Monday, February 28, 2011
Sew for Girls and Boys in Africa
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Sew a Circle Skirt Easy as "Pi"
There are many ways to make a circle skirt. Some people just fold fabric in half and estimate curves. Some use a string compass, some divide their waist circumference by 6 and cut into a square of fabric folded into quarters. I like to use π the Greek letter pronounced "pi" (as in a slice of apple pie) which is algebra for the number 3.14 . I never understood why pi works. I just knew it did and never questioned it. But at some point I had to wonder....
According to Richard Fischbeck, inventor of the Randome Shelter; an emergency shelter made up of geodesic circles that can be randomly put together in a very short period of time, "Nature does not use π (pi). Pi is merely an approximation. Nature always builds with whole numbers. We have H2O, not HπO. Mr. Fischbeck further explains, "A circle is always a polygon no matter how many corners it has. It can never have infinite corners. A polygon is not smooth or continuous. It is bumpy. It is made of many many tiny angles.
Suggested reading: Take it to the Limit. Stevenven Strogatz on math, from basic to baffling.
Suggested reading: Take it to the Limit. Stevenven Strogatz on math, from basic to baffling.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Entry Level Jobs in the Fashion Industry
See section Fashion Careers on this blog.
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| Designing clothing is only one of many careers in fashion. |
One thing I´ve observed about the fashion industry is that there are really no "rules" to getting in. Obviously going to fashion school is one place to start and will offer opportunities for getting a foot in. Marketing and social sciences such as sociology, anthropology and psychology are excellent base courses and are actually required courses in the serious design schools. A basic grasp of Euclidean and of projective geometry is of great assistance for transferring design ideas into clothing through patternmaking. You can also get some insight into the fashion industry from reality shows like "Project Runway," "Running In Heels," "America´s Next Top Model". "The Devil Wears Prada
" is a must-see movie as is Isaac Mizrahi's 1995 movie "Unzipped
." In fact, a look into Mr. Mizrahi's career over the past 20 years or so is something to be admired. Not because he chooses to pander to an often cruel and supercilious industry but because he chooses to "take it or leave it" and does so with such dignity.
" is a must-see movie as is Isaac Mizrahi's 1995 movie "Unzipped." In fact, a look into Mr. Mizrahi's career over the past 20 years or so is something to be admired. Not because he chooses to pander to an often cruel and supercilious industry but because he chooses to "take it or leave it" and does so with such dignity. |
| Backstage at a fashion runway show. |
Here are some tips:
- Before deciding on any school, fashion or otherwise, make sure it is accredited by an agency recognized by U.S. Department of Education (ED). Also do a search on the internet for how to avoid post-secondary school scams, university scams and online school scams. There are a LOT of scams, especially now that the internet has made it so easy. Just because a school claims to be accredited means absolutely nothing unless the accrediting agency is recognized by ED. If the school is in a country other than the U.S.A. do your research. There must be similar agencies to the ED there as well.
- Try to work at a clothing store, a big department store is best. Entry level jobs are usually as a sales attendant. The pay is low, perhaps commission-based; and the hours can be grueling. You may also have to deal with demanding, sometimes downright rude, customers. (Remain professional, this is a taste of what is to come in a "dog-eat-dog" industry). But this is a great job for someone who wants to see a bit of everything. Fashion merchandising, marketing, publicity, trends. If you are able to stick it out you might eventually get promoted to managerial or buyer´s position.
- Check out websites of various designers and fashion magazines, many have an "Apply for Internship" link. Requirements to be accepted into an internship program vary but most ask that you either have a college degree or be currently enrolled in a college or university.
- Many clothing or department stores hire extra sales help before Thanksgiving on temporary contracts to work through the high sales season. Nice way to try it out and see if you would eventually be interested in long term work.
- No matter what job in fashion you end up in, knowing the basics of patternmaking, sewing, knitting, crochet, weaving, how textiles are produced and all those other "crafty" things will make you better at your job. To write a fashion column for example, you should know what goes into making a garment. Then you will know how "good" or "bad" it truly is.
- Take a few classes in sewing or fashion design at a local community center or college before diving head first into a big investment. If you are still in high school this is the perfect way to see if it is just a passing interest or if you will be in for the long haul. People are sometimes disillusioned when they enroll in an expensive fashion school and then realize it is a lot different than they thought it would be.
- See more information on Clothing Design, Fashion School and Fashion Careers for links and resources about the fashion industry.
Photos:
Fashion Model Fitting Clothes by Professional Designer Woman; istockphoto.com/CandyBoxPhoto
Fashion Model Fitting Clothes by Professional Designer Woman; istockphoto.com/CandyBoxPhoto
Model Taking a Break; istockphoto.com/Dr Bubbles
Monday, February 14, 2011
How to Teach Blind People to Crochet
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| crochet image by Lytse from Fotolia.com |
Super interesting and fun article to write. In my investigation I watched some very insightful videos from Perkins School for the Blind. For example: "Do not grab or move the student´s hands. Just as you would not stick your hands into someone´s eyes to get them to look at something, you should not grab a blind person´s hands. If you want them to feel something you can gently offer what you want them to "see" in front of their hands and invite them to touch it." See also Reflections on Deafblindness: Hands & Touch
Skill: Moderately Easy
Crochet a chain stitch very
slowly inviting the student to freely feel your hands as they move. It
would be best for you to do this while standing or sitting behind the
student with her back to you and your arms around her or while sitting
by her side so that she can experience things from your perspective.
Skill: Moderately Easy
Things You'll Need:
- Size N, O, P or Q crochet hook (10mm to 15mm circumference)
- Heavy worsted to bulky yarn (12 ply to 20 ply thick)
A person who lives without the
gift of sight may find that crochet is a wonderful and easy activity to
learn, since it is based largely on memory and counting and not
necessarily on visual capacity. Crochet knit creates a raised texture, which helps a blind knitter count stitches. I recommend starting with a large scale
hook and thick fiber. Once the student has learned the basics of
crochet, she may choose on her own to switch to smaller hooks and
lighter weight yarns.
Step 1
Step 2
 |
Crochet is a pleasant, stimulating activity
that is quite easy to learn.
Ben Bloom/Digital Vision/Getty Images
|
Step 3
Once the student has learned the basics, more intricate designs can be taught.
Ask the student if she would
like you to repeat the task and do so as many times as necessary. Hand
her the hook and yarn when she feels ready to try. Once she has created a
chain of 20 to 25 stitches ask her to hand the piece back to you.
Step 4
Show the student how to do
the double-crochet stitch, inserting one into each chain stitch, again
performing the task while the student feels your hands. Repeat as many
times as necessary until the student feels confident enough to try
herself. Answer questions and advise the student as necessary.
Step 5
Continue this manner of
teaching for the third row, then encourage the student to turn the work
and try it on her own for the fourth row. Make sure she knows that for a
straight scarf she must have exactly the same number of stitches in
each row. After several rows, show the student how to close off the
final stitch. The student now knows enough to knit herself a scarf.
Tips
Be patient and sensitive to what the
student is experiencing as a blind person. Things that you take for
granted as a sighted person may not be as evident to a visually impaired
person.
Stitchmarkers are useful accessories for marking one´s spot, especially for more intricate crochet knit designs.
Stitchmarkers are useful accessories for marking one´s spot, especially for more intricate crochet knit designs.
Warnings
Do not grab or move the student´s
hands. Just as you would not stick your hands into someone´s eyes to get
them to look at something, you should not grab a blind person´s hands.
If you want them to feel something you can gently offer what you want
them to "see" in front of their hands and invite them to touch it.
Key Concepts
- blind crochet tutorial
- visually impaired crochet
- teach the blind
References
- Crochetville Forum: Teaching Blind to Crochet? [
- Perkins School for the Blind: Webcast: Reflections on Deafblindness: Hands and Touch [
- PR Leap: A Note From a Blind Customer Inspires Major Changes on the Lion Brand Web site. [
- New York Times: How Best to Teach the Blind: A Growing Battle Over Braille [
- Marjorie´s Braille Knitting & Crochet; Crochet Books in Braille [
- U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health Auditory memory in congenitally blind adults. [
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