Round 3 Process plus Soul Searching

So here is what is actually written in my journal for this round:

"Little Black Dress Hints
Sing Sing on Wikipedia
Brassiere?
Breakfast at Tiffany's

The Fire Within
Containing

Boring
Points

Fortune Cookies

Columbine Skirt Variations
trying the kite shape :(

re-trying the squares - too short
tulle underskirt?

Construction -
More like quilting than my usual sewing

Give up -----> (edited since I describe the actual dress in 7 words)
together in one night

jewelry strung 3 times. Argh
Painting shoes - only ones."


Yep, THAT is it. When you look back at my other journal entries and compare, I think you will have a clear sense that this round was going very wrong for me.

I had taken much to heart Ted's complaints that the designers really weren't using him as he had imagined. I think he thought that he would participate more in the design process, and that he could guide us away from potentially disastrous design decisions. During the past two rounds, the only thing I really knew being that Ted thought the whole lot of us submitted disappointing work in round 2, I had been thinking a lot about one topic: Is designing for the judges, rather than being true to my own vision, possible and/or advisable? During this round, I thought I would give it a try the way Ted had envisioned. He, after all, was the only one that knew what the judges were actually thinking.

To start off, Little black dress was good for me. Silkstone? not so good. I owned one, but had never actually worked with the doll. I bought her more as insurance....a just in case, as I get random Barbie commissions once in a while. I had already prepared a sloper for Silkstone and FR as I had expected Round 2 to be a "small doll" round. So many of the designers fell in to one camp or the other, I expected the sizes to be apportioned evenly from the start.

My initial thought was to tweak the tradition. I wanted to make a statement about both the embracing and restricting nature of "traditional." Sounds very arty, doesn't it? I was actually rather impressed with myself....it was a spectacular idea and I even had the fabrics on hand to make it work. I could, and still can, see it in my mind's eye. I can see each step that will be required to make it. I think I will try to make it this week if I can get my "actual work" finished. It is called "The Fire Within."

Now, since this was my "communicate with Ted" round, I asked him about whether or not this was an homage to the little black dress in all seriousness or if this was a bit tongue in cheek. I don't think I told Ted what I was dreaming of so it certainly isn't anyone's fault but my own. He told me it was serious, I chickened out.

If I were a marvelous sketch artist like many of the other designers, now would be where I would post the sketches, but alas, it is all in my head still. If you would like to try to imagine it, I will try to explain: Plain strapless princess sheath in black silk, form-fitting of course. The top of the bodice is a straight line, the shape very close through the hips and just to the knee. Beginning at the top left, almost under the arm, there are 3 small, less than a millimeter wide inset bands that join together below the fullest part of the bust in to one which meanders down the left side of the dress to mid thigh where a godet is set in to the left princess seam. This godet is set so there are two trailing points that hang unequally to about mid calf, shortest one to hte center. The fabric is a fire silk taffeta, red and gold cross-woven. Along the river of lava, three tiny metal bands are "riveted" holding the crack closed.

There was much discussion as to whether or not the accent color could be ON the dress, or if it should be in the accessories. It was clear to me that Ted felt that the dress should be BLACK, and that if that was the rule, then I would not be meeting the challenge. Yep, I chickened out.

With sloper in hand and a few commercial Barbie patterns for a base for the patterns I was going to generate, I set about on a different idea. I finally got Ted to admit that if it wasn't on the SURFACE of the dress, then the accent color could be ON the dress....because really, the only solutions that were presenting themselves needed the color.
I designed a Plain sheath a la the original Fire gown, but instead of the Modern Spirit escaping the confines of tradition, well, I inset the pleats. I do have a picture of this pattern trial. In the silks I chose it looks ineffably day wear rather than cocktail. The collar points were supposed to be much more dramatic on the jacket, but my lack of regular work in this size was telling here. I imagine I could get closer to my second original vision, if I tried it again

When I sent the picture to Ted he said, predictably because of my practice colors I suppose, that it didn't look much like a party dress, and that I shouldn't have the jacket close in the front if the pleats were off the side. He was right, of course. I don't ever really think of the little balck dress as a "Party" dress, although it is clearly a Cocktail dress....not sure if there is a real distinction between the two anywhere but in my mind. hehehe This ensemble is complete, except for the hooks, which are easy to add if you would like to have it for your collection. Email me.

After Ted's response I started in with another round of second guessing. I knew that my designs were considered to lack "wow." I decided to try for some new kind of shape. I am good at structured form-fitting, but was that too predictable? What would be more of a Party dress? What? Where? How? You see how things were going. We are at the Journal Entry "Boring."

The Fortune Cookies said this: (care of Panda Express dinner one night) "Forge Ahead with You New Ideas" and "Speculations Will Turn Out Well." I had to laugh and I was even a little heartened.

The Columbine is the Colorado State Flower. My mother, who currently resides in Colorado, was of inestimable help during this round as I agonized. She listed as I talked through all my waffling. The dress I designed next has what I call the Columbine Skirt. If you have seen the flower it will make sense, I think. If not, well, here is a link to some pictures that might help, but maybe not.

Columbine Pics

The idea is that the skirt would have inset squared that would create almost cone shaped sections...like the way the Columbine petals are. The lining of this skirt would be the bright magenta I had selected instead of the Fire silk (even then I knew that SOMEDAY I would need that last tiny scrap of silk to make the dress) and should show a bit, but the DRESS would be black.

I did it 3 times. It didn't work. Sigh!

The first one, which this is a picture of, was too short. (This is the picture I sent to Ted.) I thought if I inset a Kite Shape, instead of a square I would be able to lengthen it enough. That shape didn't work at all. So I went back to Squares, but I didn't want to have the skirt flare much below the hip....maybe if I had moved it down to mid-thigh. (Now you can really tell I am in trouble with the second guessing.) I tired the third one that was at the Hip with a Tulle underskirt. That one is nearly finished also, and if you would like to see it, comment or email me and I will shoot some pics.

After Senneth was asleep and Isaac was with Grandma for Mama's nervous breakdown, we talked it through and I decided that I needed to start again. I hated what I had. I started again at about 9:00 p.m. on Saturday. That doesn't sound like the 11th hour to you probably, but I have a long standing tradition of no Sunday sewing. By 11:30 the dress was constructed. I was listening to a book called "The River of Doubt" while I sewed that night. Perhaps that is why all the Soul Searching. (The book is actually about Theodore Roosevelt and a South American Adventure.)

When I took the dress, completed but without the straps attached or hooks done, my mother said "Yes!" and I went to bed.

On Monday morning I did my jewelry 3 times, with much near shrieking in the interim. First it was too short. The second was long enough but rode too high on the neck...I realized that the necklace needed an extra bead in an opportune place to solve the problem....but they all had to come off to make it work. Ugh! The Shoes were also going to present a problem as I only had one pair. They were black, but how to "adapt them?" Lucky Magazine the month before had given me the answer....and I almost guarantee that you will not be able to see what I did in the pictures.

This was not a happy round for me. I am used to making a thing, knowing it is good and being able to confidently present it to the world. Although I ended up feeling that way about the final product....it is still classically boxpleat for all its being on a Silkstone, and maybe even recognizable as such...I learned that trying to meet someone else's mind without knowing their mind is a losing battle.

The Pockets as I imagined them

I just added this and another outfit in the same group to my Ellowyne Salesroom (check the link to the right.) These pants were made after the competition, but to check my idea. I wanted the pockets to be positional: either conservative and up or higher contrast, folded down. The pants that were sent in for the competition did not have quite enough curve in them to make it look like I meant it. These are more what I had envisioned....and it seems that the chief complaint of reviewers reporting in is that they didn't like the Capris...so here they are in a wide legged style. (No, I didn't make them today...I wish!) As I mentioned in chat on the subject of Capris, I considered wide legged trousers, but decided I wanted to stick to the gloomy Summer effect, since Chills is so very Winter-y.

The Blouse is the prototype for the Fans Blouse....but alas, only for the FIT of the blouse. You will note the cuffs have a different style closure and the sleeves on Fans are a bit puffier....I wish I had been bold enough to go full puff like Brandon's....but I was worried it wouldn't fit in the sleeve of the Jacket. hehehe

And Pictures from the Creation

As you can see, here is a swatch pic for the palette that I ended up using. The "Dawn's Early Light" taffeta that I used for the piping, lining on the sheer and bodice ooks a bit yellow in the picture but is really a soft gray. I love the Silk Matka that I used for the jacket. Ahhh.
I still have this secondary palette grouped together in my office because I really love the colors. After seeing all the other brightly colored designs, I wonder if my decision to go with the "Fog" aspect of the poem was best. I still love the idea of a rich monochromatic palette though. The contrasts of textures in the fabric was what I was going for....





The little fan pleats on my sheer blouse are my Pride and Joy as maybe I have mentioned. Every once in a while when I am working, I see a thing in my mind's eye and am able to create it just exactly right. This was one of those delightful times. The first step in their creation was making bias ribbon out of the silk organza. I used the "hot knife" to cut the ribbon so the edges are sealed. (It melts the fibers which slows down the fraying and helps it hold its shape.)



I had a terrible time trying to get this pic to post. Argh!

As you can see, the baby was strapped to my chest for this phase of production. I drew the final shape on the paper and then fan pleated the fabric so the edge conformed to the shape. As you can see, this requires a lot of pins to hold everything in place until it can be tacked and pressed. I actually pressed the center with the pins in place. It was a bit tricky to figure out which fans had to be full, which centered half, which left-half/right-half to keep the bulk low but have all the sections showing pleated. hehehe This is really the kind of work I enjoy, and it was during this round that I realized that much of what I like about boxpleat is the "craftsmanship." With that in mind, I realized that maybe having someone else (ie a factory) make my pieces might not yield the work satisfaction that creating each piece gives me. This technique, while not that complicated or even time consuming really, would be difficult to justify in a manufacturing setting. Of course the effect could be created in other ways, like pleated trims etc, but I think you will see the distinction there. In my few ventures in to "mass" production, even on a small scale, I have found I don't care for making the same thing over and over again. It has to at least be a different color, a new fabric, something.



This last picture is ominously titled "second pants" because yes, despite my careful planning, the pants didn't fit....Ellowyne has (and you may not have noticed) chunky calves! I used my Tyler sloper, making appropriate adjustments for her waist and hips and didn't even think to check the width of her lower legs! I cut the leg open to check the waist fit. You can also almost see the detail of the piping along the pocket edge. (I learned how to make piping this round!) The initial reversal idea that I was going to do used the curved pocket flaps as an optional fold down, to show the contrasting silk and tie in more closely with the lighter colored tops. The curve wasn't quite right though and I wasn't happy with the look so I scrapped it on these. As a trial of concept, I did make another pair in a different fabric this week so I could show (and sell.) I still need to process the pictures though and put them in the sales room, along with the pattern trial for the over blouse and a few other bits. You can also see the suede-y nature of this fabric in the picture here. Texture was everything for me this round.

Story Line and Judges "Questions" Round 2 Ellowyne

This is text, exactly as sent to the judges with my design, including the Journal/Story I wrote. I thought this text would play a more integral role and was surprised that there isn't any way for the at home viewers to read all of these together. The first is the poem from the Ellowyne Chills Doll. As I indicated in my last post, I was under the impression that the poem was going to be an essential part of the evaluation, so my details are all "justified" in my questionaire based on the poem and my choice of doll.


"Old clocks, antiques, and gloomy days
with Sybil by my side she stays
For flowers, lace and pretty frills
They leave me cold, like windblown CHILLS"

Summer Chills

Mark Twain reportedly said "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." I don't believe a bit of it, but I have to admit the gloomy days of Summer fog do require a bit of adaptation for one's wardrobe.

I poked my head in to ___________ the other day. She always seems to have such lovely vintage suits and things in her shop. When I mentioned how I was tired of being cold in the summer, she pulled this charming little jacket, all nubby weave and texture, saying she'd been saving it for me. No one else, it seems, would dream of wearing gray in all this fog, even if it is silk. I was pleased to note that it had lovely wide lapels, perfect for displaying even the largest of my collection, although I think I will wear Grandmother's watch pendant....I think the fresh water pearls on it are gray, or maybe lavender.

When I got home there was a message from Rufus saying he hoped I'd remembered our "plans" for tonight and I could tell he meant it with quotes like that. He is always trying to take me to proverbial hot spots....I think he is trying to find someone for me to be interested in....and yes, I mean it in THAT way. Of course, he never tells me where it is we are going until it is too late. (I think he thinks if he tells me before hand I will come up with an excuse not to go...)

I wish he would tell me what the plans are, so I could know what to wear. Layers, it seems, are the solution to both the cold and the uncertainty. Prudence said I should wear the pleated blouse, but I am not so sure. Last time I wore it, Rufus gave me the oddest look and didn't say anything for a long, long time. When I mentioned that to Prudence, she said "Oh yes, definitely that one." I don't know how she can be so sure. So the pleated blouse, little jacket and the suede cloth capris, as that will work for my errands and whatever it could be that Rufus wants to do tonight.

If I take my big Sybil bag, I can stash either the pleated blouse or the jacket when I finally find out what the mysterious "Plans" are. It is a pity Sybil didn't turn out to be the pet I had imagined. It would have been so fun to have a companion to carry about...but no, that would never do. Oh well, at least it is a lovely bag.

Notes on Summer Chills:
I selected Chills, both because it is my favorite of the dressed dolls and because I felt it gave me the most to work with in the poem. I thought I would highlight some of the points from the poem that helped me decide as I worked through the design:

"Old Clocks"
I immediately thought of pendant watch my mother had when I was small. With her collection of antique brooches, I was sure Ellowyne would appreciate the inclusion of such a detail.....but even though the jewelry doesn't "count" I needed to make space for it. The lapels on the jacket are generous for brooch placement, but I also selected a collar on the sheer blouse with brooch placement in mind. The brooch shown is made from a watch head designed by Victoria Garnier of Minimode with pearls.

"Antiques"
I wanted the outfit to have a vintage feel in both aspects, but with a modern sensibility.

"Gloomy Days"
I chose the San Francisco Fog Palette to evoke the gloomy days. My secondary palette choice was a soft yellow, sage greens and a cinnamon brown which would have been ideal for the coloring of the doll I chose, but didn't highlight the poem as well. I was hoping for a "Rich Monochrome" look, with a variety of shades and textures.

"With Sybil by my side she stays"
This line gave me some trouble, since my research in to Ellowyne's life led me to believe that she must have written this poem before Sybil had been with her very long! I liked the idea of a Pet Carrier Bag (and found some remarkable chic ones in my online research.) It had to be chic of course, since it wasn't ever going to actually be USED as a pet carrier.

"For flowers, lace and pretty frills"
Obviously this line suggests that the design for this "mood" should be clean-lined and spare. I went through a number of different ideas, trying to identify a gracefully detailed front for the blouse that might be an "Anti-Frill." I love the crisp pleating and smooth circular lines.

"They leave me cold..."
My mother gave me the idea for the Mark Twain Quote, which made me realize that a "summer" outfit for this client was still going to need some warmth and layering.

And because the shift from day to evening was required, I wanted the blouse to be a bit surprising when the jacket comes off. Looking at all the other designs from her collection, Ms. Wilde appears to prefer to be "covered" even if it is sheer. Likewise, I wanted to have a dramatic change in the sleeve-line to highlight the difference from day to evening.

Reactions to Round 2 Ellowyne

I took notes as a gazed upon their amazing beauty, so these really are my "reactions this time. The names were at the bottom, so I tried to guess before I got there. Some, I actually got....others didn't have a specific vibe, but all were beautiul and full of interest. I can't believe that Ted was "disappointed" with this group of submissions at the time. Obviously we don't think as he does, but isn't that part of the fun. I did have some questions about the application of the "rules" though and wonder if I was too "bound" by them.

I hope everyone will post their text somewhere so we can read the poem or journals along with the designs. I had fun writing mine. I will post it in the next post. Ted said we were supposed to base our designs on the doll/poem and then told us a little later that he thought we were all too obsessed with the poems. Hard to read minds, but I thought THAT was the point, as you will see in my journal/responses to hte Judge Questionaire.

Mine....I am in the first position again....will we always be? I am very pleased by the pictures this time. Much better than the Gene ones for mine. My pleats, ah, my pleats, they show up well. They are my Pride and Joy! I was trying to go for the anti-frill....all the ruffles on Chills always surprised me since it talks about how they leave her "cold." Who knows.

I do want to point out for the viewing audience that (again with the mini-details that don't show...sigh!) the brooch on her lapel is a pendant watch with gray/lavendar pearls. I would like to thank Vicky Garnier of Minimode, who despite being so busy she can't even really "do" Minimode, let me come over and ransack her treasures. The watch head is amazing, and the color match on the pearls is gorgeous for buttons and brooch. She is the best!

Mario and Gianni: I was originally contemplating a bow at the neck solution on mine, whew! That would have been tough. I do notice that throughout the designs there are several ideas that creep up in different combinations. Great minds think alike. I like the interesting shape of the skirt....although I think I would have liked the band at the bottom and on the cuffs to be solid rather than the gathered lace. A little velvet edge perhaps. hehehe I was totally amazed by the reversal on the skirt/vest. Very nice.

Debbie: I guessed this one. I was surprised to note that Nevermore's hair is down in this one....and several others. I think it serves Debbies Design, but I am not sure that I feel like that maintains a strict adherence to the "rules" as we were told.....of course, THAT isn't Debbie's concern. I was just surprised as we were told to design FOR the doll we chose. I was never one for "nipple showing" over corsets, but I know that is hugely popular. Debbie is much better than I am at having her finger n the pulse of the buying public as well, so.....I also think the skirt and top should either be closer or further apart. It didn't look intentional enough to my eye. I like the hemline on the skirt. I also wish I could see the coat better.

Karen: I guessed Brenda or Karen, but I can not tell you why both of those popped in to mind. My first reaction was, How are these 5 pieces? As I looked at the first picture. I hashed it all out with Ted that the outfit had to be 4 then 5, or 5 then 4. This is something I noticed on several of the other designs.....is that what Ted was so disappointed about? As for the whole notion of "leaving the feathers on the chicken" isn't Ellowyne all about being over the top?!?! Back tp Karen: I think I would have liked to see a jacket closure of some kind. I wonder if my monitor is playing fair with the colors on this round too. I will bet that what looks brown is actually a rich bronze and probably is quite striking in person (the center panel on the Bodice is where I noticec it most.) When I looked at the last pic with the fur and hat, I thought it was very "classic" but I am not sure wht my brain meant by this.....It is lovely, though. I especially like the sleeves pushed up pic.

Judith: I had no guess on this one. I love the striped fabric on the tunic. (I am a fabric addict after all!) This fits wih Red, White and Very Blue very well and I think it was an excellent design to fit in that side of Ellowyne. Wen I was choosing which doll to use, I thought R,W and VB was the least "Ellowyne-y" of the bunch, but I really like the way this works. When looking at the pics I said "She's got something underneath." (I saw a hint of the red sash through the semi-sheer fabric!) I noticed the "bag" in the first picture and thought it was a prop. This is a GREAT bag. Amazing.

Brenda: I see the clock! (I obssessed about the clock aspect from the Chills Poem.) I think the brooch and chain drape is very interesting. The dress fabric is wonderful but looks a bit stiff (pictures? I thought the same about Debbie's last round.) If I were going to make it, I think I would make the sleeves wider or narrower. E has such big hands that narrower would require closures, but I think it could go either way. The wrap is VERY E, I think. I only count 4 pieces though. Am I missing something?

Leigh: THe ruffle on her bum surprised me....I actually jumped a bit. (Which then made me laugh! I did just wake up after all. hehehe) How would you SIT in that though. Is the little sweater/jacket knitted? How could there be time?!?! I like the group a lot as a whole, but I am not sure how this applies to the 4/5 issue that I thought was central to the challenge. I wish the challenge had been to just to a mix and match to achieve the MOST combinations (from 1 to 5 pieces.) That would have been more fun.

Safina: I guessed this one too. I will bet the colors are great in person. I can see the irridescent silk has the pink in it, but it isn't showing well on the monitor. I love the ruched edge on the straigt skirt and the velvet edge on the lace. I wonder if the jacket is a bit too much like the Bitter Green original though, neck ruffle and all. When we initially received the challenge, I thought the idea was to make an additional 5 pieces that would interact with the original like an expansion pack. I had a ton of ideas how to expand on the basic Chills Coat for mine.....there are just so many ways to go on this challenge. It surprises me that Ted was so specific in his interpretation. I guess it was HIS challenge. :)

Brandon: There is the Sleeve again. Great minds think alike....I think I like the SIZE of your sleeve better than mine. :) I really like the 3 combination. The skirt line is great and I love the low buckle(s?) Don't much care for the cape...although I love the fabric in it, and see why it would be good to draw out the color from the pinstripe.

Jose': The jacket in the first picture was my least favorite part of this design. The leather details are hard to make dainty, so they look a bit blocky to me....The sheer blouse is GORGEOUS, especially the sleeve edge. Adding the skirt at the end surprised me as I thought we were already up to 5 pieces. I was counting the reversible belt/sash as it represents a substantial part of the outfit, but I guess that could count under the "accessory" category.

Andrea: My first thought (from Pic 1) was "Now how is THIS going to result in 5 pieces?" Then in my notes I wrote "Ah, unconventional layering. I wish I could get the hang of this." The sheer fabric is nice on the top of piece 2. The vest is really nice too, but I think the color from dress 2 is washing out. Pictures are going to be trouble throughout this competiton I think. :) I still don't count 5 pieces. Am I missing something?

Christopher: The bright fabrics/palette leapt out at me. I should have been able to guess this would be Christopher. :) Is the top actually a catsuit? The bag is an interesting design. I don't much care for the white vest though. Did Christopher win this challenge to stay in? I don't think so, but I don't know because the choices are so wide ranging and interesting.

When all is said and done, I really just can't figure out what was so "diasppointing" about this round. Was it because we are not Ted? I think it is pretty clear that each designer has a strong vision and amazing skill. I like them, I like them all.

The Rules, Part 2

I wonder where our text is. I thought the stuff we wrote to go along with it was supposed to be...well, going along with the outfit.

Also, my reverse issue doesn't show in the picture.....but I will show you what the "ideal" would have been when I get my pics processed.

Now for my "Reactions to Round 2"

The Rules

During this complicated round there were several things that came up. I am the type of person that asks endless questions. Many prospective customers appear to get scared off by the sheer volume of questions a person (well, me) can ask about a simple pair of doll pants! hehehehe In the beginning of this round, while trying to get a handle on the ins and outs, I asked if the change had to be a removal/addition for day-to-night or if we could do a reversal of a piece, ie, use all 5 pieces for both day and night. After much discussion it was decided that one might use a reversal, but that it had to be a 4-to-5 or a 5-to-4 transition.

In the course of the design process, I found that the switch I had been thinking about was not working and tossed it. When I woke up on the morning we were to send our designs, I was horrified to note that the switch was included in the requirements for this round. Sigh! I worked out the "not really working" switch and sent off the outfit.

In the morning I will post some process pictures, complete with baby. Also, I will try to get the prototype of the blouse and some other pieces in the Ellowyne Salesroom, so even if you have checked before, check again in the afternoon. (I am going to bed now, so don't expect anything right away. :) Thanks for your patience.

A Bit of the Drama

I have been stewing and brewing about what I wanted to say here for several days. There were several things about this Round that made me seriously wonder whether I wanted to continue participating. By this point, it was becoming clear that, not only were we expected to work in isolation, with only Ted for interaction, but that even after the Round was judged we weren't going to be given any real insight in to how we performed. From all the emails that flew back and forth, and from Ted's posts on Chat, I think he really believes that no one really desires or benefits from the critique. I can see where he is coming from, in one regard, but it is a stance I personally do not embrace...of course, being younger sister to a powerfully driven 18 months older sister, I grew up in a personal atmosphere of striving toe to toe to be on top. She did Speech and Debate, so did I, etc.

If you are interested in the discussion from chat, the beginning can be found here: "Just Curious" You will have to skim a few messages on a different topic, but I think you can get the flavor of the discussion.

Perhaps I was a bit too provocative when I suggested that Ted was being a bit disingenuous, suggesting that all was sunshine and roses at this or any time during the competition. It was a high stress situation and there were often moments of fury and frustration: Ted with me, and me with Ted. I can't speak for the other designers, but in addition to a lot of frantic design work there was also a LOT of soul searching. I was a little relieved when Leigh and Debbie, and later Brenda shared their feelings because that meant it wasn't just me...and that is really how it felt during the process of the competition: that it was just me.

I wonder whose design has too many feathers on it......

Process for Ellowyne Round 2

I am afraid I have to edit a bit (no, not because there is too much swearing...that comes in a bit later. hehehe) I don't want to give away too much of what I actually DID for the round. :)

" I have so many ideas! I had about 3 ideas (full blown outfits) when they announced the doll....of course when the challenge was announced it was so much more complicated! My idea - one of them - will still work with details and modifications. I have already asked 7 questions and I haven't even gotten through fabric selection."

....


"The coldest winter I've ever experienced was a summer in San Francisco."

Attr. to Mark Twain

...

"I am still stewing and brewing over the poem, trying to hit all the high points I can...without being too "cute." Ted gave me a warning about the difference between a trick and an illusion. I am not sure what he's thinking I am doing (he only has
questions so far...) Oh well...I guess I just have to hope there is something to "get" when I have this all finished."

"Just realized my color scheme isn't the "best" for my hair and eye color. Of course the second string practice pallete may be just the thing but it is not as moody! The coloring of Red, White and Very Blue is better, but I think there's more to play with in the Chills Poem."

"In the meantime, I think I need to research ________! I can't believe I am going that route! (Just Checked the original challenge message...says "Handbag is OK.") Whew!

"If I were a better artist on paper! Sigh! (I need to take a Fashion Illustration course. My sketches are hopeless!)

End of Journal Entry

The notion of the Day to Night change is a difficult one for me, since we never DO that. Sigh! Some days we put the kids to bed at 8 and then go to sleep ourselves. I know it is sad for an adult to go to bed at 8 p.m., but what can I say. In the instructions on the Blog, Ted is slightly more specific for the benefit of the AT Home designers. I don't remember being told that we could decide what the "Night" activity was. As you will read in my "Ellowyne's Journal" for this round that I submitted, I tried to address the issue, but I don't know if it just came off as wishy washy.

The number 5 presented a surprisingly substantial problem for me as well. It seemed like I had lots of 4 piece ideas and even some 6 piece ideas, but 5 is tricky. I think a large part of my problem is the same problem I have when making dinner...hehehe. I laugh, but I am serious here too. When I sit down to eat, I tend to eat one dish. This means that when I begin to cook, the main dish is typically well thought out, and then about half way through its preparation I remember that, oh yeah, we'll need a vegetable and a starch, maybe some bread. I NEVER think of dessert unless we are having people over. When I first started doing boxpleat, I did complete outfits on eBay, with accessories. Now in my work, I just don't do that; I am back to making the main dish, and my customers potluck their accessories. I am not sure if that is a personal weakness on my part, or just a recognition of sound business practice, ie, do what you do well, and let others do the parts you don't. I really liked my shoes from the Gene round, but considering they never got seen in the competition, the time was probably not justified. In this round, I didn't make shoes....and maybe I should have. :)

In the meantime, I was supposed to be using the delay of Round 2 to be prepping a few new things for my Ellowyne Salesroom and there is still quite a lot of work to be done before Saturday. (Including possibly soldering a new fuse in to my poor sad defunct monitor. Wish me luck! Maybe I will document that for posterity too!)

Reaction for Gene Round 1

Now, it seems a bit late for me to be sharing my initial reactions to the Pics of my own design and the other designs, but I will do my best to incorporate both what I thought at first glance and how my opinions evolved as I was able to see further pics, read the designers commentary etc. I expect that beginning with the Ellowyne Round, I will try to do two separate posts: Initial Reactions and then Retractions. heheheheh

Thoughts on my own gown....well, to be honest, the first thing I thought was that the dress is hiked up too high! The pleats are really supposed to lie flat across the lower surface of Gene's lovely vinyl bust. It is fine the way it is pictured, but the pleats don't look as defined when they are not pulled tight. The next thing I realized was that the details at the straps were essentially not visible.
In a similar fashion, the little shoes I crafted were not visible at all. It is interesting that in a doll competition (large or small) it is often the scale details that make or break a design in person. Hmmmm. I don't think I am going to fare all that well in the court of public opinion. (hehehe Of course, with as slow as my custom work has been going lately, my regulars will all breathe a sigh of relief. Several have commented that they would just as soon keep me as their "private" designer...and that is probably for the best, since boxpleat has to bow to mom duties all the time now.)Hmmm, when I look at my little detail pics, they are much too small still. I will have to look in to that.

Now these are much bigger. Is that better? They are still not the best pics in the world. My skill does not lean much toward the photographic side of my business. I think you get the idea for the dainty details though.
The tiny details are often the parts I like best.

Now for my reactions to the other designs. Please note: I am aware of my own bias, I hope you will be aware of it too. I also hope that the other designers won't be bothered by my commentary. As I mentioned earlier to those who have been following the drama from the yahoochat page, I recognize that my personal style is not for everyone. Some of the designs we have already seen are not things I would ever try myself, that doesn't mean they won't have vehement fans....and it doesn't mean they don't deserve those fans, it just means I don't particularly like it. And all you other designers and "viewers" out there, you can feel free to "not particularly" like my designs as well.

(Do feel free to comment by clicking on the "comment" note at the bottom of each post.)

If you want to follow along, I am listing them in order from the main "Runway Page" for this Challenge.

Magia 2000: I love this design (yeahyeahyeah, so does everyone I suppose but that doesn't make it any less true. :) I think it a believable Red Carpet gown with enough vintage sensibility to work well for Gene. I wish we could have actually gotten a shot of the back of the gown though. Is there a separate piece that adds to the train? Is the upper bodice hand beaded? (And my question, how much beading is too much for the "factory" that we were continually enjoined to produce for...)

Debbie: My first thought was that it looked very plain in the pictures. I liked it much better when I saw the pictures Debbie posted later, largely because the skirt didn't look so stiff. I also thought her quilted clutch purse was great. I think she captured the modern girl choosing a vintage dress look.

Karen: I could see where she was going with the color but I wasn't wild about the hemline and the little jacket. Again, like Debbie's, I liked the dress MUCH more when I saw Karen's pictures. It makes me wonder how different EVERYONE's designs would feel to us as viewers if, rather than being uniform, the pictures were selected to highlight the strong points. Of course I understand why the pictures ought to be uniform...sigh! I don't have to like it thought do I? (I am a terrible photographer though, so I don't imagine my pieces would be that much better served.)

Judith: I thought it was an interesting use of the pre-pleated fabric in the skirt. I didn't realize until the discussion started that the collar and upper part of the bodice were "leather," and while that made me like it less personally, it is a very bold move and deserves some respect because that stuff is hard to sew!

Brenda: I have to admit, I thought of the Brown paper bag too. :( The colors on my monitor were very distressing. When Brenda was describing the colors later in the yahoochat and pointed out that the green had a pink tone and that the lower piece was "gold," things made more sense. When I went back to look at the design again, trying not to look at the way the colors appeared, I was amazed by the interesting structure of the lower part of the dress. Still looks like a paper sack, but what a cool concept. It was the color issue that hit me hardest though. (I hope your house is safe from fires, Brenda.)

Leigh: I thought this gown was really lovely, but very subdued for an evening of eye-catching. I can see it getting worn however. I do have to point out (and this is just because I am a snob, I suppose but...) NO Oscar gown would have a machine hem. That is just a pet peeve of mine, and I hope you aren't offended Leigh; if you are, I am sorry. I look at that lovely expanse of gorgeous silk in the skirt and my eye is just drawn to the hem. Sigh! I suppose we all have our little scritchy points, and hems are mine. hehehehe

Safina: While I didn't particularly care for the two colors together, I adore that fiery Orange. Every year I find there are colors that speak to me and lately it has been fire colors like this one. When I have seen Safina's work in the past, I have been amazed at how she gets such a great fit on the smaller sized gals. Having the first round on Gene was definitely a disadvantage for some and an advantage for others. I think I would have liked the design itself more if the ruffle in front were smaller to show off the dramatic keyhole neckline more.

Brandon: I like the vintage feel of the little jacket, but it seemed really "day wear" to me....maybe the short sleeves? It was also really hard to see the details on this one in the pics....like the corset effects in the back and the structure of the bodice. It is interesting to look at this design in the context of Brandon's work shown on his website. The underskirt seemed a bit half-hearted to me....which isn't really the vibe I think Brandon usually gives off.....

Jose': Well, when I go back to look at the construction of the skirt (what we can see) I am just amazed at how cool it is. I initially thought the beaded section was an overlay. Is it hand beaded or a fabric with additional beading to tie it together? This is a dress I would like to see in person. When it came down to actually voting though, (I made a goal to not vote for myself of course) but I found I wasn't all that wild about the "breastplate" notion. I also thought to myself that those little bias straps and edging would be hard to manufacture. I found myself obsessing about the notion of manufacture quite a bit during this (and other rounds.)

Andrea: When I look at this dress, I always think the bodice is velvet....who knows why. I also didn't think about the Titanic at all. I thought the long beads were a bit big....but then Andrea's hard work photographed better than mine, so who am I to say, eh? I like the skirt best. (Why do I think that bodice is velvet? I mean, I read her pages, and it is satin. hehehehe)

Christopher: Whew, I really did not like this at first glance. For one, the main fabric looked very OLIVE to me. I think our eyes are adapting to the new Brown with everything motif, and I think I would not have been as put off by the combination as I was, if I had known it was "mocha." I also didn't like the fur collar and cuffs, but then again, no one ever accused me of beign particularly "cutting edge." After looking at Christopher's website, I can certainly see where this gown fits in. I imagine his regular customers are outraged by our sad, sad lack of VISION. I like the deconstructed edge on that ruffle.....if any of you readers remember the Miss Sydney World competition of a year or so ago....my design "Rip Curl" was originally supposed to have a ruffle like Christopher has achieved all along the wave edges, but I chickened out after 3 unsuccessful trys at making an edge that worked.

So there are my thoughts on all the designs. I suppose it must now be time to go to bed. I will try to comment on the Ellowyne Challenge "Process" next.

Commentary on Round 1

The cryptic notes at the end of the journal are actually the high points that I wanted to hit in my "Judge's Questionaire."

I just got word from Ted that he thinks he still has that information and will get back to me Sunday. I think I will be able to come back and "edit" my post to add that information in. I guess we will see.

In other news, my husband was around quite a bit during this round as he took off days from work to support me. I think that, while others may not agree, I have the best husband in the world. Feel free to contest, if you will, but let me just say that in addition to his many more predictably husband-y good traits, this man is willing to patiently listen as I show off my...wait for it....fabric purchases! And no, not to complain about how much I spent. I can't tell you how many times I have asked him to go check something in my office because I need some positive reinforcement on a project; and he does it without complaint. What a marvelous man, and he is all mine! (I would post a picture of him, but he tends to object. Our entire trip to Hungary early in our marriage is documented with only me in the pictures. Not sure how he gets away with it!)

Also of note: When it came time to actually ship the dress and shoes, I was in a real quandry. The bias cut nature of the gown meant that if it spent the whole transit time in a heap at the bottom of the box it would actually lose its shape and need to "hang out" again so the seams would hug the curves and the hem would hang straight. I ended up securing the dress with a large collection of ribbon loops attached to a big piece of cardboard.

That wasn't the only shipping adventure, however. This round I sent my design via Express Mail...but it didn't arrive in express time. As this was the first round, I was really frantic when it didn't show up when promised. It arrived much later the next day, and I don't even think I was the last one in, but I was certainly worried until it did.

Next post: My reactions to the round and some detail pics for my gown.

Process Notes Round 1

This Post will come directly from my Journal which was written during the Round. I have the most notes for this round. As the pace became more frantic, I tended to record less. In the next post I will try to recreate what I sent in response to teh Judges questions...unless I can get Ted to find me a copy. (For some reason I must not have saved the file. Sigh! I think it was just an email and my Sent messages file is set for Purge!)

The Gene Challenge

"I read the challenge loosely at 3:47 a.m. when I was up feeding the baby. Initially I was dismayed at it being a "modern" interpretation for Gene as I imagine the rest of the designers probably don't have collections of vintage patterns etc for inspiration. It will still be fine though..."

"I thought I would try the chained rhinestone thing I have been dreaming about for about a year...but I can only find the white ones. Argh! The turquoise AB ones are here somewhere but I can not find them. They're in a bag with the little rings I bought for matching bracelets. Seems like I had them out getting stuff ready for Gene Con but who knows now."

So the next thought is hte same design idea for the body of the dress (cowl draping across the bust, slim bias cut line maybe flared or trained low down) using the tiny leaf jewelry findings and crystals."

"So then the question of straps: I got to thinking I should do bias straps...maybe 3 (2 not enough, 4 too many is my theory) Can I do bias straps that small? What about the ribbon I have? The ribbon is going to be easier I'm sure...but will it result in a "no go" for being too easy?"

"The leaf findings are called bails. Found some at www.shipwreckbeads.com search for bail Ack! They had silver but it appears to have changed. The new silver doesn't say "small." Price is pretty good though in bulk. .06/per Now to research some techniques and do some drawings."

"I slept the first part of the night without baby because Nath took duty but hte 3 a.m. shift woke me up even in the office so I got him (nath) to trade after and hour or so. Both are still sleeping now and I need to get to business."

"Work is progressing but I still feel flustered and behind. The smooth sloper is done (although I need to recut the neckline and maybe the back) Now to figure out how to attach the pleated front details to the sloper for cutting. Hmmm"

"The pettern is workiing although in the actual fabric (despite my checking of hte bias stretch) sseems much looser on top with the pleats. I think I've been able to correct it. Now for construction to see if it's coming together...what will I do if it doesn't?"

"Ted told us it is better to fail spectacularly than to succeed safely...the only trouble is that NO ONE knows this is such a huge departure for me, so no one will understand the great triumph if ti works....to everyone else it will look like a simple sheath.mmmmmm"

"The strap design is giving me fits. Argh! I had a cool idea to weave 4 or 3 per shoulder but no way to ease it on and off or hook them...tried several other ways as well. I think I have settled on a "lacing" option with the leaf bails. One at each side in front and a pair at the closure in the center back...I think it will work...and if nothing else it will be interesting. (read: weird if they don't like it.)"

"Still trying to decide if I need the rhinestones after all. I thinkk I do. Hmmmm At least the gown fit is good :) Now the hemline can rest over the Sabbath!"

"Points to make: color, walking, point of view"


That is all from the journal for Round 1. Please note...I just write with a LOT of ellipsis. The abovve text is not edited. Commentary to follow.

Okay, so I lied

I realized while typing the Bio and Protraits post that I had better fill in a few of the details....otherwise, you might be surprised! About 2 weeks after we heard about "the baby" and many emails and interactions with both birthmother and birthfather, both had decided that we were the right family for him. With the papers signed, we just had to wait until he was born.

We got word from Project Dollway that I had been selected about this time. I had great hopes that the challenges would begin right away so that I could get one under my belt before the added complication of a newborn, but that was not to be! Issac was late and PD was delayed and as it happens, they both came home to roost the same week. Isaac was born on Friday, April 13th. He stayed with his birthmother in the hospital until Monday evening when he came home with us. We received word of the Challenge on Wednesday morning Eastern Standard Time....which meant I actually read the challenge at a 3 a.m. feeding. More on that in a later post. This is a picture of Senneth and Isaac during that first week.

Bio and Portraits

At some point early in the competition....between Gene and Ellowyne I believe (as you will see from the pics) we were asked to provide a Short Bio/Introduction and a Portrait as well as some pics for Pat Henry of FDQ to use in the magazine. Now I don't know if you have ever been called on to represent your whole self to "strangers" but it is a fairly stressful project. What should one say about oneself...what is going to sound pretentious, or idiotic?

In addition to the WORDS, we had to provide images. I think I am like most people in that, sometimes I look in the mirror and think I look pretty good; most of the time though I look tired or frazzled, or I don't even have time to look! One afternoon while Nathan (my dear husband) and Isaac (the baby) were sleeping soundly, I took my handy dandy camera, and, holding it at arms length, took about a million pictures. Needless to say most were terrible, but if you look to the right of your screen you will see the "official" portrait I selected. The Hibiscus was picked from the bush I am standing in front of. I personally was very pleased with the picture...surprisingly so. My mother says it doesn't look like me (which is odd.) This is the picture Nathan took when we went out later to take some more pictures near our house...
He wanted to be sure to highlight the exotic locale, the newborn status of our child etc. to sway the public vote! hehehehe It is good to be married to a man who supports my bizarre little business. (Through out this competition, he has been completely supportive, going so far as to suggest that I needed to buy one of every type of doll they COULD choose, so I would be ready for every round! Yeah, he is nuts, but I love him....and didn't take advantage, well not too much!)


So here Is the actual text I sent for my Bio. The short version was published in the last FDQ when all the selected designers were highlighted.


I was really excited when I first heard about Project Dollway. I am not a trained designer by any stretch of the imagination, but I love the process of drafting new patterns and confronting challenges. Early in the application process, I met Pat Henry in one of the doll chat rooms and told her she had to pick me for the competition so we could get a baby. (We had been in the process of adopting for about a year, and have found that our family planning works on a principle of "Maximum Inconvenience." I thought an international competition with high stakes that would extend over many months and require a great deal of focus and attention was just the thing!) I am pleased to say that my plan worked perfectly! Even if I am unlucky enough to be the first competitor eliminated, Project Dollway will have served its purpose. We received a call from our adoption agency the day after the application deadline: we had been selected by a birthmother for her baby, and we would just have to wait until he was born. He came home from the hospital two days before our first challenge! So Thank YOU to all those who had a part in the selection process and in this competition: We couldn't have done it without you!

Boxpleat Fashions has been the ideal work for me while being a stay at home mom. It has given me professional and personal satisfaction that a "job" never could, while still allowing me to be home with my daughter Senneth, and our new son Isaac. Thank you to all my great customers who inspire and whose patience knows no bounds. Thanks also to my Mom and my wonderful husband who continually encourage me to strive for more in my business (and who listen to exhaustive descriptions of fabrics, how the pleating isn't working and how if I could just figure out how to....)

I have come a long way from the paper towels and masking tape dresses I used to make when I was 6. If only my current favorite fabrics were so cheap and easy to acquire! I look forward to participating in Project Dollway for as long as they will let me.

Although my website is terribly out of date, you can see some of my work and archives at http://www.boxpleat.com Likewise, I won't be taking on any custom orders until Isaac is a bit older, but please email if you would like to be notified for salesroom openings. (My salesrooms are typically body-type specific so be sure to specify who you collect.) email: k@boxpleat.com and put "mailing list" in the subject line.

A Beginning

While I am not at my leisure to spend hours documenting all that went on during Project Dollway (the baby just does not nap as much as one might think! hehehe) I will try to document both what I remember of the interactions with Ted and what went on in MY head as I designed.

The first thing to note is how we got picked in the first place.

I was very excited when I read about the competition. I love to draft patterns and enjoy the "challenges" set by some of my loyal customers, many of whom send pics or fabric with a gorgeous vision in mind. It often takes several shots, but I like to think that I can usually produce what they were dreaming of for their collection.

I was so excited that I tried to get everyone I knew among my doll sewing friends to also apply. This was in February. The deadline was the 1st of March I believe. I sifted through my pics and found a few of my favorites. I wanted to show a variety of dolls, a variety of styles and yet still be very clear about my style and preferences. (While it doesn't happen very often, occasionally things get made here in this office that are decidedly not "boxpleat" even when I made them.)

Here is a link for the page I submitted as my "Application" for Project Dollway:

Application


The day after the application was due we received an urgent message from our representative at
"LDS Family Services"
(our adoption agency) saying that a birthmother had selected us. They hesitated in calling us because the birthfather was saying that he would refuse to sign the paperwork, but had decided to let us know so we could begin to prepare, just in case. The baby was due April 2.

I can't remember if it was before or after the deadline that I ran in to Pat Henry (one of the Sponsors and Judges of the competition) in a chat room. Jokingly I told her that they needed to pick me so that we would get our baby. Surely an international competition stretching out for months would be enough "inconvenience" for even our family. I think this chat may have actually occurred BEFORE we had gotten word from the agency. We have a long tradition of "inconvenience" as part of our family planning. After 4 unsuccessful years, and a decision to "not TRY" while we were going to be in a different state every 6 weeks for almost a year, Miss Senneth (now almost 5) made her belated appearance on the scene. I didn't see the same physician more than twice during my whole pregnancy!

Next Post: Bio and Portraits