Martha Stewart: American Made

We are excited to announce that Little Grey Line has been nominated for the Martha Stewart: American Made Awards!

Here's a little information about 'American Made' from the Martha Stewart website:

"American Made spotlights the maker, supports the local, and celebrates the handmade. It's a movement made up of people and communities who have turned their passion for quality craftsmanship and well-designed goods into a way of life.

For more than 20 years, Martha Stewart has celebrated this spirit of innovation in the pages of her magazines. Now, through American Made, Martha Stewart and the editors of Martha Stewart Living are spotlighting the next generation of great American makers...

...We believe we are in the midst of a shift in our culture where creative entrepreneurs are defining a new American economy. From Detroit to Des Moines, Spokane to St. Louis, people are choosing Main Street over mini-malls; supporting the local and the handmade. Our country's makers are sparking this change by taking a leap, banking on their creativity and craftsmanship, and living their version of the American Dream."

What an honor to be showcased alongside such talented designers and makers. 

Check out my profile here for the Martha Stewart American Made Awards. 

Voting starts August 26th and ends September 13th! You can vote up to six times per day with one login. Just keep clicking 'VOTE' until it says "0 votes." And, each vote enters you into a giveaway for prizes from Martha Stewart.com.

Please consider voting for Little Grey Line!

transforming an heirloom

This weekend I completed a very special dress. It was made for sweet, little, Caroline (age 2) from her great-grandmother's handmade skirt (dating back to the late 70's). 

It was such an honor to be trusted with this one of a kind, priceless heirloom. 

As I was taking this skirt apart, I was able to experience the love and time that went into making this skirt. Every stitch and every seam was precise and obviously done with great care and intention. 

I worked around several stains, but was able to salvage one of the pockets and incorporate it into the dress. 

I loved how worn the waist tie was on the original skirt (showing just how often it had been worn), so I decided to celebrate it through the new design and allow the straps (made from the original waist tie) to be tied in multiple ways.

I hope that Caroline will enjoy wearing her new dress. I am sure to a two year old it will be just another pretty dress with flowers, but to her mother and grandmother I know it will be an homage to someone greatly missed. What an honor to be able to bring it back to life. 

We did it! 2013 Redress Raleigh Eco-Fashion Show

Little Grey Line celebrated its runway debut last night at the Redress Raleigh Eco-Fashion Show! 

Thirteen little models, balloons in hand, walked beautifully to the beat of the music. Some hesitated, some skipped, but they were all amazing and made me so proud.

I will post more pictures and video soon, but wanted to express my sincere gratitude to Redress Raleigh for such an amazing opportunity. What an honor to be among such talented designers. And thank you, as well, to all of the precious models and their families for being a part of such a special night. 

In addition to a more in-depth post about the show, I will be updating my gallery with information and photos of my new dress collection, now available for custom orders.

What a night! Certainly one of the thrills of my life.

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.