To the Point

May 2...here i am!
In regards to my previous post, it's done!! The drape of the bottom is just what I was going for. I'd been wanting to create this garment for a while and finally sat down and did it.

Now, it's not necessarily how I envisioned it {I'd wanted it to be a dress, and the two contrasting fabrics should both be prints}, but I'm very pleased with how this shirt turned out.

small/medium $28

Here's a another that I made not long after the first:

medium: $28

 Each of these are available over on Etsy.  (See individual links under each photo to go directly to the garments!)

*****
Recently I received this very pretty piece of batik fabric created by local artist Channel Thomas.

 Last week I was supposed to be using it as the top portion of a top for *myself* to wear to Festival International.  I never got around to it, but I'll be making it very, very soon. 

*****
Several items are either on sale or clearance in my etsy shop. Take a look!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/flyTieClothing

peace!
:-)

Process

I've never been one to sketch my ideas for clothing. Doing so usually stresses me out. Instead, the majority of my designing of garments takes place in my head. I can sit in a place for extended periods of time seemingly staring into space. In actuality, though, I'm "working"....designing, contemplating garment functionality, doing math calculations, etc. Once that's done, I'm ready to go straight to the fabric or start cutting up newsprint for a pattern, depending.


It's usually done that way or through a method whereby I make up a design as I cut into fabric.

Sometimes though, when I'd like a tangible visual of what I have in mind to do, I'll use fabric scraps or paper.

Take this square shaped sheet of loose leaf for example.

It may appear to be what's on its way to being a failed attempt at origami.

What it actually represents is an idea I had {which was inspired by a garment I saw} for the skirt portion of a dress.

I sat for the longest the other night envisioning the drape of the skirt, how many seams it would have or need, how fitted or loose it would be, etc. Through this piece of paper I was able to work that out.

I've created my share of asymmetrical hem dresses,

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86815499/flytie-versatile-dressskirt-asymmetrical
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86749671/flytie-fuchsia-and-green-contrast-asym?ref=v1_other_2
http://www.etsy.com/listing/95386165/flytie-pink-strapless-asymmetrical-dress
http://www.etsy.com/listing/85960758/flytie-turquoise-asymmetrical-mesh-dress?ref=v1_other_1
http://www.etsy.com/listing/77740481/flytie-asymmetrical-gauze-dress-for?ref=v1_other_1

etc.

and honestly, they don't require a pattern or much forethought at all. However, somehow with this one coming up, I felt the need--or maybe just a want--to create a model.

I'm so ready to produce this garment I've got on my mind, but right now I'm sourcing out the right fabrics. This one will definitely be a light and breezy Spring/Summer must have!

Peace!
:-)

Before...

Every now and then I'll make a garment that, after studying and meditating over it for a while, I determine needs to be revamped. This one falls into that category.

I'm very much pleased with the back. The circular cut-out is the main feature that I wanted to achieve. It's the front, however, that's got me going, "Hmmmmmmm..."

Here it's pictured with the belt turned the way I originally intended it, on the gray side. But something just isn't right.

So I turned it over to the white side. Still not feeling it. I even removed the head wrap thinking that might change how I felt about the pictures/dress.

Nope.

I took at least 50 pictures of this dress trying to get good shots, and these were the best ones. With the exception of the first one, I'm really not crazy about any of them. Usually when I have to take that many pictures of one garment, It's not the pictures that are irking me. It's the garment!

This dress will be getting a slight makeover. I'm thinking less fabric in the front bodice and possibly a new belt. The gray is overwhelming. I've had this fabric for a few years now and have been anxious to do something with it. In the process of designing/making this dress, I must have been determined to use every fiber of it or something. Not sure.

The "after" shots will be coming soon....

Sewn

Being a clothing designer who sews and takes custom orders, I'm never quite sure where this journey in garment production will take me. In addition to coming across individuals who want something specifically designed for themselves, there are also those who know exactly what they want and just need someone to create it for them. They basically just need a seamstress. This was the case for 2 projects I recently finished.

I was commissioned to create a few custom pieces for someone local to me who's preparing for a birthday getaway to Las Vegas. One item that she requested was a gray blazer. Plain and simple. Given the situation--limited time and the fact that she wasn't too particular about its form, as long as it was a blazer and gray--I decided to use a commercial pattern. Now, commercial patterns undoubtedly drive me crazy, but thankfully this time I chose one that wasn't too bad. I mean, it only had 1 or 2 mistakes in the printing of it all. The pattern chosen was McCall's 6294. It does have a lot of pieces to it--far too many for my liking--but constructing the garment overall was a breeze. It's fully lined in a gray material with black pinstripes, and because it was difficult finding a decent solid gray material, to the left you're actually looking at the wrong side of the fabric that it's made from. The correct side has brown and white stripes {right}. Sometimes when considering what's available as far as fabrics are concerned, you've gotta make such calls.

Now, the sensational part of this custom order was the black stretch satin hot pants. Inspired by the high-waisted ones Madonna wore at some event dancing with some dude--which I'm sure were inspired by ones popularized during the 70s, --there's not much to these at all! They're short and sweet ;-). Plus I'm sure they'll be right at home in Vegas.

I'm waiting to see pictures of these hot pants styled the way she described it to me. The sexiness of the shorts will be juxtaposed by the innocence of the matching bow adorned headband.

The pattern for these was adapted from a swimsuit pattern. As simple as they are, and despite the fact that there was a pattern for me to work with, I stressed for the longest over how to go about making them. I studied images online, made sample pairs--including a nifty little pair for myself out of navy jersey cotton--then had a moment of silence before cutting into the black satin, hoping the shorts would turn out and fit correctly. Thankfully they did! They wouldn't have photographed properly on me, so now I'll just have to wait for pics of her with them on.

I'm always pleased when I can help materialize a person's idea of what it is they'd like to be wearing while they're out living life. The excitement they express when I've created something that they envisioned for themselves is the very feeling I feel inside--and many times I can't resist expressing it outwardly--when I put the last few stitches on a garment that I first saw in my mind and hours later am holding right there in my hands. Magical perfection!

**In top right picture blazer is pictured with flyTie asymmetrical hem contrast mini dress, currently 15% off on Etsy!

Peace!

Again

Warrior Lady Dress--part of the 15% off dress sale in my shop!

I'm writing an e-book. Actually, I've been working on it since 2008. No, the absolute truth is that I was near finishing it in 2008 then accidentally threw the preliminary copy away during a move in 2009. Yeah. So earlier this year I started re-writing it, and these days I'm down to the final touches.

Collage of my teaching endeavors in design, sewing, pattern making, styling, etc.

The e-book is sewing related and will be very brief and to the point. Matter of fact, although it's taken me nearly this whole year to get most of it on paper, I could have finished it much, much sooner. The more and more that I design, make clothing, and teach the skill the more I realize how much I know on the subject. This--the fact that I sometimes fail to grasp how much know-- is probably because I just perform the skill and subconsciously take my ability to do so for granted. Definitely gonna stop doing that.


New plus size, chocolatey versatile piece...15% off on etsy!

So the next step is to figure out how to actually create an e-book. I've also gotta work on marketing it as well. However, I don't envision these two tasks as being difficult at all. We'll see...

peace!
:-)

Dress Lady

I'm having a 15% off sale in my Etsy shop on all regularly priced, in-stock dresses now through January 15, 2012!

The sale includes these pictured and a few more.

I intend to move soon, and one thing about having so much inventory is having to haul it all during a move! So, I need to get rid of as many of these cuties as possible within the next couple of months. Yesterday I vended at an event and was reminded of the whole ordeal {transporting all my garments from one place to another}. That's what inspired this sale!


Feel free to contact me on Etsy or at flytieonline@yahoo.com for more information if needed.

peace!
:-)

Make

Next Saturday, December 10, I'll be vending at a local holiday event. In efforts to prepare, I've been working to turn out as many Power Tees as possible. Here are the latest 3 adult versions:

As previously mentioned , I'm in "Who Dat Nation", so I've gotta keep the Saints fans supplied!

And of course I had to make some for youth...

I'm also offering these {adult and children sizes} in customizable versions adorned with whatever word a name one may desire.

***************

Today I also made a new batch of "flyTie" labels.

I had that stamp made a few years ago. I'm grateful for it, since it allows me to economically make a whole bunch of labels to sew into garments. Plus it allows for that handmade feel, which I like.

More to come!...

peace!
:-)