The Organized Fashion Designer

I'm pleased to announce that my book, The Organized Fashion Designer, is now available for purchase. This book is a collection of guides and forms that I have developed and used while working in the fashion industry. Every fashion or sewn product business exists in some state of chaos. Out of desperation, I began to create various forms and organizing systems to keep track of all of the information needed to manufacture products. This led to simple tech packs that could be pulled together in an instant. I kept track of information using expensive database management software and simple paper and pencil forms. I have even used these forms with personal projects to keep my design space organized. Now I'm sharing these forms with new designers and home hobbyists in the hope that chaos can be organized.

The book includes blank forms and how to:

• Create a simple tech pack
• Develop grade rules
• Track every major step of your product development
• figure out how much your product costs to produce
• List sewing instructions
• Create a style number system
• Helpful industry resources

And more!

The book is available in three formats.

Spiral Bound

Saddle stitch (stapled pamphlet style)


eBook (PDF)

8.5" x 11" book
54 pages

or from Amazon.




5 star reviews on Etsy:

Thank you so much! Really helpful guide for designers - Linda

Love the ebook! Can't wait to get organized :) - Diane

Thank you!! This book is a great relief. It makes the paperwork look doable and dare I say appealing. - Trapper Jane

Thank you! Great resource! - Jess S

You can purchase the eBook or bundled selections from the book on Etsy.

The Tutu Series : design details

I will be doing a series of tutu construction posts. This post is primarily some background and what I have been doing up to date.

A few years ago, I took a tutu making workshop from the ballet costumer at the local university. I met her during the years I taught costume design for the theatre department. I actually encouraged her to teach the class because I really wanted to learn. I had done some study and taken a short poster seminar at USITT but really wanted a hands-on experience. In the workshop, each student made a complete tutu. I made a black one which I learned is not the easiest color for a first timer, but of course I learned a lot from the experience. Following this, I studied up more on tutu construction. There are many ways to make a tutu, it is just finding what works for you. I bought some books and did some more studying. I made a romantic tutu for a neighbor's daughter and then two for my own daughters' halloween costumes.

About a year ago, I was able to go back to the university and help teach two more workshops. I also started on a white tutu. Well, I finally just finished it. It was one of those projects that had no deadline and took the back burner on many occasions.

Giselle for YAGP Feb 2012

The Giselle tutu is a 4 layer tulle skirt on a self net inner basque. The bodice is a 12 piece long line made from cotton/rayon bengaline and flatlined with coutille. For closures, I used hook and eye tape dyed to match fashion fabric. I used the tape instead of individual hooks and eyes for construction time reasons and since she was not partnering in this costume knew that this would be ok. I did a double row of eyes for future adjustment since she was 13 or 14 years old. The director was pleased with the costume but at final dress rehearsal requested the sleeves to be off the shoulders.

Halloween 2012

I made these Halloween costumes from an old Simplicity pattern but constructed them using traditional tutu methods.

White Tutu 

Double hand pleating of top two layers

Scalloped edges and hand tacking

Decorated top plate pinned on

Close-up of hand beading

Finished tutu

Knitting: Myrtle Cardigan pt. 2

This is my progress so far - 2 repeats done. I did the first repeat about 5 times. Now that I'm further along it is much easier to read the lace and catch mistakes quicker.

A few notes on the pattern.

1. Row 1 of the charts is read left-to-right, which is opposite of normal chart reading. Because of this, I follow the written out instruction for charts A and B.

2. The "map" for the size I'm knitting up is read right-to-left on the knit rows and left-to-right on purl rows. This is one of the things that caused me to rip out and redo that first repeat.

3. After completing a section (the stitches between markers) I stop and count the stitches. After ripping out and re-doing that first repeat so many times, I learned that counting after each section saves a lot of ripping.

I Love Knits! : A guide to buying knit fabrics online

If you were to walk into my sewing studio, you will notice two things. One, I must have kids because it looks like a 2 year old has been in the vicinity and secondly, I have a large stash of knit fabric. I love knits. It is the main fabric of choice I have been buying lately. Back in 2009, I started making clothes for my first daughter and was introduced to Ottobre sewing magazines in my quest to find good children's sewing patterns. (Some other patterns I have used are Studio Tantrum and Roos - out of print). Many of the patterns in Ottobre are for knits.

When I first started working with knits, it was rather difficult to find cute knit fabric but now with the increase in demand many online vendors carry a variety of knits, which makes shopping much more enjoyable. (see my list at the end for some of my favorites).

I have learned several things along the way when working with knits:

Quality is worth the wait, research, and/or price. 

I seldom find good knits locally but do get lucky on occasion. Most of my purchases are online and some vendors send swatches for free. Price is not always a factor. I few years ago, a pattern/fabric designer launched a knit line and charged a pretty penny for it. I felt at the time it was more than I would spend especially since I didn't know what the quality was like. The prints were cute and a number of people I know bought them. Well, it had a horrible shrink factor of 10-12%. I believe this problem has been corrected by the manufacturer since I have noticed the online vendors no longer state the shrinkage rate.  I have bought cheap and still do but there is the risk of the fabric becoming piley and looking worn out quicker.

Analyze stretch. 

Stretch will impact the fit and choice of pattern. I will ask myself how much stretch does the fabric have and does it go back to the original shape and size afterwards. To find out stretch percentage, mark off 4 inches across (in the direction of the greatest stretch), then against a ruler hold down one side at the 0" mark while pulling until the fabric starts to resist, note how far it stretched. Let's say it stretched to 6", making it 2" longer. Now comes the math part (X/Y) x 100 = percentage of stretch. X = the number of inches stretched, here it is 2". Y = the base inches used, 4". 2 divide by 4 times 100 = 50%. If the fabric goes back to the original size/shape, great. If not I will make sure to use that fabric with a style that doesn't need retention, nothing close fitting.

Pick appropriate pattern for fabric

Pick an appropriate pattern for your fabric or know how to adjust to make it work. Last year, I made a dance costume which had a leotard under-structure. The leotard was made from a 4-way stretch miliskin and the attached over dress was made from a 2 way stretch metallic. The pattern for the overdress was based off of the leotard but had to be adjusted in both width and length. I highly recommend reading www.patternschool.com blog authored by Stuart Anderson, a stretch-wear pattern maker. He teaches the mechanics of stretch, fit and pattern making. And quite frankly, the best information I have found on working with knits.

Create your own design

Pointelle rib knit

Besides making knitwear for my girls, I have been making t-shirts for myself. Lately, I am liking the looser blousier styles especially since I need to lose 20 lbs. of baby weight. My most recent shirt I made used a ribbed pointelle knit I found in the remnant section of the local chain fabric store. It was just under a yard and I probably paid less than $2.

Playing with the idea of a boatneck, batwing sleeve, and belt.

The fabric is very soft and drapey. I looked through all my patterns and just couldn't find one I liked so I draped it and used an old shirt of mine as a pattern for the neckline. I used the actual fabric to drape in so, when it came time to take it off the mannequin I thread marked the seam allowances instead of using a marking pen.

Since I didn't make a true mock-up, I checked the pattern in fabric. I doubled checked the shoulder length and side seams. I also did a quick and dirty fitting on myself to make sure the neck line laid properly. I have small shoulders and small back width from armscye to armscye. 

Stay tape on the back shoulder seam.

I stabilized the shoulder line which is needed in knits because this is one area that can stretch out of shape. Instead of buying stay tape, I make my own using either lightweight fusible woven or fusible tricot/knit interfacing, cut at 3/8" wide. If using the knit fusible, I cut the length in the direction of least amount of stretch.








I usually sew my seams with a narrow zigzag and then serge together the edges to finish it. I got used to doing it this way because my serger is an industrial 5 stitch machine and has to be threaded in a three thread configuration for knits. So, I sew the seam first on the regular machine for strength and durability. My regular machine does have a stretch stitch but I don't care for it. It is hard to unpick if I make a mistake, so narrow zig zag it is. I have recently acquired a domestic four thread serger which I could use to seam and finish all at once, but I have it set up for roll hems and too lazy to change it back.

Hemming knits

For hemming, I use a twin needle for stretch on a standard sewing machine. I don't own a coverstitch machine and have felt the expense not necessary for the amount of knit sewing I do. That being said, the twin needle works really well for t-shirts and clothing that don't need 100% stretch to function (100% stretch as required by swim wear and some athletic wear or dance wear). Twin needle hems will pop if the hem is over stretched. I have only had to fix a few hems from this happening. Sometimes for more stretch, I will use the triple zigzag, lightening or serpentine stitch (same stitch I just have heard it called all these names). Hemming (as well as bindings used for necklines or sleeves, will post about this later) is one area of sewing with knits that may need to have a sample sewn first before preceding with the actual garment. Below is a picture of a hem done with a twin needle. The fabric stretched out on me. There are some different methods of approach to fix this.

Before pressing

1. Hem using a coverstitch machine, though it can still stretch out.
2. Use the serpentine stitch to hem
3. Stabilize the fabric by placing a tear away stabilizer between the feed dogs and fabric.
4. Starch, lots of it. (just don't stretch the fabric while applying)
5. The lazy method, press with lots of steam and see what happens after hem is in place. (This works if the wonkiness is minimal and is what I used for this shirt).
6. Often times, a combination of any of the above.

After pressing

Neckline using same twin needle.

Me in the finished shirt (sorry for the composition my 3.5 year old took the photo)

Oh and lastly, I love working with knits because sewing projects work up really fast. T-shirts typically have 4-6 seams, not counting hems and the fabric is very forgiving.

Some online vendors I have bought knits from or just like to drool over:

Fabric.com
Print Knits Studio
Chez Ami
Girl Charlee
Gorgeous Fabric
Emma One Sock
Spandex World
Stretch House

Knitting: Myrtle cardigan pt. 1

I started a new ambitious project. The Myrtle cardigan has fairly good reviews on Ravelry, but underneath all that are subtle negatives. Some Ravelers have been downright vicious. I did fall in love with the all over lace pattern and I'm a sucker for a pretty cardigan. Even so, I was a bit nervous to start this.

One of the negatives on the pattern is the charts. The charts are not done correctly. Despite that, I can see how and why the pattern designer arranged the pattern as she did and there is a bit of genius behind it. In order to accommodate more than one size the pattern has to be changed for each size. So she created a roadmap of sorts with various charts for each size. It does work out well, but it's confusing at first. In fact, I spent a lot of time swatching and studying the pattern instructions. And then I read through the notes of other Ravelers to see what they did to make it easier. One simple help was to cut out the map for the size I am knitting and tape it to the chart pages so I wouldn't have to flip back and forth between so many pages. I'm using lots of markers and life lines.

Anyway, this is being knit in Knit Picks Stroll in Sapphire Heather on US 6.

I'm well into the first repeat and so far it is going pretty well. Fingers crossed as I progress.