Netherlands Tour

  I just returned from the Threads Magazine tour of European Couture Design and Sewing in the Netherlands. The tour started in Amsterdam, and continued to other areas of the Netherlands, with museum visits, fabric shopping, and classes in couture techniques.  This trip was a special treat I had saved up for.  It was not inexpensive, and my husband did not understand why I would want to travel somewhere without him.  He asked, " Are there spouse activities?" Not this trip, Honey.   It is so much fun to travel with a group of people from all over (US, Canada, and Germany) with similar interests, in a beautiful country. 

 I missed some of the tour activities because my travel buddy/roommate misplaced her passport. We had to split up from the group to visit the American consulate and get her a new passport. Then take trains from Amsterdam out into the countryside to catch up with the tour.  Ah, travel adventures. We all have stories.  

 I will mention the activities I enjoyed the most. 

 At the Rijksmuseum we had a guided tour of famous artworks with special emphasis on the textiles and clothing worn by the people in the paintings and their meaning or significance.  Who knew those sober black suits of the judges of the Amsterdam guild for clothmakers (Rembrandt 1606-1669) indicated power and wealth because to get a true black color, the fabric had to be dyed multiple times.

The  Textiel Museum had displays of the machinery and methods used to weave wool blankets and make passementerie. The passementerie was so interesting, I purchased this book on the technique when I got home Passementerie: Handcrafting Contemporary Trimmings, Fringes, Tassels, and More

Passementerie

But my favorite part was the Textile Lab, a unique development center for textiles. We were able to watch visiting textile artists, using state of the art knitting and weaving equipment, to form innovative woven fabrics and knits.   Many of the works was displayed in the sample room and included some truly incredible textiles.  I took so many pictures of the samples.

Samples

For fabric shopping we visited Albert Cuyp Street Market in Amsterdam which included several interesting stores, but no purchases. Traveling outside of Amsterdam we shopped at Textielstad- advertised as the biggest and best fabric store in the Netherlands, and Harrie Bosch.

 Textielstad was large, with loads of modern fabrics. Loved this sign at the entrance of the store.

 Textielstad 

One of the store clerks had recreated this Taylor Swift outfit and it was on display.  I sent the picture to my DIL who is a huge fan.

T Swift Coat

And I loved this sample garment made using Burda pattern 5941. I have been searching my stash for a similar fabric.

Burda 5941

 My favorite store was Harrie Bosch, which had unique silks, wool knits and bouclé.  One of the other customers there was choosing fabrics to be used to recreate the outfits of the Dutch queen for an upcoming documentary film. I felt a bit sorry for her when our group invaded this small store.  Unfortunately, whoever planned the fabric shopping stops on the tour limited us to 1 hour for shopping, cutting, and paying.   For 17 ladies. What? The planner must not have been a fabric lover. Feedback was given.

 I kept my fabric purchases to a minimum because I have a huge stash. But I have already sewn a garment from one of the purchases, which I will talk about in a future post

 At the Dutch Couture Academy in Doesburg, our 3-day masterclass focused on the couture techniques of moulage, silk flower making, and lacework. Because I tend to be a technical, production process sewist, trying these slower paced creative techniques was a bit uncomfortable. But I learned so much, and I am determined to use these techniques on future projects. Saskia ter Welle, the fashion designer who owns the Acadamy, is a gifted designer, a wonderful teacher and a truly charming person. Doesburg is a picturesque and old (incorporated in 1223) town. 

Dutch Couture Academy

Draped Dress Forms

Class - Dutch Couture Academy

Yes, those are wine glasses on the worktables.  The late afternoon break included wine, bottled by Saskia's husband, from grapes grown in the Netherlands. It was very good.

Our last night of the tour included a boat tour of the Amsterdam canals.  It was so pretty.