A dilemma you will face as you start to sell your designs is pleasing yourself vs. pleasing your customers. When you began you delved into your work. Maybe you didn't consider the economics of your production process. You paid too much for fabric because you "just loved it" or spent hours intuitively sewing stuff together, creating and enjoying yourself. Maybe sometimes you even flubbed up bigtime, a yard or two of fabric wasted. With a sigh you chalked it up to experience and moved on. You didn't have to answer to anyone. Then maybe you decided to open a little online Etsy shop -- "Just to see what happens." You got a sale or two -- your confidence surged and why not? Someone thought your design was nice and was willing to pay for it! Some of us stop here. We sell something occasionally to supplement our incomes. But even at this level the dilemma starts. You still don't have to answer to anyone but yourself, you still only design when inspired. But as you turn what you love into a business you must start to consider your target market, what will sell, your marketing approach, analyze the response to your ads , customer service, customer complaints, etc... While the internet has certainly leveled the playing field in most industries earning a living with your art is hard work. At the point where a designer begins to consider the financial feasibility of his work artistic compromise is necessary and will be from now on until you reach the ranks of Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen or Gianni Versace.
Showing posts with label design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label design. Show all posts
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Earning a Living with What you Love
A dilemma you will face as you start to sell your designs is pleasing yourself vs. pleasing your customers. When you began you delved into your work. Maybe you didn't consider the economics of your production process. You paid too much for fabric because you "just loved it" or spent hours intuitively sewing stuff together, creating and enjoying yourself. Maybe sometimes you even flubbed up bigtime, a yard or two of fabric wasted. With a sigh you chalked it up to experience and moved on. You didn't have to answer to anyone. Then maybe you decided to open a little online Etsy shop -- "Just to see what happens." You got a sale or two -- your confidence surged and why not? Someone thought your design was nice and was willing to pay for it! Some of us stop here. We sell something occasionally to supplement our incomes. But even at this level the dilemma starts. You still don't have to answer to anyone but yourself, you still only design when inspired. But as you turn what you love into a business you must start to consider your target market, what will sell, your marketing approach, analyze the response to your ads , customer service, customer complaints, etc... While the internet has certainly leveled the playing field in most industries earning a living with your art is hard work. At the point where a designer begins to consider the financial feasibility of his work artistic compromise is necessary and will be from now on until you reach the ranks of Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen or Gianni Versace.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Good Karma Farm: Knit and Crochet Contest
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| Julie Rose of Scenic Turnout is the Creator of the Nautilus Scarf |
Good Karma Farm: The Nautilus Scarf: "This new colorway of yarn inspired me. It reminded me of our Belfast coastline - blue water and pebbles, bits of crumbled old sidewalk, and ... (Click for more)"
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Digidoo Style
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| Digidoo´s original "Glasshawk." He has worn other "headstyles" since. |
Monday, October 25, 2010
The Importance of Darts
Now that we have learned a bit about darts and the slash and spread method of transfering them from one place to another. You can begin experimenting and rotating them around on your own! There will be future videos on Fettuccinetube with tutorials on dart transfers; but don´t wait for me to get around to uploading them. Forge ahead on your own if you feel like! There is wonderful free information on the internet on this topic. Here is a series of short explanations on the different dart configurations that give some great insight. Fashion Dart Variations by Laurel Armstrong.
The main concept in creating dart variations is to transfer or convert them. What you remove from one part of the garment needs to be made up for in another part. You can divide one dart into two little ones for example or you can lump two darts together into one, convert a dart into a seam etc... Newspaper is my favorite paper to use for experimenting and creating new designs.
The main concept in creating dart variations is to transfer or convert them. What you remove from one part of the garment needs to be made up for in another part. You can divide one dart into two little ones for example or you can lump two darts together into one, convert a dart into a seam etc... Newspaper is my favorite paper to use for experimenting and creating new designs.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Be a Part of the First Annual Fettuccinetube Fashion Show!
This is an invitation to all of my viewers on my YouTube channel Fettuccinetube to take part in my 1st "Fettuccinetube Annual Fashion Show". Simply send a 10 to 20 second video of yourself (or a friend) modeling one of your own creations. I will create a montage of all the videos and set it to some hip music. If you already are a member of YouTube you can simply respond to my latest video with your video clip. Otherwise send the video clip to me at my email address: fabianna@msn.com (be careful when spelling "fabianna", there are TWO "n"s).
1. If you don´t know how to sew yet then there is still time! The deadline to get your videos in is October 31st, 2009. Enough time to watch my tutorial videos and time leftover to create your entry! This is NOT a contest. Your creaton will be shown regardless of you level of expertise.
2. In the interest of keeping the video to under 10 minutes, please limit your entry to ONE video per designer. You MAY model several creations in the one clip.
3. Make sure your creation stands out from the items that are NOT made by you. For example if you make a blouse, pair it with a plain, basic, unassuming pair of pants. If you make a pant, use a plain, blouse or t-shirt so that it does not detract from YOUR item.
4. In my video fashion show, you will be given full credit for your design. Please include your name when you send your video, either said verbally in the video itself, or in an email along with your video. If I don´t receive your name I will use your YouTube Channel name or your email address in the credits.
5. If you have an Etsy Shop or other shop on the internet please include that. I will post the name of your shop as well. However, in the interest of keeping the final montage video streamlined DO NOT post your own text into your video clip.
6. Please merely film your model walking to the camera twirling around and walking away. You may use any style of walk you would like based on the "message" your creation is trying to send.
7. For now the creations are limited only to SEWN creations, however, if response is low I will open up the requests for knit and crochet items as well. Jewelry will be considered ONLY as an accessory to one of the clothing designs. Not as a main item.
8. Please do not be intimidated if you see exquisitely made items in my video response section. I have advertised the Fettuccinetube Fashion Show on other sewing sites and craft sites so there may be some entries by professional designers as well. If there are extreme differences as far as level of expertise in the entries I will probably do a Part 1 for beginners and a part 2 for more advanced sewers. You will not look "bad".
9. My intention is to leave the "comments" section open for the Fashion Show. Unfortunately that will also leave the participants open to the "YouTube Hecklers". I will, of course monitor the comments as closely as I can to try to keep them under control, however, please be prepared for mean comments just in case. It is practice for when you get into the sometimes cruel fashion industry, where a 5´10, 120 pound model is SOMETIMES considered "too fat".
10. If you yourself are one of the "YouTube Hecklers" please refrain from nasty comments at the show. Constructive criticism will not be frowned upon, but comments about anything OTHER than the clothing, such as weight, race, physical attractiveness, physical or mental challenges, gender identification or the like will NOT be tolerated.
1. If you don´t know how to sew yet then there is still time! The deadline to get your videos in is October 31st, 2009. Enough time to watch my tutorial videos and time leftover to create your entry! This is NOT a contest. Your creaton will be shown regardless of you level of expertise.
2. In the interest of keeping the video to under 10 minutes, please limit your entry to ONE video per designer. You MAY model several creations in the one clip.
3. Make sure your creation stands out from the items that are NOT made by you. For example if you make a blouse, pair it with a plain, basic, unassuming pair of pants. If you make a pant, use a plain, blouse or t-shirt so that it does not detract from YOUR item.
4. In my video fashion show, you will be given full credit for your design. Please include your name when you send your video, either said verbally in the video itself, or in an email along with your video. If I don´t receive your name I will use your YouTube Channel name or your email address in the credits.
5. If you have an Etsy Shop or other shop on the internet please include that. I will post the name of your shop as well. However, in the interest of keeping the final montage video streamlined DO NOT post your own text into your video clip.
6. Please merely film your model walking to the camera twirling around and walking away. You may use any style of walk you would like based on the "message" your creation is trying to send.
7. For now the creations are limited only to SEWN creations, however, if response is low I will open up the requests for knit and crochet items as well. Jewelry will be considered ONLY as an accessory to one of the clothing designs. Not as a main item.
8. Please do not be intimidated if you see exquisitely made items in my video response section. I have advertised the Fettuccinetube Fashion Show on other sewing sites and craft sites so there may be some entries by professional designers as well. If there are extreme differences as far as level of expertise in the entries I will probably do a Part 1 for beginners and a part 2 for more advanced sewers. You will not look "bad".
9. My intention is to leave the "comments" section open for the Fashion Show. Unfortunately that will also leave the participants open to the "YouTube Hecklers". I will, of course monitor the comments as closely as I can to try to keep them under control, however, please be prepared for mean comments just in case. It is practice for when you get into the sometimes cruel fashion industry, where a 5´10, 120 pound model is SOMETIMES considered "too fat".
10. If you yourself are one of the "YouTube Hecklers" please refrain from nasty comments at the show. Constructive criticism will not be frowned upon, but comments about anything OTHER than the clothing, such as weight, race, physical attractiveness, physical or mental challenges, gender identification or the like will NOT be tolerated.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Summer is Almost Here
We have a vacation trailer which my husband keeps at a camping area in the sierras, actually in Villa General Belgrano (Cordoba Argentina). It is a beautiful Swiss/German style town, settled by Germans in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Hundreds of things to do year round so a tourist will never get bored. My husband brought the trailer to Cordoba Capital for some maintenance but he is taking it back again today. Everyone is excited about spending a few weeks at the campgrounds. My husband will stay in the trailer, the kids in tents. I will not be able to spend the entire vacaction with them but I will go up for a day or two. I am not actually a big fan of camping out in nature. My vacation will be having the house to myself for a week or two and visiting with my parents and grandmother who will be in town for the holidays. 
Monday, December 3, 2007
Usefulness
I am in the process crocheting two different pieces. I am at this time very focused on creating childrens ponchos and shawls. I really need to get a business plan organized. The days seem too short to get everything done and my attention is dispersed among family, pets, husband, volunteer work. When I try to focus on what I want to pursue I feel that people dont think it is worthwhile or that I am wasting my time. After all, I dont have a fine arts degree or any professional training or experience in the design field. I just have the desire to create useful things for people. To be "useful". More on this subject later. I need to get to the primary school right now. I am the accounts auditor this year and since the school year is just about over (I am, in Argentina) I have to finish reviewing the accounts. Bye.
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