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Most Recent Posts MeasuresPosted Aug-05-08 17:45:15 PDT   <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i37.tinypic.com/erkegk.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>Hopefully this picture shows up. I worked at an event called Sugar Swap in SF. I love to do Fashion Mash-ups and too bad they didn't show some of the creations I made there. Very fun and very cute! Today I helped a tile artist on a huge beautiful project she is constructing . It is a huge tile mural and putting it together is just like a puzzle. I will try to get a picture of it and post it soon. Working on it really brought up to me, how much pattern making helps the eye to see shape and symmetry. I was able to help her becuase I can see spaces as shapes and I can understand pattern and how pieces fit together. Learning to be a pattern maker also helped my drawing skills, by making me very familiar with measurements. I literally learned how big a particular measurement is. That may seem abstract, but I have taught kids to measure with a ruler, adults too, and it can be harder to learn than it seems. How big is an inch? How do you break that space into eight equal spaces? In pattern making we work in eighths. The basic ruler is broken in eights. I have met many people who did not comprehend how to measure. I totally appreciate those who do such a good job on their listings measuring every little thing. I include a ruler in a lot of my photos. Also sometimes a scale item like a penny as I like to shoot macro and that distorts the sizing. Copy And SewPosted Aug-03-08 10:12:44 PDT A lot of what pattern makers do is copy garments that already live. When I first was learning, I was shocked when I was asked to make a pattern from a thrift store coat. Of course the client had a lot of changes they wanted made. In fact in that case, the coat they wanted was not anything like the coat they showed me, another problem. I told my pattern making instructor and her reply was " What do you think pattern makers do?" Patterners are the ones who take the runway styles, from pictures, make the patterns and the kock-offs show up at many retailers. Copying is a main part of the pattern makers trade. Personally, I like to be original. But everything has a non-original origin. You know, the saying "There is nothing new." is true in clothing. We have been dressing the same two arms, legs etc for a long time. being able to copy favorite garments for people is a really good thing, but to exact copy and produce them for sale, that is another matter entirely. The way it was explained to me is; You can knock something off, use your own fabrics, label etc.. and not be in trouble. It is when you apply the label of a designer (not you) that it becomes a "fake." An interesting destinction I think. Changing the name a little bit, like Grunchi instead of Gucci does not work either. If you are trying to make something people will think is from the original designers that is a wrong copy. The same is true for "home sewing" patterns. These patterns are made for personal use. When someone makes up a garment from a home sewing pattern they can do what-ever they like, except reproduce it exactly and sell them. However, I have met many designers who start from the home sew patterns, as a starting point for their patterning. Patterns for production are different from the "home sewing " ones you buy at the fabric store. Pattern MakingPosted Jul-31-08 10:55:08 PDT In my spare time ( when not trying to photograph items for eBay ) I make patterns. It all started when I began collecting sewing patterns from the past. I became fascinated with pattern making, and attended the Apparel Arts School in SF for two years, learning pattern drafting from Suzie Furrer. It was a wonderful time for me and after I completed the course, I started attending the College of Alameda (ca.) program in Fashion Design and Merchandising. later I will blog about how the knowledge ( patterning) changed my mind. I have a pattern making studio and this summer I am cleaning out and organizing and getting back into patterns I left about two years ago. ( Some of) My creativity got swallowed up by my collecting. Now my goal is "nothing on the floor" all flat spaces clear and all fabric organized. If you are a sewist, crafter, and or collector, you might know how ambitious this is. I thought the project would take about two weeks and over a month has gone by. As stuff surfaces, I am selling off the best on eBay, but I have not even touched the huge patterns back log. I have seen so many stores on eBay who do such a good job at it, I hesitate to get started, yet I must share from my huge pattern stash! I thought an organizer would come over to help me, but so far the two I thought would arrive have not. So I am back to it, by myself. (sigh) If any of you want to come help....  I have trouble finding my... BlogPosted Jul-29-08 07:48:55 PDT I have had trouble finding my Blog... Funny how vast the eBay world is. I couldn't remember where to go to post, and in my ( not really) busy life I kept thinking of things that would be great to blog, and than filing them away. I sold ( almost ) the last of the trains and buses last week. I have one more McCloud train car. Strange, I saw these at an estate sale and they wanted $25.00 a pc. On eBay these go around 1.00! Sometimes, the estate sellers have a really inflated sense of value. Just becuase something is old, or in a collectable catagory does not mean it's valuable. Same with sewing machines. I have a collection, of course. I see sewing machines at inflated prices too. I have two treadles, and no room to use or display them. I would love to be sewing on them. I bought one of my treadles when I was in college at Humbodt State Universery back in 1977. I paid $125.00, and the reciept from the lady who paid it off in 1910 was in there.. price .. $125.00. Value today... $125.00. Strange thing. You can get a treadle sewing machine, still usable from the turn of the century, at a reasonable price. I love going to estate sales and the thrill of discovery when I find either something I have been looking for, something I need, or something I know is collectible. What I dispise is "ruiners." Folks who put very adhesive price tags on original boxes. When I take them off ... Ruined! I knew one lady who would sticker every small item with these small 10 cent, 15 cent stickers on items that were only collecible as epherma in perfect contion... ruined. I had my original Singer treadle machine ruined by having a guy re-finish it. He rubbed the gold paint off the machine, and wrecked the wood finish, ruined. I still love it though and someday I'll get those machines out and enjoy sewing on them. Hello!Posted Jul-18-08 11:41:30 PDT Hello There, Welcome to my ebay blog of finds fabulous and frightfull! This week was slow eBay wise, not sure what is happening out there, but I was slow in getting my auctions together as well, and sales were slow as well. It's my first venture into Barbie land, as I sold two nice 1960 Twist N Turn girls for an Estate I am working with. I was surprised that both of my auctions went unpaid! This never happens in the train model world ( or almost never) My number one high auction had the buyer go NARU ( not a registared user) and the 2nd has not paid (yet) and I have been sending email every day. I am sure glad I have no more Barbies! Today I am going to work more on my photography of jewelry. I made a light box, but maybe I did not do it right. My husband made a hole in an old plastic light fixture to use as a defuser, so I will see if my homemade method can give me pro results! |
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