'Couture Classics by Margaretha' is an old fashion label renewed by Marga.
At the moment Couture Classics is designing dresses for photographer: Erik Bolding.

As soon as Erik Bolding continues his model-photoshoots, the models will be able to wear these dresses and to be 'fairytale' beautiful. The photoshoots are a complete concept: a Make-up artist is included, a styliste and the use of the exclusive dresses and skirts of 'Couture Classics by Margaretha'.

The dresses, skirts and bolero's are all made of real silk, cotton blends, velour de panne and exclusive lace-fabrics. They are also made for fitting various sizes:  size S -  L

A few dresses in production:

We are staying home !

Show solidarity and stay at home, help to survive this bad time.

Now it is time for sewing, reading books and watching a movie in the evening. have you already sen the movie 'Coco before Chanel?'

Read our review. we absolutely loved the movie because of it styling, the wonderful clothes and the story.  Just enjoy the movie and get inspiration for sewing a Chanel-Style jacket. We are very sure you won't regret.

Mouth caps are now hard to buy but we need them to protect us against the Corona virus.
So, maybe an idea to create them ourselves. We found the best videos for you.

Buy a real Chanel mouthcap? That will be difficult. Better to make one yourself. A real 'Chanel-Style' mouthpiece, indeed.
We are already working on it and will come back to it soon.
Take care of yourself!

Read more about Sewing ChanelStyle supports small female businesses:

The little black dress, by Simon Henry

No woman in the world should be without a little black dress! And that's an understatement...
The little black dress is always chic, always classy and ideal for styling for different occasions: an evening party, a formal business-meeting or just a nice casual day. Add some accessories, handbags, a coat, shoes or boots or combine it with sneakers. Everything is possible and timeless beautiful.

But where to find a little black dress that really fits?

More book reviews:

• Sewing (couture) books
  
• How to choose the right sewingbook
  
• Valuable sewing and instruction books
• Books about Chanel
  
• All about sewingmagazines
  

This website is made by Dutch people. English is not our native language.
We are sorry if there are language errors or imperfections.

Of course we are also happy if you point us at an error or have a suggestion for improvement.

But the most important thing is and remains the message: instructions, information and interest to share about how we can make couture ourselves, specifically: The Chanel jacket!

Participate, share, read, review, enjoy and show the results!

Thanks!

We worked on this pattern with the same fabric and tried to create it in exactly the same way.  The pattern has some very good points and it available for beginners (Burda EASY!). But unfortunately we also discovered some little problems which are worth to mention.
Read all about in our review.

We are an open (source) community. Our Pinterest account is available for fans, followers ánd people who want to join our collections!

If you have beautiful pictures to share? Do you want to share a boards with us?  We will invite you to join a board if you have the same interest and let us know.

Our boards:

Very good:

• Very classic !
• Beautiful quilted and sophisticated in every littel detail.
  
• One of the best sewing patterns available for Chanel DIY jackets.
  
• Great instructions by Claire Schaeffer !
  

But not easy:

• Please pay extra attention in buying the fabric: it might look outdated instead of classic.
  
• Comfortable? Not at all.  The jacket fits perfectly but the tight sleeves and fitting shape leaves little room for movement and comfort.
  
• Take your time. This is a very slow-sewing project.
  

Vogue V8991, Semi-fitted, lined jacket has stand-up collar, side-front seams, side panels, no side seams, patch pockets, and two-piece, button sleeves with shaped lower edge. Note: Fabric is quilted to lining to provide added body.

Sewing level:  Advanced

Fabrics:  Lightweight Tweed, Wool Crepe, Boiled Wool.

Notions: Buttons, chain, triming, interfacing and Silk lining fabrics.


Our jacket:

We did not do the quilting parts in the beautiful lines as on the sewingpattern, but worked our own way to get it done.
The jacket is perfect shaped.
The sleeves are tight and couture-made on the shoulders. NOT easy.
Think of this jacket as a long-term project. Yes you can,  but it will take a lot of time.

Read more

Why does a seamstress need a sewing mannequin?
Is it really such a great product?
​Is it really necessary to have your own sewing mannequin? YES!
​

A mannequin is THE best friend of a seamstress! We do not mean: mannequins such as the mannequins on display in fashion stores, but adjustable mannequins. These are indispensable to make tailor-made clothing!


Adjustable mannequins

There are many types and sizes for sale on the market. It is difficult for a beginner- seamstress to make a good choice. Most mannequins look a bit overwhelming. Do you really need the accessories and do you really need to have so many options in terms of size settings?

Read more

Sewing Chanel-Style hasn’t been immune for creative vibes, especially not for those of female entrepreneurs owing small, artisan businesses. The idea to promote these businesses was always there but we are taking it to the next level. We can all do with some extra promotion, can’t we?

We met so many wonderful women ever since we set up Sewing Chanel-Style. Take FriendsthatRhyme! How impressed we are with their elegant clutches, as well as their businessplan, customer service, and their products. It didn’t take long to decide blogging about FriendsthatRhyme with led to spontaneously promoting each others creative businesses on social media. 
 
We are equally delighted to promote Petra Roth’s modern earrings and her company Sma.p-roth. Petra Roth’s versatile 3D printed earrings are masterpieces of modern jewellery.

Mindfuldrawing.com is Paula Kuitenbrouwer’s website for freehand and commissioned art. Paula loves to draw. Monuments, birds, pets, bookplates, or mandarin ducks, Paula’s drawings are in graphite and full colour, elegant, and old school.

Artisan Women Supporting Each Other . We like to feature your business or products too. Contact us with your story when:

• You are a woman or your creative business is run by a female team.
• Your company qualifies as a small business and
• Your products are handmade and preferably sustainable.
• It surely helps when your team is nice and you are kind! :-) 

We love to meet you. Contact us at.......

Simplicity 4954, Lined Jacket with front and trim variations

Sewing level:  ?

Fabrics: Demin, Corduroy, Damask, Twill, Wool and wool blends, Tweeds, Brocade, Satin, Shantung, Velvet, Linen and Linen blends.

Notions: Shoudler pads, Ribbon, Buttons, flower, trims, interfacing and lining fabrics.

We tested the sewingpattern New Look 6028.

This pattern is a fairly simple sewingpattern and very suitable for beginners. The pattern is ideal for applying all kinds of variations: trims, fringes, bindings, 2 or 4 pockets: time to become creative!

Description:
New Look 6028,  Misses’ lined jacket with trim and sleeve variations.

Sewing level:  Easy

Fabrics: Light weight Demin, Seersucker, Twill, Pique, Sateen, Lightweight wool, woolblends, Linnen, linnen blends, Jacquards, Brocade,

Notions: Trims, bindings.

We are enthusiast about these PLUS points:    

• The pattern has princess seams. A princess seam runs across the length of both breasts with a woman's jacket for women and is a figure seam for the right shapes. The back also has princess seams, so you can shape the back nicely.
• Easy pattern, also suitable for beginners     
• Nice basic pattern to continue experimenting in terms of creative finishes     
• Tasty long sleeves (Model D) ideal for people with long arms.

We are a little less enthusiast about:

• The neckline is very low (Model A, B and C) Chanel-style jackets often have higher necklines.     
• The V-neck (Model C and D) looks a bit 'cheap'.     
• The sleeves (Model D) are very long, for people with normal arm lengths: this is really too longggg.

We created the jacket in pink, rather stiff Tweed-Bouclé. The lining in a lighter color: light green 100% Silk. The jacket in an open front jacket. This makes it perfect for attaching creative fringes. We made fringes out of the same fabric as the outer-fabric.  And we used a thin ribbon.

Creative ideas: trims en fringes.

Extra options:
We have made the neckline higher and quilted the lining to the outer fabric, according to the couture sewing techniques described in the book: "The Couture Cardigan jacket" by Claire Schaeffer. Despite the fairly stiff outer fabric, this makes the jacket pleasant and comfortable enough to wear all day.

The result: a beautiful, stylish jacket that you can wear all day, both casual and formal.

Chanel jackets are recognizable because of their sublime fabrics. Often tweeds and Bouclé fabrics are used.  Read the history of the Chanel-jackets and you know why!

Bouclé fabrics are always very beautiful and they have great options to play with the fringes, braiding the threads and create something really special and unique.

But Bouclé fabrics are also very tough and not easy to manage.

Read all about Bouclé fabrics and how to sew Bouclé fabrics !

Abd if you want to show us your Chanel-Style selfmade jacket, be our guest!

Marga: "It all started with the interview on 40plusStyle.com. 
No, actually it started a few years earlier...
One fine day, I decided it would be great to be a model.  But I was 43 years old, did not had any contacts, experience and knowledge about the business.
Either way, I just started and ten years later, I am still modelling  (and learning!)

This website is for you to get some inspiration, to get a lot of information and to get a jumpstart!
I will share my stories, my knowledge and you might want do the same."