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I didn’t mean to go missing – but it’s been a crazy week. Again. Lol.
Martha’s Vineyard was lovley, and seeing family was lovely. The island was nice, I’d never been before. Oak Bluffs was cute-cute-cute, but man was it CROWDED. Since I’m not a fan of crowds, I’ve made a mental note to never return in the summer. MP’s cousin has a very large farm on the island, and they’ve invited us back Off Season. Yes!
The pattern is still coming along, I’m trying to write it in a new software program and I’m frustrated with the limitations. Guess I may have to pony up for Creative Suite afterall. More on that tomorrow!
Just a very quick post…. we are heading to Martha’s Vineyard bright and early. Fingers crossed the “20-foot swells” don’t come to fruition and hurricane Bill fizzles out and/or takes a sharp right. It will be stressful enough dealing with the Obama press corps and entourage as wells as the fall out from a rumored Clinton Wedding. Not bad for a first-time visit to the Vinyaaad.
Got these vintage arrows this week and I’m in love with them. I received the box on Tuesday but have been too busy to open it and enjoy. No longer! Look at them!
The pattern is already under revision thanks to a helpful reader and fellow sewist! The dimensions needed a little modification on the lengths, and possibly some more. Soon, soon….
Thank you for your replies…. in full disclosure, believe it or not, it is not my preference to sell the patterns. It’s more complicated for me (I’d have to research the technical side (ick!) and then pay attention to an etsy shop), and personally I think it takes me and this blog in a direction I am not exactly thrilled about. I started this little blog to keep better track of all the things I make, to work on my photography and to better document the process of making. I work full time. I’m not a seamstress- I’m an Architect working in a very irritating economy so adding ’small business’ to my plate right now is not exactly appealing. When I initially put the patterns out there, I never really thought anyone would be interested, I was just sharing as a preemptive strike on the “is there a pattern for that” questions. But it snowballed and spread into something I didn’t foresee. A learning curve for me, certainly, and a wonderful journey to meeting new people virtually and for that I am very grateful.
I do this out of fun, but 100% of the people in my life think I am NUTS for not charging some type of small fee for the patterns, and it seems nowadays everyone is happy to offer their opinion without understanding the context. I’ve been hearing it since the day I uploaded the kimono, and it hasn’t let up. In fact, if I had a nickel for everyone who called me stupid for not selling the patterns, I’d be rich and wouldn’t have to consider selling the patterns, lol! So I apologize for continually bringing up this subject. I guess I tend towards naive, and I just do not have that killer-business spirit. My interest lies with inspiring people to sew for themselves with the most simple/distilled designs I can create. It is a fun process for me, figuring out how to extremely-simplify conventional techniques. I want people to make their own patterns, their own designs, not take mine for profit.
Enough has happened in this last 18 months to make me realize people will take advantage of you, regardless . I’ve seen everything from “look at this great pattern I made” (when it is MY pattern on someone else’s blog) to a full-on shop selling items made from my patterns (and it is painfully clear that they are my patterns- I know, I designed it!). It’s distressing on one hand and makes me want to shut it all down and start over, but then I get an email from someone telling me they’ve been intimidated by sewing their whole life and one of my patterns was their first try and they are so proud of the result. Those emails inspire me to keep going, and keep sharing. However, it strikes me that someone is always ready to profit from someone else’s hard work, intentional or not. I question what I can do to make the person profiting from my efforts ME, but keep the open spirit of sharing and free tutorials. It makes me feel like I need to push this idea into another place, perhaps one that straddles some patterns for sale and some for free, to keep from feeling used. With each pattern (and I have 4 sitting here to share) this keeps coming up and I need to make a decision and stick with it instead of agonizing over it. I need to celebrate it and share it.
Incidentally… Lottie does stuff like this all the time. Funny little things to make me laugh, especially if she senses I’m sad or stressed. She’s outstanding. Ps…. it’s summer! I just want to be outside with her running around!
I’ve charted the sizes for the little wrap dress. It will be available in sizes 12months – 5years. Now I need to make some test sizes in the range, and make sure the extrapolated sizes work. I was considering another option for this pattern and would love some input: I want to make three sleeve options – short, 3/4 and flutter- but that will take some additional time to sort out. If the pattern were for sale (in lieu of free) with three sleeve options, would you buy it (for a very nominal fee)? Or is part of the allure that the patterns are free?I won’t be offended, I’m just curious.
The lucky number (thanks Random.org) is 21~ Amanda! You guys really like some handmade bias binding, thanks for the comments… I love meeting new people through this blog. I find it’s a pretty interesting cross section of people.
I really enjoy making binding, I find it relaxing. Perhaps I will do future giveaways, or add some to my yet-to-materialize shop.
Third mock-up; I think I have it. Distilled to dimensions I can explain in a diagram and instructions I can convey. Now the hard part…. writing the pattern. I currently only have the size 3 figured out. The next step is the scale it up and down into a manageable size range. Then I may make the largest and smallest sizes in the range to make sure I’m on the right track, adjust the pattern again as required, and then give it a final proof.
I’m going to do a little giveaway of some bias binding! It’s the binding pictured here, I had enough of the fabric left to make (2) 60″ pieces and I’m giving one away (plus two small pieces to make the ties of a kimono). The fabric is 100% cotton, a dark red background with dark pink polka dots. Leave a comment here by, oh let’s say Tuesday afternoon- and I will do the random number thing!
Thank you Jules for turning me on to her….. love it.
And is it just me or is so much of the new ‘alt pop’ scene lifting heavily from Missing Persons? I mean, the Lady Gaga thing completely, 100% escapes me, I don’t get it. Maybe it’s because I’m getting old and I remember Dale Bozzio? Frankly, she did it better and with better music, I mean right?
