Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing (42 page)

We all have little victories in daily life, and like Scarlet preached to her blog readers, we need to acknowledge and appreciate them. Sometimes when life is a challenge, those mini-accomplishments are all we have to hold on to—so embrace and celebrate them!

12 pieces of art paper in assorted colors and textures

Assorted sizes of markers or paints

Rubber stamps, ink pads

Stencils

Stickers, magazine photos, drawings, etc.

Piece of writing paper

1. On a piece of paper, write down each month of the year with space underneath. If you have a calendar from that year, flip through it and make a list of the special events you had. Mark them under the appropriate month. Also,
do your best to think back to milestones you reached, big or small. Maybe you discovered a new flavor you liked.

2. Now dedicate one month to each of the twelve sheets of art paper. Write down the little victory from your list in colorful, fun lettering so it stands out.

3. Embellish all around the page and text using glitter, markers, stickers, pictures.

4. When all twelve are done, hang them up, make them into a book, and share them.

5. You don’t have to burn them at the end of the year like Daisy and Scarlet did, but you can tuck them away in your treasure chest to make room for more little victories to come!

Scarlet Santana had her own method to whipping up a one-of-a-kind patternless dress made from scarves. Here is a simplified version for you to make on your own.

3 square vintage silk scarves, 24 x 24 inches (4 for a large, 5 for XL)

1 tube top

Straight pins

Sewing machine

1 long, thin silk vintage scarf, or two sewn together

Line up the square silk scarves and sew them together. Press the seams. You will have one long piece of fabric. Hold the fabric lengthwise, grab a corner, and begin to pleat and pin at the back of the bottom hem of the tube top. Make sure the scarf fabric is pinned from underneath. Continue all the way around. The pleats should be even; if they aren’t, remove the pins and adjust. Try the dress on to make sure it is to your liking. Sew the skirt of the dress in place on the machine. After you put on your dress, tie the thin scarf around as a sash at the waist seam.

1. When you first heard the term “patternless sewing,” what did it make you think of?

2. What type of “pattern” do you have for your life?

3. Can you think of a time when a traditional pattern, either literally or metaphorically, didn’t work and you had to make adjustments?

4. Scarlet had issues with her family. She thought it was because they didn’t respect her; they thought it was because she was too busy for them. Have you ever been in a situation like that? How did you resolve it?

5. Olivia looked to DaisyForever.com as her daily dose of inspiration. After reading Scarlet’s postings, can you see why? Did her words have an effect on how you see the world?

6. Scarlet was almost obsessed with Daisy de la Flora. Do you think this helped her or held her back from her fashion career?

7. If you were Mary Theresa, how would you have handled the situation with Hadley? Do you think he had valid reasons for leaving?

8. Rosa had to share her life with Daisy’s because of the guilt from the car crash. Do you think she did the right thing?

9. How important do you think Scarlet was to Marco’s life? If he hadn’t allowed the class to work at the shop, do you think he would have ever come to terms with his brother’s death?

10. Though teenagers, Jennifer and Stephanie connected with older women in the class. Do you think these relationships will help shape what kind of women they will grow up to be?

11. Olivia took a bad experience and transformed it into something positive. What is a recent downfall you had where you had the opportunity to do the same?

12. Rosa, Marco, and the sewing class had to deal with the death of a loved one. How did their grief differ?

Q: What inspired this book?

A:
I have always loved to sew. I think I get it from my Nana Eleanor, who was a master seamstress, a perfectionist. However, I’ve never been able to successfully use a pattern. For some reason, it never works out and I end up taking the project in a whole new direction. I thought it would make a fun story to see these different types of women tackle a patternless sewing class.

Q: How different is the final book from your original idea?

A:
Oh, wow. Very different. Once I started writing it, it became clear that “patternless sewing” doubled as a metaphor for our lives. We are all born into this world with some kind of pattern or tradition to follow. Some of us want a fresh pattern, some want to alter theirs, others want to stay exactly on the lines. Once I realized that, it allowed me to take my characters to a deeper level.

Q: This seems to be a lighthearted book at first, but there are several instances of death. Why did you feel that was important to include?

A:
It might have to do with my father passing away around the time that I wrote this book. I had so many issues to work through. I learned that it is important to celebrate the lives of our loved ones who died, but at the same time, we have to let them go. It was also important for me to present their crossing over in a positive light.

Q: Were any of the characters based on real people?

A:
Texas purse designer Enid Collins is my inspiration for Daisy. Not so much Enid’s life story, but her crazy purse designs. I wondered what kind of woman in the ’60s would be so bold to make such awesomely kooky handbags dripping with gems and stones in the shapes of animals and flowers and cars. However, I took it to the next level and added costumes, gowns, and accessories to her résumé. Also, by the time I finished the book, I saw a lot of my father in Rosa. The way she was so smart and calm and talented and loved to travel. She knew about so many issues and always put love first. That is 100 percent my dad! Nana Eleanor is a blend of both my nanas.

Q: Why Carmen Miranda?

A:
I love Carmen! A lot of people don’t know that she used to be a hat and purse designer before she was discovered. When she became famous she sketched and sewed all her costumes. I felt that, given the era and sparkle factor I had going on with Daisy de la Flora, Carmen would totally be her inspiration.

Q: You live in Phoenix, Arizona, yet this book takes place in Glendale, Arizona. Why is that?

A:
I was raised close to Glendale, so I’ve spent a lot of time there. I also set the book during the holidays, because I love the season of Glendale Glitters when all the downtown streets are lined with lights and decorations. The area is so charming and old-fashioned. Lots of thrift stores, Mexican bakeries, candy shops. Marco’s record store is fictional, but I could totally see it on Fifty-eighth Avenue and Glendale!

Q: Did you listen to any music while writing the book?

A:
Oh, yes! Every time I worked on Mary Theresa and Hadley, I listened to John Coltrane, because that is what triggered everything. With Scarlet, I always listened to Glenn Miller or other Big Band groups when she was happy, and when she was confused and frustrated I listened to an English band called Marina and the Diamonds. Daisy and Rosa—mambo all the way, as well as Carmen Miranda albums. For Marco, he was so dark and deep, I played Fleet Foxes over and over. My favorite song for this book is Sam Cooke’s, “Nothing Can Change This Love.” It reminds me of Scarlet and Marco!

Q: What is the main takeaway you want readers to close the cover with?

A:
To step outside their normal boundaries, or in some cases, step inside boundaries. Basically just try something new to mix up your lifestyle. And to stay true to your family, and they will stay true to you!

Thank you to my husband, Patrick Murillo, and my kids, DeAngelo and Maya, for always having my back! Lots of love to my family: Theresa, Davy, and Michelle. My mom, Norma, for listening to my book updates and even offering tips when I called on them! Much love to my mother-in-law, Susie Murillo, for coming over to cook dinners while I was in deadline lockdown! Blessings to my dad, David, for watching over me from heaven.

Three golden dress forms for Arizona designer Angela Johnson, and fashionista Marytza Rubio, and Brini Maxwell for the education and inspiration for all things fashionable. Love to Robrt Pela for inviting me to join his writing group.

Mucho appreciation to my coworkers at iLoveToCreate, and my former coworkers at the
Arizona Republic
for cheering me on! Hugs to my agents, Erin Malone and Scott Wachs. Double hugs to the staff at Grand Central Publishing—my editor, Selina McLemore, for helping me shape this book into a story I love; and to Latoya Smith for all the support.

Mil gracias to all my online friends from my blog, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, and YouTube. And all my crafty friends in the industry, may your scissors never dull: Thank you for all the sequin love. Most of all I’d love to thank
you,
for supporting authors and reading books!

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Now available from Grand Central Publishing