This time next week!

It's hard to believe that this time next week Little Grey Line's latest collection will make its way down the runway by way of thirteen adorable little girls.

The past two months since I was chosen as one of the featured designers for the Redress Raleigh Eco-Fashion Show have flown by and I am looking forward to the big day!

All of my dresses are complete and all my fitting have been done. They fit the girls perfectly and likewise match their individual personalities.  Rehearsal is this coming Monday night and I can't wait to see my models all together in their dresses for the first time. 

On Sunday after the fashion show- March 24th- I will be one of the vendors participating in the Redress Marketplace. 

I finalized the design of my booth this weekend and am eager for this event.  I will display my collection from the fashion show the night before and will be taking custom orders. Additionally, I have made accent pillows to sell. Mostly, I am excited to have a chance to talk to people at the event and check out the other vendors as well. 

Come and say hello if you are able! 

Something blue

Tonight I read to my daughter, Adeline, from the book "A Treasury of Dick and Jane and Friends." We came upon this page and it made me think of my upcoming 'blue' collection for the Redress Raleigh Eco-Fashion Show. 

I have made a collection of thirteen girls dresses repurposed from classic, button-down dress shirts. All are different shades of blue with varying textures and patterns. 

"Mother can make something."  Indeed. 

First up.... Little Grey Line!

Little Grey Line will be the first collection down the runway for the Redress Raleigh Eco-Fashion Show on Saturday night, March 23rd! I can't wait to see our adorable models strut their stuff. 

We will showcase a collection of 12 girls dresses. Linked together by their color palette (shades of blue), each dress was re purposed from common, button-down dress shirts collected from family members. The goal of the collection is to show that sophisticated designs, fabrics, and patterns can be used while maintaining childlike playfulness. 

The show is one month away and I have two dresses left to make for the collection so I am getting excited as I realize I may actually pull this off! 

I am also planning to participate in the Marketplace hosted by Redress Raleigh the next day as part of their Eco Fashion &Textiles Conference. I will display my collection from the fashion show and will also have pillows available for purchase. I will also be taking custom orders for dresses that day.

Here's the link to information about the Eco-Fashion Show and the Marketplace. 

I'd love to see a few familiar faces!

Update: Snyder Homecoming Dress

A while back, I posted about a dress I was working on but didn't give many details at the time.  It was a dress that would become a very special surprise for a very special homecoming. 

It is my pleasure to share the story behind the dress through the words of my friend, Jenny Snyder:

"Last December my husband returned from an eight month deployment to Afghanistan.  As a family, this marked the end of our seventh deployment so I'm pretty well versed in the the "deployment stages."  Usually around the 3 month mark, I start searching the Internet for just the right homecoming outfits.  For my daughter, Katie, something patriotic but not too many bows and ruffles.  Tutus and lace are "too itchy."  And so the hunt usually begins: find something that shows Daddy how much we love and support him; something that is girly but not over the top; and above all else, something cute and comfortable!  
A friend from high school, Jessica Moore, contacted me in the Fall and offered to turn one of Jimmy's BDU's (Basic Dress Uniforms) into a dress for Katie; I was thrilled!  Jessica had made a dress out of my grandfather's shirt for Katie to wear to his memorial and it was beyond perfect.  I couldn't think of a better way to show my husband how proud we were than to have Katie running up to him in his uniform.  

Working with Jessica on the custom design was exciting, but seeing the finished product brought tears to my eyes!  Jessica kept so much of the original style by using the same covered buttons, pockets, name plate, USMC emblem and even the original inside tags.  The style we choose was perfect for winter and summer: Katie is able to wear a turtleneck and leggings when it is cold and just the dress when the weather warms up.   

The day of our reunion finally arrived and we received so many compliments on Katie's dress.  The biggest compliment of all came from her Daddy.  Not one to show emotion, even HE got chocked up at the sight of his little princess in his uniform.  We will treasure the dress for years to come and I'm so thankful for the wonderful memories Jessica helped create!"

I was so honored to make this heirloom for Katie.

Many thanks to the Snyder Family for letting me be a part of this special event and for the continued sacrifices they have made for our country. 

two months to go!

The Redress Raleigh Eco-Fashion show is two months away. It seems, at once, very close and yet also very far away.

Since the announcement last week that Little Grey Line would be included in the show, I have been working hard to finalize the sweet little girls who will become models for the day and walk the runway on March 23rd. I have 12 confirmed(!). 

My thought with that number is that if I am prepared with twelve girls and twelve designs then no matter what happens (and anyone who knows a 3-5 year old knows anything can happen) I should end up with at least eight who will actually make it down the runway.  I am being a bit dramatic here, but I think I am more stressed about the logistics of my "models" than I am about finalizing my designs and making twelve dresses in two months.  

Update on my collection:
One dress for my collection was complete for my interview a few weeks ago. Two additional dresses are in progress and will be completed in a day or two. And, best of all, my motivation level and excitement for making each dress is off the charts. It is truly the best feeling in the world.

Here's the link to my bio from Redress Raleigh's website. What an honor to be included with such a talented group of designers. 

Redress Raleigh

Redress Raleigh

We are thrilled to announce that Little Grey Line has been selected as one of the featured designers for Redress Raleigh's 5th Annual Eco-Fashion Show.  The fashion show is part of their Eco-Fashion & Textiles Conference being held March 22-24, 2013 in downtown Raleigh.  Click here to see the full list of featured designers.  

We will keep you posted on the progress of our collection; can't wait to share this process with you.

Want to attend the show?!? We'd love to see you all there! Tickets are on sale now. 

sneak peek

On Election Day, I thought it would be appropriate to give a sneak peek at a project currently on my sewing table. 

All I can say right now is that I am truly honored and humbled to be working on a dress for a VERY important occasion coming up at the beginning of December.

Stay tuned.