Okay, first word to anybody trying to become a fashion designer without going to school to do so. My dears, my poor poor dears please listen to me very carefully, this is not Chanel's era, we all need to do things differently now, you must learn everything you need to know as a fashion designer before you attempt to wing it on partial knowledge, okay? This is what just happened to me, I contacted a clothing company and they were interested in my designs and wanted to acquire the specs for my garment designs, I don't yet have pattern making skill though and had actually forgotten about the technical aspects of fashion illustrations (the flat 'technical' line drawings used by the pattern makers) and so, there is no practical way to for the company to do business with me in the way that this business is run now. And that's okay, because although I've been dis-illusioned and dis-appointed I was aiming to learn all I had to know as a fashion designer any way. So I haven't of course been knocked off my path. I haven't and you shouldn't be either. Just keep going and focus on the next step in front of you and not how long the journey is.
Anyway though, I've joined the fashion industry network and I've been making a few friends along the way. There are also some products that I know are going to help me out in my path and here's a list of which wonderful things they are: The Lutterloh Pattern Making System, Islander Sewing's Industrial sewing training DVDs and 'Il Figurino Di Moda' Fashion Design Techniques Book and the Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Design book (I've just ordered this last one) So I'm digging in my heals like usual and continuing to find my way.
I wish you all a wonderful day,
Ayisha (Emma)
Showing posts with label Fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fashion. Show all posts
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
Where's My Project Runway Archive
Shoot, you know a few months back I went onto the Project Runway Canada site and discovered that, COOL, they had the entire archive of project runway Canada episodes, that was wonderful because I managed to miss all of them. Well, a few weeks ago I went back on the site and discovered that they got rid of the archive. What was that done for? Ouch, please if anyone knows where I could watch the old episodes without having to suffer through commercials and what not, let me know. There is nothing more enjoyable than watching educational programming on one of your favorite subjects, fashion design.
As a reality show, it brings home the sometimes uncomfortable, downright frightening competitive reality of the fashion industry and I think that was really indispensable to any aspiring fashion designer to watch as it brings you face to face with the challenges of the business of fashion before you actually take the plunge. It was fun to watch too. I wish so much that they'd bring it back. I think I'm going to go back to the site now to see if anything has changed, or maybe I missed something, here's the link in case you're interested http://runway.globaltv.com/default.aspx or am I just so absent minded that there were only 12 episodes to the show and only one season? It doesn't feel good to be so out of touch with fashion television.
As a reality show, it brings home the sometimes uncomfortable, downright frightening competitive reality of the fashion industry and I think that was really indispensable to any aspiring fashion designer to watch as it brings you face to face with the challenges of the business of fashion before you actually take the plunge. It was fun to watch too. I wish so much that they'd bring it back. I think I'm going to go back to the site now to see if anything has changed, or maybe I missed something, here's the link in case you're interested http://runway.globaltv.com/default.aspx or am I just so absent minded that there were only 12 episodes to the show and only one season? It doesn't feel good to be so out of touch with fashion television.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Fashion Designer Vivienne Westwood's Summer 2010 Collection
Okay, I'm holding on to my dream of being a fashion designer one day in the future (before I'm 50 that is) but at the moment I'm forced to put it on the back burner for a while, yet again. So instead of putting my interest in fashion on the back burner too, because that's stressful you know? I'm going to make this blog about fashion things that strike my fancy and arrest my attention. One such thing recently has been Vivienne Westwood's Summer Collection. In a phrase, her collection strikes me as a kind of nightmarish fantasy of apocalyptic day dreams.
It's confusing at first and disturbing throughout but, yes her collection is thought provoking and I must say I usually appreciate anything that makes me wonder.
Among her pieces are garments that at first sight regardless of the model's 'match flame' hair and ghostly makeup are almost pretty takes on historical costumes and modernized garments. Then when you look a little closer there's awkwardly matched color or textile types or you realize the cut or an accent on it is an "improper" "anti-aesthetic" item that simply feels wrong.
However, retrospect thinking about what a lot of people (such as myself) perceive as beautiful is often reflective of ideals about human virtue or what we feel or wish the world could be like.
In contrast, Vivienne Westwood's fashion deconstruction, seems to oddly reflect the precarious character of humanness. Our aspirations to be something beautiful and peaceful while at the same time existing as a blindly destructive force corrupting that which is around us and ourselves. This approach to fashion, resulting in a collection that has a kind of confident haunting sadness and doom about it. At the end of this I wonder if between the two perspectives of
- one, the beauty of hope, ideals, and positive potentials and nature, etc etc
- and two, the perhaps more presently "realistic" art of fashion deconstruction
...does Vivienne Westwood's "art" hold more validity than the pursuit of traditional beauty as an art style that should be pursued?
As I think about this quote by Napoleon Hill, "What your mind focuses upon, your mind brings into existence.", I'll say this, if words are the building blocks of thought and a picture (and any other visual medium) speaks a thousand words than I feel that it's crucial that we focus on the creation of beauty as it reflects health, balance, human virtue, hope and the possibility of a positive future and not the glamorization of post apocalyptic matches brought to life even if it is art. You can check out what I'm talking about at fashion watch tv . com here's the link to Vivienne Westwood's summer 2010 collection
Till the next Fashion Item catches my thoughts, stay tuned for more and thanks for reading my post.
Have a wonderful day,
Ayisha
It's confusing at first and disturbing throughout but, yes her collection is thought provoking and I must say I usually appreciate anything that makes me wonder.
Among her pieces are garments that at first sight regardless of the model's 'match flame' hair and ghostly makeup are almost pretty takes on historical costumes and modernized garments. Then when you look a little closer there's awkwardly matched color or textile types or you realize the cut or an accent on it is an "improper" "anti-aesthetic" item that simply feels wrong.
However, retrospect thinking about what a lot of people (such as myself) perceive as beautiful is often reflective of ideals about human virtue or what we feel or wish the world could be like.
In contrast, Vivienne Westwood's fashion deconstruction, seems to oddly reflect the precarious character of humanness. Our aspirations to be something beautiful and peaceful while at the same time existing as a blindly destructive force corrupting that which is around us and ourselves. This approach to fashion, resulting in a collection that has a kind of confident haunting sadness and doom about it. At the end of this I wonder if between the two perspectives of
- one, the beauty of hope, ideals, and positive potentials and nature, etc etc
- and two, the perhaps more presently "realistic" art of fashion deconstruction
...does Vivienne Westwood's "art" hold more validity than the pursuit of traditional beauty as an art style that should be pursued?
As I think about this quote by Napoleon Hill, "What your mind focuses upon, your mind brings into existence.", I'll say this, if words are the building blocks of thought and a picture (and any other visual medium) speaks a thousand words than I feel that it's crucial that we focus on the creation of beauty as it reflects health, balance, human virtue, hope and the possibility of a positive future and not the glamorization of post apocalyptic matches brought to life even if it is art. You can check out what I'm talking about at fashion watch tv . com here's the link to Vivienne Westwood's summer 2010 collection
Till the next Fashion Item catches my thoughts, stay tuned for more and thanks for reading my post.
Have a wonderful day,
Ayisha
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Zac Posen's 09/10 f/w, Karl Lagerfeld's and Armani's new 2010/2011 collections
I'll be adding the links to each of these shows at the bottom of their reviews, enjoy reading and watching and feel free to leave me a comment,
Zac Posen's New Fall/Winter 09/10 Collection
Zac Posen's new Fall/Winter 2011 collection can be described as Luxurious Victorian Futurism. The rich metallic hues with just the right amount of dressy frills along with lovely bias cut numbers make for an elegant collection embodying a Victorian nearly turned minimalist feel.
Each look has a skillful absence of anything overdone and yet contains all the decadence of one of histories most romantic eras. The best Couture way to step into the future.
Zac Posen's 2009/2010 fall/winter collection slideshow
Chanel Fall/Winter 2010 Couture Collection
Karl Lagerfeld as always, has managed to project us into his luxurious well lit otherworldly lair of dreams by producing another collection from his sheer genius of design. Nearly everything in his fall/winter 2010 couture collection is a bolero silhouette but somehow, with all the elements he's used he's managed to make the very repetition of the silhouette itself consistently exciting and a delight for the visual palette.
Look after look, they're all gorgeously exotic designs without easily being culturally placeable with the exception of a few subtly Indian embellishment inspired garments that brilliantly stand far apart from even the remotest associations with Bollywood. Leaving you overwhelmed from the beauty like one that's just woken from a dream you'd rather not have left. We want more Karl Lagerfeld!
Armani's Collection fall/winter 2010
Armani has yet again exhibited his ability to masterfully produce the ultimate feminin easy to wear business suite without using any of the usual fashion additives to do so , no frills, no pink, no lace and none of the usual low cut exposure cheats.
Added, this collection has included a unique and interesting signature medallion size button/clasp type accent reminiscent of tribal style deco yet too sophisticated to be labeled as such adorning the necks and waists of those refined articles of luxury apparel.
You can find more info and resources at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
Zac Posen's New Fall/Winter 09/10 Collection
Zac Posen's new Fall/Winter 2011 collection can be described as Luxurious Victorian Futurism. The rich metallic hues with just the right amount of dressy frills along with lovely bias cut numbers make for an elegant collection embodying a Victorian nearly turned minimalist feel.
Each look has a skillful absence of anything overdone and yet contains all the decadence of one of histories most romantic eras. The best Couture way to step into the future.
Zac Posen's 2009/2010 fall/winter collection slideshow
Chanel Fall/Winter 2010 Couture Collection
Karl Lagerfeld as always, has managed to project us into his luxurious well lit otherworldly lair of dreams by producing another collection from his sheer genius of design. Nearly everything in his fall/winter 2010 couture collection is a bolero silhouette but somehow, with all the elements he's used he's managed to make the very repetition of the silhouette itself consistently exciting and a delight for the visual palette.
Look after look, they're all gorgeously exotic designs without easily being culturally placeable with the exception of a few subtly Indian embellishment inspired garments that brilliantly stand far apart from even the remotest associations with Bollywood. Leaving you overwhelmed from the beauty like one that's just woken from a dream you'd rather not have left. We want more Karl Lagerfeld!
Armani's Collection fall/winter 2010
Armani has yet again exhibited his ability to masterfully produce the ultimate feminin easy to wear business suite without using any of the usual fashion additives to do so , no frills, no pink, no lace and none of the usual low cut exposure cheats.
Added, this collection has included a unique and interesting signature medallion size button/clasp type accent reminiscent of tribal style deco yet too sophisticated to be labeled as such adorning the necks and waists of those refined articles of luxury apparel.
You can find more info and resources at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
Monday, May 5, 2014
I Love Oscar De La Renta's New Collection
Oscar De La Renta's S/S 2011 collection is so beautiful, I just love the cut and look of these garments. He's got an incredible way of capturing the romantic, glamorous, elegance of the 40s and 50s and yet producing a collection that's so wearable now. I'm in love with that. He's provided a way to indulge in the classics without being 'dated' as old fashioned.
And I love this pin stripped look, I actually thought it was gray at first, but it isn't although it would look marvelous in a lovely solid, not too dark and not too light tone of gray. I would love to wear this outfit.
Here's the link to the pictures from the rest of his beautiful collection
http://fashionshowphotos.net/2011/2011-ss-new-york/oscar-de-la-renta-ss-2011/
Enjoy!
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
Sunday, May 4, 2014
The Lutterloh Fashion Patternmaking System
I've just got my fashion patternmaking system by Lutterloh. I'm so excited because this is the beginning of eventually moving from freelance writing to real fashion industry work.
I'm going to first put together my own one women discount fashion patternmaking service for up and coming/student fashion designers and home sewers looking for custom patterns in exchange for photos of the finished designs on the intended wearer and patternmaking credit. This will be used to build my portfolio and resume. Then when I've got enough experience that way, I'll begin creating my own design samples, adding them to my portfolio and then shopping it around to get work as a designer at either a fashion house, clothing manufacturer or for my own line of clothes.
I've just got to find out where to get a roll of some decent patternmaking paper or a couple hundred yards of good paper on a roll, hmm, I'll look into my local newspapers, maybe see if the craft shops got anything or maybe a roll of butcher paper. I'll be looking for something between 36" to 50" inches in width I should think. Michael's will be my first quarry. Thank you Lord for this awesome opportunity and thank you Grandma, for making it possible.
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
I'm going to first put together my own one women discount fashion patternmaking service for up and coming/student fashion designers and home sewers looking for custom patterns in exchange for photos of the finished designs on the intended wearer and patternmaking credit. This will be used to build my portfolio and resume. Then when I've got enough experience that way, I'll begin creating my own design samples, adding them to my portfolio and then shopping it around to get work as a designer at either a fashion house, clothing manufacturer or for my own line of clothes.
I've just got to find out where to get a roll of some decent patternmaking paper or a couple hundred yards of good paper on a roll, hmm, I'll look into my local newspapers, maybe see if the craft shops got anything or maybe a roll of butcher paper. I'll be looking for something between 36" to 50" inches in width I should think. Michael's will be my first quarry. Thank you Lord for this awesome opportunity and thank you Grandma, for making it possible.
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
Friday, May 2, 2014
Marchesa Spring 2011 Collection
Marchesa is quite possibly one of my favorite labels out there. The brand, which was only founded in 2004, has already established itself as a leader in the fashion industry by consistently producing some of the most beautiful and coveted dresses in the fashion world.
This season is no different. The company's designers, Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig have revealed yet another breathtaking collection for Spring 2011 that showcases Chapman's highly evolved draping skills using the exclusive textiles that Craig develops for the brand. The result? An exquisite collection of dresses that Vogue describes as: "the kind [of dresses] that little girls dream of, ultra-feminine confections that never skimp on the embellishments. To their credit, however, the designers have learned to channel those girlish dreams and turn them into well-considered, well-made, and whimsical high-wattage gowns."
Marchesa's star-studded show, which took place at the Chelsea Art Museum this fall, featured gorgeous dresses wrought with details inspired from the Orient. Heavily bejeweled necklines, hand-painted florals on sculptural drapes and lavish embroidery are only some of the extensive details in the Spring 2011 collection. The majority of the collection was based on a lighter palette that featured white, pastel and nude tones which are sure to be the hottest colors to sport as the climates warms up.
Overall, the show managed to capture the full attention of its attendees and was described largely using superlatives thereby reaffirming the designers' skills, talent and wildly successful creative partnership. However, despite my love for the label's signature look which Chapman and Craig have seemingly perfected, I would like to see the duo branching out and using their immense talent to create some more riske and avant-garde looks in future collections. Apart from that, I have no complaints whatsoever with Marchesa's latest collection and will continue to dream of wearing its designs someday.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Well, Time To Try Out My Fashion Industry Wings
I'm a little scared, about working with my first client but I'm currently looking for a designer to work with so I can work as a pattern maker, then, after a couple years with that kind of work, hopefully with more than one client, I'm planning to start my own line of fashion or get a job as a fashion designer. Got to be flexible because you never know where the greater opportunity lies.
So here is my ad, let me know what you think:
I'm a beginner pattern maker looking to partner up with a freelance, entrepreneur or student fashion designer to offer my pattern making services so I can further develop my skills while gaining experience in the field of fashion pattern making.
For anybody willing to give me a chance I'll do the first five garment patterns for free.
What I have in mind is to develop paper patterns for my partner/client (you) and mail them out to (you) in return for these services I want to get credit for the pattern drafting of the design (not the actual design itself). Along with a signed designer's sketch or illustration of the intended garment and an 'after production' photo of the garment on the intended wearer or dress form.
I'd also prefer that if professional photos can't be provided that they be taken in good (complimentary) lighting against a plain background.
After I've fulfilled my 5 free garment pattern commitment, my fee for each garment piece, depending on the complexity will be between $10 - $30 for at least 6 months.
If anybody is interested in my offer please email me at stylistwithacause@gmail.com
I'll be looking forward to hearing from you,
thanks and have a wonderful day
Ayisha1978
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
So here is my ad, let me know what you think:
I'm a beginner pattern maker looking to partner up with a freelance, entrepreneur or student fashion designer to offer my pattern making services so I can further develop my skills while gaining experience in the field of fashion pattern making.
For anybody willing to give me a chance I'll do the first five garment patterns for free.
What I have in mind is to develop paper patterns for my partner/client (you) and mail them out to (you) in return for these services I want to get credit for the pattern drafting of the design (not the actual design itself). Along with a signed designer's sketch or illustration of the intended garment and an 'after production' photo of the garment on the intended wearer or dress form.
I'd also prefer that if professional photos can't be provided that they be taken in good (complimentary) lighting against a plain background.
After I've fulfilled my 5 free garment pattern commitment, my fee for each garment piece, depending on the complexity will be between $10 - $30 for at least 6 months.
If anybody is interested in my offer please email me at stylistwithacause@gmail.com
I'll be looking forward to hearing from you,
thanks and have a wonderful day
Ayisha1978
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Slow Progress, But That's How Things Are
Okay, so I've gotten into fashion pattern making now, I'm still doing freelance writing on the side because I'm not getting paid yet for my drafting gigs. If you teach yourself and you've got no experience and credentials, that's reality, you've got to do work for free to prove yourself. If you're dedicated it's not a real problem, but you still need to make money to live, especially important if you've got 2 kids and 4 cats, they don't stop needing stuff, so I'm choked. But, ONWARD! You know what Benjamin Franklin said? "Up with ye sluggard, there's time enough for rest when you're dead." I just love that, don't you? Goes hand in hand with my "Just do it!" motto I live by.
Wish I could keep up with my blog like I want too, nothing much has happened so far really, well, that's not quite true, I've managed to:
- land a few non-paying clients (everybody likes free labor don't they?" one in Illinois, a girl in Florida and another one right here in Vancouver, all by using the fashion industry network and craigslist, hmm, didn't think to use kijiji though, I'll do that too
- come across this awesome site for designers to upload their fashions, get exposure and even get their garment made and sold (and earn a profit from it, too cool huh? the site url is: http://www.garmz.com/ great team, great quality site, you got to love them and check it out
and I've come to realize that I better get Connie Amaden Crawford's book "pattern making made easy" so I can further professionalize my work, the lutterloh pattern making system has some nice "blocks" you can work from, but they're pretty poor on marking and labeling so I need another resource as well, I'm thinking Connie's book should do it. Maybe I should have done that first, but I'm starting to shun procrastination big time and wanted to get started. Face your fears, let nothing stop you, when you jump out the plane you've got to hit the ground running!
Anyway, wish me luck, I want all of you to succeed in your dreams, let's make a happy, eco-friendly world!
Eco Friendly Fashion Designers Resources page
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
Wish I could keep up with my blog like I want too, nothing much has happened so far really, well, that's not quite true, I've managed to:
- land a few non-paying clients (everybody likes free labor don't they?" one in Illinois, a girl in Florida and another one right here in Vancouver, all by using the fashion industry network and craigslist, hmm, didn't think to use kijiji though, I'll do that too
- come across this awesome site for designers to upload their fashions, get exposure and even get their garment made and sold (and earn a profit from it, too cool huh? the site url is: http://www.garmz.com/ great team, great quality site, you got to love them and check it out
and I've come to realize that I better get Connie Amaden Crawford's book "pattern making made easy" so I can further professionalize my work, the lutterloh pattern making system has some nice "blocks" you can work from, but they're pretty poor on marking and labeling so I need another resource as well, I'm thinking Connie's book should do it. Maybe I should have done that first, but I'm starting to shun procrastination big time and wanted to get started. Face your fears, let nothing stop you, when you jump out the plane you've got to hit the ground running!
Anyway, wish me luck, I want all of you to succeed in your dreams, let's make a happy, eco-friendly world!
Eco Friendly Fashion Designers Resources page
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Seemingly Repetitive Pattern Practice
With over 250 pattern blocks to draft in Connie Amaden Crawfords book "Patternmaking Made Easy" and a desire to start work as a fully trained patternmaker, I was tempted to skip doing the pattern blocks that looked a lot like the previous ones I'd already drafted from earlier in the manual. My recommendation, don't skip anything. I felt a little bad about the temptation to skip these seemingly repetitive practice pieces so I did them anyway and I have to say, there's something very important about doing this, a few things actually. They are:
1. it helps to crystallize techniques in their different forms and usages
2. this helps you to remember them better
3. this also creates more confidence in your abilities to a degree of almost comfort
So no matter what comes my way with Connie's book, I'm going to do it because it's all for the best.
Now the bad thing here is that I started this blog post almost a month ago, I get times like that because I've been in the middle of having to make some cash while struggling to learn patternmaking. Unfortunately, my cash cow (a skinny, anorexic thing it is) is my freelance article writing and it's been soaking up my time like a dry sponge on a hot day. So I've had to hang onto my hopes and dreams with a mere thread of perseverance. (I always do that, I'm working toward better days)I do wish I could get paid to teach myself patternmaking though, anybody know how that can happen?? Any way, I've just opened up my first facebook shop this morning, where I'm selling the first of my free to sell ebooks on art and craft related subjects. Check it out: "28 Fashion Templates" The-Free-To-Sell-Renaissance-Arts-Crafts-Shop
Or if you'd like to order Connie's book to learn pattern making (I highly recommend this over all other patternmaking books) you can get it through my fashion squidoo lens at: Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
Monday, February 10, 2014
Tell Yourself You Can Teach Yourself Patternmaking No Matter What
Improvise, Compromise and Keep Thinking and Working
I was working on my patternmaking studies on the kitchen table, a couple months went by and the surface of the table never saw the light of day. Was my husband happy about it, no way, he didn't say anything if he seen me working on the patterns, but not having a place to comfortably eat is not okay.
So my patternmaking came to a dead stop more or less, learning how to do it was left up to the desire in my head while I struggled with my article writing. Quite frankly making me more depressed as time goes on. I would love just to focus on learning patternmaking and make oodles more money from that later on. That's my hope and part of my dream, but not convenient reality.
I had this little motto running around in my head, echoing at me through lost time, "you make time for the things that are important to you..." and Shawn Connery's line from the Rock, "Losers always whine about their best..." Don't you just hate that? But it's true I guess. So what did I do, took me a couple more painful sad months to think of the idea. I took 4 boxes and an about 3.5' x 3.5' piece of laminate board and laid it on top, viola! I've got my worktable. Than I thought I might be able to get started getting serious with my patternmaking studies. No more having to set it all up and then putting it all away.
It didn't work out, I still had no time, I needed another table for my patternmaking supplies as well as my art supplies so I stacked another 2 boxes and laid my brother's framed Chinese painting over it, voila! Another table. This spare bedroom is now my studio too. I still had no luck with my time though, so another few months went by and I hadn't yet been able to get back to my patternmaking.
This is basically what I've got to deal with, regular family housework, keeping up with appointments so I can take care of my little sister, feeding (including breastfeeding my daughter at any time of day or night), changing, dressing and consoling my two little kids, taking care of my 4 cats, shopping, article writing (not so great source of income) and then find the time to do other things, like reading or patternmaking.... "NOT" happening, especially with 5 hrs average sleep...However, a solution did come to me a little while ago (just a few weeks ago actually), but that's for another post on my blog. Till my next post....
Have a wonderful day,
Ayisha
I was working on my patternmaking studies on the kitchen table, a couple months went by and the surface of the table never saw the light of day. Was my husband happy about it, no way, he didn't say anything if he seen me working on the patterns, but not having a place to comfortably eat is not okay.
So my patternmaking came to a dead stop more or less, learning how to do it was left up to the desire in my head while I struggled with my article writing. Quite frankly making me more depressed as time goes on. I would love just to focus on learning patternmaking and make oodles more money from that later on. That's my hope and part of my dream, but not convenient reality.
I had this little motto running around in my head, echoing at me through lost time, "you make time for the things that are important to you..." and Shawn Connery's line from the Rock, "Losers always whine about their best..." Don't you just hate that? But it's true I guess. So what did I do, took me a couple more painful sad months to think of the idea. I took 4 boxes and an about 3.5' x 3.5' piece of laminate board and laid it on top, viola! I've got my worktable. Than I thought I might be able to get started getting serious with my patternmaking studies. No more having to set it all up and then putting it all away.
It didn't work out, I still had no time, I needed another table for my patternmaking supplies as well as my art supplies so I stacked another 2 boxes and laid my brother's framed Chinese painting over it, voila! Another table. This spare bedroom is now my studio too. I still had no luck with my time though, so another few months went by and I hadn't yet been able to get back to my patternmaking.
This is basically what I've got to deal with, regular family housework, keeping up with appointments so I can take care of my little sister, feeding (including breastfeeding my daughter at any time of day or night), changing, dressing and consoling my two little kids, taking care of my 4 cats, shopping, article writing (not so great source of income) and then find the time to do other things, like reading or patternmaking.... "NOT" happening, especially with 5 hrs average sleep...However, a solution did come to me a little while ago (just a few weeks ago actually), but that's for another post on my blog. Till my next post....
Have a wonderful day,
Ayisha
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Back From Pattern Making Dormancy
Well, it's been hard, the truth is my last post done around 2 months ago was also the last time I practiced patternmaking at all... I know, that's bad.
With all my strategy, timedoctor and disipline and things, it wasn't enough when some family issues cropped up on top of everything else and my patternmaking went and flatlined for a while. I was trying to find a way to get back on board, but it was happening though. Thanks to the advice of a friend of mine, she told me that "you have to make time for yourself and do the things you love, you can think better when you're rested and happy" well, she was right, so although I could have spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday writing web content (and being 'responsible') I devoted those three days to patternmaking practice, spending a little extra time with my kids and trying to be happy.
It was a good decision because, today I've already finished my quota of writing work having completed nearly all of the web content for one site (this was only two pages to cover) and an article on quilting for beginners, I may even have time to do some more patternmaking practice today. Cross my fingers there though, I've got house work to do and should read a bit more with my son.
I think the key to this situation is being responsible is about taking time out to do the things that are truly important and useful to yourself as well. For example, my writing may make money right now, but my patternmaking practice is an investment in the future, I have to stop passing it up so much.
Also, just because you love something, doesn't make it useless or just a dream, it's quite possible to love doing something that is financially practical.
Any way though, thanks to several days devotion, I'm now almost half done with the blocks in the book. When I'm done I'm going to re-make the main 24 pattern blocks in poster board. While working with these blocks during practice though I noticed that it's a lot easier and more accurate if I cut away all the seam allowances before transferring them for another pattern block, I can just trace them as I need them quickly and easily without using tape and just leave the transfer to the darts and other details. It's worked out good.
Next time, whether today or next weekend the latest, I'll be working on drafting a shawl collar for starters, something I've been wanted to learn for years.
I don't know if I posted this before, but for all of you who need an affordable dress form I'd like to recommend Dave's surplus, I'll be able to get my size S dress form there for just $85 and that's not bad at all. You can check it out here: http://www.davessurplus.com/mannekin/manq2f.htm
Okay, I've got to go right now than, got a bunch of errands to attend to.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
With all my strategy, timedoctor and disipline and things, it wasn't enough when some family issues cropped up on top of everything else and my patternmaking went and flatlined for a while. I was trying to find a way to get back on board, but it was happening though. Thanks to the advice of a friend of mine, she told me that "you have to make time for yourself and do the things you love, you can think better when you're rested and happy" well, she was right, so although I could have spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday writing web content (and being 'responsible') I devoted those three days to patternmaking practice, spending a little extra time with my kids and trying to be happy.
It was a good decision because, today I've already finished my quota of writing work having completed nearly all of the web content for one site (this was only two pages to cover) and an article on quilting for beginners, I may even have time to do some more patternmaking practice today. Cross my fingers there though, I've got house work to do and should read a bit more with my son.
I think the key to this situation is being responsible is about taking time out to do the things that are truly important and useful to yourself as well. For example, my writing may make money right now, but my patternmaking practice is an investment in the future, I have to stop passing it up so much.
Also, just because you love something, doesn't make it useless or just a dream, it's quite possible to love doing something that is financially practical.
Any way though, thanks to several days devotion, I'm now almost half done with the blocks in the book. When I'm done I'm going to re-make the main 24 pattern blocks in poster board. While working with these blocks during practice though I noticed that it's a lot easier and more accurate if I cut away all the seam allowances before transferring them for another pattern block, I can just trace them as I need them quickly and easily without using tape and just leave the transfer to the darts and other details. It's worked out good.
Next time, whether today or next weekend the latest, I'll be working on drafting a shawl collar for starters, something I've been wanted to learn for years.
I don't know if I posted this before, but for all of you who need an affordable dress form I'd like to recommend Dave's surplus, I'll be able to get my size S dress form there for just $85 and that's not bad at all. You can check it out here: http://www.davessurplus.com/mannekin/manq2f.htm
Okay, I've got to go right now than, got a bunch of errands to attend to.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Chapter 12 Kimonos and Raglans or Chapter 13 Sleeve Drafts pattern making practice?
Another patterm making weekend, study/practice that is. I just completed chapter 11 dealing with drafting collars and hoods. Chapter 12 of Connie Amadon Crawford's Pattern Making Made Easy is dealing with Kimono and Raglan block construction, however, the next Chapter (13) is dealing with sleeve blocks, which I need to draft the Kimono and Raglan blocks, so I've decided to do Chapter 13 (the sleeve chapter) first. Looks like there's a really neat new way to draft sleeves too. The tecnique is based on a arm size measurement table, love those kind of guidelines. I also love learning all these different processes to drafting patterns. I remember thinking that patternmaking was some kind of illusive, magical art, which maybe a cute, sometimes inspiring way to look at things, but it can become a little daunting when you actually try to develop patternmaking skills without having proper instructions to follow and that's not really a good thing. Thanks to Connie's book I see pattern making as an adventure in practical geometry, based on clothing the human figure, all math, curves and a welcome comfortable logic. Lots of nice rules to follow to help you along too, taking the guess work out of the picture and of course laying the foundation for experimental changes and alterations.
I thought I was going to be able to just buy my dress form in a few weeks or less, well, I'm not going to be able to do that, however, I've started saving a little of all the money I make off my writting gigs :) to put toward my dressform. I can't wait to have the beautiful thing in my home. I'll have to mark it on my own but that's okay, I even like the idea (I might even decorate it, hehehe). What I've done is just started leaving 20 - 30 dollars what ever is a bit more than my usual $100 + writing project (usually a whole batch of article re-writes) and I am pretty close to what I need, just got to make sure I've got enough for shipping and handling for my dressform as well. I'm thinking I may be able to buy it at the end of the month which ain't really bad at all.
I want to make something clear to all you readers out there that may be wondering "but if she's already making patterns without a dressform, why is she buying one anyway?" Well, just let me square up about the situation, I have sewn and made my own clothes for quite a few years (since I was 13 or so) however you can imagine how errored those patterns were :(, I couldn't help it though, I just had to do it right? Well same thing here, my familiarity with basic pattern shapes helped me draft a bodice without a dressform, done just well enough as an educational tool to continue developing the rest of the blocks in the book. But these blocks are a bit distorted, and I don't like that. So, to get my patterns drafted perfectly, I obviously need what they all say, that lovely dressform. Working on the book ahead of time has just cut down my preparation time to be able to create ready to use patterns. When I'm done with this practice, I'll make the 24 or so basic blocks over again from dressform bodice draft and I'll be good to go. Just thinking about this is very exciting :) Any way, I got to throw some bread pudding in the oven and get started with my sleeve drafting practice. .
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
I thought I was going to be able to just buy my dress form in a few weeks or less, well, I'm not going to be able to do that, however, I've started saving a little of all the money I make off my writting gigs :) to put toward my dressform. I can't wait to have the beautiful thing in my home. I'll have to mark it on my own but that's okay, I even like the idea (I might even decorate it, hehehe). What I've done is just started leaving 20 - 30 dollars what ever is a bit more than my usual $100 + writing project (usually a whole batch of article re-writes) and I am pretty close to what I need, just got to make sure I've got enough for shipping and handling for my dressform as well. I'm thinking I may be able to buy it at the end of the month which ain't really bad at all.
I want to make something clear to all you readers out there that may be wondering "but if she's already making patterns without a dressform, why is she buying one anyway?" Well, just let me square up about the situation, I have sewn and made my own clothes for quite a few years (since I was 13 or so) however you can imagine how errored those patterns were :(, I couldn't help it though, I just had to do it right? Well same thing here, my familiarity with basic pattern shapes helped me draft a bodice without a dressform, done just well enough as an educational tool to continue developing the rest of the blocks in the book. But these blocks are a bit distorted, and I don't like that. So, to get my patterns drafted perfectly, I obviously need what they all say, that lovely dressform. Working on the book ahead of time has just cut down my preparation time to be able to create ready to use patterns. When I'm done with this practice, I'll make the 24 or so basic blocks over again from dressform bodice draft and I'll be good to go. Just thinking about this is very exciting :) Any way, I got to throw some bread pudding in the oven and get started with my sleeve drafting practice. .
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
Saturday, January 4, 2014
If You Know You're Passionate About Patternmaking Invest In Your Tools
I can't emphasize this more, if you know you've really wanted to get into fashion design and patternmaking, like if you've really wanted to since you were a kid, get the tools you need. It's not fair to your potential progress to deprive yourself of the things you'll need to make it. I know because that's what I've been doing to myself for years. This is one of the bad things about having too many interests, you don't always know which ones you really want to see through till the end, or rather, through to the actual pursuit of a career. Also if you're one of those people that find this inner voice making you feel like you're irresponsible if you spend money on a skill you enjoy developing and working on, don't listen to that voice, kick it in the bud right away and spend that money, wisely. I'll give you my example: it's taken me years to finally get Connie Amadan Crawford's book, Patternmaking Made Easy, then, instead of getting a dressform, french curve for sleeves, buttonhole marker and things like that, I put it all off saying to myself "I don't want to spend all this money, just incase I don't make it" Well, a very good thing has happened because of this though, I've had the opportunity to find out just how serious I am about acquiring my fashion design and patternmaking skills because for every problem I inevitably run into, I find myself willing to fight to over come it. That's pretty nice.
So here's my new problem, I temporarily skipped the Raglan and Kimino blocks over the weekend in exchange for doing the sleeve blocks first, only to find out that I can't really complete the sleeve block procedure because they don't match up to the incorectly drafted bodice blocks, on account of the fact that they weren't made from a dressform. I'm not going to let that stop me though. One nice thing about the sleeve chapter, is that I discovered that I was already quite familiar with the various sleeve drafting concepts, puffed cap, bishop sleeve, cuffs, leg'o mutton sleeve from previous sewing and researching experience :) very nice. However, I learned a beautiful way to draft a fitted sleeve from which these variations are made. I've got artists french curves that I used to shape the cap, didn't quite work out the way the book suggested though, and I was of course un-able to "walk" the sleeve into the bodice armholes to check for accuracy. So what do I get out of this imperfection? I'm still more familiar with the sleeve drafting process than I would have been.
Well, yesterday I was 'lucky' enough not to have any writing assignments to work on, so I didn't take it easy, I went back to check out the Raglan and Kimino Sleeve Chapter, see if I could do it. Turns out that I could, I finished working on the Kimino block as I found out that I didn't really need a sleeve block to complete it, and even though, I don't have an accurate shirt and shirt sleeve blocks to work with I'm going to wing it with the Raglan block anyway, either today or this weekend. That is, depending on my writing work load.
Now a little bit about career and interest confusion. Years ago, actually since I was a young child I felt driven to get into film and fashion, it was so engrained in my heart, so early, that I can't really remember which came first. It started like this: everytime I watched a movie I liked, Star Wars, Dark Crystal, Legend etc, I would think to myself "I want to make it go on". I would then imagine an ongoing story or scenario for what ever film. This interest/passion went right into my teen years where I started getting my father to take me to the downtown library so I could pick up every book I could get my hands on that was about filmmaking and screenwriting. I halted my homeschooling and purchased a typewriter with the gift of $50 given to me by my mother's dearest friend and started working on film screenplays and treatments. Well after about 15 years of perpetual discouragement from my father, constant noise and interuption from my younger siblings and too many responsibilties, family instability, getting married, becoming a parent and a family break up (between my parents) I lost my zeal for the dream. Of course it didn't help any not to have any friends or contacts to network with and films took on a new charactor, at least the ones that someone brought home from time to time. I didn't have time any more to watch movies any way.
Where does the fashion come in? At the same time, from earliest memories of childhood to now, I've loved beautiful clothes, my mom would buy patterns from Woodwards department store where we would sit for hours looking at pattern books from Vogue, Butterick, McCalls and others. I could just die for how beautiful the illustrations were. I wanted to do everything I was looking at, the sewing, the cloths design, the illustrations. It was all so beautiful. These times make up some of my happiest memories. My mom would pick out some nice fabric too, back in the 80s they had some awesome prints, I'd have to see and touch as many as I could while my mom looked for the deals. And it didn't stop there, she would lay out all of these things on the living room floor and cut them out then sew them on her manual Singer sewing machine which she later handed down to me when I was about eleven years old. Every time I seen a dress or costume I liked in a cartoon, movie or comic book, I'd always dream about being able to make it myself. This turned into me eventually making my own patterns, they were terrible of course, but some of them were actually wearable and I did wear them, outside even when they were good enough. For years I made the mistake in thinking that if a person truly had a talent for something, they would be able to somehow just 'know' the skill without going to school (my parents were against formal education). I thought that a person wouldn't have to be taught and they would simply be able to develop the necessary skills on their own, lol. The problem with that, is it's true, however, it will take a very long time to do. And this time is unecessary thanks to books and schools. My father always taught that schools were for people who weren't really talented and didn't have an imagination, I laugh at that now as it's ridiculously unfair and so untrue.
Oh, oh, time is slipping here, I've got to attend to other things now, before my babies wake up. Blogger has taken away (only temporarily I hope) the spell checker, so I apologize for any typing errors.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
So here's my new problem, I temporarily skipped the Raglan and Kimino blocks over the weekend in exchange for doing the sleeve blocks first, only to find out that I can't really complete the sleeve block procedure because they don't match up to the incorectly drafted bodice blocks, on account of the fact that they weren't made from a dressform. I'm not going to let that stop me though. One nice thing about the sleeve chapter, is that I discovered that I was already quite familiar with the various sleeve drafting concepts, puffed cap, bishop sleeve, cuffs, leg'o mutton sleeve from previous sewing and researching experience :) very nice. However, I learned a beautiful way to draft a fitted sleeve from which these variations are made. I've got artists french curves that I used to shape the cap, didn't quite work out the way the book suggested though, and I was of course un-able to "walk" the sleeve into the bodice armholes to check for accuracy. So what do I get out of this imperfection? I'm still more familiar with the sleeve drafting process than I would have been.
Well, yesterday I was 'lucky' enough not to have any writing assignments to work on, so I didn't take it easy, I went back to check out the Raglan and Kimino Sleeve Chapter, see if I could do it. Turns out that I could, I finished working on the Kimino block as I found out that I didn't really need a sleeve block to complete it, and even though, I don't have an accurate shirt and shirt sleeve blocks to work with I'm going to wing it with the Raglan block anyway, either today or this weekend. That is, depending on my writing work load.
Now a little bit about career and interest confusion. Years ago, actually since I was a young child I felt driven to get into film and fashion, it was so engrained in my heart, so early, that I can't really remember which came first. It started like this: everytime I watched a movie I liked, Star Wars, Dark Crystal, Legend etc, I would think to myself "I want to make it go on". I would then imagine an ongoing story or scenario for what ever film. This interest/passion went right into my teen years where I started getting my father to take me to the downtown library so I could pick up every book I could get my hands on that was about filmmaking and screenwriting. I halted my homeschooling and purchased a typewriter with the gift of $50 given to me by my mother's dearest friend and started working on film screenplays and treatments. Well after about 15 years of perpetual discouragement from my father, constant noise and interuption from my younger siblings and too many responsibilties, family instability, getting married, becoming a parent and a family break up (between my parents) I lost my zeal for the dream. Of course it didn't help any not to have any friends or contacts to network with and films took on a new charactor, at least the ones that someone brought home from time to time. I didn't have time any more to watch movies any way.
Where does the fashion come in? At the same time, from earliest memories of childhood to now, I've loved beautiful clothes, my mom would buy patterns from Woodwards department store where we would sit for hours looking at pattern books from Vogue, Butterick, McCalls and others. I could just die for how beautiful the illustrations were. I wanted to do everything I was looking at, the sewing, the cloths design, the illustrations. It was all so beautiful. These times make up some of my happiest memories. My mom would pick out some nice fabric too, back in the 80s they had some awesome prints, I'd have to see and touch as many as I could while my mom looked for the deals. And it didn't stop there, she would lay out all of these things on the living room floor and cut them out then sew them on her manual Singer sewing machine which she later handed down to me when I was about eleven years old. Every time I seen a dress or costume I liked in a cartoon, movie or comic book, I'd always dream about being able to make it myself. This turned into me eventually making my own patterns, they were terrible of course, but some of them were actually wearable and I did wear them, outside even when they were good enough. For years I made the mistake in thinking that if a person truly had a talent for something, they would be able to somehow just 'know' the skill without going to school (my parents were against formal education). I thought that a person wouldn't have to be taught and they would simply be able to develop the necessary skills on their own, lol. The problem with that, is it's true, however, it will take a very long time to do. And this time is unecessary thanks to books and schools. My father always taught that schools were for people who weren't really talented and didn't have an imagination, I laugh at that now as it's ridiculously unfair and so untrue.
Oh, oh, time is slipping here, I've got to attend to other things now, before my babies wake up. Blogger has taken away (only temporarily I hope) the spell checker, so I apologize for any typing errors.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
An Adventure Awaits In Patternmaking
Hmm, sometimes you got to jump in headlong, don't wait around and think too much. That's if you can actually take action though. Turns out, a friend of mine has offered to give me her dressform, I'm very thankful for this. And it also means that I'll be able to get started much sooner than I expected. This Wednesday my brother is going to pick it up for me and I'll start working on my 'master block' set made from the dressform. Because I think I better try to get some writing work done as I'm switching over to patternmaking, this process may take me a month, but that's okay. I'm going to start putting together my patternmaking ad, a new that is, and than think about a delema I'm having.
I've done a bit of work for two designers now, with some really great pictures from one of their completed collections. With permission of course from the designer (Joneien), I'll see if I can post links to the garmets I worked on for her as examples of what I've done. What I'd love to do though as well, is draft the patterns of my own designs, sew up some muslins of them and take photos to post as examples of my work as well. And there's the delema, which is really about time and money I guess. I'll have to wait to get a new camera as my old one is hopelessly broken and wait till I've got enough money made to buy eco-friendly, organic cotton muslin fabric for my designs. I'm just not going to buy anything that isn't eco-friendly. For now than, I'll just have to settle for those links and pray I can get permission to use them. I think she'll let me though.
A while back I put together a great little squidoo lens on eco-friendly fashion design resources, nice list of shops, however, I've got to add another online store that happens to provide a nice range of organic fabrics, and not just cotton either. It's Fabric.com, I typed in 'organic' and chose quilting to narrow my search, than sorted by 'prices (ascending)' and came across an olive green fabric for just under $6 a yard, sale price. Soon as I get a chance to buy some fabric, I'll see if I can get a bulk order of something like that for my muslin samples. And they take paypal too, so that's totally awesome.
I want to learn Industrial sewing techniques as well, so my samples will be professional. What I'm actually planning on doing, if I can squeeze in some time, is to cut out some great Lutterloh patterns for myself, use my old fabric stash and refer to the step by step instructions in my book "Sewing Secrets From The Fashion Industry" and check out Threads DVD on Industrial sewing techniques that they have at the Vancouver Public Library. You've got to love your library if you have one, such a wonderful resource.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
I've done a bit of work for two designers now, with some really great pictures from one of their completed collections. With permission of course from the designer (Joneien), I'll see if I can post links to the garmets I worked on for her as examples of what I've done. What I'd love to do though as well, is draft the patterns of my own designs, sew up some muslins of them and take photos to post as examples of my work as well. And there's the delema, which is really about time and money I guess. I'll have to wait to get a new camera as my old one is hopelessly broken and wait till I've got enough money made to buy eco-friendly, organic cotton muslin fabric for my designs. I'm just not going to buy anything that isn't eco-friendly. For now than, I'll just have to settle for those links and pray I can get permission to use them. I think she'll let me though.
A while back I put together a great little squidoo lens on eco-friendly fashion design resources, nice list of shops, however, I've got to add another online store that happens to provide a nice range of organic fabrics, and not just cotton either. It's Fabric.com, I typed in 'organic' and chose quilting to narrow my search, than sorted by 'prices (ascending)' and came across an olive green fabric for just under $6 a yard, sale price. Soon as I get a chance to buy some fabric, I'll see if I can get a bulk order of something like that for my muslin samples. And they take paypal too, so that's totally awesome.
I want to learn Industrial sewing techniques as well, so my samples will be professional. What I'm actually planning on doing, if I can squeeze in some time, is to cut out some great Lutterloh patterns for myself, use my old fabric stash and refer to the step by step instructions in my book "Sewing Secrets From The Fashion Industry" and check out Threads DVD on Industrial sewing techniques that they have at the Vancouver Public Library. You've got to love your library if you have one, such a wonderful resource.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
Monday, December 23, 2013
Working With A Dress Form And Plotting A Course
Well, I had another rewarding educational experience, my dress form wasn't marked with the usual princess seams and neckline, waist, bust and hip lines so I had to draw those in. Took me all evening to get it right, but I just had to get it done (the same evening I brought the dress form home)so it would be ready to use. First I drew in the 'rough' lines with a pencil, using Connie Amaden Crawford's dress form illustrations in her 'pattern making made easy' book as a reference to how they're supposed to look. Then, when I was satisfied with my line work, I darkened the lines with a blue sharpy and here are the results:
I haven't trued them up or anything, they clearly need it. I've already traced them on paper and I'm going to true them up this morning. I then want to make a seam allowance copy, sew it up and test it on the dressform. If it fits like it's supposed to then, Voila! I've got my perfect set of basic blocks then I'll be able to get to work on the rest of the master blocks that are built from these two. I'll just draft all of them on paper first then transfer them to poster board to make my durable working copies.
As for my sewing and fashion illustration skill development, I've come up with a practical plan. Just like how I tried to practice my pattern making whenever there's been a dry spell in my article work (and on weekends), whenever there's no pattern making to do, I'll practice my sewing or illustration skills. Just build on one thing at a time like Will Smith's "brick wall" principal. For all of you who aren't familar with this reference, check out "Will's Wisdom" on Youtube, he's a very inspirational/motivational speaker. (Thanks again for that one Philippe).
I'll keep you guys posted.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
So that wasn't too bad, than the next morning, I just had to drape the basic front and back bodice blocks, I loved it and unfortunately got so carried away I forgot to take pictures of it with my cell phone :(, I did take a shot of the fabric blocks afterward though and here they are:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
Saturday, December 21, 2013
My First Sewn Pattern Block
Okay, I managed to draft the basic bodice, make a copy to add seams and sew it up to see if it fit okay on the dress form. I trued up the pattern blocks really nice and then I sewed them up, just wish I would have remembered to align the shoulder darts in the front and back. Other than that it was perfect :) Oh yeah, and I used old flannel diapers from my kids to sew it up, lol, how's that for eco-friendly? Okay, well of course I wouldn't wear something made from old diapers, but it's okay for a pattern test. When I'm ready to do my designs, I'll get some organic muslin from Fabric.com or one of those other online stores listed on my eco-friendly fashion designer's resource page (don't worry I put the link below).
My machine wasn't working well either. I t was my bad though, the thread tension was out of wack, I adjusted it after and tried again and it worked fine. Actually the shoulder seam didn't come out exactly the way I wanted because it was 1/8 inch narrower than I wanted (my sewing is rusty from not having sewn in a few years and my son was trying to take over the machine, not good) That's okay though it worked out great otherwise and I'll be starting work on developing the rest of the master blocks from this bodice's flat pattern. So cool.
Now however, the real world dictates that I need to work on my freelance writing, got another 12 article project from one of my old clients, that will be some of next week's groceries. And I also have to start working on my friend's new book, I'm doing the illustrations for. The second installment of a children's salat book (I illustrated the first one too actually) I'm just hoping that my kids will let me actually get the work done for the rough story board. I think I'll be able to find a way. I also have to write the text for it, shouldn't be too, too hard though.
Got to keep those patternblocks coming so I can start working on getting my patternmaking business started. Slowly but surely. I want to be up and running before the year is out. I'm hoping to get my hands on a button hole ruler and a flexi curve ruler though, that'll help me out lot once I get started. I'll be getting those from Gold Star sewing supplies online. They're cheaper than a lot of other stores.
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
My machine wasn't working well either. I t was my bad though, the thread tension was out of wack, I adjusted it after and tried again and it worked fine. Actually the shoulder seam didn't come out exactly the way I wanted because it was 1/8 inch narrower than I wanted (my sewing is rusty from not having sewn in a few years and my son was trying to take over the machine, not good) That's okay though it worked out great otherwise and I'll be starting work on developing the rest of the master blocks from this bodice's flat pattern. So cool.
Now however, the real world dictates that I need to work on my freelance writing, got another 12 article project from one of my old clients, that will be some of next week's groceries. And I also have to start working on my friend's new book, I'm doing the illustrations for. The second installment of a children's salat book (I illustrated the first one too actually) I'm just hoping that my kids will let me actually get the work done for the rough story board. I think I'll be able to find a way. I also have to write the text for it, shouldn't be too, too hard though.
Got to keep those patternblocks coming so I can start working on getting my patternmaking business started. Slowly but surely. I want to be up and running before the year is out. I'm hoping to get my hands on a button hole ruler and a flexi curve ruler though, that'll help me out lot once I get started. I'll be getting those from Gold Star sewing supplies online. They're cheaper than a lot of other stores.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and ResourcesIf you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Only 6 More Pattern Blocks To Go
Well, here's what my patternmaking progress has been the past several days, I read the stretch knit pattern block chapter, I've got the dressform alright, but I really needed to have some stretch knit fabric to drape onto the form directly in order to make a proper set of blocks, I don't have any stretch fabric to speak of. However, as always I couldn't just let it go at that so I adapted some of the directions for completing the pattern blocks after draping them, here's what I did:
1. traced the basic bodice and removed all ease
2. removed the shoulder dart, redrew the shoulder seam and lifted the shoulder/armscye corner to the height it would be if the dart is sewn then re-drew the armscye curves
3. calculated the width of the waistline without the dart
4. removed a 1/4" from the armscye/side seam corner and tapered to nothing at the side seam
5. drew a line from the hipline measurement up to the waistline/side seam crossmark
6. then smoothed the ugly waistline corner with a curve
And here's the result:
According the Connie's book though, the pattern blocks for a knit garment pretty much have to be remade before for each different pattern due to fit variations and differences in the degree of stretch between one knit fabric and the next. So technically speaking, my little (perhaps, sorry excuse) pattern blocks up there I would only try for a fabric with minimum stretch capacity, because these blocks are made to measure, there was no stretching involved in their construction as there would be with a correctly produced pair of pattern blocks that a gently stretched and smoothed over the dressform.
Needless to say, soon as I get my hands on a bit of knit fabric those blocks are going to get made.
Aside from that little set back, I went on (the same day) to construct all three skirt slopers for the double dart skirt, single dart skirt and the flared skirt and they turned out perfectly.
My next patternmaking exercise was to draft a pair of pants blocks. Unlike the skirt patterns I messed up the first attempt at drafting my pants blocks due to some bad measurement decisions and actually forgetting to use the three different length measurements for centre front back, front and side seams. It was a discouraging disaster. But that evening I looked back and decided to re-work the math in my head and plan what I would do the next day.
Like I thought, re-drafting the pants was a breeze thanks to the planning the night before. However, when I was done evaluating my pants blocks, checking if the inseams, side seams and grain lines are parallel in both shape and distance from each other, observation revealed that although these new pants blocks were very well done, they still needed some work because the back pants block flare slightly at the hip and waist areas. The instructions for fixing this kind of issue aren't complete in the book so I decided to email Connie about it from her fashionpatterns.com website and she wrote me back with a set of instructions I'll be implementing over the next few days. I'll post the results in my next blog entry :)
Hopefully I won't make anymore errors though because I down to my last little bit of paper on my roll and I don't want to get my brother to pick me up another roll till I've got my first client. I've only got about 5 or 6 master patterns to go so I'll cross my fingers.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
1. traced the basic bodice and removed all ease
2. removed the shoulder dart, redrew the shoulder seam and lifted the shoulder/armscye corner to the height it would be if the dart is sewn then re-drew the armscye curves
3. calculated the width of the waistline without the dart
4. removed a 1/4" from the armscye/side seam corner and tapered to nothing at the side seam
5. drew a line from the hipline measurement up to the waistline/side seam crossmark
6. then smoothed the ugly waistline corner with a curve
And here's the result:
According the Connie's book though, the pattern blocks for a knit garment pretty much have to be remade before for each different pattern due to fit variations and differences in the degree of stretch between one knit fabric and the next. So technically speaking, my little (perhaps, sorry excuse) pattern blocks up there I would only try for a fabric with minimum stretch capacity, because these blocks are made to measure, there was no stretching involved in their construction as there would be with a correctly produced pair of pattern blocks that a gently stretched and smoothed over the dressform.
Needless to say, soon as I get my hands on a bit of knit fabric those blocks are going to get made.
Aside from that little set back, I went on (the same day) to construct all three skirt slopers for the double dart skirt, single dart skirt and the flared skirt and they turned out perfectly.
My next patternmaking exercise was to draft a pair of pants blocks. Unlike the skirt patterns I messed up the first attempt at drafting my pants blocks due to some bad measurement decisions and actually forgetting to use the three different length measurements for centre front back, front and side seams. It was a discouraging disaster. But that evening I looked back and decided to re-work the math in my head and plan what I would do the next day.
Like I thought, re-drafting the pants was a breeze thanks to the planning the night before. However, when I was done evaluating my pants blocks, checking if the inseams, side seams and grain lines are parallel in both shape and distance from each other, observation revealed that although these new pants blocks were very well done, they still needed some work because the back pants block flare slightly at the hip and waist areas. The instructions for fixing this kind of issue aren't complete in the book so I decided to email Connie about it from her fashionpatterns.com website and she wrote me back with a set of instructions I'll be implementing over the next few days. I'll post the results in my next blog entry :)
Hopefully I won't make anymore errors though because I down to my last little bit of paper on my roll and I don't want to get my brother to pick me up another roll till I've got my first client. I've only got about 5 or 6 master patterns to go so I'll cross my fingers.
If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources
If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
I Did It! Now For The Patternmaking Ad...
I completed the last patternmaking exercise, well the last master block that is. I woke up this morning and felt the strange sensation of having just become an entry level professional :). I've got to do some research before I put up a patternmaking service ad though. I noticed that many pattern makers offer other services as well, pattern grading, cutting, sample sewing, computerized/digitized patterns, even fashion illustration, classes, etc.
Ahh, how I would love to be able to do that as well. No problem though, I've already planned to Connie Amaden Crawford's book on pattern grading because I know I'm going to need it big time. There are some sewing dvds I've been having my eye on as well, just got to make the money to get them.
As for this computerized thing, any patternmaker has to realize that people need time on their side, digital patterns can be emailed to clients in a blink of an eye as well as edited and altered with ease so this isn't something I can ignore, or want to for that matter. I found out about the WildGinger company years ago and like their affordable range of patternmaking software packages. I will definitely invest in those programs as soon as I get the chance. Not to mention the fact that I really can't wait to see how they work, hehehe.
First thing's first though, the ad, I'm a new "green" professional, so should I say novice again? I wonder, maybe not. I don't have those other cool services to offer so I think I'll offer a great (temporary) deal instead, like a grand opening discount patternmaking service. Buy three patterns get the fourth one free, each for only $35 a piece. (That's about a third of the price of regular service). If I was a designer looking for a patternmaker I would love to try it out. Also, I'm going to email my previous clients for a possible qoute I could use as "client reviews" for my ad, that will be great too.
Anyway, here's my patternmaking work station/ storage area by the door:
Ahh, how I would love to be able to do that as well. No problem though, I've already planned to Connie Amaden Crawford's book on pattern grading because I know I'm going to need it big time. There are some sewing dvds I've been having my eye on as well, just got to make the money to get them.
As for this computerized thing, any patternmaker has to realize that people need time on their side, digital patterns can be emailed to clients in a blink of an eye as well as edited and altered with ease so this isn't something I can ignore, or want to for that matter. I found out about the WildGinger company years ago and like their affordable range of patternmaking software packages. I will definitely invest in those programs as soon as I get the chance. Not to mention the fact that I really can't wait to see how they work, hehehe.
First thing's first though, the ad, I'm a new "green" professional, so should I say novice again? I wonder, maybe not. I don't have those other cool services to offer so I think I'll offer a great (temporary) deal instead, like a grand opening discount patternmaking service. Buy three patterns get the fourth one free, each for only $35 a piece. (That's about a third of the price of regular service). If I was a designer looking for a patternmaker I would love to try it out. Also, I'm going to email my previous clients for a possible qoute I could use as "client reviews" for my ad, that will be great too.
Anyway, here's my patternmaking work station/ storage area by the door:
Mind you, I don't (and can't) draft the patterns on this thing, that's done on the kitchen table, so my first priorities are perhaps a foldup work table, small computer desk and a clothes rack which I'll place in my bedroom (my husband probably won't mind). These are things I'll get after I get a multiple button hole marker and a flexicurve ruler. Actually I better make sure I have a hole punch too, not a pattern notcher, I have that. But a single hole punch for the poster board master blocks and client's patterns, so I can make the hole and hang them up with those pattern hooks I want to make. That's not too impossible, I found a picture of a simple pattern hook I think I can twist real easy out of a paper clip, check it out:
It's the one in the top right corner.
This month though, I'm going to have to buy a role of paper and those poster boards. Wish they sold the paper rolls at the post office too, that would make it real easy for me to get, otherwise I'll have to go all the way to Staples in Downtown Langley.
One of these days I've got to update my Squidoo fashion lens. I want to re-write my Lutterloh pattern content. Great little system, but speaking as someone who just learned how to make patterns and as a designer I wouldn't use them to create new patterns from if I didn't need to. They're awesome if you just want to save some time on sewing some new garments for your wardrobe though. Something I'm planning to do for sure.
Anyway if you'd like to check out my fashion or eco friendly fashion resources lenses here are their links, feel free to drop me a note if you like what you see/read, I'll be happy to hear from you:
Monday, December 2, 2013
Waiting For My Prospective Pattern Clients
Well, I posted my ads on Friday, this is a good and bad thing. It's good because people have already contacted me who, I'm guessing will get back to me sometime this coming week (Yeah!!!) the bad side though is the waiting, but I always make the best of that.
I wanted to update my squidoo lens but there are some bugs not allowing me to do that at the moment so I'm waiting for the squidoo team to return my request for help about that, so I'm got to focus on something else for now.
Two patternmaking books I've read over the years now are Helen Joseph Armstrong's and Connie Amaden Crawford's. Connie's book wins out with me because speaking as one who didn't know enough about patternmaking when I first bought Armstrong's patternmaking book I was terribly intimidated. The instructions seemed unapproachable to me and I never plucked up the courage to get past drafthing the initial first block (I think this was the bodice block, too many years ago to remember).
The thing that made me take the plunge and buy Connie's book though was that I'd heard her book was replacing Armstrong's book in the fashion schools, that's big time. Now, however, after successfully learning Connie's Amaden Crawford's Patternmaking Made Easy, I kind of regret selling my Helen Joseph Armstrong book because now that I actually know my way around patternmaking I realize Armstrong's book would be great to have on hand as reference for different kinds of pattern blocks. Or maybe it's just my subconscious desire to now closely compare the two books to see how many ways they differ.
One of these days I'll look into it. For now though while I'm waiting, I'm going to review things here and there in Connie's book and probably some of my other books as well. I've got a regular little library now, here's a group of photos of some of my favorite books I've studied/read/bought so far that I would highly recommend anyone interested in design to check out:
I wanted to update my squidoo lens but there are some bugs not allowing me to do that at the moment so I'm waiting for the squidoo team to return my request for help about that, so I'm got to focus on something else for now.
Two patternmaking books I've read over the years now are Helen Joseph Armstrong's and Connie Amaden Crawford's. Connie's book wins out with me because speaking as one who didn't know enough about patternmaking when I first bought Armstrong's patternmaking book I was terribly intimidated. The instructions seemed unapproachable to me and I never plucked up the courage to get past drafthing the initial first block (I think this was the bodice block, too many years ago to remember).
The thing that made me take the plunge and buy Connie's book though was that I'd heard her book was replacing Armstrong's book in the fashion schools, that's big time. Now, however, after successfully learning Connie's Amaden Crawford's Patternmaking Made Easy, I kind of regret selling my Helen Joseph Armstrong book because now that I actually know my way around patternmaking I realize Armstrong's book would be great to have on hand as reference for different kinds of pattern blocks. Or maybe it's just my subconscious desire to now closely compare the two books to see how many ways they differ.
One of these days I'll look into it. For now though while I'm waiting, I'm going to review things here and there in Connie's book and probably some of my other books as well. I've got a regular little library now, here's a group of photos of some of my favorite books I've studied/read/bought so far that I would highly recommend anyone interested in design to check out:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)