Side notes: Shoemaking - More action... less talk

I am posting less often.  With fewer words.  Doing the work, instead of spending so much time talking about it. I'm entering a different season of my work life.  It continues to unfold.

So, here's today's point. We don't have to rely on factories.  Of course you can choose to rely on factory made anything, from your clothes to your dinner... or... you can choose NOT to. Your choice.  Roam wherever your creativity takes you.  

After experimenting, I have found that the best shoe glue for my purposes comes from Home Depot, which is a very short and convenient drive for me. Yay!

More and more these days, I'm seeing that supplies are both findable and affordable, if you know (or get creative, and think out of the box a bit) where to look.


Below, find a weird list of links and things that have nourished my creative brain on my shoemaking journey thus far...





For inspiration, take a look at these websites:

https://makeworkshop.com/collections/shoemaking

http://brooklynshoesupply.com/components/

Other tips (based on my own experience):

Consider the heel and sole carefully - they do the work when walking.

Consider the technique - stitching has to be done properly to stay strong and to do it's job!

Consider safety and closures.  After all, there is nothing more vain than fashion-related injuries.

Enjoy the journey, if you're on it!  If not, decorate a pair you already own!  If not, love the ones you've got, and don't concern yourself with my weird obsession!

How long did it take you to make that dress?

Reposting (March 27, 2017)

A day.  

Shrug... 

Really?

Well, 

sorta...

Fell in love with this silk from NY Elegant in 2012...

But... add all components together, and it took just about all my adult life so far...

Blogging has let me keep track of so many tiny details over the years, that I can now share them with you, and marvel at/share the ACTUAL timeline, which is kinda crazy.

I loved this pattern, and grabbed a copy when I was a Butterick/Vogue employee in 1999. Always wanted to, but never made it for myself.  Worries that it was costumey, and maybe a bit too youthful for my age. Nowadays, you can still purchase it online, if so inclined. It was the inspiration for the very similar dress I made... (with quite a few changes)

These fabrics above were purchased (and some of the silvery-grey 4 ply silk was wasted.. until now!) for the creation of a client's Waterfall Dress (2013)

The jacket, hanging off the shoulder, to give an idea of the translucency...

A fabric I was so excited about when I bought it, I made it a little video! (October 2010)

This is a killer silk from Rosen & Chadick that has lingered in my stash, too pretty to cut, for years.  People really loved the kimono-inspired jacket-thing I made with it to wear with the dress.

The waist of the dress...

I made my dress close with a wide strip of the organza I used to make the jacket.

Silver/grey silk peeks out as front skirt inner layer. (this pic taken during dress construction - before finishing edges)

So now that I have danced and celebrated at my dear friend's wedding in it, I've taken some pictures of the (already partied in, above) dress on the floor and form before posting this!

I like that this dress has no closures, has a shape that is great for dancing/twirling, and is fairly simple in design.  The pattern is actually designed for cottons, but my choices were silk, which required some changes in finishing techniques and handling.  I naturally subscribe to an anatomical design/construction method, so my own patterns never have straight lines in any of the fitting elements (dart, seams that need to conform to the body's contours). I had to change that.  My version of this dress has only one closure point, which is at the waist, so I needed my under layer to encircle the body at the hips for modesty. This, I just did with a wide/strip band of fabric that is at hip/rear end level.

How long will it take you to make your next project?  Who knows? 

Well, you can always look at it this way... you may not realize it, but you've already begun!

For the social activists among you... Food for thought.

This is a TED talk given some time ago (2014), by a woman I admire (who also happens to be a personal friend). It is great food for thought.




Has anything changed since then?  If so, how?

It's all feelin' so sales-y...

I've been lookin' at the blogs lately, and I just can't relate.  Who is all of this for, if not ourselves and the people we love, right?

Right now, I just crave the real.  I'm knee deep in some projects, and will continue to doggie paddle my way to completion.

I'm making some things that mean a lot to me, and to some truly beloved clients, and that's what will continue to matter right now.

Taking a breather, taking a minute, will show pics, but might not say too much... we'll see!

You know me... I'll definitely say somethin'... eventually.

All action, no talk...

Last steps - professional shoe guy will adhere topsole/insole to heel, I will finish black edges (join), and gold cushion piece for elastic at back heel.

I'll answer your questions, if you have any...

Longing for some garment district history?

Found a great link on the garmentdistrict.nyc website.  Click here to read all about it!

www.shopthegarmentdistrict.com

Reposting...

Announcement:

Please update your records to access this blog via www.shopthegarmentdistrict.blogspot.com 

The old domain name was tangled in a tech problem we can't resolve, so I'll just be using this new domain name from now on.

As always, stay tuned for all relevant garment district fabulousness!