EHC Spring Break

Hi thanks for visiting our blog! Before you read on, please check out our video series on EHC YouTube channel – to subscribe at: http://www.youtube.com/user/ecoleholtcouture Couture sewing tips and secrets demonstrating couture hand sewing techniques that we use daily at Ecole Holt Couture; sharing with you what you can use on your own sewing projects. Useful tidbits not commonly known about couture and tailoring will continue to be added to the series!

Cheers!

 

Friday was the final day of classes before Spring/March break [classes resume again in two weeks] and we started this momentous day by celebrating with takeaway coffee and pastries from Phil & Sebastion  www.philsebastian.com – a popular local coffee house – a rare treat for all of us during school hours.

While debriefing and reviewing the past 10 weeks revealed all our accomplishments, struggles, hiccups and advancements made since January, we checked where everyone is ‘at’ with their projects and where everyone is ‘at’ in their heads.

The pressure to finish projects and collate time and cost sheets is at its greatest right now, but we remain calm in the knowledge that we’re all friends in the same boat. We discussed what needs to be achieved in the next few days for submissions and then what everyone is planning to do during spring their break: travelling to sunny destinations, sailing on the west coast, sleeping, showing at Western Canada Fashion week in Edmonton http://www.westerncanadafashionweek.com/calendar , and catching up on paperwork were roughly the responses – guess which one was mine!

This term in review the fourth year students were introduced to several new cutting and construction techniques tried on half scale models, more full scale projects using expensive silks and wools, they created clutch handbags and fur muffs, tested new shirring and smocking methods, and created handmade flowers petal by petal.

First year students are currently mastering matching and joining patterned fabrics creating garments which almost appear to be printed after construction rather than before, much the way a sculptor chips away at stone revealing what is there after the excess is removed. Second year students are working with high performance sportswear fabrics creating Rubik cube type constructions in which sequencing is everything. Not just single points to become frustrated with but a multitude of points that all need to come together perfectly.

In spite of (or because of) the challenges everyone is anticipating next Term not only because of the amazing potential for mid-stream students, but also to clinch the final term for EHC fourth year graduates.  We will also be shooting more ‘tips and secrets’ videos, planning the next fashion event for November and the graduation ceremonies. EHC continues to develop and evolve. Asked what anyone else would add, their comments were:

“I’m in awe of how much we’ve have accomplished in this term…” – Hannelore, 4^th year

“Where has the time gone… I can’t wait to continue in April!” – Chelsea, 4^th year

“This has been completely unique to my past experience, and I’m really excited about learning more and more new techniques…also, looking forward to some sleep!” – Kelsey, 2^nd year

“My greatest challenge is learning how to achieve my optimal state of mind for my best level of productivity.” – Hanny, 1^st year

“Each student is so totally unique, it is a such pleasure to see their development and gratifying to see that this art will indeed continue” – Elfriede, EHC Founder

“This job is so rewarding on so many levels, it will be really interesting to being witness to future developments” – yours truly, J