By Susan Khalje
DIY-Do It Yourself Network I came across a delightful book the other day that profiles the work of designer Koos van den Akker, who first came to the United States from the Netherlands in 1968. The book is titled KOOS Couture Collage: Inspiration and Techniques," by Linda Chang Teufel who has worked for van den Akker. I remember his work from the '70s -- it was always a riot of color, texture and bias trims, full of the optimism and exuberance of that era. The excitement is well represented in the book -- what comes across is a sort of boundless energy and creativity -- and the zest to combine fabrics and techniques and to take delight in the visual feast that is created. Van den Akker's favorite techniques are shared. There are: tips on fabric selection, suitable garment styles, working with bias tape (a staple in his work), how to create what he terms "fabric lace," slicing, trimming with yarn, image transfer, ruffles, applique, seam treatments and a close look at some of his special details. And, as many of van den Akker's garments are unlined, edge finishes are covered as well. Bias tape is an essential element of van den Akker's work -- strips are used to finish edges, to outline appliques, as decorative lines in and of themselves and to highlight seams and the architecture of the garment. It's easy to create your own bias tape -- bias tape makers are easy to find, and they create bias tape in a variety of widths. A strip of bias fabric is fed through the gadget, and a narrower strip emerges, with the edges turned under on both sides. Be sure to prepare the bias strips carefully, though -- even the slightest deviation from a 45-degree angle will cause drag lines in the finished tape. They'll spoil the look for the tape, and they'll be impossible to remove. Bias tape is great fun to manipulate -- if considerable shaping needs to be done, you might want to do it on the ironing board before applying it to the garment -- the heat and pressure of the iron will help manipulate the tape and encourage it to conform to its new shape. There's nothing new under the sun, but what is different here is the exuberance, the fun and the excitement that is created in van den Akker's garments. It's rare that an artist is so open with his techniques -- we are the lucky beneficiaries of his generous spirit. And I guarantee that you'll be inspired to inject a little of the creative approach of Koos van den Akker into one of your own sewing projects. (Susan Khalje is an author and host of DIY-Do It Yourself Network "Sew Much More" which airs weekdays at 2:00 P.M. ET. Contact her atskhalje@aol.com or Box 51 Long Green, MD 21092. For more information, visit www.SusanKhalje.com or www.diynet.com.)
RESOURCES :
KOOS Couture Collage: Inspiration and Techniques
Model: 0964120178
Author: Linda Change Teufel
(April, 2003)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Dragon Threads
Worthington, OH 43085
Phone: 614-841-9388
Fax: 614-841-9389
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