stitchinatrix

Interview=intro-view

2010-11-16T15:53:00.002-05:00

I have been unemployed for a while now, surfing the net and networking furiously to find myself a job. I have been plagued with doubt about my "hire-ability" and my self-esteem has been somewhere between the belly of a slug and the ground it oozes around on. So, after months of hard work trying to impress people with my resume submittals or "me on paper" I am faced with finally getting some face-time with a prospective employer. What should I wear to a big interview for the best possible first impression?

First of all, I have hired (and fired) many people in my day. That equates to me having sat through exponentially more interviews than I care to remember. I do not recall any single person that I have hired wearing anything of note. I am now looking deep into my fashionable soul and trying to decide what I should wear when I sit on the other side of that desk tomorrow. Experts say the following:
Women should wear a conventional suit or coordinating jacket and knee-length skirt. Dark colours suggest authority but bright can work with care.
Wear tights.
Don't wear lots of frills, trousers unless smart, low cut tops, or lots of make-up, perfume or jewellery.
Make sure your hair is neat and tidy.
Very high heels are not wise - it's important to feel comfortable in what you are wearing.
( I know they are experts, because they are obviously British)

I think I will do a classic silhouette of a black jacket, blue blouse, black pencil skirt and dark tights with mid-height heels. And you know what? I think I will raise my self esteem a bit and add a fun piece of non-intimidating jewelry!

that darn mending

2010-09-29T19:19:00.003-04:00

When I was rooting through my closet the other day to find a jacket I had packed away last spring, I came upon a bag of "needs mending" clothes. Admittedly, I am a person who used to either donate clothes in need of mending to charity or simply toss them (especially in the case of socks). Even though I sew and was taught at an early age not to waste anything, I still had a habit of buying new socks or a new shirt if mending needed to take place. In the past, I have mended for friends and family members, but never even considered doing the same for myself. I think that I psychologically fell into a gray-area with my own clothing where I considered it "work" to mend something of my own, but I considered it "helpful" to mend for other people. I'm a little angry at myself for adopting this attitude. Although some might say a needy person would have benefitted from my donating the bag of clothes, I argue that they would have had to repair the garments themselves or wear worn/torn clothes!

I sorted through the bag and found three pairs of warm socks with holes in the heels, a blouse with a tiny worn spot on the side seam, a sweater with a hole on the hem, and a skirt with a fallen hem. I decided to save money and mend these myself. After all, my sewing room is stocked with mending tools; needles, threads, zipper replacement parts and all manner of darning tools. I also found that my newest sewing machine also has a "mending" stitch (it's one of the stretch stitches that works perfectly to mend knits)! Within minutes I was stitching and fixing my own sweater and socks. It really was easy with the right tools.

I repaired the socks and sweater with the mending stitch on the sewing machine. I repaired the blouse with a straight stitch on the worn seam. I hand sewed the fallen hem of my skirt (a blind hem) and I believe I saved myself about $50 in the process. Everything looks as good as new. It didn't seem like work at all while I was mending and darning. I was helpful to myself and it felt really good!

You can teach yourself to mend or ask me about sewing lessons :)
http://diyfashion.about.com/od/mendingandalterations/ss/MendSeam.htm

Body Conscious?

2010-06-15T11:34:00.003-04:00

I watch a lot of fashion-theme TV shows where experts tell women about what to wear, what not, and why. I like that good information is being passed, but I wonder how much of it is really being heeded. When I look around my local area, what I see most is a dedication to 'comfort' and a 'throw it on/out the door' attitude. And I see a lot of Muffin Tops!! I have fallen into these traps myself and I realize that comfort for busy people is a key element to how they choose to dress. I say choose to dress because it is definitely a choice. While I was struggling to lose weight, a meeting leader at Weight Watchers once told our group to not wear any elastic waist pants when trying to reduce your waistline. Aside from that being good all-around weight loss advice (elastic waist pants are almost a free-pass to overeat) it was also sound fashion advice for everyone. Every day you get an opportunity to clothe your body in whatever you have available. Why not skip the elastic waists and reach for something that has structure and fits you well? I recently browsed the racks at a local Macy's and found several lightweight cotton trouser front pairs of shorts (appropriate length for my height and age) on sale for $19. I invested $40 and bought two pair. They were on a rack next to some lightweight cotton knit elastic waist capri pants. I tried on a pair of those too, and I will honestly tell you that not only did I look better in the structured lightweight cotton shorts, but I felt better too. My posture was better, I wasn't tugging at my shirt to cover the 'comfort' line (muffin top) of the elastic waist. I was also pleased to see that the more structured shorts gave me a slimmer look (no muffin top). I think that as we choose what we cover our assets with, we should remember that comfort is not always about 'throwing something on'. It is more about a way of feeling good about oneself and easing your way through the day without compromising that confidence.

Fast Fashion Fixes

2010-06-14T14:38:00.003-04:00

Recently a friend called me desperate to get help with a stubborn zipper. She was on her way out to a function, and the zipper on her skirt would not glide past a certain point due to a misshapen tooth. I quickly told her what she could do in a pinch to fix the issue. The solution worked and she thanked me gratefully. It got me thinking that I would like to share some of the best quick fashion fixes I have learned and used while constructing and tailoring garments over the past 10 years. Most of these were acquired by working in the sewing room of several bridal shops, so I don't claim that I have come up with them on my own!

For zipper issues:
-if your zipper won't zip past a certain point (and the garment fits you properly) try running a dry bar of soap over the trouble spot all the way to the stopper (This pushes the teeth back into place while cleanly 'waxing' the coils/teeth for smooth operation)
- if you lost your zipper pull a safety pin, small twist tie or paper clip can get you through the day until you can have the pull replaced
-if your zipper splits you can remove your garment, lay it on a flat surface and press the zipper back together with a pencil eraser. Then run a dry bar of soap over the coils/teeth for smooth operation
-if your zipper is metal and gets stuck, instead of dry bar of soap, use a small directly applied spray of non-stick cooking spray on the teeth (be sure to spray a small amount, keep a towel handy and only spray the teeth!)

For button issues
-If you notice that you have a loose button, before you head out to work glop a tiny drop of clear nail-polish onto the top of the button (over the holes) which will keep the thread attached to the button until you have time to get it re-attached properly (hot glue also works for this). Let it dry thoroughly before you touch it again
-if your blouse gapes at the bust-point use two medium sized safety pins next to (one above and one below) the struggling button to hold the blouse closed until you can get your buttons moved or get a better fitting bra!
-If the button on your pants falls off during the day grab a twist tie (the paper-coated metal type from lunch bags) and peel the paper off. Thread the twist tie through the buttonholes, then through your garment. secure by twisting and knotting the tie ends on the inside waste band of your pants.

For makeup, deodorant or toothpaste stains
-on white natural fabrics (cotton, silk, etc) you can use ivory soap (a dry bar of it) or any pure white soap with no oils added to remove just about any satin (including blood!). Dry rub the stain with the soap and wipe in tiny circles with a slightly dampened white cloth to remove stain.
-if you spill powder makeup on your suit or dress, try patting the spots with a damp towel (not a paper towel) or rubbing the spot with a similar fabric (the inside of your suit, perhaps?) until the powder is removed
-for deodorant never try to remove it with water. Use a dry towel or cloth, rubbing in small circles until deodorant is removed
-toothpaste sometimes stubbornly re-appears even after you've washed it away with a damp cloth. A bristly brush will remove dried toothpaste from most fabrics

Another tip is to keep a baggie with a dryer sheet in it, and some baby wipes handy, since they work well on lint removal and makeup stains respectively.

Talking Corsets

2009-12-07T11:08:00.006-05:00

...No, not corsets that speak (literally) but corsets that speak to me artistically! When I was thirteen a friend of mine offered to loan me a (dog-eared) copy of 'Gone With The Wind'. When I read about Scarlett O'Hara's 17 inch waist, and all the pomp and circumstance it took to get her dressed (chemise, pantalets, crinolines, corsets, bustle cages, etc) I was enthralled. I had never seen or comprehended what women went through in previous eras to get a "whittled" waist and the perfect (if not unnatural) hourglass figure. It started me on a quest to learn about traditional construction techniques for corsets and waist cinchers. It turns out that historically, corsets were made of layered fabrics (silk, leather, coutil and heavy cottons) lined with whalebone, ivory or steel stays. Of Course whalebone and ivory are out of the question for me as materials these days.
In the modern era, weakling corsets made with stretch fabrics and flimsy plastic "bones" are available at every "Hot Topic" and in mail order catalogs. When I see these poorly constructed facsimiles, I get a little chill in my bones (not that I have never purchased a pre-made corset of poor quality). After wearing one of these synthetic creations, I decided that for my wedding I would make my own historically accurate Victorian era corset. I found several resources online where one could purchase amazing natural coutil fabric, spiral steel boning, extra strong cotton cording for tie-lacing, and virtually unbendable steel hook closures. I made my corset out of ivory close-weave silk with hand-dyed red silk lining. I even purchased historically accurate thread for the project! I also found that there is a whole community of corsetieres that exist happily making corsets for the hourglass inclined figure (for both men and women) or for the corset curious set. The sites give tutorials on how to corset train your body for achieving a permanent whittled waist, corsets throughout the ages and funny quips about corsetry.
I know that in the past, corsets were used as a sort of control garment (in more ways than just cinching waists) for women. There are studies that show that women who died in childbirth during heavily corseted eras may have done so due to the extreme re-alignment by corsets of their internal organs. There are also things to be said about what it means to be so enslaved to an unnatural standard of beauty that one would contort one's body to please the fashion of the era. After wearing corsets for myself, I can tell you this: wearing corsets provides support which modern undergarments have not been able to do. My usually aching back was suddenly invigorated. On the down-side at my wedding reception, I developed a welt on my hip where the corset had folded in on itself after 12 hours (due to a quick bathroom trip early in the day where I did not check the corset's placement properly). I also have felt more evenly supported in a corset than in any modern control-top whatevers or gut squeezing Spanx-type of apparatus beneath my clothes!
Whether you agree with the constriction both literal and ethical that corsets provide(d), there is no doubt that corsets are and were works of art. Museums have dedicated exhibits to the corset, and designers continue to incorporate them into modern couture. If you are interested in finding out more about corsets, check out the link, or message me.
The link: http://corsetiere.net/

so-and-so sews

2009-12-04T14:47:00.000-05:00

When I am at a party, networking event or any gathering, inevitably people will ask what I do for a living. When I respond that I am a dressmaker/designer, people are usually surprised. I do not look like a quilting granny or a stereotypical dress designer, so people start asking questions. They usually ask where and how I learned to sew. They also usually reminisce about a time when they either had something made for them, or tell me about a person in their life that sews. The conversation is usually pleasant and comforting. I love to hear about other people's sewing experiences or learn about people that sew in any form. When I tell whomever I am speaking with that I also give sewing lessons, their eyes usually light up with interest.

My sewing classes are getting more and more popular with kids these days. I took some time recently to investigate why. It turns out that anything your parents don't do is cool with "the kids" (surprise, surprise!). It also turns out that most parents have not got the time or learned experience to teach their kids how to sew. In fact, most parents come to me and say "I can't even sew a button on!" or "I can't even thread a needle!". I was intrigued by the multitudes of parents and peers that came to me with stories of embarrassing tries at sewing, and botched hems, etc. They would shyly look down admitting the defeat of "bringing the garment to the cleaners" for alterations (and paying through the nose for it!!). They marvel at the idea that I can sew at all, let alone sew a variety of items from hand beading and kids toys to couture evening gowns. I have taken my skills for granted!

I learned how to sew from my grandmother (hand stitching), and from a 6th grade sewing class, which remains one of my favorite teacher/student memories. I asked some of my peers if they took Home Ec in school, and subsequently if sewing was even taught in their Home Ec courses. Most people my age (graduating HS in the 1990s) said they indeed took Home Ec in middle school, however 75% of them told me that sewing was not part of the curriculum. This surprised me. I must have grown up in a town where Home Ec was not limited to cooking and laundry. I also got the impression that most of the women in my peer group thought that sewing was somehow not "feminist", placing women behind the sewing machine instead of out in the workforce (i.e. Corporate America) and that it would somehow ruin their "Fem-Cred" (I use this term when two or more of my feminist friends are gathered, one-upping each other with their feminist ideology!). I have always considered myself a feminist and never felt that sewing a button on a jacket or repairing a hole in my jeans would deem me unfit for my "We can do it!" compatriots. In fact, I feel it is the very essence of feminism! However, I can see where there might have been a label (sewn) on people who stitched in the past. It was certainly not common among my childhood friends to sew, but some of their mothers were great sewers. I think the generation gap between my peers and their parents was evident; "mom sews, so sewing is NOT cool". Now, of course, the children of my peers are in the opposite boat; "mom doesn't sew, so sewing IS cool!".

Whenever I meet another sewer, I get excited to "talk shop" with them (much like a musician or artist would do) and find out where and how they learned to stitch, what kind of machine(s) they use, and where they get fabrics and supplies. I like that I may be the "where and how" for the kids I teach, and that someday when they are at a party, they might mention me or my classes as a part of their sewing history. Do you know anyone who sews?