Design Loft

A dress for a special niece

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:49:00 +0000

Yesterday, I made my first girl's dress since shutting down Prairie Roses a year ago. I am so glad that I kept detailed style sheets and pattern specs. It's so easy to whip something out in a couple of hours without having to think a whole lot about it. I am making a collection of outfits for my newest niece, who is about 6 months old. This set is sized 2T because I thought it would be more fun for her to be able to twirl in her new dress. Still to come is a skirt(s?), top, pants, and a hat and maybe a jumper all made from these coordinating prints.

The flower is made of gathered strips of fabric left raw. Hot glue a button to the center and a pinback on the reverse side and voila! I'm still trying to decide the best place for it. But with the pinback, it can float among all the pieces in the collection.

Seam or unseamed?

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:31:00 +0000

Professional apparel pattern makers work with seam allowances on their patterns nearly all the time. It's faster. I would argue it's more precise. This practice goes counter to what most pattern making classes teach. They teach that you must remove the seam allowances and add them back later. I don't know anyone in the industry that works this way. I think the idea is that working with seam allowances on can create variations that lead to fitting problems later. That's simply not true if you check your new pattern against the original block later. (This is assuming you make a copy or rubbing of your original before you start on a new style. But I'm sure you knew that).

If you are drafting by hand, it is time consuming to remove the seam allowances. Pattern blocks are made with seam allowances on. You would have to keep a set of blocks without seam allowances. It would be so easy to mix up seamed and unseamed pattern blocks. Apparel pattern makers leave their blocks seamed and theatre pattern makers leave their blocks (or rather slopers) unseamed. In fact a block is a finished pattern piece that includes all pattern markings and is seamed.

If you are drafting in CAD, you can turn the seam allowances on and off. You can work on the cutting line or the stitching line. It's a simple matter of hitting a few buttons. BUT, I have found that CAD programs have difficulty in calculating between seamed and unseamed because it involves a complex series of mathematics. So constantly switching between cutting and stitching lines can produce some weird anomalies. (As an aside, weird things can happen with notches on stitching versus cutting too). I have found this is true no matter which CAD system you use. So I work with seam allowances on and directly on the cutting line nearly 99% of the time too. This means that I keep the seam allowances in mind while I work.

In CAD, it is important to turn the seam allowances off and walk the pattern pieces along the stitching line in a few areas. Collars and necklines is one area that I nearly always check for matching on the stitching line. There are other situations that come up where this important. I learned this the hard way recently.

In this situation, I split a jacket back pattern piece and added corresponding seam allowances along the split line.

Next, I aligned the pattern pieces to make sure the match. At this point they did and I assumed all was right. Until I got complaints from the sewers that things weren't matching up. I had to go back and double check.

I took the seam allowances off the pattern pieces and realigned them. They didn't match, so I redrew the stitching line of the side piece to make sure it matched the center. I added back the seam allowances and realigned the edges.

The pieces didn't match again. Sewers don't like this usually. In this particular case, the seam allowances are small, so I left the little "dog-ear". It can be difficult to cut those "dog-ears" off by hand when they are really small. It is easier to machine cut. In any event, there are different ways of dealing with this. I show one method below.

Your pattern pieces will then look like this and match up in every way possible.

An experiment with handmade paper

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Recycling paper into new handmade paper has interested me for a while. I borrowed the two books at my library and bought a few supplies. I made my own mold and deckle from some cheap picture frames and window screen. I made about 10 sheets in my first batch and bound the results into a soft cover notebook/pamphlet.

As you can see in the first photo, not all the sheets turned out technically perfect. I didn't add enough pulp to the water bath to pull very thick sheets. Some of the sheets were tissue paper thin. The holes and tears occurred when I pulled the sheets off their fabric backing. Some of the sheets are exactly what I wanted - maybe just right in my mind. Next time I will definitely add more pulp after every 2 pulled sheets. Coming up with the recipes is definitely an experiment but I feel confident enough to try again.

Despite some of the technical flaws, I think the paper turned out pretty cool. The paper has the texture of the window screening on one side and is smoother on the other. Bits of printing show because of using recycled paper. The paper has a slight grey cast because of the ink on the papers. I like every piece, even the tissue paper thin pieces. I bound all the sheets together into a pamphlet with a textured card stock cover to sell in my Etsy shop. I think the pages would be awesome in an art journal or funky scrapbooking pages. Or, someone could leave the book as is and use it as an interesting doodle sketch book. In any event, it is a smoking hot deal because I didn't want to charge too much for an experiment.

Drawstring recalls and the CPSIA

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:09:00 +0000

I wrote this in response to one of Rick Woldenberg's recent entries.

The insanity continues doesn't it! Yes the CPSC is doing it's job, but Congress is not. The only options left to us is a class-action, which I'm not entirely sure is possible, and/or voting people out of office (an equally daunting task!).

I know this may not be on your radar, but drawstrings are causing an equal conundrum to brass connectors. Originally the drawstring ban (1996) was a "voluntary" ban on drawstrings in children's upper outerwear, primarily in hooded sweatshirts and jackets. While the wording has not really changed in the regulation, the voluntary ban is now mandatory and has expanded to include drawstrings and ties on any piece of clothing with a neck or waist. Of course the drawstring has some relevance as a sensible rule because there has been at least one death related to clothing with a drawstring and multiple deaths/injuries to window blind cords.

But here is where the confusion comes in because of the liability climate of CPSIA. Designers are asking me if it is permissible to add drawstrings or ties to skirt hems (not expressly forbidden). What about bib ties or baby bonnets with ties? All are potential sources of strangulation when taken to the extreme safety of the plastic bubble environment. One has to study the escalating drawstring recalls to infer that further rules will be forthcoming. One also becomes confused at what form these rules might take. With the fear of lawsuits, recalls, and penalties, children's clothing designers are trying to avoid these possibilities and are fearful.

Opponents of safety laws and regulations claim there are other ways to design clothing. And yet, the substitutes offer little consolation of their own safety. And so the wheels of confusion continue.

More hemstitching and a decision

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:01:00 +0000

Every now and then I get to hemstitch vintage embroidered linens. This time I remembered to take a picture. This a linen center piece with embroidered flower baskets. I was able to hemstitch the outer edge, though I was a bit nervous to stitch so close to the embroidery. The owner will trim close to the hemstitching and then add a pretty crocheted edging.

I haven't updated my blog recently, and not for lack of ideas to write about. I was trying to work out in my head what to say, because as a designer, and artist I have evolved. I had intended on writing this long essay justifying and explaining where I am now. But I decided that you, my readers, might not care. But that leaves this blog and what to do with it. Originally, I focused much of my blogging to the technical aspects of children's clothing design, especially pattern making and grading. While I am still doing some of that, I am doing more. I now introduce myself as a fashion designer, librarian, and book artist because I make my living doing all three.

My design loft is where I create and explore those three areas. I still make patterns, sew, craft, and now create books. So it makes sense to explore those things in the Design Loft Blog as well. I hope that those who followed this blog originally for children's design info will find my book craft interesting and will stick around. Fair warning, I may post new listings in my Etsy book shop. In any event, that's it. Now back to regularly scheduled (or as things happen) blogging.

When Patterns Collide Follow-up

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:42:00 +0000

Kathleen suggested that I post an update on a previous grading post I did about a year ago. You can read what I wrote previously at When Patterns Collide. In that post I suggested that it would be possible to combine the 24M and 2T and the 4T and the 4. My reasoning being that the 24M and the 2T are essentially the same sizes - why differentiate them? The subject is a little complex and perhaps controversial - at least to pattern making geeks. My goal was to reduce the work load. I was drafting and grading all of my patterns by hand. I am incredibly slow grading by hand. In addition, I was trying to solve one particular sizing problem that shows up in childrenswear, that is hard to illustrate. Since I shut down my Prairie Roses line, I am not knee deep in pattern making as I was a year ago. But perhaps it may be helpful to explain what I ended up doing.

Originally, I broke up my sizes into these ranges:

3M, 6M, 9M, 12M, 18M, 24M - sample size 12M

2T, 3T, 4T - sample size 3T

4, 5, 6, 6x - sample size 5

These ranges are rather typical of what you will find in retail stores. When developing my patterns, I have to make and grade the patterns for each size range separately. You cannot make one set of patterns in one size and grade them up and down all the way. It won't work because that many sizes will cause minute grading errors and strange fit, especially on the smallest and largest sizes. As you define your grading and size measurements, you will find that the 24M and 2T and the 4T and 4 overlap. I followed the Jack Handford grading rules, which are pretty darn good, but end up with a result like this:

In the picture above, the size 4 is laying on top of the size 4T. The size 4T is actually too long in length and too wide. I double checked all of my grading and there was no mistake. The size 4T was graded off my 3T and the size 4 off of the 5. The shaping of the sample size pattern pieces varied a little. The toddler was a little boxier because toddlers don't have any waist shaping, whereas a 5 year old does. If I were to leave my patterns this way, someone will eventually hang the two sizes next to each other and think there was some kind of manufacturing mistake. I needed to fix my patterns so that each size is incrementally bigger.

To do this, I rearranged my size ranges, combining some sizes:

3M, 6M, 9M, 12M, 18M - sample size 12M

24M/2T, 3T, 4T/4 - sample size 3T

5, 6, 6x - sample size 5

The next thing I did was reworked the shaping of my toddler sizes to look more like the 4-6x range. I pulled the waist in some and made the armhole smaller. I made these shaping changes because I found that my toddler patterns were just a little too big. Now, I can lay all of my bodice pattern pieces in order and they get incrementally larger from the 3M to the 6x. Your patterns may look different, but it is worth comparing the sizes on the outside edges of your ranges to make sure you don't have something wierd show up like I did.

Even though I combined some sizes, I kept this behind the scenes. My customers still saw all of the sizes separated out. If someone ordered a size 24M and another ordered a 2T, the dress would be exactly the same except for the size tag. I offered all of the sizes on my website so that customers would see something familiar. Perhaps it seems a little dishonest? I don't think so because in the real world a 24M child is the same size as a 2T and I was willing to take the chance. For what its worth, no one ever complained or returned those sizes for fit issues.

Now, I don't know that what I did is "the way it should be done". In the past though, I have had people question why the 24M was larger than the 2T and I had no explanation. Once I worked through grading all of my patterns by hand, it started to click in my head. The relationship of the shape of the pattern pieces, the grade, and body measurements are all connected. It was a head slapping, duh, kind of moment.

Frog print log cabin part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:39:00 +0000

I finished up the frog print log cabin quilt for my niece. At first I thought it would be really cute. Now that it's together, I am not so sure. DH says the green frogs give him a headache. What do you think?

A Warning on Labeling Bamboo Textiles

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:47:00 +0000

Bamboo fabric has been considered a miracle green fabric to date. It is super soft, absorbent, biodegradable, and considered antimicrobial. It is true that bamboo is considered an eco friendly plant because it can be grown quickly without the use of chemicals. Many products have been produced from bamboo - from floors to textiles. Some of the eco friendly claims have come under scrutiny, especially bamboo textiles.

Bamboo textiles are produced by two methods. One can be considered sort of green and the other not. With the first method, bamboo stalks are crushed and broken down with enzymes and then combed out. The second utilizes harsh chemicals to break down the bamboo stalks into pulp which is extruded by spinnerets. This second method is the same process in which Rayon fabrics are manufactured.

You can bet that the majority of the bamboo fabrics on the market are manufactured by the second method. Because of this, the FTC has declared that bamboo fabrics must be labeled Rayon with the qualifier from bamboo. While this is a controversial position taken by the FTC, it is more accurate due to the actual processes being used. The FTC has clamped down on some companies claiming their bamboo textiles are "green". The charges include falsely advertising some of the more outlandish claims of being antimicrobial and biodegradable.

Anyway, be careful of how you label bamboo. The FTC has further guidance on how to deal with bamboo.

(Photo copyright by Paul Vlaar, courtesy of Wikipedia.org, licensed with GNU Free Documentation License)

CPSC exempts 3rd party testing for textiles

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:40:00 +0000

Last week, the CPSC exempted (links to PDF) certain things from 3rd party testing for lead. Textiles and leather have been exempted from lead testing. By extension, dyes and some inks used in textile printing have been exempted. There are some big caveats though.

1. Screen prints, coatings, paints have not been exempted. This means apparel that has been treated this way will have to be tested.

2. Findings and trims, such as buttons, zippers, snaps, plastic components will have to be tested. Buttons made of bone or wood are exempted provided they use only coatings or finishes which are exempt.

3. Bling such as rhinestones and crystals are banned.

The CPSC took a component approach in issuing these exemptions. One can infer that the CPSC is seriously considering some kind of component testing allowance. It may or may not happen. The CPSIA, the actual text of the law, does not allow component testing. While it is a more common sense way to approach the problem, the realty is that this may open up the CPSC to lawsuits by special interest groups who do not want component testing.

Another concern is that the CPSC will be policing the market place. They will buy product and test it. Anything that fails, including exempted materials, will be subject to heavy fines and even jail time. It will be up to individual companies to decide whether they will continue to test or not. There is a liability problem for failing to comply to the exactness of the regulations.

Also remember that other regulations still apply. In particular, the tracking labels and phthalate testing (for certain products) are in force.

A frog print log cabin

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:30:00 +0000

I really didn't need another project, but it's hard to resist when the creativity bug bites. I have tons of the frog print fabric and I did up a sample of a log cabin quilt block. I like it well enough to make up enough for a twin size quilt. The quilt is destined for one of my neices. I want to do a second one for her sister in the same print but different patchwork.

The log cabin block is super easy when following Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day method. The log cabin booklet is out of print (I think), but you may be able to get it at a local library.

More aggressive IP/brand enforcement

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:26:00 +0000

My most popular blog entries have to do with taggies. Taggies are those square blankets with ribbon loops around all edges. I have received a lot of comments asking what the latest is on the patent and enforcement. I can only repeat what other commenters have stated:

1. The Taggies people are continuing to enforce their patent.
2. The patent enforcement lawyers appear to be going after anyone who has any form of a ribbon loop on a blanket edge, whether it is one ribbon loop or several.
3. No one has taken up the task of challenging the patent.

If Etsy or Ebay receive notice from Taggie's lawyers that the product is a potential infringement, those companies will pull your listing. These companies have little resources to investigate the claims, so legitimate or not the listing will be pulled down. You will not be able to defend yourself. If you list an item in your own store or blog for sale, you will receive a letter directly.

To date, it would appear there is plenty of evidence that the patent can be challenged. Commenters claim they had these style of blankets as children or that they have bought a current home sewing pattern with this style. Patterns and instructions abound on the net as do product listings in various online stores. The Taggies people were the first to obtain a patent and therefore believe they own it despite the evidence that the idea has been around for decades. This only illustrates the problem with the current patent protection system. The system is just complex enough that ordinary people have no idea what patents are being sought and if they should be challenged. The patent bureaucrats and lawyers don't understand the manufacturing processes and how common a folded ribbon loop in a seam is. Who has the time and money to fix the problem? Taggies is expanding into Europe and South America, so despite calls for a boycott the company appears to be growing.

Another aggressive brand enforcement problem has to do with the word onesie. Onesie is a registered trademark brand owned by Gerber. You cannot use that particular word to describe an infant bodysuit or unitard unless it is an actual Gerber branded Onesie. Various acquaintances of mine and online shop owners are receiving threatening letters about their use of this word in their product descriptions. Gerber appears to be ramping up their enforcement of their trademark.

These companies have not technically done anything illegal. They have the right to apply for patent and trademark protection. That protection is only worth as much as they are willing to enforce it. So, IMO, let them ~~waste~~ spend their money on it. The one thing these companies are doing is creating ill will among potential customers and retailers. Customers and retailers have long memories and will think twice about buying or indirectly promoting those products to friends. They may be doing more damage than they know.

Baby and children's apparel products seem to have more patent and trademark protection than other sewn product categories. There are bibs, hand covers, sensory objects, diapers, and so much more that have patent protection. I haven't quite figured out why.

Tutorial - Making a seamless tile in Gimp

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:00:00 +0000

With my latest postings on designing fabric prints, I thought I would try to create a seamless repeat using Gimp, a free photo editing software similar to Photoshop. I learned a few things about the process. Creating a seamless repeat is more difficult than pushing a few buttons. I remember it being easier in Photoshop. In any event, the more complex the image, the more work involved.

There are oodles of tutorials on the web on how to do this. One of the better ones for Gimp is by Lawrence Davis. His tutorial is not up to date with the latest version of Gimp, though the basics are all there. I followed his example to create the seamless repeat below.

The difficulty in Gimp is having the program make a seamless tile with the objects spaced close together. In my example, the scroll is on a separate layer and scaled smaller than my background. You will have to mess around with scaling the layers to get the closest spacing you can or desire. Be sure to flatten the image before applying the filter. This filter automatically fades out the edges of the images when it creates the seamless tile. If you look closely at the scroll (click for larger version), you can see the edges of the scroll are faded out.

Here is how the tile looks repeated.

This repeat wouldn't look very good on fabric IMO. The faded parts would look like a flaw. Of course I could space out the scroll more and not have the problem, but it would also have a more open feel to the repeat. If you have suggestions, please leave comments below. I think there may be better ways to create a seamless repeat in Gimp suitable enough for a fabric repeat. More to come later.

Fabric Converters

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:23:00 +0000

Fabric converters may not be a term some are familiar with. Fabric converters are factories that embroidery, dye, print, flock, bead, pleat, etc. fabric. They may specialize in one area and simply call themselves embroiderers or printers, or they may provide multiple types of conversions. A fabric converter takes specially prepared or greige (pronounced grey) fabric and converts it into finished goods.

There are various forms of greige goods. Generally greige goods are fabrics that come right off the loom. Some have been minimally processed, not processed at all, or the yarns have been processed prior to weaving or knitting. There are various types of finishes that depend on the desired outcome. There are finishes that prepare the fabric for printing or dying. Other finishes enhance the fabric's qualities, such as singeing, desizing, scouring, bleaching, calendaring, and many more. These are finishes done to the fabric prior to printing, dying, or embroidering and so they are still called greige goods by some. Since these finishes do finish the fabric to some degree, they are technically called by other names. There are various acronyms and labels for the different types of "greige" goods and it all becomes kind of fuzzy (or grey, heh) for me. In any event, greige goods are warehoused until an order comes in to print (or whatever) the fabric. Printing and embroidering are some of the fabric conversions done at the very last stage of fabric manufacturing.

Printing your own fabric pt. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Say you are a fashion designer or retailer and you want to custom print your own fabric. You have the skills (or the funds to hire a designer) to create artwork. There are many fashion designers, and even some retailers, who print their own fabric. Off the top of my head Laura Ashley, Ralph Lauren, and Ikea all print their own fabrics, though smaller companies also do it. This is a bit different than my previous blog entry (Printing your own fabric pt. 1), as these individuals are not necessarily textile designers professionally. But as part of a brand image or look, custom prints become necessary.

There is a lot of existing artwork already out there. Freelance textile and graphic designers are available to create the artwork to complement the look of a line. I can't remember the name of the show where designers show their artwork (anyone else remember?) and that may be one source. You can also hire graphic designers, though it may be helpful if they have experience in preparing artwork for textile printing. You could even create your own artwork, if you have the skills and inclination. You should receive a "strike off" or proof to approve prior to printing. A strike off is a sample of the print and it should represent the actual fabrics, colors, and print registration of the final goods. Make sure to evaluate the strike off thoroughly before committing to a print run.

As a fashion designer, you can contact fabric converters/printers yourself. They can help walk you through the process of preparing the artwork, setting up the repeat and printing the goods. Each printer will vary in their abilities and processes, so don't be deterred if one place is not a good fit. There will likely be a set-up charge to prepare the artwork, so don't be surprised by this.

The biggest question when printing your fabric rests on minimums. How much fabric will you be willing to carry in inventory? Typical minimums average about 3,000 yards. The smaller the quantity, the higher the price per yard. Stateside factories generally require higher minimums. Overseas factories vary - some high, some lower. Some factories may break up the 3,000 yard minimum and allow you to do different colorways of the same print. Others may require 3,000 yards per colorway. Even then, some factories will do less yardage. It is all a matter of research and asking the right questions. I don't know if it is ok to ask right away what the minimums are or not, the factory sale's agents will probably tell you. At least that has been my experiencing when asking the custom print question.

Q: "Can you do custom prints?"

A: "Yes, but it will be a 3,000 yard minimum and 6-8 weeks."

I am not exactly an expert at navigating the printing process as I only found the sources for other designers. Don't be afraid of asking questions. If you want a custom print, it can be done.

Printing your own fabric pt. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:00:00 +0000

This may be a future series. I recently talked with someone who has been custom printing his own fabric for a few years now. There are several steps involved with printing your own fabric but it isn't as hard you might think. I am talking about having your designs professionally printed by a fabric converter. There are options that have become available to home hobbyists to print their own fabric, but it is extremely expensive. If you were to take this up as a business, you would need a printer who can print hundreds of yards at an affordable price or you would never make any money.

I have to say I admire some of the up and coming print designers. I admire their skill and ability to create a cohesive collection 1-2x/year. Many of these designers have training in the arts, either the fine arts or graphic design. On top of that, they have some experience working with cloth as seamstresses and pattern makers. I wish I was more skilled at designing prints. I think I could do it but I would need to dedicate a great deal more time to it. Maybe someday I will get up enough gumption to try it and print my own designs.

Traditionally, a textile designer creates their artwork using traditional media - paint and a brush, markers, pastels. At the very least then and now, an artist carries a sketchbook around with them everywhere. They are able to capture patterns and designs in the world around them and translate them into a fabric. They can pick colors suitable for apparel or interior fabrics.

I think most modern textile designers today create their artwork using computer aided design (CAD). Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop are the primary tools. (Free versions include Paint or Gimp, Inkscape or Skencil). Artwork created in Illustrator or photoshop is not immediately ready for printing. The artwork must be made into a repeat, created by a special filter or plug-in. The idea is to offset the image 50% horizontally and vertically and fill in with the offset parts. Look for a tiling filter or tool in your program to do it automatically. Once this step is taken, the artwork is ready to be printed by some methods (Spoonflower, for example).

For mass production, the artwork goes through some additional steps though I am sure the technology has changed since I was last exposed to it. There are specialized CAD packages in the industry that some artists use directly or through a trained technician. Artwork is brought into the software and the design is fine tuned through color reduction, recoloring, etc. The design is made into a repeat. The process is rather involved because digital artwork has to be translated into the chosen printing method. And there are several methods out there - heat transfer, roller printing, block, screen printing and digital. The method chosen depends on the converter's ability and/or appropriateness for the print.

If you want to be a textile designer, there are two main approaches. You can create artwork and shop it around to existing fabric manufacturers/printers/converters. Michael Miller, Westminster, and others buy the rights or license artwork from designers. Other designers print and sell their own fabrics. In either case you don't necessarily have to understand all the ins and outs of textile manufacturing and printing. Fabric converters/printers can take your artwork and prepare it for printing (their may be an up-charge or setup fee).

Anyway, more to come as I find this to be an interesting topic....

Columbine Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:50:00 +0000

I took this picture while visiting Rexburg a few weeks ago. I have columbine flowers that come up in my flower beds like weeds. The wild columbine doesn't have as large a flower as these do, but more color variety. The columbine flowers available at the nursery are more like the picture above.

Wedding Dress Care/Content Labeling

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:31:00 +0000

As I was working on the alterations for this wedding dress, I wanted to see other dresses by this designer/maker. Perhaps the sleeve pattern shaping was intentional and not a mistake? Perhaps the problem is consistently found in other styles? I had no idea who the designer was, only where the dress was purchased. The dress was not in the store's web catalog and the only label in the dress was not helpful. The dress was missing a brand label and had no RN number. Further, the care instructions were rather bizarre/interesting (click on the picture for a closer view). I googled the style number and came up empty.

At a minimum, the dress should have had an RN number on the label. You can search an FTC database to find out the manufacturer of an apparel item. Wedding dress manufacturers/bridal shops have been fined in the past for failing to disclose or intentionally removing this information. Alterationists may remove the labels after purchase but should give them to the bride (links to come later as the FTC website was having problems when I wrote this).

The label states:

100% polyester
Do not dryclean
Spot clean ONLY
Use cold water and
mild soap
Made in China
See reverse for care
----------------------
Do not spray Alcohol
based product directly
on gown such as Perfume,
Hairspray....etc. This will
damage beadworks and
embroiderie designs made of
Rayon, Nylon, and other
synthetic materials.

I found the care instructions rather hilarious. How many of you spot cleaned your wedding dress with only cold water and mild soap? The fabrics themselves probably could be dry cleaned or even hand washed (though that may be more work). The beads will probably dissolve in the dry cleaning solvents, so thus the "do not dry clean" instructions. But, if you can find a reputable dry cleaner who will clean the dress and avoid the beads, then go ahead and have the dress dry cleaned. Otherwise, hand wash the dress. BTW, there were no further care instructions on the back of the label. Many wedding dresses are currently manufactured in China, which may explain the poorly written tag.

The extra instructions are interesting. I suppose it is possible that perfume or hairspray may damage the beads. Though the bride would probably need to be drenched in it before the beads dissolved. Sure would like to put those beads to the test....

The label should have been written to say:

100% Polyester
Hand wash or
Spot clean
in cold water with
mild soap. Hang to
dry. Do not bleach,
Do not iron.
Made in China
RN12345 (<------ Made up)
---------------------
Avoid the use of
Alcohol based products
such as hairspray,
perfume, etc., as these
may damage the dress.

And of course, the care instructions should be thoroughly tested by the manufacturer. Good industry practice (and the government) dictate that a manufacturer should have a reasonable basis for the cleaning instructions. This means actual test data recorded and stored with the manufacturer. At this point in time, manufacturers (except children's clothing manufacturers) can do their own in-house wash testing. Children's clothing manufacturers will have to have it done by a certified laboratory. Wash testing is not specifically mentioned in the CPSIA, but it does imply that ANY testing will have to be done in a certified lab.

Petal Sleeves pt. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:00:00 +0000

I finally had a chance to do up some line drawings to illustrate the problem with the petal sleeves of the wedding dress I recently altered. There are more pictures in the blog entry Petal Sleeves pt. 1.

The shape of the sleeve pattern adds a lot of extra material under the arm - creating almost a circular sleeve. The hem of the sleeve flapped around like wings. IMO, it wasn't very attractive. Even though the dress was a plus size dress, I can't imagine any woman wanting this style. I find it hard to believe the designer intended this either. I could be wrong since I am not familiar with wedding dress design. I do know that wedding dresses are designed to be easy to alter so perhaps the designer allowed for extra underarm width to accommodate the size of any upper arm. Even so, with the combination of removing excess shoulder height, recutting the armholes and sleeves, the alteration was not that easy. I dare say, it is either sloppy pattern making and/or grading. I would pin the source of the problem on grading from a size 6 all the way into a plus size. I (and Kathleen) have blogged about this many times (search for "Grading is not morphing" at Fashion-Incubator). Plus sizes should have their own patterns separate from Misses sizes. Trying to save time and effort by "grading" patterns from a size 6 up into the plus sizes leads to problems like this. Of course, I don't really know if this is exactly what happened. I would need to look at the whole size range and even the actual pattern pieces to know for sure.

This is what the pattern pieces and fit looked like on the bride before the alteration. The petal sleeve is a regular cap sleeve in the example below. You can see the extra width added at the hem of the sleeve and the wings it creates under the arm.

Below is the shape of the pattern after the alteration. I probably removed a good 1.5" from the sleeve hemline. The fit of the sleeve looked 100% better.

Now if the intent of the pattern maker was to allow the bride to be able to lift her arms for dancing, then it was added in the wrong place. A gusset should be added at the underarm - not the sleeve hemline.

Wedding Dress Alteration: The Whole Picture?

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:14:00 +0000

I don't think I posted pictures of the whole dress I recently altered. Here is the top with the alterations marked with pins. Recutting the armhole and adjusting the sleeves was probably the most difficult part of the alterations. The bride really needed a little bit taken in at the back, but that is one alteration I did not attempt. The zipper and lining would have to be ripped out and I had no time for that. The dress shop provided double sided tape to help keep things in place (maybe they knew how poor fitting this dress would be). I recommended the bride go ahead and use it for the gap-osis I would not be able to fix - though I did fix most of it.

Here is the skirt. Really, the simplest style of skirt to shorten if needed. Just make the tucks a bit deeper. I probably should have gone ahead and taken 1" off the bottom hem too, but I just advised the bride to buy some heels. The skirt is completely underlined with tulle to help give the skirt some shape and hold the draped tucks.

The wedding was this last week and the bride was absolutely radiant with joy. She looked lovely and no one was the wiser that a neophyte alterationist did the job. Maybe I will post a picture of the big day once I get the pictures off the camera.

Wedding Dress Alteration: The Underlining

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:26:00 +0000

I expected to find boning in a size 18 wedding dress. I think I even put it in my dress, though the style didn't really need it. This dress doesn't have it at all. It does have the addition of padded bust cups - a feature I have not seen before (I would still recommend the bride wear a supportive bra anyway). The bodice and lining have been completely underlined with fusible. The outer fabric has a stiffer woven fusible and the lining has a softer knitted fusible. Click on the picture to get a better view of the inside of the dress. I am still debating on whether the dress should have boning or not. I think if the bride wears a body-shaping undergarment, it will help smooth out any bulges she doesn't want seen. Even so, it looks and fits pretty good in the waist area.

BTW, a common alteration in wedding dresses is to take it in some at the top of the princess line as it goes into the armhole. If this is indeed "common", it leads me to believe there is a grading or underlying pattern fit issue with wedding dress manufacturers. This alteration, plus taking it up in the shoulders, requires the alterationist to recut the armhole and sleeve (if a cap sleeve). A nasty set of alterations, IMO.

Petal Sleeves pt. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:20:00 +0000

I have been working on altering a wedding dress. It is, admittedly, a budget wedding dress available for less than $200 imported from China. I am by no means a wedding dress expert, so this little assignment is teaching me a lot about how wedding dresses are made today. There are some things about this dress that I found very interesting and innovative - things I have never seen before. And it is true, I haven't really looked at wedding dresses since my wedding many moons ago. In any event, dresses now have attached petticoats (I had to buy a separate one) and embedded, uh-hum, bust padding. On the other hand, there are some problems with this dress that clearly label it a budget dress, albeit a very pretty dress for the bride. And I should say the budget dresses available now are much prettier than they used to be. They have embroidery with beading, nicer fabrics, and that full, attached petticoat. Much fodder for future blog posts.

I'll show the nice features of the dress later. For now I will show show one of the problems. It is an annoying problem and one I was surprised to find. The dress has petal sleeves, which I have drafted before. I have even had this same problem show up. I don't have time right now to fully explain the problem or give the solution - perhaps in another blog entry in a few days (Summer Reading at the library is taking up a lot of my time). Can you spot the problem with the sleeves?

Even though this is on a hanger, the sleeves hang like this on the bride.

Here is the sleeve off the dress. I not only had to bring up the shoulders, but take the sleeves completely off to recut the armholes. The shoulders and armholes are part of a larger, but separate problem. This picture should give the problem away.

A book binding press

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:11:00 +0000

There are many beautiful book presses available but they are very, very expensive. Maybe someday I can afford something fancy, but for now it just needs to be functional. This was my first attempt at building a book press.

There are book press plans floating around the Net. I had a cheap book shelf hanging around that I cut in half and drilled holes through. The hardware cost around $10. I added springs (and extra washers) to help hold the top board up, but they can be removed for thinner books. Unfortunately, this press demonstrates my inability to cut a straight line or to line things up before drilling. At least I know how it is done and I can do it again, with some larger pieces of wood. Next time I will have some boards cut at the Home Depot - they have to be able to cut straighter than I can.

Handmade notebooks

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:26:00 +0000

I am working on designing some simple long-stitch notebooks. These may show up in a new Etsy store, so stay tuned.

Parting shot: One of my annual tulip pictures. This was taken with my new digital SLR and is here sooc. I love my new camera but I have so much to learn...

The Hemstitcher Works!

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:18:00 +0000

After much stress and frustration, the hemstitcher now works. In some ways it works better than it did before, in others not as well. I had taken a picture of the difference between the two piercers. There is a noticeable difference in the shape of the new versus the old. Unfortunately, my digital camera died after taking that picture and I can't retrieve it off the camera. I am waiting on a new, fancier camera to arrive this week.

The book binding/making hobby has bit me pretty hard. I am not sure when the sewing mojo will come back. I have ideas floating around in my head but they haven't moved me enough to start them. Plus it's summer. That means lots of yardwork, gardening, and my annual renovation marathon.

I have been working on some new projects that I wish to share, so stay tuned.

The CPSIA - What do we do now?

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:02:00 +0000

I know I have fallen away from the fight against the CPSIA recently. After nearly 6 months it was bound to happen. I do have to make a living and take care of daily life. Don't we all? I had a library conference presentation to prepare and give, a hemstitcher to repair, customer orders to fulfill, yard work to begin. (Let's just say April was busy, busy, busy).

I feel we have lost some ground in the fight. While I had to step back, so are others gradually stepping back. I guess I feel frustration that almost nothing we have done has changed anything. I am tired of writing to my Representatives over and over again. They either don't care, are too busy, or believe their vote for CPSIA was good (and for our good, despite objections). It's almost wasted energy. Of course, my Representatives have lost my vote. I will vote for myself if there is no other opponent and it becomes a wasted vote. That is how disgusted I am with them.

Too many don't know or don't care about the law. The threat of heavy fines or jail time means nothing. It is business as usual for them. How fair is it for some of us to abide the law and others not?

The question is, "What do we do now?"

As time continues to march forward and nothing continues to change, more people will drop out of the fight. We acknowledge and respect the law as it is written. Once law is passed, we obey it almost without question because that is the nature of our country. We believe in the Rule of Law and the business of making laws sacrosanct. And yet, the US Congress continues to pass laws without debate or consideration. It's not just the CPSIA we have to worry about. There are a whole host of new laws which are invading our lives and eroding our freedoms.

And yet, as Americans we CAN refuse to accept a law as binding. One such example is the Dred Scott Decision. In this famous court case, slaves were considered property. They could not become citizens, vote, or be made free. Groups of people decided that the ruling by the US Supreme Court was not binding as law. (And really, the US Supreme Court does not create law, they only offer opinions and we can choose to be bound by it or not. Generally we choose to follow their decisions.)

We can go further back to the Declaration of Independence.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Our very own Declaration of Independence gives us permission to refuse to obey law which becomes destructive to our ability to live reasonably. We may not have arrived at the point where we need to take up arms and storm Washington. But we are quickly arriving at the point where we simply can't obey the law and continue to live. It's more than just the CPSIA robbing us of our ability to make a living as we choose. There are all kind of laws on the docket which will rob us of our freedom to shop at Farmer's Markets, take out a mortgage, speak freely against sinful activities in a religious setting and so many more things....

A law which a large group of people refuse to or simply can't obey (because they just didn't know) loses the Rule of Law effect that we hold so dear. It becomes unenforceable. I am to the point where I want to say, "Screw you, I am doing it anyway."

I haven't crossed that line, yet. I still believe in the rule of law and the process established by the Constitution to seek a "redress of grievances."

So, "What do we do now?"