New York Fashion Week 2011

Darling,
On Tuesday, February 15th 2011 at 15:30, yours truly was proudly watching the models she had dressed strut their stuff down the 7 on Seventh runway for the 2011 New York  Fashion Week. What a proud moment.

How did this happen?
I'm Twain Revell's (Twain's Twines) assistant. She is a Harlem based designer of knit wear and afro-centric garments who just happens to live in my building.

Did I ever tell you the story of how we met?
Hubby and I moved into a  pre-war walk-up in August. Living on the top floor, although exhausting, also allows us to meet all our neighbors. One day as we lugged ourselves up the flight of stairs, we saw a woman on crutches climbing the steps and dragging a huge bag with her.
My chivalrous husband quickly offered his assistance and started up a conversation. How it came to this, I am not sure, but Twain said she was a designer to which my husband answered : "So it my wife! She knits, sews, crochets and makes jewelry."
Can you imagine my embarrassment? Don't get me wrong, I love that my husband believes is me but I am by no means a Designer. I make stuff for friends, I have lots of ideas, I dabble in everything even remotely craft related and I've even sold a couple things on Etsy but Designer is a big title to wear. As I blushed and muttered a response. Twain said: "Well I might just have to put you to work. Show me what you got. Check out my website it's Twainstwines.com."

Thrilled by this opportunity, I started this blog to have something to show to Twain. It took a couple of weeks, but she got back to me came up to my flat checked out my latest projects (Love Garden Flower Cap, Jets Mittens and the soon the be completed Teal Rockefeller Sweater). She then handed me three skeins of Blue Mohair and size 10 circular needles and told me to knit her new design, a Mohair Coat. Since then, I have knitted 2 coats, 1 hood, beaded 2 mesh pieces, hemmed 3 dresses, worked with lace, brushed an Angora rabbit, manned the booth at the One of a kind Show and now helped with a runway show for Fashion Week in New York. Have I mentioned I love my job?

What do I do? 
I knit, I sew, I bead, I hunt for buttons, fabric, beads, elastic cord and whatever else Twain might need. I love working for Twain, I learn so much and she is hilarious. Did I mention she has done stand-up comedy as Miss Understood?


Runway Show 2011
This is not what you came for, on to the pictures!

I was hoping to post at least a link to the professional photographers that were there but none of them have updated their websites with new pictures. We'll just have to deal with my pictures.

  Three Mohair Coats went down the runway but I only managed to photograph two of them. The third you will see in a group shot lower down. (I knit the blue coat and chose the buttons for both the blue and the green coat!)

 Twain worked with a jewelry Designer. I loved the way the jewelry looked with the MudCloth Shift dresses.  (I hemmed the shifts!)

The Red Belt is TINY. Twain had it at the one of a kid show and no one could fit it. The model said it was the first belt to ever fit her right. I have no idea how she could breathe.

 The first piece is made from knitted silk ribbon from Japan. The top is knitted with beads. A lot of work went into this outfit (I made the left strap!). It was a funny material to work with.

All three white pieces are knit from Twain's Angora Rabbit. The rabbit is not harmed in the process, the fur is gathered during many brushing sessions and spun into yarn and Triple plied to reach the desired thickness.

The bridesmaid and the bride are both wearing angora; an angora shrug (one of my favorite pieces) and another angora skirt.

And here is the missing coat from the show. It has beautiful mother of pearl buttons. The hoods where a huge hit with the models, they loved playing with them.

Twain and all her creations.

If you are interested by any of the pieces you see here, either email me or visit Twain's website (Twainstwines.com) to get in contact with her directly. 

Cheers!

P.S. I will start uploading sketches again starting tomorrow.  I'm sorry for the delay, I've been a bit busy.