Sewing, Creative Design and Beyond...

Baltimore, MD - Association of Sewing and Design Professionals Conference

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 18:04:00 +0000

Heading off to meet with colleagues, my fellow Board Members, and friends in Baltimore, MD for a few days of conference, meetings, and events. I'll share my personal experience on Instagram! (@shopthegarmentdistrict)

The gloves are off...

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 07:15:00 +0000

Reposting: (originally posted 8/28/07)

"A man of honor does not,... compromise a young woman by being her constant escort, and her's alone, for a long time, without having some serious intention. A man who will do this and then tell her of rumors of their supposed engagement which have reached him, at the same time disclaiming any motive except friendship, is not a fit "friend" for any girl; and one who has previously considered him a friend should not need further proof of the undesireableness of such friendship as he is capable of bestowing. The proper course for him to pursue would be to discontinue his attentions, or at least, offer them less frequently."

--Good Manners (Butterick Publishing Company: 1888)

I should be ashamed to admit this... but this post was delayed because I am hopelessly addicted to a reality show. Yes, I have fallen prey to Scott Baio is 45... and Single. Wow, how low can I sink...? Well, I must say, I was riveted until the very last moment of tonight's final episode, and wow, was it worth it! Please tell me I'm not alone...

Thanks to Diane's wonderful gesture of intellectual generosity, I am once again re inspired to try the gloves. While I am in peaceful North Carolina on vacation this week, I will attempt them again. Since this is a hand-sewing project, it is portable...

I'll be visiting the William Ivey Long exhibit I mentioned this week - can't wait. I'll report on it when we get back after Labor Day.

...And the dress is done! It really loses its magic in these rather drab pictures, so I can only convey how it makes me feel in words...

The dress is linen, and I'm a poor photographer, so the fabric really photographs as bumpy, and is hard to read, but here it is on me and on the dress form, since my figure is drastically different at the bust line. I love low cargo pockets - perfect for comfort and easy access.

Riptides

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 17:13:00 +0000

Reposting (originally posted 8/5/11)

When business (or any other endeavor) becomes difficult or slows down, I am reminded of the advice for surviving a riptide. Stay parallel to the shore, don't fight the "current", preserve your energy, and resume "swimming" when conditions permit.

Decades ago, I was having a conversation with a friend, who was also a celebrity at the time. This person was talking about how difficult it was to be famous, because people didn't want his friendship so much as they wanted a "piece" of him; almost as if his fame was something they wanted to extract from his veins and take a sip... What used to be friendship for him had taken on a sort of parasitic quality that he found very uncomfortable. It was a true psychological burden for him.

I'm no celebrity, and not rich by any means, but I now know that feeling. Having honed a talent that many feel is unattainable for them (although it TOTALLY is!) and almost like magical powers, some clients want and want and want, calling and pushing for more and more and more, even when I explain that I am unavailable. I know that I do not have to carry the weight of this, but modern technology has made everyone so available and reachable, that people often feel it is appropriate to assign urgency to things that simply... aren't. Sometimes things go wrong with projects. It may be my fault, it may be the client's, it may just be more work than expected, it may just be a "riptide" -- but if no one has been wronged financially, we all have to "tread" for a while, and move forward when conditions permit.

Trial of the Century (Revised)

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 13:56:00 +0000

Reposting: (original post date 7/25/11)

My great-grandfather, who is the father of my paternal grandmother, was born in 1895 in the same Hot-As-Heck dismal place in North Carolina as my grandmother was born, and eventually my father. (Although my Dad made a run for it at the age of 16, and never returned.) My grandfather's profession, based on information from Ancestry.com, was "farmer".

Uh-huh...

Born at a time when birth certificates weren't necessarily issued for Black Americans, he managed to carve out quite a career for himself. He had five children, a wife, and LOTS of land. Nearly 250 acres at his death. None of his children ever had to buy land of their own; they simply built their homes on the land he owned. Large enough to farm, but there was no farming going on. The prevailing rumor (the one I choose to believe), is that he was a bootlegger, and whatever other activities would gain him some cash and kind treatment from a town that didn't welcome his "kind". The town had a lynching tree. Interesting that everyone knew that, especially considering that for a long time, there were only one or two families in the town who would have been candidates for it.

I always imagined this place as a very tense, hostile kind of environment for the family, and I imagine that there probably weren't close personal friendships formed between them and the neighbors. Dating was impossible; you had to leave town to find a mate, especially since you risked being the first casualty on that tree if you pursued romance outside of your race.

So, you understand, as the family grew, and the children had children of their own, they spread out across the United States. Most of the original set of kids stayed and grew old in North Carolina, but the grandkids went north, west, and east. Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles were popular destinations among them.

When you grow up in a town with a lynching tree, it is tough to undo the ideas you have about racism and how you are perceived. One of those grandkids moved to Los Angeles, and, oddly enough, was called to jury duty in LA in the mid-90's. She served as a juror in "The Trial of the Century." Yes, THAT one. Seriously. And we know how that turned out...

So, I'm particularly struck by the text of these pages in an old craft/etiquette/idea book of mine, written around the time of my great-grandfather's birth. Despite the language, it gives a glimpse of what race relations may have been like then, and how there was a certain fascination from the point of view of the author, that reminds me of the way the Grinch watches the "Who"s in Whoville celebrate Christmas with no presents. Note: no comparison intended between the Grinch and white people...

(Taken from Day Entertainments and Other Functions - Metropolitan Handy Series September, 1896)

This passage is about the Easter celebration, from the point of view of the (white) author.

"The little negroes, attired in the the latest styles...wend their ways to Sabbath schools, where they are to repeat verses in public... The children have brought from the woods loads of pink honeysuckle, yellow jasmine and wild laurel, so that the rude walls enclose a measure of sweetness and beauty not to be attained in the city cathedral at many times the cost, and it is safe to presume that the songs assiduously practiced for a week or more are sure to out-distance, in the literal acceptance of the word, any vocal efforts of a surpliced choir.... Singing, paying and preaching go on intermittently the rest of the day and nightfall witnesses the climax of the festival, when Easter becomes a veritable Candlemas... Everybody participates - the venerable, long coated elders, the fat cooks, swagger dining-room boys, house-maids gayly flirtatious, and children by scores, each and every one holding a candle in inverse ratio to the bearer's stature. All other lights are out and the candle beams waver weirdly upon intent, dark faces, as the procession moves along the aisles to the rhythm of of some rich far-sounding chant, such as we may hear only in the south from the lungs of a lusty negro congregation."

Trial by Fire (and Error)

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:13:00 +0000

Reposting - (originally posted 7/17/11 - still relevant!)

Sometimes, despite your best intentions, things can go horribly wrong. Failed relationships, disappointments... make you wanna "make lemonade". That lemonade isn't always as sweet as you'd hoped.

On that particularly dismal trip to Hot-As-Heck, NC in the summer when I was 16, my mom distracted "my grandmother" (my own awkward name for her, since it never rolled off my tongue to call her "Grandma", or anything like that.) outside for a bit, my Dad pushed aside a large dresser to reveal a door in the front room that lead deeper into the house. Behind the dresser, in neatly appointed rooms covered by a thick layer of dust, lay the year 1965 or so. Furniture in conversational positions, and a lovely baby grand piano, showing signs that a real life had been lived here. Organized and bright, these lonely rooms had been untouched for at least a decade, I suspected. And the "kid's" rooms (my Dad and his brother) were just as they left them even longer ago. At times, my grandmother talked about her "kids" as if they were still boys, and her husband (my grandfather) who had died before I was born, as if he were still alive. My Dad showed me the rooms, whispering quietly, unemotionally, and factually about what each room represented for him. We tiptoed out, put the dresser back as it was, and pretended to be sitting quietly when she came back in.

Back to the present:

Wiped out after a dressmaking project that went wrong, I decided to work out my dissapointment with a personal project. Because I had used an expensive fabric from my personal stash (a luscious, black double silk organdy) as a lining to help "save" a dress that ultimately didn't work for a client, I decided to reclaim some of that fabric for a new dress, which I would name "Things we lost in the fire". My obsession with flame motifs led me to buy a lovely cotton emblazoned with a firey mix of reds and oranges, and apply it to a summer dress. Set against a smooth, jet-black cotton, I sketched and imagined until a creative frenzy sent me to the dress form to messily drape the design.

These approximate shapes gave me rough templates for cutting my pattern pieces...

I adjusted the pattern to my shape, cut the dress pieces, assembled the dress, and was pleased.

That is, until I put it on. Somehow, I had created what looked like a grandma's nightgown with flames. Hot flashes? Ode to menopause? Not what I was going for. Knowing I would never wear it, I resolved to find the version of this idea that I would/could wear. Okay, the silk organdy has no place on this dress, either. I wanted to place it as a bottom border, sorta giving the illusion that the fabric had been singed as the flames traveled up the dress. Okay, so I could see it in my head... but on the body? Just Terrible.

All of that to get to this. Black skirt, to be worn with a black tank and my favorite red wedge sandals.

Now, if only I had a tattoo...

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Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 17:51:00 +0000

Yes, I (re) made some shoes.

These are not pants...

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 21:52:00 +0000

(Originally published 4/18/08) - You'll see why on my other blog shortly.

"Okay... she's clearly lost her mind" you're thinking. "I am sure I see a pair of pants in that photo"

Well, let me tell you this. I live in a shopping MECCA. If it isn't out of economic or fitting necessity, or an insatiable hunger to have something "different", there is absolutely NO REASON to sew another pair of pants. Of that, I am certain.

But these are not pants. No, they aren't, my friends.

Not meant to be shown to you against the blank walls of our foyer as a backdrop, or shown on my awkwardly posed figure, as I struggle for a clever way to hold the camera, catching the right light, in an emotionally bland, poorly composed presentation. These pants are about the weather I imagine is coming, events I will attend, the life I am leading, will lead, and improvements I want to make. They are more than pants.

They are...

that trip to Seville, Spain I envision myself taking, eating a lovely paella at sunset, near the huge, beautiful Cathedral

or...

a walk in the lovely Spring weather in Central Park, stopping to people-watch at the boathouse.

or...

a casual picnic lunch out with friends, with good music.

Having invested more time and effort than I can reasonably explain, I took the steps to fit them carefully, getting just the right amount of extra width in the leg, and the hip contour to follow my own hips just right...

I put in an invisible zipper, fusing and hand-picking the seam allowances in place, to keep it "invisible" and smooth. (below)

As always, I sewed my "leg inside of leg" crotch seam, to ensure the symmetry of the inseam juncture.

They are not unhemmed and unpressed on the floor, amid toys carelessly strewn about. And they are not just pants. They are the embodiment of my creative fantasy, and happy spring mood. When I do wear them, I won't be thinking about posing for a picture in the right light; I will simply be leading my life. So the pants I am showing you now, are not what will leave home on my body. Those pants will have a life of their own.

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test

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:25:00 +0000

Recently completed projects

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 08:24:00 +0000

No words, just pictures...

Inspiration for the "cradle" bag

The "cradle" bag

Pretty Little Liars dress for a Sweet 16 party

A wedding ensemble for the bride and groom, using pieces of the bride's traditional Hanbok

M&S Schmalberg Custom Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 17:27:00 +0000

I recently wrote the cover article for Vogue Patterns Magazine, detailing a great company, specializing in wildly beautiful, ornate fabric flowers. Grab yourself a copy and read it!

The perpetual shirt...

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

If my other blog landed you here, you've read the background of my "perpetual shirt", and you're here for the sewing info. Not a significantly difficult process, really. It is a simple, raw looking t-shirt, with zigzagged edges, made of a durable, quality knit. Boldly written on the front, is today's date. Or mostly any spring date I want until 2019, actually... But if I'm still wearing it by then... I'll need your help.

Did I use a pattern for the shirt? No. Just took my scissors and went for it.

So, how do I make the dates change? Here's the inspiration:

Why? velcro is too fluffy for the letters to sit flush. But, if I do this...

By creating a velcro "grooves", I recessed the under layer (soft side) into the shirt, so that the letters could lay pretty flat against the surface of the fabric plaque. Now, I can make it almost any spring day I want... Why only spring? I didn't want to buy and velcro too many letters, and I probably won't want to wear it in the summer (too hot) or fall/winter.

The "201" is permanent, but the other letters are all removable.

I am a professional collaborative dressmaker by profession, and would make you one, if you want one made... Keep in mind, though, that labor, planning, and materials make this quite a pricey t-shirt! You can show this example to your own dressmaker or crafty/sewing person to do this for you, if you don't wanna drop a chunk of change.

Who would I imagine wearing this? Myself...

I'm tired of people taking my pens...

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 23:34:00 +0000

I've got 100 of them... let's see how long that lasts!

Lacemaking... and what we can learn from spiders

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:32:00 +0000

The art of making lace in one form or another has existed from the earliest ages. There are scriptural references to various web-like fabrics, which were made of rude construction, no doubt, but whose general characteristics were identical with those productions of modern skill which have for centuries been known as lace. Homer and other ancient writers constantly mention net-works of fancifully embroidered materials; gold thread-work was nown to thee Romans, and as Egyptian robes of state are depicted upon the tombs of the earlier dynasties as being fashioned from a looped net-work or crochet..."

-The Art of Modern Lace-Making (Butterick Publishing Company, 1891)

Lace and silk from Metro Textiles

Pictured above, is a fabric combo on its way to becoming something unique for me, inspired by a dream I had, an unrealized idea from a client I had last year, and the "Spiders Alive!" exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History.

In an old Greek story, Arachne (uh-rak-nee) loved to weave. Her weaving was so beautiful and perfect that the goddess Athena got jealous. To punish Arachne, the goddess turned Arachne into a spider. But Arachne still loved to weave, and continued to do so, as a spider...

So, here's my question for the day... if all spiders know how to spin webs (and I assume all do), why don't they consolidate their efforts, and some work on spinning webs, while others gather the prey? Why don't they work together?

A spider uses its own body measurements to make its web, using a very practical and ergonomic design process. The spider starts with the most difficult part of construction -- the first thread, and creates an extraordinary silken net, often as beautiful as it is functional. It is also abolutely unique and personal.

We work to create our own intricate handmade patterns, using yarn, strings or thread and fabric, and our own human hands. There is something very natural about this. Something very real and tactile... Individuality is important. Personal expression, the need to share beauty, and this sense of accomplishment are vital.

Various custom projects (part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 10:35:00 +0000

A beloved dad (Larry or "Lah", as he was called) passed away, and as a gift to each of his children, teddy bears were commissioned, using his old, beloved sweatshirts to create each one.

See more examples of my work here...

Wedding projects

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 09:16:00 +0000

*This is an ever-growing post. I will just add more photos as time marches on. Click on any photo to enlarge.

This is an organza bolero I made for a bride who was wearing a sleek, strapless dress for a southern wedding.

Above, a silk gauze dress with the bride's own hand-crocheted flowers, for an outdoor wedding.

Above, a RTW bridal gown I altered to fit, and then made the peplum zip-off for the reception. Two dresses in one!

And another zip-off peplum, for a dancer bride, below:

Before (above) and after (below) - just a hidden heavy-duty zipper separating the two parts!

Below, a hybrid dress, made for a client who wanted to use some elements of her Mom's 1960's gown (the skirt), plus a sari fabric wrap top, to marry her Sri Lankan groom. An American fairytale.

Not everyone gets married in white these days (below)... and, as all true New Yorkers understand, there's no quicker way to get to your event than the subway!

This bride bought an 1890's ensemble at auction, and we turned it into a wedding ensemble that matched her personality!

This bride stood a mere 4'9", and needed a dress for her extremely petite frame (below).

See more projects in the next post...

Various custom projects

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 09:12:00 +0000

*This is an ever-growing post. I will just add more photos as time marches on. Click on any photo to enlarge.

Threadbare, permanently soiled and with dry rotting elastic, my client was faced with the prospect of having to lose a cherished piece of his youth forever. Above, this car enthusiast's beloved racing jacket from the 1960's. (Orginal)

I was able to recreate the jacket, after finding a color similar enough to that French racing blue he loved so much, in a fabric made for home decor use. The jacket had a pretty unique closure, which I was able to duplicate. (Shots of my copy, above and below)

A duster, style jacket with a dramatic, feather collar, for a dinner club/restaurant owner. A "ringmaster" type of garment, just right for her role as host!

Sometimes, for religious reasons, shoulders and arms need to be covered. When you've got a strapless dress, you might have to get creative by adding other fabrics and creating more dress where there previously was just... skin. For the bridesmaid on the left, I gave her (previously) strapless dress some coverage! See below:

For the more creative client, I sometimes work from a sketch...

I found the appropriate fabrics within the client's budget, and created it.

Below, a reception dress for a Manhattan bride who traveled to Utah for a wintertime wedding afterparty. (Note: Actual client is bigger than dress form, which accounts for droopiness at left waist.)

Sometimes, you just need to add some interest to something very plain. An organza ruffle trim rolled into a rose gave this strapless bridesmaid dress a "lift" for future wear.

Below, a hand sewn (yup, no machine), bias chiffon bridesmaid dress, for a wedding in Bali.

And, speaking of sewing things together by hand, this sequined top, made for a wedding in Puerto Rico, was hand draped, and completely handmade for my client.

Sometimes a client wants a beloved dress copied in a new fabric. There are no exact copies, since the fabric and machines and methods I use are never exactly the same, but here is the result. Which one is the RTW original? Which one is my copy? Hmmm... (I'm not sure I remember... seriously)

Continued in this post...

Personal projects

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 09:10:00 +0000

*This is an ever-growing post. I will just add more photos as time marches on. Click on any photo to enlarge.

My own skirt... for hot summer days. There is a story behind this one.

Above, my own warm, wool/cashmere coat. As close as one can get to wearing a blanket.

Above, my own shirt, affectionately named the ridicu-shirt. No one else has to like it. So there...

Recent projects

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 13:58:00 +0000

Recently made a few tops for a performer, who needed some hot weather clothes for the stage, inspired by Emily, from "Metric"'s cool bias striped top, seen belown, I developed some others...

I love this color combo - really hard to do grey, black and gold together well, no? The trim makes it kinda rock n' roll...

It already exists...

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:53:00 +0000

Ever hear the expression "There is nothing new under the sun"? I often feel that way, but am also occasionally struck by the idea...

no, the REVELATION,

that, no matter what you conceive of, dream up, or create... it already existed before you created it. You are simply the vessel, the hands, the voice, or the tool that carries it out.

I was moved by a thought this morning, as I heard Steve Winwood's "Back in the High Life", followed by Coldplay's "Viva la Vida". I thought about how complicated and beautiful it all sounds, layers of instruments and voices... and then I thought about how it all existed in the head of the artist who communicated it to us. That person/group was the vessel. Every note has already been heard before, every instrument used before, just not in that combination.

And when we design, we are always finding new combinations of things we have already seen. So, when we make things, we are channeling this creative force. You can call it God or whatever you believe it to be, but it looks for minds, hearts and hands who are receptive to it. And frankly, what an honor that is.

For more exploration of this topic, see

God, NASA, and textile artists

OR

If You Held the Microphone

As this endless double-helix of concepts I want to express on this blog wind tighter and tighter, I find that my posts explode from of one another, constantly expanding, yet simultaneously contracting into a narrower and narrower group of the same main ideas. I hope you are enjoying the ride.

Quality

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 16:08:00 +0000

"The things we make have one supreme quality; they live longer than us. We perish, they survive. We have one life, they have many lives. And in each life, they can mean different things; which means that while we all have one biography, they have many."

-Niel MacGregor, Director of the British Museum

*For the complete talk, visit the TED website, where he presents a fascinating talk on one particular 2600 year old piece of art.

I invite you to chime in to tell me if I'm alone on this one, but I love to visit fashion and clothing exhibits here in New York City, and have spent many hours over the years, gazing at the lovely, carefully crafted creations of many designers and needle-smiths. One thing I have often wondered, especially when looking at something old and beautifully simple, is "How did the creator of this piece trust his/her own talent enough to know that they needed to work with such high quality materials?" I have often found myself paralyzed with fear before cutting into my never-find-anything-like-this-again fabrics, worrying that one wrong move can send hundreds of dollars worth of fabric to the back of my closet, or bottom of my trash can. How do you know it is worth the effort?

As I wander through exhibits, more often than not, the materials lists on the description placards include words like "silk tulle", or "silk velvet", fabrics with real staying power, and the ability to hold beautifully vibrant colors for years beyond the lifespan of the person for whom they were made. These fabrics are pricier than the rest.

Are they worth it? Well, they sure can be. Who cares? You do... and although I can't promise anyone else will value it as much, a lesser fabric will certainly shorten its lifespan.

Recent experiences with clients are telling me that there is a sincere appreciation for quality. In my dressmaking life, I am seeing more and more brides who want to redesign their own mothers' or grandmothers' gowns, based on the quality, age, and tactile experience of the fabric. Often sewn by hands you have neither met not heard of, these garments resonate, and they still hold a magic that reaches into the future.

So, I say all of this to say, there is enormous value in shopping at the stores where the staff is knowledgeable about the quality, origin and description of the goods they have to offer.

When the occasion is very special, and the budget permits, consider the following stores for wonderful quality...

B&J Fabrics (chiffons, silks, and so much more)

(a fabulous whisper-light metallic sequined fabric from B&J)

(and the top that fabric eventually became)

Rosen & Chadick (also, check out their 126" wide silk tulle! and many other wonderful specialty fabrics)

(a wonderful silk from Rosen and Chadick)

(silk organza from Rosen and Chadick - raw edges)

NY Elegant (silks)

(above fabric - lovely 4 ply silk from NY Elegant)

Lace Star (laces and more - see previous post)

Solstiss (French laces - by appointment only - only for the VERY serious...)

Now, I don't expect my pieces to end up in museums anywhere... but a girl can dream, can't she?

Versatility

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:09:00 +0000

Call it maturity, laziness, or a heightened sense or practicality, but I no longer have patience for temporary garments. I'm tired of trends, and, now I hear only one drummer. My own.

Forgive me for saying this, but an animal print is a statement, not a trend. So are loud floral leggings. And maxi skirts. Some clothing shouts. But if everyone shouts, no one is heard.

I have recently committed to paring down my wardrobe. I use that term generously, since what I have consists mainly of well-loved t-shirts, jeans, and some fun shoes. I want versatile things. Things I feel good in. Things I can wear on fat days and skinny days. Banned are the heavy wool turtlenecks that are only eligible to be worn on one of the three or so terrifyingly cold days each year. Banned are the "dry clean only" two-hour, special occasion garments that get slipped on in a pinch, and languish in the pile of "worn gently, but no place to go" purgatory.

I've got a stash that could supply all my needs, if I could just find the time to turn it into garments.

I'm adding myself and my family to my client list. That means I'll have to say "no" to many potential clients in the upcoming months. But that's okay.

The dressmakers' dilemma... Scoliosis

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:24:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I offered my own "Dressmaker's Serenity Prayer" on my Facebook page.

The dressmaker's serenity prayer/meditation:

Please grant me the serenity to refuse the garments I cannot sew/alter; courage to sew/alter the garments I can; and wisdom to know the difference...

By far, the greatest challenge I have had in dressmaking, is sewing for people with scoliosis. When the challenges are skeletal, postural, and anatomical, it makes any dressmaker seem completely inept. I have discovered that many who have been in the profession for many years, simply say "no" when asked to do this work.

The challenge, as I see it, is that the grainline on a curved body (depending on how it curves) will not simply hang straight where you put it. If you over-fit a garment, it becomes impossible to honor the grainline, and if you try to create any design line that is meant to look "straight", the question becomes "Relative to what?" Are we making a straight line down the center of the wearer's body, or is the line meant to be straight as it relates to the horizon? Do we "cheat", and create something between the two?

In the meantime, the process can frustrate a person to no end.

So, the solution, as I see it, for the person who is well-financed and maintains a stable enough weight to do so, is to get a custom made dress form, so endless fittings aren't needed. But, guess what... when you ask the custom form makers if they will do it, and explain the challenges, some of the very best companies will still tell you "no".

As I see it, the only true fitting solution, if you want to create complex designs, is to have a body cast made, using that to create a dress form. Well, that, or keep it simple, and relax your fitting standards a bit... (my recommendation).

Shop the Garment District

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:46:00 +0000

You will now find me blogging regularly at the www.shopthegarmentdistrict.com blog, where I will share valuable information with you. The more personal stories will still be found right here, but not on regular schedule - just when I have things to share. Here's the deal: exciting things are afoot in my business life, but so much of it just isn't shareable. The nature of my work these days requires me to be both discreet and professional, so I'll just share what i can when appropriate. The best part of it all is that I am finding what I have always heard to be true. Do what you love... and the money (well, debateable... or exciting opportunities, at least??? and some money, I guess) will follow!

-Mimi

Zelda Kaplan

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:15:00 +0000

The life of Zelda Kaplan, a New York artist, is an interesting one, detailed in the article I have linked to this post below (highlighted name "Zelda").

I have recently begun an amazing assignment, working as the "hands" of an extremely experienced French dressmaker/couturier, living in New York, who is just overflowing with creativity and ideas. She is as talented as anyone can possibly be, and working with her is like being paid to take one of the best classes I have ever taken. And what I am learning is not what one learns in design school... it is about the art of the craft, the philosophy of fashion, the amazing turn a dress can take when you turn a "V" shaped neckline into one that is squared off at the bottom. The best part of all, is that I am in the right place in my life, professionally, and personally, to appreciate and absorb what she has to say. While her clientele and friends are and have been names we all know, she is as personable, sweet, and grounded as any person can be.

Oh, Zelda. I didn't know her personally, but this fashion-forward nonagenerian inspired so many, and will truly be missed.

noreply@blogger.com (mimi jackson) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:13:00 +0000

The things we make have one supreme quality; they live longer than us. We perish, they survive. We have one life, they have many lives. And in each life, they can mean different things - which means that while we all have one biography, they have many.
-Niel MacGregor, Director of the British Museum

I take fabric, cut it, shape it to fit an individual human being, sew it, tweak it, finish it, and send it on its way. I gave birth to it, and then it travels on to be with its owner. I love being involved in the process. The above quote sums it all up so well. Some people make things because we simply must. I can't control this desire to create. I have long quiet periods of deep thought, but they are vital to the process. I must have spent a full hour in silence this morning, imagining twists and folds and calculations... Let's see what today's work yields...