Up close and personal

I've stopped flitting about the countryside long enough to get back into some serious instruction-writing.  Yesterday, it was all about the minutae of how to do all the fiddly bits and I came away with 261 photos that looked remarkably like this...

Following a discussion with Carmel about the writing process, I was more aware of just how compartmentalised I am in the way that I develop a design from idea through to finished pattern.  If only to get the analysis of the process out of my head (and in case you were wondering), I thought I'd write it down.

I begin exploring a design idea between the computer and the sewing machine - drafting the pattern, testing toiles and tweaking samples in different forms, until I settle on a clear view of what I'd like it to be. (I might also add, that  - never one to leave well-enough alone - I'm often overwhelmed at this point by the possibilities for design variation...).  I then revise the pattern accordingly.

I make the project again and again, until I know the way forward and the construction processes inside out... until I can begin to write instructions in a stream-of-conciousness sort of way (Molly Bloom, eat your heart out).  I begin to map out the instructions this way, and simultaneously start visualising diagrams and photos that need to be included.  I cut and paste shared techniques from other instructions I've written and then see if I can improve them.

Then I go back to the machine and start making the finalised design again... several times.... while CONSTANTLY photographing details and distance shots.  If the project is a garment, I grade the pattern to multi-size, and use the making-it-over-and-over time as an opportunity to test each for size and fit.

I tend to sew for part of the day and sit at the computer for part of the day.... making necessary changes and adding minute detail and sewing tips as a break between extended periods of sewing and photographing.... clearing it all out of my head before I move on the the next part of the sewing process. 

This is the crucial part, where I hone right in on the detail to make sure that my pattern is as close to perfect as I can possibly make it.  My brain starts popping with ideas for communicating the processes.... and somehow, that's as exciting as coming up with a new design idea.  I'm a geek like that.

I'm reminded of a description I once heard of Joni Mitchell at work on song-writing - that she is blinkered and concentrating like a welder as she writes.  (I mean that I get the concentration-at-the-expense-of-all-else bit.   Unfortunately, I seemed to have missed out on the ability to play a guitar or write a timeless and perfect pop song.) 

I'm also reminded that more prolific designers like Amy Butler employ people to do this stage.... and can see the value in freeing up one's time to design.  I'm unsure if I could ever hand over such a key part of the product development process, although that seems like the only way to develop even a fraction of the ideas I have for patterns.  My way of doing things is  s l o w ....

And this is where I'm up to on my big-girl's dress, which currently has the working-title of "Best" (as in "Sunday best".... a slightly out-of-date notion, but you know what I mean, don't you?).  I'm buried deep in the nitty-gritties of the how-to and I kind-of like it here.  It feels like home. 

In a little while, I'll begin to feel a bit sick of it. The fun wears off, but I have to plough through and finish the writing, diagram-drawing and layout of the text and photos.

The next stage is testing the instructions on people from a diverse range of sewing skills, to make sure that the instructions make sense to all, tweaking the instructions based on feedback and then designing the cover. 

It's at this point that I. NEVER. WANT. TO. SEE. IT. AGAIN.

The whole thing is then proof-read by a few different sets of eyes and, depending how many changes have been made since testing, the pattern is tested again. Things are tweaked, refined, fixed, and it goes to the printers.

And it's at this point that someone points out a glaringly obvious typo.

So there you have it folks.... and now you know why it takes me so long to write a new pattern, and why the instructions are so very detailed. 

 I know a few people have offered, but I've forgotten who you are.... 

• When I finish writing, I'll need to test the pattern on a range of sewing skills and experience with my patterns. 
• If you're interested in becoming a pattern-tester for this latest dress, please email me (don't use the comment box unless you have an email address attached to your google identity, because I won't be able to contact you!).   
• You'll need to be in Australia and preferably close to Melbourne - I can't email the pattern and I like hard-copy feedback. 
• I need people who can sew and give detailed feedback within a week of receiving the pattern - and not just "Oh it was fine".  I want all thoughts and feelings noted and any typos or inconsistencies pointed out.  
• And I need people with little girls aged 5-10 that can try the dresses on for me and give THEIR feedback, too (although I have the 6-year-old covered). 

Is this you?  Let me know if you're up for it and I'll get back to you in a week or so.

Ok... now it's back to that welding....

(And yes - there really were 261 photos of the bodice construction for one design variation).

Ain't no oil painting

It's been a while since I could turn heads.... but now, thanks to Photoshop, I can cut off the grey and wrinkly bits, smooth over the general turkey-neck area and turn myself into a watercolour fashion illustration.
Who'd a thunk I could be anything more than a beret model..? With my height (or lack thereof), nobody would have picked me as a fashion illustration... but here I am....

...poncing about on the cover of my new Draped Dress pattern. I've lined up some pattern testers (thanks to Facebook and Twitter and no thanks whatsoever to Blogger, which wouldn't let me log in for over 24 hours) and I should have a finished pattern by the end of next week. (All going well).

Throw your name into the pot here (that'd be the comment box) if you want a chance to win one. (Perhaps as a consolation prize if you missed out on winning a copy of my book in Jodie's or Cath's giveaways...?).

Back to the beginning....and then an epilogue. (You already know the middle bit)

Long before the shirred top and long before the trapese line top in my book, I made the bustle skirt, based on a square of fabric. I then started thinking about a way to make one based on a quarter-circle skirt.
Somewhere during the process of playing with calico, I thought, "....Ooh, I could make top this way...". So was the beginning of the trapese line top... and a hiatus in the development of the bustle-skirt idea. It was also the start of the patternfree skirt section in the book.


I only got back to the original idea this week.... and it seems to work!
It's a variation on the panel skirt in my book (only I thought of it before I thought of the panel skirts...). The hemline of this skirt finishes in a point - basically, it hasn't been cut in a curve at the hemline (except a bit of last minute trimming before hemming, just so I don't trip and break my neck on the stairs). It has been shirred randomly across the back - with the shirring in a kind of wildly random cross-hatch on the bottom half. There was a bit of slam-pressing, too. The fabric was a printed linen remnant that I bought for $10 at the Shirt & Skirt Market a few years ago. It was a light "faded denim" colour with red and navy flowers. I dyed it indigo.
And I've been swanning about in it like bustle skirts are the height of fashion. (Yes, I watch too many costume dramas).

One thing at a time.... (pffft!)

Thing have been a bit quiet on the bloggy front here. My week was a tad full with things other than time to blog. While organising my AQC stand (and associated display, staff and stock), there were negotiations about a big secret-surprisey-thing..... shhhh....

There was preparation during the week, for a workshop on the weekend (with a great bunch of Essendon Quilters). Thanks for the fun day, girls!

I was also working away at the new purse pattern, aiming to get it to some pattern-testers by the weekend (...done, by the skin of my teeth and without the purse frames being sent out).

This purse is for basic-intermediate skills, so the instructions have to be perfectly clear and achievable.

I agonised over things like straps.

Really.

I also wanted to get the purses finished and photographed so I could let you know that THIS is my idea for a fund-raiser for the Red Cross.

Rather than do my usual New Pattern Giveaway, I'd blatantly steal Jodie's idea again, for a raffle. Leave your receipt number for your donation of $5 (and a way to contact you if you don't have an email address enabled on your google/blog profile) in the comment box below (or email me with it).

There are so many areas in need right now, I'm not fussed if your donation is for Japan, Christchurch or the Victorian floods. The Red Cross are doing a amazing job, trying to keep up. They need all the support they can get.

I'd planned to make a draped purse in quilting fabric, to balance out the more "serious" satin, georgette and wool versions (and give me more options for a cover photo for the packaging). I haven't managed that one.

I had plans for an applique/felted/patchworky version, too. That didn't happen, either. Meanwhile, there was simultaneous ordering, photographing and uploading new products to the website, and negotiations with fab arty-crafty tutors (and scheduling/uploading exciting new classes to the website). There are more workshops to come, including garment fitting with the marvellous Sooz.

I was also working on a printable form of the worshop schedule. Again.... not completely finished, but a good way to being done. Check out the new classes online here.

And there was a late-night rendezvous with my new love, the knitting machine.

I made a really long wrap-around-and-tie, Tess of the D'Urbevilles-inspired garment. My first ever non-neck-scarf knitty Thing For Me. I've worn it constantly since (and have learned a valuable lesson about pennanular cloak pins and delicate knitwear...).

And this morning I started knitting the food-coloured-machine-knitted wool yarn into something for a very small girl... while I wrote this blog post.

SO.... how was YOUR week??

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Don't forget to pop your Red Cross receipt below for a chance to win the new pattern!!!

Busy mess, business, a workshop and a little rest....oh, and a book.

I haven't seen much of my table tops this week. Between obsessive pattern development and daily crisis-management, there wasn't much time to clear space. The days were not long enough.

My brain has felt pretty similar - full of things started and then set down while I run off to do the next last-minute thing..... things left lying about, ready to pick up again at the next available multi-tasking opportunity.
All the time, the situation in Japan has been on my mind. I can't imagine the grief, fear and everyday hardships that have befallen the people of Japan and I desperately want to help. The situaton at the nuclear power station has also been deeply concerning, on many levels.

But somehow, any sort of fundraising effort failed to happen in my week, despite my daily crises being trifles compared with theirs. It's a priorority for this coming week. Watch this space.

Strangely, the intensely busy Bag In A Day workshop was like a little island of calm for me. To focus on one thing (even if that one thing was several different bags) was a bit of a treat.

Even more of a treat, was meeting a great bunch of sewing gals who'd come in from Adelaide, Western Australia, Bendigo, Geelong and (all the way from) Brunswick, who made fabulous bags and were great company for the day. Thanks, girls!

After class, Lara popped in. We sat, had a chat, ate twice as much camembert as we ought, and looked through my advance copy** of Le Book....which arrived on Friday.

And so... another week begins. With a few doors closed behind me and a clear path in front, hopefully.

At least the table tops are clear.

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**The book is due for release in May. Don't worry - I'll let you know when it's available for purchase!!

My Creative Space

Today, I'm almost certain that I've finalised the shape of the next purse pattern. I thought a scaled-up version of the Shell purse would look good on the 200mm curved frames.

I should know that the sentence "I'll just scale up the pattern" should be said without the "just". The subtlties of shape, line and proportion are tricksy little beggars, and take a bit of tweaking. Sometimes they take a LOT of tweaking.

I got bored with calico around toile #6 and moved on to wasting perfectly good fabric on purses that look wrong, wrong, wrong.....

...and sat up all night beading a frame onto a purse that turned out to be a bit ordinary...lacking that certain something.

And so it was, that with heart all a-flutter (and a little excited squealy thing happening in my head), I pinned the latest incarnation to a frame and thought, "this could be the one". I won't be sure until the frame is on, but I have high hopes. I'm thinking glamourous 50's styling here. I'm excited.

So... in answer to the next person who asks me if you can just scale up a purse pattern to fit another frame, my answer is yes.... but not "just". I think it'd be quicker and easier to buy another pattern.

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Pop on over to the hostess with the mostess to see what's happening in other creative spaces around the globe today.

Meet the new girls....

I'm in the final editing stages of the instructions for the new purse... getting ready for the final round of pattern-testing (yes, I test and edit and re-test...).

It's a versatile little purse, with the options of a smooth, gathered or pleated finish. It can sit flat like a fan or rounded and barrel-like. It has a 100mm (4") frame but is roomy enough to carry all you need for a special occasion (or coffee date).

You can also choose to add (a rouleaux or flat) wrist strap or handle and there are even instructions for making the strap detachable. The possiblilities for variation are endless and the design is multi-purpose.

I'll introduce you to my crew.

Meet the wedding girls..... all silk and stylish simplicity. The cute and clever crafty chicks.... in a colourful splash of quilting cotton.

The uber-cool urban gals in sleek designer silk satin.

And the school formal (prom/debutante) girls, having a riot in a bit of polyester razzle-dazzle.

Now.... what do you think I'm going to call this pattern? As always, I've chosen a state-the-bleeding-obvious single word title for this one. And - as nearly always - I'm running a giveaway to launch it.

Leave a comment with what you think the name is and you might just win a copy of the pattern when we launch it. I'm sure that more than one person will guess the name, so I'll random-number pick a winner from all correct entries. GOOD LUCK!

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Did you know that I give my patterns very basic, descriptive names so that you can impose your own personality and designs on them? I read a comment on a blog once that criticised the lack of flair in my naming of the "200mm Square Frame Purse" and it made me realise that people don't get it.... I leave the space blank so you can fill it with your imagination.

My Creative Space

I'm surrounded by piles of stuff again. Lots of works-in-progress and class preparations. I have piles of interfacings for tonight's A Sharper Edge workshop.

Piles of knit fabrics and toiles (in various stages of un-finished) in preparation for my Draped Tops class.

Piles of pattern plots to check through and test...

And a lovely pile of skirt length fabrics from Z&S Fabrics. These ones are all from the house of Henry Glass.Excuse me while I get back to it... I've a few things to do.

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You can check out other creative spaces around the blogosphere if you head on over to Kirst's.

My Creative Space

While the wee girl busied herself with building an art installation (in the doorway of the office) today, I was able to snatch some moments to work on my new purse idea. I was reminded of how much I love silk...

On the yarny front, I just have to weave in some ends on this Country Kiddies top and I can send it to a special baby girl. I know I could have been a bit fussier with some seriously dodgey stitches, but I figure she'll only get a few months wear out of it anyway. 'Twas more about the journey.
I'm having a re-think on the knitting vs crochet option for this varigated cotton yarn. In super-bright colours, I didn't like the way that the colour broke up - but that's because I only saw it do what it's doing around the neckline of this top. I like what it does around the body on this top, and I think that effect would look great in brights. Hmmm..... food for thought.I've also been snatching moments to study up on new (to me) techniques in this book. I'm determined to expand my knitting repertoire (to include things for ME!)

To see the bloggy round-up of creative spaces, pop on over to visit Kirsty. She's the lady with the list!

The pretty stuff

I had a lovely time, playing with my new purse-in-development samples today.... A little celebration for finally (several days and toiles later) getting the subtleties of the pattern shaping right.

I played with themed styling ideas....

..detail shots......and super-macro settings....

It was SO MUCH prettier than the bigger picture.

Big girl mess (above). Small girl mess (below).

We must be related.

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Ok, ok.... I'll get back to writing the instructions.....