exquisite design, one stone at a time
She finally arrived! We could have kayaked to China, picked her up, and kayaked back in less time than it took for her to finally get here, but whatever... Yes, I know it's been over a year. Maybe longer. This isolation and the loss of several of my job ventures has left me, along with… Continue reading Chong
Someone posted this on Facebook today, and rather than write a lengthy post reply, I figured I'd take up this topic here. Plus, if I cut out one more piece of skating dress fabric tonight I might go insane... Many of you know my skater/daughter has won or placed at nationals more times than I… Continue reading Perspective
It's been a while -- thanks for sticking around... (BTW, if you're only interested in the mannequin tutorial, scroll down to where the photos begin!) The skating world is so weird sometimes; I know people who protect their costume ideas for each season more carefully than they protect their passwords, bank PIN's, and in some… Continue reading Duct Tape Mannequin, Check!
It's been absolutely forever since I posted here, but this is why: SHE MADE IT TO WORLDS! Of course it had nothing at all to do with how she skated -- it's all about the dress, you know... Anyway, we're home from two weeks in Italy and Paris (ok, 9 days in Italy for the… Continue reading We’re Baaaack!!
**If you're only interested in the hand-dyed lace tutorial and not all my babbling, scroll to where the photos begin!** The process for most of the custom roller skating outfits I make is fairly simple: coach has an idea in March, we settle on a plan in early April, dress is finished by early to… Continue reading Hand-Dyed Lace and Where Crazy Ideas Begin
Scary season is upon me, which isn't exactly as it sounds...it's not scary because of the workload; it's scary because the workload means my shop has become an utter hellhole. There are scraps everywhere. EVERYWHERE. I even devised a new scrap storage system, but it doesn't matter -- just when I get them under control,… Continue reading Scary Season
It's been months, I know...between getting this business going, traveling to meets with the pop-up shop, and trying to get new PDF patterns online, I haven't had time to breathe. Anyway, here's a quickie -- just finished last week, a derby half-time show dress for a former (not "old!") artistic skater and her husband. Though… Continue reading What Are They Wearing Wednesday: Long Time No Post
Not exactly sewing related, but I've had so many requests for this information, and this is really the only place I have to put it. Last March, after spending too many hours working on SEO (search engine optimization) for my company website, I realized there are just too many damn companies that use the name… Continue reading Trademark — Check!
Wow...I've been gone forever... So much has happened recently...our trademarks were approved and registered (yay!), I finished dozens of pieces for regional and national skating championships, we sunk more money than I care to think about into our fabric business...it's obviously been a crazy summer! And there are lots of changes coming for us this… Continue reading Recent Projects
So because I'm not busy enough, and because I think I was in sort of a spandex withdrawal after finishing 40 pieces last month, I took on a new project -- pattern tester for 5 out of 4 Patterns. I've never used PDF patterns before (weird, I know), so that was really the only part… Continue reading Latest Project — Swim Shorts
Leave No Stone Unglued 