Tuesday, February 13, 2007

What Is Your Trademark?

Clothing designers have them...certain details that are always present in their collections. Details like how they cut the fabric or a type of fabric that appears in many of their collections, specific colors they use, or the way they fit a garment. Sewers have them too...fabric types that you gravitate towards, certain pieces that you make more often than others, or seaming details that you use repeatedly.

My sewing trademark would be sleeve detailing. I pay particular attention to my sleeves so that I can hide a figure challenge ~ notice that I did not call it a flaw! I do certain things to sleeves to make them work for me...short sleeves are cut a certain length to camouflage but still give a flair to the garment or its cut on the bias to add a little more space to the bicep area without changing the overall shape of the sleeve. Jacket and cardigan sleeves get particular attention because you want to have a well-fitted garment and the sleeve treatment if done improperly can definitely shout, "made with loving hands at home." Not only do I take extra time to measure, fit and adjust sleeve width but I usually add some sort of a seaming detail to give the finished sleeve a slimmer effect.

But this is my trademark...you can see these features in almost every sleeve I make on almost every garment I construct. So what would be your sewing trademark? What detail do you constantly add to most of your garments? What sets them apart as a "fill in your name" original? Or have you ever given it much thought? Examine your garments and see what sewing, cutting or fitting detail they all share and realize that you have a trademark too!

7 comments:

  1. I'm too new to sewing to have made my own "mark". I'm still feeling my way around and learning what works for me and what doesn't.

    Speaking of which, what sorts of things do you do for your sleeves?

    I've had to widen most all of my sleeves and while I think they've turned out mostly OK, I'm sure I could do much better with them.

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  2. I tend to gravitate towards flounces. I just love flounces. I also like empire waists, cross-over bodices, and sheer fabrics. I'm not sure I add anything extra special to my garments. But those are the types of patterns I gravitate towards.

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  3. The only thing that seems to have been consistent about my sewing over recent years are shirts for DH. So my trademark there would have to be making the pockets match.

    You do give one cause to think though, and it will probably be on my mind as I ramp up my sewing efforts.

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  4. I think my trademark would be almost never making up a pattern exactly the way it is shown on the pattern photo or sketch. Usually, I add my own defining details to a garment in one way or another.

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  5. Yep - if you ever decide to do a tutorial on how to deal with modifying sleeves for big upper arms, I am so there.

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  6. Cmarie; I'm just getting started with my sewing again after almost 13 years. Guess I'll be able to identify my trademark soon (lol). Just want you to know that you have the greatest site! I think you should be the editor of some sewing magazine!
    I read your post on Artisians Square on sergers. I am thinking about buying a Singer (4 spool) as my first serger, do you think this would be a good purchase as my first?
    Faye Lewis

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  7. I never really thought about my trademark before. But now that I do think of it, I'd have to say that I strive for a hip, specialty boutique look rather than a sew-at-home look. I tend to lean toward vintage or cutting-edge trendy patterns. Does that count as my trademark? It's more my trademark style overall, since I tend to buy clothes that fit into that, too.

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