Lemon Tulip Lingerie Pattern Completed ! What To Do Next...

Here it is,  my pattern is all done,  anotations,  pattern markings, seams and print ready layout:

Now before I did the layout of the blocks I looked for a print shop that could make me a print out of the finished pattern.   I settled on Staples,  you got to love that place,  however,  unlike the Staples printing services that offer affordable printing for custom oversized print outs,  Canadian Staples only offer print jobs that fit into poster sized layouts.   This being 24 by 36 inches and 22 by 79 inches.   Not bad but I would have liked having the US oversized Staples options available.  Oh well,  this will be good too.

I decided to make the front blocks pink and the back blocks green just so it would look pretty on my blog,  but if I was sending this out to a client,  I think I'd better stick with black.  It's more professional,  unless of course they like the color idea.

Now I have to find out how much it's going to cost to get this printed out for the prototype garment.  If it's a bit too pricey for me right now,  I guess I'll 'cut' the layout up in Adobe Photoshop and print the little letter size portions out on my HP and tape it all together.   I'll only do that though if I get too impatient and someone isn't ready to send any work my way in the coming week.   

This is so neat to be sewing up my own pattern.   I know that it's going to be a big learning/thrill experience that will help me gain some terrific insight into patternmaking.   However,  I've got my worries too,  such as

1.  how relaxed and puffy will the gathers in the skirt and tulip sleeves look?  I want it to look really floral,  not tired

2.  will the darts in the bodice allow the bodice to sit nicely on the bust area?

3.  how will the wide,  deep neckline sit on the shoulders and neck?  (I took care of the gaposis issue following Connie's advice in her book "Patternmaking Made Easy" but you never know right with one this large,  I'll learn through this experience)

4. how will the hem facing affect the hang and 'puff' of the tulip skirt?  I hope it won't be too heavy

5. how will the bias cut effect the hang and puff of the tulip sleeves?  Again,  I want them to look floral not droopy, at the same time though I didn't want to give it a normal hem and stitchy up the edge of these "flowers" so I took up Roberta Carr's suggestion in her book "Couture: The Art Of Fine Sewing"

6. I cut the side seams of the bodice band at an angle matching the angle of the bodice side seams and I'm wondering if it'll allow the bodice to sit right and look okay while gently anchoring the garment just below the bustline?

So I'm apprehensive,  excited and even a little scared,  but my curiosity of course has got the better of me which is a good thing.

Soon as I have the esemble complete I'll post it here on my blog,  but that may be awhile so the next several posts will mostly likely cover patternmaking issues/discoveries I make through working with my clients and so on.

If you'd like to read more about fashion, information on the industry and online schools check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

If you're a designer or home sewer and you'd like to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:
The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page



New Clients And How To Plan Out Your Digital Patternmaking Process

People are still contacting me about my patternmaking services even though I haven't refreshed my add since the first time I posted it.   I do wish communication with people who contact me was consistent.   Things happen though,  one lady has had an unexpected tragedy in her family,  this is usually a time consuming disaster in anyone's life,  however,  I think some people just starting out can get easily side tracked,  like one fella I was talking to,  that reminds me,  I should email him again see what happened to him.  

Never be afraid or put off emailing people,  it's how to stay in touch.   Don't always assume that people have changed their mind about you,  it's just that there's so many things to do in work and life that if your services aren't needed "right now" than you may not hear from them in a while.  However,  this can put you at risk of being forgotten or shied away from.   People will be like,  "Gee, maybe she's forgotten about me and maybe I better contact someone else because she's probably gotten real busy,  it's not like she's contacted me recently"  You know what I mean?

So contact your contacts, hehehe,  it won't hurt and they won't bite.   I'm going to contact that guy right now... be right back.

Done.   And they got back to me already too,  so cool,  you got to love clients who are that fast :)  .   So here it is,  the fella I was talking about is just taking care of all the necessary prep work, he's got 3 shows coming up all in one month and one of my lady clients is going to send me a payment for some work I've done already.

Now for the Digital Patternmaking Process:  

As I've done this several times already,  I've worked out a step by step system for setting up and completing a digital pattern in the most efficient and time effective way,  here it is:

1.  pick out your sloper in the right size and type

2.  don't get rid of anything in your pattern vector doc,  you may need it for reference,  alterations or even another pattern so keep everything and copy everything too

3.  copy your sloper into the new garment pattern file making sure that front and back side seams have been aligned perfectly then separate a copy of them on a separate page (within the same vector file) but keep them on the same level (waist and bust lines are aligned across the page)  this will help you keep your pattern drafting in correct orientation.

4.  do your garment shells first

5.  have a copy of all the necessary pattern markings you'll need ready on the outside of your pattern's vector page

6.  group front and back pattern blocks then place them one on t0p the other with side seams matching

7.  true up your pattern blocks and place your pattern markings

8.  plan out your facings/interfacings

9.  mark them accordingly

10. create your seams,  plackets and hems

11.  make as many copies of these front and back sandwiched blocks as other pattern pieces you'll be needing,  for example if you need armscye,  front and back facings,  make a copy of the block 'sandwich' for each separate piece

12.  ungroup the pattern block sandwiches and delete each unnecessary piece till you have each pattern piece you need from each group of front and back pattern block 'sandwiches'

13.  group each new piece with their own separate pattern markings

14.  arrange in order on the page,  save again (do this often,  make it almost like breathing)

15.  export a copy as a jpeg and send it to your client and another one to yourself preferably in gmail should anything happen to your computer you'll still have your work in an email account that won't get rid of it

In my next blog post I hope to have a few pictures of my "lemon tulip lingerie" number as I'm almost done with the pattern.  Just have to do those pretty little tulip sleeves.   Slow going only because I've also been working on my clients projects.   I'll have it completed before long though,  no worries.


If you'd like to check out my fashion or eco friendly fashion resources lenses here are their links, feel free to drop me a note if you like what you see/read, I'll be happy to hear from you:

Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page