Final Wrap complete!

11/16/09
Beaded Flower Blossom Wrap
Silk Chiffon & Charmeuse
Color: Black
Qty: 2

Well I made it. Days later due to the bead company taking their sweet old time to get me the Swarovski pearls...I mean really! They were ordered on Halloween and arrived on Nov 14. These suckers were in the mail for 11 days!

In any event the adventure is over! I am glad to be able to finally say they are complete!

Where to find them?
1. A trunk show! Lets get these babies going out the door! I have decided to put on a trunk show for all to come and brouse my collection. It will be held this Thursday Nov 19th from 4- 6 @ 848 Chipshot Ct. Come and take a look in person.
2. I will also be showing at Barton Hills Country Club on December 1st from 9:30am - 3pm at the Holiday Gift Market arranged to benefit Conger, a fundraising organization dedicated to providing need-based scholarships to women who attend the University of Michigan.
3. 26th Annual Art and Craft Festival held at the Ann Arbor City Club December 5th from 9am - 4pm.
4. My scarves can be found in Renaissance clothing store located at 201 S. Division St, Ann Arbor

What is next?
I am in the process of designing a ball gown to donate to the St Joseph Hospital. The Hospital puts on a Holiday Ball fundraiser to benefit the Mother/Baby Unit each year. So be sure to check back to see that process unfold!

Lorna

Flower Blossom Wrap Almost Done!

Well, I didn't quite make it. I did manage to finish up the Flower Blossom Wrap sans beads. I went to the bead store today but I didn't like anything I saw. So I ordered some on line instead. That means it will be a few more days until I can finish. *Sigh*

On the plus side I did manage to complete 118 scarves singlehandedly! So I should be proud of that.

When I have the wrap complete with beads I will do a new posting including a photo. In the mean time I am going to rest up and then get started on my next project....A GOWN! Stay tuned to see it come to life.

Lorna

It's Halloween!

Well, I just got my first trick-or-treaters! That means my time is up and I need to stop sewing now. I am sad to say I have not completed my scarf of the day today! So I have nothing to show.

Lorna

Midnight Scarf complete

10/30/09
Midnight Scarf
Silk Chiffon & Charmeuse
Color: Black
Qty: 5

Days left: 1
Hours: 219.25
Total Scarfs: 116

Well, I am so happy to have completed this scarf. I just love it! As I was working on the wrap from yesterday "The Midnight Wrap" it is now being renamed from the tri ruffle wrap, I made a sample of one section and the idea was born!

As always, it took me longer then I expected. This time it was due to the lack of perfection! I was having some trouble getting the gathers just right and did some seam ripping! (Don't tell my husband, he hates it when I rip) but now they are up to my standard and I can put them away.

I only have one day left to complete my little project! I am sitting here getting nervous! I have to take some time out tonight and wont get back to work on it until about 9pm. I am thinking I won't be able to complete my task by my deadline.

I have just one more style I will be completing before I finish this project! Tune in tomorrow and see what it looks like! If it is done that is.

Lorna

Tri Panel Wrap

10/29/09
Tri Panel Wrap
Silk Chiffon & Charmeuse
Color: Black
Qty: 2

Days left: 2
Hours: 205.25
Total Scarfs: 111

My first wrap! This one must be seen in person to be truly appreciated because it turned out quite beautifully and the photo doesn't let you feel it. I love the addition of the charmeuse fabric. I haven't worked with it in a while and I forgot how much it frays! And I'm talking LONG pieces of very fine thread to trip over because they have wound themselves around your legs, wrists and shoelaces. HA! Just breathing makes it shed! But oh so worth it when you handle the complete garment. I'm looking forward to working with it again. And I will because during this process I made a test piece out of a single row and loved it! So now I am going to be working on a scarf version.

The problem with being a designer is that you can get the flow of lots of ideas coming at you all at once. I find if I haven't designed in a while it can be hard to get into the creative groove again. But after I start! Whoa, look out! It seems that every night when I lay down to sleep I get more ideas. I get so many and want to make them all but there just isn't time. So I have finally decided on my last two styles for my two remaining days. (hopefully I won't dream up some new one tonight and try to squeeze it in)

Maybe for Halloween I will just cut two holes in a sheet and be a ghost. Hmm, lets see, I don't have a white bed sheet...so maybe I just will use this elegant silk double sided satin I have sitting next to me. Now that would be an expensive ghost costume!

Lorna

Flower Blossom complete!..No reallyl

10/27/09
Flower Blossom
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Black/Wheat
Qty: 5

Days left: 4
Hours: 187.25
Total Scarfs: 109

Okay,

I am really done now with the Flower Blossom scarves now! I'm glad I did them and feel good about moving forward. Now I will be moving on to the wraps. Only 4 days. Oh Boy! Not sure if I can complete what I want but I will give it a try.

I have decided to concentrate on making the best quality scarves I can and stop being so concerned about the quantity. I don't want to create something I am not proud of and I think if I focus on worrying about how many I can complete, I will not enjoy the ride or be proud of my accomplishments. I have definitely learned that I can't expect things to go exactly as planned and I need to lighten up on meeting my own expectations!

Whew! Okay, now 20 to more to go!...just kidding! :)

Stay tuned for what comes next!

Lorna
(Maybe I'll just be a designer for Halloween..you know, one of those wrist pin cushions and a measuring tape around my neck "The FIT necklace" we used to call it at school!)

Enough of this!!

Days left: 6
Hours: 174.50 + 13 lost
Total Scarfs: 104 still

WELL!

I had quite a few days pass now.

I was working on what I named the small weave scarf. It proved to be ridiculous to complete.

I cut strips of green and black chiffon, put a rolled edge on each length sides of all and planed on creating a weave with them and then making a border in charmeuse to finish it off.

I had a terrible time in getting the chiffon blocked! Then I had a terrible time finding a way to sew them together to insure they don't just fall apart when they are lifted. As you can see in the picture above I had it all laid out (which took hours) and then pinned and finally attempted to sew each intersection by hand. WOW! What was I thinking??? We are talking about 420 intersections. So I instead tried basting the edges then taking it to the machine to stitch the intersections there. What a mess! Now I have gotten to the point, on one scarf, where I have managed to sew each black piece together at the intersections but the green are still too loose to leave. Oh boy! I already have 3 days into this and I don't even have one scarf finished yet. I have decided to cut my losses and move on at least for now. I don't see getting these done for another few days. I will make it a "special run" at a later time maybe and stay focused on my goal. I still have some wheat colored chiffon I was going to use to make a second color scheme of the weave but I think I would be better served to make one more set of flower blossom scarves in black/wheat. So that is my plan starting tomorrow. Flower blossom takes me a long time but nothing compared to this and every time I show one off I get rave reviews.

*Sigh*

Lorna

Work in progress!

Flower Blossoms, Check!

10/23/09
Flower Blossom
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Black/Tamarack
Qty: 5

Days left: 9
Hours: 174.50
Total Scarfs: 104

Well, I managed to finish the flower blossom scarves and they really turned out stunning. Nicer then I even imagined but then again I could probably be designing dog neck hankies or baby diapers and this fabric would make it elegant!

I'm sad to say these took me 2 days...no scarf of the day this time. That just may be how it will be for the rest of my adventure with the scarf making because they are getting more detailed and intricate...beading soon to come! But I will keep plugging away and hope I can feel good about what I have accomplished on Halloween! Unfortunately I will either have to go as a stripper or pull out a past years costume this year because there will be no making of any costumes for me or my dog!

Slowing Down

10/20/09
Flower Blossom
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Black/Steel
Qty: 5

Days left: 11
Hours: 161.50
Total Scarfs: 99

Oh My God! I am so tired! These scarves took forever! I couldn't do them in one day even! They have 2 layers of black with a steel sandwiched between them on the base. It looks really cool with the steel tread on the rolled edge and the steel blossom BUT UGH! I am not looking forward to the next color! And to boot I am starting to feel under the weather! I only have 11 days left and I see in my schedule that I need to take time out to watch my brother's kiosk in the mall again! So much time lost! I'll loose 3 days...well more like 28 hours ... I guess that is not 3 days if you don't count sleeping. So much for "scarf of the day"

I don't think I am going to make my deadline! I am so bummed about it!

Lorna

Pleateds complete

10/17/09
Pleated
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Tamarack
Qty: 6

10/18/09
Pleated
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Steel
Qty: 6

Days left: 13
Hours: 147.50
Total Scarfs: 94

Well, I didn't really manage to quite finish both of these in one day. And I didn't quite manage to take the day off today however, working only a few hours is not bad.

In the mean time I got to spend time with my family. I had a leisurely brunch, went grocery shopping, to a soccer game, got pumpkins for Halloween and enjoyed doughnuts and cider! :)

Nice day off! And tomorrow, back to work! Not sure which scarf I will work on but it will be a new one! And from this time on the colors will all be only black and natural so the styles will be completed faster! I am looking forward this....oh I do have some color coming but not a lot.

Lorna

10/14/09
Pleated
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Black
Qty: 6

10/15/09
Pleated
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Wheat
Qty: 6

10/16/09
Pleated
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Plum
Qty: 6

Days left: 15
Hours: 134.75
Total Scarfs: 82


Well, I made it on to the new style!! Finally, I thought I had died and gone to ruffle hell! The pleated scarves are much simpler to make then the ruffles so they don't take quite as long as the ruffles.

I filmed my first video to post on my blog but I couldn't get it to load! since I am frantically sewing all the way I have not taken the appropriate time to investigate why until early this morning. It seems my file was too large at 10 minutes. So I apparently need to shorten things up and give it another try.

In the mean time I am in desperate need of a day off so I am planning on busting out 2 colors today so I can take tomorrow off! Don't know if it is possible but I am going to give it a try. I also don't know if I can bring myself to take a day off but I and my family really need me to as it is coming up on Halloween and we have taken no steps whatsoever to start the pumpkin carving and such.

So off to the races I go!!!

Lorna

Minis complete!

10/13/09
Mini Ruffle
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Steel
Qty: 4

Days left: 18
Hours: 114.25
Total Scarfs: 64

Well, I am so glad to have finished the Mini Ruffle styles. I made a toltal of 24 in 6 colors! Whew! I can't wait to get on to a new style tomorrow!

After adding up the length of rolled hem I have completed with this style and it came to 15,552 inches or 1,296 feet or about 1/4 of a mile! No wonder I am tired!

Lorna

Had a bad day!

10/12/09
Mini Ruffle
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Tamarack
Qty: 4

Day: 16
Hours: 105.75
Total Scarfs: 60

Well it started with the realization that I told my brother I would watch his kiosk at the mall where he sells his "Good Herbs". Which meant I would be loosing at least 6 of my hours today! So I get up @ 6am to see the step children off to school (oh haven't I mentioned I have 4 step children!....yeah that is another story!) Anyway after we get them off to the bus I start getting ready for my big day at the mall and manage to burn the top of my ear on my curling iron! That sucked because I take a daily walk with our golden retriever Sandy with the neighbor dog friends. It was particularly cold this morning (around 34 degrees) but my ear was burning so I went without a hat...wish I hadn't especially since the wind worked on wrecking the hair I had fixed with the curling iron to begin with.

Anyway, it was a very long 6 hrs. Business was dead and I was having trouble staying awake. All the while fiddling with my plan on how I could possible pull this off. Not sleep for the next few weeks??? I don't like that option. Make fewer scarves?? Continuing on, I popped over to the cookie place to get a boost. It didn't work, it probably just boosted my back side!

I have dance class on Mondays so I knew I had about 2 hrs of sewing to squeeze in and got right to work. I also had not recalled until I got home that my 19 yr old step-son aka "The little Drummer Boy" didn't have class today and was home and gearing up for some late afternoon arm swinging. And so the drumming began!!! I work in my design room in the lower level of the house which is also where the drums are located! Ugh!

Before I knew it my 2hrs were up and I needed to feed the cat & dog and get ready for dance class. I was just so tired staying up late the night before (much like now) and I was getting dressed I was contemplating playing hooky form dance class. As I was getting ready I thought I might just lie down and take a short rest while decided. Well, I managed to fall asleep with one leg in and the other leg out of the tights...yes I fell asleep mid tights application! How pitiful! When I got up I decided it just wasn't worth it to go and have a bad fouette day. Then I also realize we have the younger kids all week this week because their mother is out of town. Good Lord! This means I need to come up with dinner and it is already 6pm! I whipped up some spaghetti and meatballs in a flash and ran back down to keep sewing while being serenaded by the snare, base and cymbals.


Well after dinner I did manage to get back at it uninterrupted and have just now finished.

zzzzzzzzzzzz
Lorna D

Why so soon?

Scarf of the day:
Mini Ruffle
Iridescent Silk Chiffon
Color: Plum
Qty: 4

Day: 17
Hours: 99.75
Total Scarfs: 56

You might be wondering why I have to have my scarf inventory completed by Halloween. It might sound crazy but this is really a self imposed deadline.

1. I find I do some of my best work with deadlines. Last year I took on a bridal show at the Palace of Auburn Hills, MI "Winter Bridal Celebration". My previous beau, now husband, had been encouraging me to complete the sample dresses I had been working on for the previous 3 or so years (no deadline) and become a vendor at a bridal show. This sounded reasonable and since I trust him as I do I went for it. Well, when I made the phone call to set it up I was faced with the question "Would you like to be in the fashion show?". My mind swirled with the possibility and in a moment of temporary insanity I roboticly asked "How many dresses would I need to have?" The answer was 14-18! Without giving myself any time to look beyond the allure of having my dresses in a fashion show for an audience the at the Palace, I my alter Ego blocked my brain and proclaimed YES! before I had the chance to interrupt her to try to reason with her and explain that this show, the one she was committed to was only 8 weeks away! With crazy bell bell hours, and some help I managed to pull off 14 dresses. 12 for the fashion show and 2 for the booth! (Well, if I recall I was nearly absent for Christmas, New Years, my 1st anniversary and my husbands 50th birthday.) But I did it AND I am still married!

2. The sooner the better. It would really be useless to try to sell fall scarves after fall has past.

3. Nov 1st is the first day "NICE FM" plays 24/7 Christmas music!

Time to sleep,
Lorna

How it all began

Since I was a kid I have been sewing. Sewing doll dresses, quilts and some clothes as I got older due to my odd size. It was all fine and dandy until I graduated from high school (hating it) and didn't want to go back to school! Yuck! I took odd jobs and spent the next 5 yrs or so contemplating what to do with myself. I had sewed since I was 8 yrs old. My first garment was a dress for my baby doll "Eliza Jane" sewn on my mothers sewing machine that she had set up to work with a foot peddle...no I am not that old, she is just into antiques!

As I got older I sewed more and more. I really enjoyed creating my own garments and was quite pleased to find people liked my designs. So it hit me that I should go to design school. I applied to the best in the country, The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. I was accepted and off I went to New York, the city that never sleeps--(which is a crock by the way-- for practical people anyway) leaving my brand new husband alone in back in Michigan!

I was worried I would be the oldest freshmen in the entire school and that dorm-mates would be asking me to "buy" for them. I got pretty lucky here as there were others my age. Well, it was a 2 year program and I worked my butt off to keep up. As a perfectionist, I find it takes me about 3 times as long to complete a project then it does everyone else. Yes, it is true the results were "perfect" in the eyes of everyone else, including my professors which are the people that really count anyway, just don't ask me what was wrong with one of my garments because I could go on for hours!

So I graduated summa cum laude with an associates degree in applied science specializing in fashion design and wondered what now? I had a husband back in Ann Arbor, MI that had been waiting for me for the last 2 years to come home....or had he??

After the divorce, I was struggling to stay sane. I had returned to Ann Arbor to try to make it work...which was useless for many reasons I could go on and on about ....but that is not what this blog is about! Now I had a degree that was not very useful in the Midwest. I found work with a Metro Detroit cashmere sweater company. The problem was I was put in charge of production instead of design- not to mention it was so far away from Ann Arbor that I could have practically driven to New York with the time I spent on the Metro freeway parking lots!!

Long story short, after years of various jobs not using my degree and finding and falling in love with a wonderful man, I was strongly encouraged to start up my own business by my new beau.

I took his advice and started slowly. I continued working my day job in the meantime and little by little started establishing my businesses identity. After about 5 yrs...I'm afraid so...and loosing my job I have plunged myself into it full time.

I design bridal and special event evening wear for women. I sit down with them, get to know them and then sketch based on what I have learned about their personalities. I really love the work and enjoy making the bride's face light up when she puts on that gown!I work with only the highest quality silks....we are even talking linings here! I am committed to excellence in my workmanship.

Getting to the point now...

Business has been slow! So have been thinking, I have a service that can only exist if I have a customer first...that is a tough one, so I decided to create a product that can vastly expand my customer base. I have decided to single handedly design and construct a line of beautiful silk scarves for Fall 09. OKAY, that is pretty darn soon! I got to work and created my spread sheet and mapped out me plan of attack. I decided to do this pretty late in the season so I had better get on it. AND NOW! I worked out a schedule that requires me to make one scarf per day... well one scarf color and style per day. That is really it is more like 4-6 scarves a day because that is the quantity I am planning to constuct each day in order to complete it by Halloween! Hence the title of my blog is "Scarf of the day". I decided to take photos of them and post it for my friends on FB to keep an ongoing record of my actions...sounded like a blog!

It computes to 128 scarves to be completed in the next 3 weeks! OH BOY, that makes me want to go pee! Oh wait a minute...I just checked and as of today I have completed 56 of them so far.

What was I thinking???

Back to sewing!