Ode to Sewing

Courtesy of Crafty Chica’s Guide to Artful Sewing.  Every little bit helps!!!  I sang this with Beyonce’s If I were a Boy.  Yes, I know I’m a dork, but if you had the day that I did yesterday, you would appreciate this bit of silliness.  By the way, a very special thank you to my husband for wiping away my tears and drippy nose.

Oh great craft maker in the sky

Please, oh please!

Surround my workspace with good vibes, patience and creativity.

Guard these delicate fingertips from pinpricks and savage snips,

Whether by thimbles of steel or old-school divine intervention.

I don’t care, I just need hardcore protection!

Structured or freeform,

Let my needle sew straight and sturdy for stitches big and small.

And allow my scissors to fly through fabric upon my call.

Sure, I can handle ripping a seam, or even losing my pincushion.

But you know where I really need the lucky charms?

Bobbins, patterns and tension!

Silk, cotton, plastic, oilcloth.

Scarves, purses, journals, jackets.

I’m smart, savvy-and soon I’ll be a superstar stitcher.

Just keep it cool and I’ll follow through!

This will help me get through the days until the upcoming launch and prevent me from throttling my stubborn sewing machine against the stone wall (yes, the very same one that I used for my shipping experiment).  I just need to stay focused and keep up the positive juju…and sing every other hour!

Since everyone has been very patient (and kind for listening to me vent) you deserve a little glance at our final products. 

Sneak peek of The Diva, The Student and The Shoe Addict

One of Them Days

YESTERDAY:

I was SO excited! I even woke up before my alarm went off. It was a Monday, the first day to start sewing our actual products. To mark the day, I got all dressed up and did my hair and makeup.  “Look good, feel good” is my mantra. (It really does work!) And the whole time I’m dancing to Beyonce and Mariah Carey tunes to keep my energy flowing. I was convinced it was going to be a good day, the butterflies in my tummy made me believe it would be. I had a yummy breakfast . . . and that’s where the goodness ended. The rest of the day was filled with one frustration after another. I was repairing something, hunting something down or discovering I had done something wrong. Seriously, that’s what it was like and I was about to have a melt down.  I didn’t feel productive at all. I won’t go into details or else you’ll really think I’m a crybaby or make you wonder why I’m making handbags at all. The latter went through my mind for just a whisper of a moment, but I immediately squashed that thought. It wasn’t healthy thinking and I AM NOT A QUITTER!!! Though at 10:30 in the evening, with my fifth attempt at something, I decided to call it a day. Thank goodness there is a tomorrow. Moral of the story: Give it your best, but know when to rest.

TODAY:

. . . is another day and an opportunity to keep building our empire. I’m still optimistic.

Quote from Crafty Chica’s Guide to Artful Sewing:

“There are three little words that I love to say.  I use them when a friend points at something new that I am holding or wearing.  I smile, my chin juts out just a couple of milli-leters, my chest puffs the tiniest bit, my answer has just a trace of pride, and I say my favorite three words . . .”I made it.”  -Amy from Sydney, Australia

I know exactly how she feels.  That is what keeps me going.  That and the fact that I have an amazing business partner (she's only a call, text, chat, vchat, email or FB away and is ALWAYS there!) to encourage me every step of the way.  Having a Partner In Crime makes everything worthwhile.  We knew it wouldn’t be easy setting up shop for Sherryl and Shar, but thank goodness we have each other to lean on.  

Laboratory Testing

In S&S’s effort to guarantee that you will receive an undamaged product, I have conducted a test, simulating the journey a package would encounter during shipment from my doorstep to yours.

I know that the mailman probably wouldn’t do the things I did to the box (I know mine wouldn’t).  However, there is a possibility of him having an off day and grabbing any unsuspecting package (maybe yours!) and taking his aggressions out on it.  How many of you have thrown around a few things in the midst of an all out fury?  I know you don’t want to admit it, but burning off that extra bit of energy feels good doesn’t it?  Let me tell you, I can have a mean pillow fight all by myself.  Granted, I only pound the bed, but it still does the trick.  Anyway, I’ve said too much already.  So, lucky for you, S&S is taking this precaution to ensure a pristine handbag.  I opened the shipping box after my experiment and rest assured that the contents were as I had packed them.  Unfortunately, I can’t show proof.  Just trust me.  We’re saving you the pleasure for when you unwrap one of your very own.

I’m also testing these biodegradable peanuts.  Not sure if we’ll end up using them, but I was curious to see if they really do dissolve in water.  Another green attempt on our part! 

Like magic, it turns into foam!  

I was amazed so I did it a couple of more times to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. I know, the littlest things can entertain me!  Let’s see, what else needs to be tested before our treasures are shipped out to our fans?

The Shopaholic

The plastic bag reincarnated . . . only this time, it’s green! Something that us chicas try to incorporate into our daily lives.  I’m very pleased with the sample and it’s definitely one of my favorites.  I wish I could say that I didn’t have my head scratching moments (1 1/4 + 1 7/8 = STL needs to take a remedial arithmetic course.  I friggin’ hate fractions!) or cursed every time I stabbed myself with the millions of pins keeping the fabric in place (You would think I would be more careful by now.  Seriously, it was like sticking my hand into a gator’s mouth.) or . . . well, you get the picture.  It wasn’t easy!  I did learn how to make a French seam though.  In the end, this is what I’ve known all along: the projects that make your brain go into overdrive (that really want to make you pull your hair out) and make you think outside the box are the ones that you appreciate the most.  You want a little peek into my thought processing?  Scenario: I sent an email to Shar, trying to figure out how to give the The Shopaholic that extra zing.

Of course I had to sensor the competition!  Don’t bother asking who it is.  I’ll never tell!

Every now and then all I have to do is send Shar an email and ramble my way out of things.  It never fails that she always helps me, whether she’s physically there or not.  Drum roll please . . . . 

Tada!  So practical right!

Hurray!!!  All the Samples are complete!  Well, almost.  I just need to do a revise of The Shoe Addict, but that’ll be quick work.  Next on our plates, admin stuff: packaging, shipping, labels, hang tags.  Hmm, I know there’s more to do.  It’s all coming together!  SOON . . . very, very soon!  

The Student

I love this bag!  You know why?  Because it was the easiest one to make!  Not only that, but this sucker is strong!  I was curious to know how many books it could hold (after all, it is meant for the student, library geek (that’s totally me!) or just the average bookstore junky (that’s Shar!)), so I shoved as many books inside of it as it could possibly handle. 

Filled to maximum capacity!  Well, not totally.  You could still cram a few more if you don't mind them sticking out.

Seven . . . not bad.  That’s like, what, 3 college textbooks?  According to my honey (I don’t have a scale at home, so I figured he would be a good reference mechanism since he lifts weights), they weighed 25 pounds.  Though, I wouldn't want to be carrying that load all over campus, especially if I was gone the whole day.  I might as well invest in one of those roller backpacks like my cousin Trish is contemplating on getting.  (So uncool!  But hey, whatever floats her boat!  HA!!! Just kidding cuz!)  I forgot to include a pocket on the sample, but that’s easy to include in the final one. 

I know, funky colors again!  Thank goodness they're samples! 

So, four down and one more sample to go.  It’s called The Shopaholic.  The fabric for the final is just too cute and so very appropriate for its purpose.  Here's a hint: fruits.  You get it??? 

The Diva

Sewing the sample makeup bag wasn’t so bad.  Well, I say that now, but I did have a hell of a time attaching the zipper.  The sample was my second time working with one and I made sure to google several tutorials for guidance.  I also wanted to know if there were any shortcuts available to make things go smoothly for a novice like me.  I have to admit, there were a lot of What the hell's and Aw crap's (one of them for breaking my needle) that day.  I’m usually a very good systematic thinker, but it took a little too long for me to catch on to these tutes for my liking.  Though after two hours of grumbling, everything else was breeze.

Cutting out the pattern.  You like my use of granite?  It’s called being resourceful!  Why pay $10 for a set of four pattern weights at Joann’s while I can pick up these small slabs for free while hiking. 

 Don't mind the funky fabric pairing. The interior will actually have a nylon lining for easy cleanup.

I also fell in love with my sewing machine again (ours is a love-hate relationship) while discovering the automatic needle threader.  What an amazing mechanism to include!  I seriously should have read the manual all the way through.

STL’s samples to make:

The Traveler 

The Shoe Addict 

The Diva 

The Student (working on next)

The ??? (stay tuned!)

New plan, new goal, new bags!

The business trip to San Jose was awesome and much needed.  Shar and I were very productive.  I love how our creative energies bounce off each other and spur us on.  Individually we have our own unique strengths, but together we form this brilliant, super creative wonder woman!  Though our face to face meetings are few and far between nowadays, we’re hoping to make it a quarterly trip.  I’m hoping Southwest has those promos again soon.  I know you’re wondering about highlights, so here they are:

• Oct. 16, 2009, our first meeting in person since Aug. 14, 2008! BFF's together again!  The Wonder Woman is emerging . . . We revised the line, created names for each bag, found a label vendor, signed up for Facebook, Twitter, Etsy and Ebay accounts and made plans to visit San Francisco’s fabric shops the following day.  Here’s a special shout out to my cousin Yvonne’s fiancé, Jason, for bringing us snacks to keep our creative juices flowing.  Thanks cuz!

• Fabric shopping day!!!  We visited Britex Fabrics, Fabrix, Mendel's Far Out Fabrics and Peapod Fabrics in San Francisco.  

Our famous route in the search for fabrics 

We expected it would be a long day (we wore comfy shoes and I even brought snacks!), but nothing prepared us for what lay ahead.  Who would have thought that we would have walked a total 8 miles by the end of the day?!  And it wasn’t just flat sidewalks, mind you, this is San Francisco where they apparently love their hills!  Up and down and up and down for six hours straight with loaded handbags. And we didn’t stop there.  The night was topped off with dinner and dancing at Poleng Lounge.  As if our legs needed the extra exercise!  In the end, we came up with only two yards of fabric from Peapod (the owner was a bit prickly).  It was worth it though.  Shar and I talked shop, received a few cat calls and experienced the city from a different perspective, all the while being thankful for having each other to share those moments with.

 (Left) Field testing The Traveler.  Just call me The Bag Lady. (Right) Thumbing through upholstery fabrics at Britex.

• Shar and I come up with some nutty stuff when we’re together, and making a duct tape dress form takes top honors for the year.  After realizing just how expensive a professional one cost, I decided to do some research to make my own.  This chick on You Tube taught me how.  Shar was my guinea pig. She thought I was going to use just one continuous strip of tape and wind her up.  Umm, she should have checked the video again!  

Take it from Shar, it’s very hard standing still for two hours while being wrapped up like a mummy.

There were some touchy feely moments (you can guess where), but Shar was a good sport and didn’t complain one bit.  We did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself. We didn't realize stuffing Charlotte would take all night, so there wasn't enough time to wrap me.  It'll give Shar an excuse to visit me in Prescott.

  Charlotte, our S & S mascot, all dolled up and modeling our totes.

• The lovely downtown Los Gatos.  We should have started our search right in our own backyard.  Nestled along the many sidewalk shops was a boutique called Natural Expressions of Los Gatos.  It was like entering heaven…the colors (Oh, the colors!).  It housed just the type of fabrics we were searching for.  I wanted to buy a yard of everything!  My mind went into overdrive just thinking of all the possibilities I could stitch up.  Not only do they carry fabrics but also all sorts of beads, wires, chains (anything and everything really!) to make jewelry.  I could have lounged in there all day.

Since I’ve been back, I made the finishing touches on a tote I started before the trip.  We’ve been choosing florals lately, so it was a nice change to see a different sort of pattern.  Perhaps I should rethink the combination of colors though.  I like them separately, but not so sure with them together. 

I also finished a sample of The Shoe Addict, one of the products in our line.  I’ve always put my shoes in a plastic grocery bag when traveling. You never know what got stuck at the bottom of your shoes and you don't want to pass them on to your clothes.  It was time for something a bit more stylish and green.  The fabrics for the final product are worthy of any shoe!

It easily fits a stiletto!  Mine is a size 9 with a 4.5 in heel.
So now it’s back to work.  Shar and I are still riding on our wave of energy from our meeting and trying to get things checked off our to do list.  It seems like it keeps growing, but we’re enjoying every minute of it.  Up next, The Diva!  I’ll let you figure that one out . . .