Oh. my goodness. When I opened up this box, I was immediately transported to my grandparents’ back yard, on the blue blanket under the elm tree, when a gaggle of friends brought their Barbies and Kens together and we sewed clothes out of fabric scraps and held fashion shows. Those days are some of my best memories of childhood.
If we had had this Fashion Studio from Candlewick Press, I’m convinced it would have altered lives. This would have amped up the creativity level and built confidence.
You see, we often became frustrated because we lacked new ideas or didn’t quite know how to construct a garment. Fashion Studio will crack that disappointment wide open. There are cardboard templates to help you make paper garments.
For those who are challenged by spatial relationships, this will provide many an Aha! Moment as designers fashion their clothing.
First of all, the Fashion Studio itself is chic (and purple!). Well-designed to have wide appeal, it’s made from sturdy cardboard that folds open to reveal a beautiful shop with its own type of runway. There are dress stands and a display rail. When designing is done for the day, it all folds up into an easy-to-carry box that is roughly the size of a Harry Potter book.
Want to make a Skater Dress? Pages 8 and 9 in the Fashion Handbook by author Helen Moslin take you step by step, with a drawing for every direction, cutting out, gluing (no stitching here but there are seam allowances and one can easily make the leap between a line of stitching and the glue).
When the dress is assembled and the glue is drying, it’s time to make the adorable little polka dot mules and the small bag.
At the end of each set of instructions, there are ideas for other combinations of paper and trim, just enough to spur the imagination into making its own designs using these templates and papers found around the house or designed with crayon or watercolor. The papers and stickers included with the Fashion Studio will appeal to a wide variety of tastes.
A glossary of Dressmaker Words is included — and the text uses them — so that the design and assembly processes are akin to the world of fabric and sewing.
Like the outstanding Candlewick Press Animation Studio before it, this Fashion Studio will bring big smiles and happy hearts to the fashionistas in your life. Lucky kids!