting in summertime?? Yes!!! Of Course!!! Now is when we prepare for winter!! And you wont regret it! Carolena will walk you through the steps of getting the right yarn and needles, gauges, stitches - all that stuff that will help you on your way to graduating one day to a sweater with 2 sleeves that are the same length!! It will also give you something fun to do on those long winter evenings while watching movies!

And starting at the end of July, we will be progressing onwards to showing you how to look for fabrics, learning how to not be afraid of your sewing machine, and how to make your own pantaloons, choli, and 10-yard skirt using the Folkwear Tribal Dancer pattern!

Now, there are lots of things that we want to teach you how to make (and have an excuse to make it ourselves), so once we get the tribal dancer costuming classes under our belts, we would like to include some of the other Folkwear patterns. And how do you choose which one............

So sign up for knitting and sewing!!!
HERE

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!!!

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

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!

Happy New Year!

I was very happy to see 2013 go away. It ended with a fast recovery from a long overdue foot surgery. And while I was super stoked to get this done, it also set me back. Being a self employed maker person, I always fall through the cracks for any kind of aid................so I got through it with the help of friends and family. I don't know how I could have pulled this off otherwise. 

And since I really had no time to be off my feet or luxuriate in self nurturing, I babied myself at first when I had no choice but to do so, and then went to work to push myself as much as humanly possible every single day. Doctor Chan was happy with the results of his surgery and was very please at my rate of recovery. He said it was above normal. Whew. So once I was on the mend, I had to work. And the race has been on ever since. I still have to put my feet up now and then, but I'm getting stuff done. And I have renewed energy and drive.

Ive got two wedding dresses in the works, some costuming, and mockups for a line of clothing that I am collaborating on with Carolena Nericcio of FatChanceBellyDance, Inc... Patterning  is not my passion, but Ive got to do it myself right now. Its slow going, but every day I do something - anything with the patterns. Its all coming along. This is the Bessie skirt. More info and great photos will be coming soon. Its a good product. A good design. A good project. This is not the best picture, but they are amazing on a real body. This waist part can be folded over and it is both versatile and flattering. They are being sold at the FatChanceBellyDance studio - you can call the studio and order, or go in and try one on - you wont be sorry! (call first, though!) 415-431-4322. fcbd@fcbd.com

I'm also doing some experimenting with a fellow designer here in town. We're playing around with the refurbishing of hoodies. Not a new concept. But a fun one. We'll soon see what we can come up with and if its even worth our time. But if nothing else, Im getting some new ideas...............and we'll each have a new hoodie!

There are other things like this going on. You never know what project is going to be a hit or a miss. But it hones the skills and keeps me on my toes. Already I am far busier than I was at this time last year. It looks like we are all working on climbing up out of that rabbit hole  - very Alice In Wonderland like.

But you know............the phoenix thing.............we cant be stopped.

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

My Bloody Valentine

I started refurbishing some cholis that were not moving. I had a red dye pot and this is what happened. And thats how I like things to happen...........spur of the moment..........just like falling in love............it just happens............maybe Im watching too many Jane Austen movies........................

You can get the love here

FLUFFIE RUFFLIE PATTERN PRE-SALE!!!!

FLUFFIE RUFFLIE PATTERN PRE-SALE!!!!
It is getting to be time to focus on getting more Fluffie Rufflie patterns printed up! Ive had requests for them, and I have a Want List. Consider this a Pre-Sale - and you get your patterns first before I start selling them on Etsy! As soon as I have enough names and email addresses, I'll invoice you via Paypal and get these printed up again. Please send me your name, email address and which style you prefer: A) the Fluffie Rufflie Pantaloons (wide leg) or B) the Form fitting Fluffie Rufflie Dance Pants.
  Send your info here: kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

They are both $20.00 plus flat rate postage. I send them to you very old school - in a plain envelope - nothing fancy. These are a very basic pattern - no pretty, fancy illustrations or pictures, and you have to understand how to use a pattern without a lot of explanations and details (although I have a link to a tutorial and Ive written out instructions, yardage, etc.) They are not hard to make, just require patience and a lot of fabric! The Dance Pant style requires cotton lycra or spandex/stretchy fabric for the upper body. The Pantaloon should be made out of wovens.

Thanks! X

This is Dance Tribe in South Africa! Tarah Van Wyk made the Fluffie Rufflie pants for their costumes using my pattern!! She made their belts and bras, Her mother made their Gawahzee coats!!
This style is the form-fitting Fluffie Rufflie Dance Pant - stretchy fabric upper body!

Channeling Rita

Sherri Wheatley channeled Rita Hayworth's Gilda for the Belly Fusion Las Angeles Cinema Classics Show a while back. Vintage cars, Shiny black costume, long black gloves, lights, cameras.........I think she succeeded in capturing Gilda's wild glamor quite well, as you can see.

We needed to convey Rita in her black evening gown and still have a belly dance costume that allowed Sherri to perform without worrying about costuming mishaps. (Because we all know how dangerous a strapless bra can be!)
I draped a little wrap skirt out of black stretch charmeous and then covered a bra that we already knew fit her well and would hold up. I made damned sure that nothing was going to allow for that bra slipping down! The show was a success - and so was "Rita"!