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June 2025
Retreat: Fashion, Textiles, and Silk Painting in Lyon and Buxy (Burgundy), France
Fashion, Textiles, and Silk Painting Lyon and Buxy (Burgundy), France June 2nd - 12th, 2025 Silk Painting in Burgundy Vintner Home in Buxy Burgundy This year we are combining our days of exploring Lyon with days of textile and garment design and Silk Painting in Burgundy with textile artist Nadja Lancelot and Cochenille's Susan Lazear. Our France retreat will begin in Lyon exploring its deep silk and textile heritage. We will have a variety of appointments and excursions. Of course,…
Find out more »July 2025
Webinar: The How and Why of Prototyping Your Ideas
Tuesday, July 8th, 2025 10 a.m. PT Web-154 Prototyping in 1/4 scale Garment Designer provides you with a creative tool to advance your design. In this webinar we want to share with you the various approaches you can take to test out your ideas. Are my proportions, right? How do I sew this garment? How can I add more interest to the piece? Is this pattern doable? These are all questions we ask ourselves as we push forward with our…
Find out more »August 2025
Webinar: Walking Tour of Garment Designer
Walking Tour of Garment Designer Wednesday, August 20th, 2025 10 am. PT Web-128 Click here to register Take a tour of Garment Designer with Susan Lazear as your tour guide! Susan will show you Garment Designer’s main attractions as well as help you discover destinations you may not have known existed. This tour will help seasoned travelers and new tourists explore Cochenille’s pattern making software. So join us as we walk through functions and menus of Garment Designer and share…
Find out more »New Mexico Garment Designer Workshop/Retreat
August 21st - 25th, 2025 Cimarron, New Mexico Students at work! The Casa, site of your 2025 Design Retreat. We are continuing our tradition of truly retreating in an amazing location and spending focused time with Garment Designer. So, we return to Cimarron, New Mexico and the 100-year-old inn we have grown to love. Skill Level: All you really need is computer comfort and some sewing experience. It is advisable to get the software in advance and have experimented with…
Find out more »Webinar: Designing Accessories and More… with Garment Designer
Designing Accessories and More... with Garment Designer Thursday, August 28th, 2025. 9 a.m. Web-169 Click here to register Designing a Beret hat with Garment Designer Everyone loves to wear knits. They are easy to work with, quick to sew, and comfortable to wear. This webinar will focus on a discussion of the most popular knit fabrics and the characteristics of each. You will learn how to choose a knit for a specific end use and how to adjust a pattern…
Find out more »September 2025
Webinar: Creative Facing Alternatives
Creating Facing Alternatives Thursday, Sept. 4th, 2025 3 p.m. Click here to purchase. Are you tired of using the standard facing? Why not explore some alternatives to facings as gleaned by paying attention to designer clothing. Susan will share multiple images of garments that she has collected in her travels and discuss not only how to approach the designs of these in Garment Designer, but also the sewing techniques involved as well. Learn to give your work a signature look…
Find out more »Webinar: Understanding Armhole-Sleeve Relationships
Tuesday, Sept. 9th, 2025 10 a.m. If you alter patterns, or want to draft them ‘from scratch’, Susan will teach you the basics of armhole and sleeve combinations. Understand how changes made to the armhole affect the sleeve and enjoy learning how to draft/create a multitude of sleeve styles. Garment Designer will be used to demonstrate examples, but the techniques apply to hand-drafting and altering patterns as well. To purchase, click here. >>> No Need to be Present Live!…
Find out more »Webinar: The Art of Taking Measurements
The Art of Taking Measurements Tuesday, Sept. 16th, 2025. 9 a.m. PT Web-126 More Info This webinar focuses on the art of taking body measurements (Women and Men) properly and accurately, for Garment Designer and general pattern making. Discussion includes both photos and videos. Learn what problems result in the pattern and fit, if a measurement is taken inaccurately. The process of creating a test garment will also be covered. /**/
Find out more »Webinar: Let’s Work with Handwovens: Design and Sew
Let's Work with Handwovens: Design and Sew Monday, Sept. 22, 2025 9 a.m. PT Whether you wove it yourself, or have purchased fabric that has that hand-woven look, you will want to create unique and memorable fashions which take advantage of the beautiful fabric that inspired you. This webinar looks at the various decisions one makes when choosing styles and picking or creating patterns for hand-woven fabrics. It will also cover a discussion of sewing and finishing techniques. You will…
Find out more »October 2025
2025 Italy Fashion and Food Retreat, Verona, Italy
Italy Fashion, Craft, and Food Retreat Verona, Italy October 9-19th, 2025 Susan has been going to Verona since 2007 and she now lives there half-time. She has developed a sense for Italian fashion, food, and lifestyle. She has also established contacts with various artists, designers, stores, museums, and food-related businesses. This year, our 2025 retreat, centered in Verona, will include day-trips to Venice and Vicenza. The Retreat will begin at dinner time on October 9th (the day of arrival)…
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