For anyone serious about a career in fashion design, mastering the art of flat pattern making is essential. This foundational skill allows designers to transform their ideas into reality, equipping them with the technical know-how to create perfectly fitting garments from scratch. It’s not just a practical skill; it’s a creative superpower that bridges the gap between vision and execution, offering both artistic and career-enhancing benefits. Here’s why flat pattern making is indispensable for every aspiring designer.
Read moreStudent Highlight - Carissa H.
Photography - Katya Kuba
Carissa recently took a series of classes to prepare herself for a graduate program application. She completed her undergrad in another field and has been in the working world but wanted to shift gears into the realm of design. She had a tight deadline and a steep learning curve but really made huge progress over just a couple of months. We are so proud of her and all her hard work! Look what a beautiful dress she made as only her 2nd adult sewing project. Wow! Bravo Carissa - Bellisima!
Read moreStudent Highlight - Jake D.
Meet Jake D. , one of our Fashion Design Students. His designs are pretty awesome, so we thought we would share some with you. It's fantastic that he is also exploring the art of draping fabric on the dress form, which was really a wonderful surprise to see when he sent over the photos. That skill and practice will come in handy when and if he studies pattern making (finger's crossed). I think it will be really fun for him. But first Sewing!
Read moreVintage Style and Beyond - Student Spotlight - Amy B.
Amy has been a student at The Sewing Room for about a year and a half now. She loves to sew vintage clothing and pays careful attention to all the details. Amy has also been part of our Fashion Studies program for the last year and I've been super thrilled to see her blossom in ways she couldn't imagine. Self proclaiming that she couldn't draw, we can see she proved herself incorrect in that assumption. Just look a the fabulous illustrations she created above! That little collage also shows you her mood mood board as well as a rendering of her fabric design. I can't wait to see what she dreams up next!
Read moreStudent Spotlight - Eddie D.
Eddie has been sewing with us now for about 1 year. They are an ambitious and determined student who is not afraid of a challenge. As you can see from the photos of Eddie's work, below, each project is carefully and creatively curated.
Read moreStudent Spotlight - Wendi G. Fashion Illustration
This month we highlight Fashion Studies student - Wendi G. Wendi is one of Julie Ann's Illustrations and as you can see, has a very whimsical and colorful style. Here is a little more about Wendi in her own words:
Read moreStudent Spotlight - Ann C. - Slow Stitcher Extraordinaire
This month we highlight Fashion Studies student Ann C. Ann has been attending classes now at the sewing room for about a year. It’s been an absolute joy to see her hand work emerge and grow as she works through the Ann Wood Handmade Slow Stitch Book and posts photos of her work on Instagram. It’s somewhat rare to find a student who enjoys the hand work like this, as many want to rush through the process. This slow stitching is a good meditation for the practicing of patience. It will also prepare her for the work she will do in our Couture Sewing Intensive we are holding in spring. (Shhhh….don’t tell her I told you). In any case, here is a little more about Ann…
Read moreJobs in Fashion - Photo Styling with Susie St. John
A photo stylist is someone who works with a photographer and sometimes a team, such as an art director and/or an assistant stylist, to make clothing or products look the way the Brand or Magazine wants them to look. Their goal is to translate the vision of the designer or art director into a scene that can then be photographed.
Read morePillars of Sustainable Fashion
Fashion has always played a key role in the global economy. The numbers further amplify the need for brands to become more eco-responsible. A 2020 report by Global Fashion Agenda and McKinsey found that should the industry continue with its existing decarbonization initiatives, emissions will be capped at 2.1 billion tons a year by 2030, which is the same level the report estimates the industry emitted in 2018, accounting for 4% of the world’s total emissions. This underscores the importance of a shift to sustainability and sustainable practices for fashion.
Read moreJobs in Fashion - Techical Designer
A Technical Designer's job is to sit between the Fashion Designer, Merchandiser and Production Manager to make a garment fit the customer that the merchandiser is targeting, adhering to the designer's original vision, while also producing it at the right price. This is usually done remotely by sending communications overseas to agents and factories.
Read moreI Can't Wait to Keep Learning - Student Highlight on Ava S.
This month's student spotlight is on Ava S., who is currently in our ONLINE Fashion Studies Program. Her instructors speak very highly of her and she is producing very lovely work. Ava is 16 years old and a Sophomore at Skyline High School in Oakland, California.
Read moreIt's Never Too Late to Start Something new - Student Highlight - Rylee B.
This month's student spotlight is on Rylee B., who is currently in our ONLINE Fashion Studies Program. She's an amazing artist an what she has written is very inspiring. Below is a little bit more about Rylee in her own words -
Read moreI live in Alameda, California, with my husband, our roommate, and — most belovedly — our cat. We’ve been in California for roughly 3 years after moving here from Florida. I’m currently a nurse and I work night-shift, so hobbies are what keep me going since most of my awake time is while the world is sleeping.
Student Highlight - Lacie Schwend
We are excited to Introduce you to our Student of The month Lacie Schwend. She's been taking our Online Fashion Sewing and Beginning Pattern Making with Christine in our Online Fashion Studies program. Lacie lives in Wyoming and has a really interesting background. We love her Cruella Costume that she made, using techniques she learned in class with Christine.
Read more5 reasons why it's Important to Cultivate your Sewing Skills when studying Fashion Design
I've been sewing now for more than 40 years (yikes!) Starting at age seven and sewing ever since. All that practice informed the way I understand how clothing gets made. Spending years reading patterns, prepared me for design school and I was much more SEWING-ABLE than many of my peers. Here are 5 reasons why it's crucial to get this skill cultivated early:
Read moreThe Top Four Crucial Skills to Have When Designing a Fashion Collection
Designing your own fashion collection can be very exciting. Putting your big ideas out into the world is amazing. But what happens when it doesn’t go exactly as planned? Your pattern maker didn’t understand your sketch and your samples turned out wonky or the factory made decisions counter to your ideas. Being a designer is hard sometimes! But it doesn’t have to be hard, if you know a thing or two about how the manufacturing process works & how to communicate properly with your team even if it’s just your mom sewing up or helping to sew up your designs.
Read moreInterview with Tayma Martins - Designer and Sewing Room Student
Designer Tayma Martins has been working with instructor, Christine Knobel for the last while. Christine and I were really impressed with her drive and work ethic and have both fallen in love with the nostalgic chic of her fashion collection. We hope you enjoy this interview with this budding designer
Read moreFashion Illustration - Student Highlight - Alisa Clements
This month I wanted to highlight one of our former adult illustration students who is putting out some amazing work. Here is a little bit more about Alisa in her own words:
Read moreIn 2019, I started an online search for sewing, fashion, art.
I found The Sewing Room! I would look through the classes and feel super excited thinking when I was going to take a class! Then one day while perusing Jennifer's website, I saw Fashion Illustrating with instructor Julie Ann. "WOW," I thought to myself, "gosh, that's so cool- fashion illustrating!" I cannot express how thrilled I was about this class offering. I felt so lucky to have found this opportunity at The Sewing Room.
Fashion Illustration - Interview with artist Velicia Gourdin
Recently, our very own Julie Ann Brown reached out to fashion illustrator artist Velicia Gourdin for an interview. She asked ten great questions. We hope you enjoy Velicia’s answers and her AMAZING illustrations below. She is such a talented artist and illustrator!
Read moreFashion Studies: Student Update - Kelly
8th grade Fashion Studies Student Kelly H. has been coming up with amazing designs over the Fall and Spring. In the fall, Kelly draped a bodice and skirt and then created flat patterns from the drape. She also learned out to use a block or sloper to create the dress she's wearing. The embroidery she's holding is based off an illustration she created for the the dress she's wearing.
Read moreFashion Careers: What is a Fashion Designer?
When I was growing up, all I wanted was, to become a FASHION DESIGNER. I wanted the glamorous life of being famous as well as the daily activity of making clothing that started out in my mind and then became a physical garment. I think that’s what most people think of when they think of a fashion designer. In reality, the glamorous life of a fashion designer is few and far between. That kind of designer is the one that many of us all look up to, but isn’t the actual job that most designers have.
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