Comments on: Kate Rawlinson: Cutter Extraordinaire

By: Pattern Puzzle: Kate Rawlinson’s stupid stripey dress

Pattern Puzzle: Kate Rawlinson’s stupid stripey dress — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:50:46 +0000

[...] you remember the post I wrote about Kate Rawlinson, cutter extraordinaire? Well, I’m back to make good on my threat to post what she describes as her “stupid [...]

By: SizeTracker Storm

SizeTracker Storm — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:13:21 +0000

Gorgeous work, Kate! Thinking about the complexity of these garments makes my head spin, but to look at them is lovely. Good luck!

By: Marie-Christine

Marie-Christine — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:59:57 +0000

Wow, that is stunning. That striped dress…
But on to practical problems. First, follow Marilynn’s advice, it’s excellent..
Second, you can indeed teach, stop thinking you must teach everything, obviously you start by teaching the things you know, and you can show a few tricks to many old dogs here .
But meanwhile the person I know who’s by far the best fitter attributes it all to theater. Different historical standards of fit, fitting very different bodies, adapting things to a very different second wearer, tricky functional requirements… throw in either cheap and nasty fabrics or heinously expensive ones that give you the shakes when you come close with the scissors, and you’re ready for anything. Volunteer at the local theater/opera/dance school if necessary, but I can’t imagine with this portfolio you couldn’t get at least a seasonal job.
Just be certain to keep good photographic records of your work! Improve your picture taking as much as possible so you don’t have to spend a lot at it. Don’t ever let something leave your hands without a portfolio-level record of it.

By: Vero

Vero — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:50:23 +0000

Sewing is just a hobby for me, but when I see cloths like the one you do, I just stay speechless. To me it is perfection. If I had to wear really professional clothes, I would like to wear yours.
Another think that makes me happy, is all the comments you get, and the support. You deserve them, and in our world where performance prevails upon beauty, it feels goods to see that the beauty still means a lot for some of us.
Good luck for the future!

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:04:44 +0000

Thanks again everyone, and Marilynn, particularly, for that very detailed guide – I will certainly take your comments on board, as I’m really floundering in the ether at the moment!

By: Marguerite Swope

Marguerite Swope — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:02:50 +0000

How did I miss this? Just saw the forum comments and came to see. WOW! I admire your meticulous work–I could never spend so much detailed time on a jacket. I’m in awe of your work.

Marguerite

By: Marilynn

Marilynn — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:44:00 +0000

You now need a business and marketing plan. First, put together a coherent portfolio (paper and on the web) and knock on the doors of establishments you’d like to work with. Simultaneously, design a capsule collection or two, of 5 pieces that work together to make a complete wardrobe for a professional woman that needs to travel lightly. Design it, make it, get it styled and photographed in a stylish location. Put it on your website (there’s lots of template websites that allow you to drop in your photos). Then get friends to start helping you spread the message across the web. Read the papers for up-and-coming women who would want your services and contact them directly. I’m thinking of an author who needs to look professional, and distinctive, while on a book tour. A politican who travels a lot, medical professionals.

Here’s why. The woman who can justify the cost of your work is a mature professional who cannot find a distinctive, quality garment that fits her on a rack anywhere. She’s got a bust that’s a full B-cup or larger, a larger upperarm circumference, and a somewhat larger midriff. She can justify, and will welcome, a complete package, that will mix-and-match, of a jacket, skirt(s), pants, maybe a vest, and a blouse or two (something that works under the jacket). She doesn’t have the time to waste searching for combinations.

See if you can successfully grade your blocks, or make new blocks to work from to make your work faster. Also, if you’re putting in linings by hand, the factory-technique will speed up your work. If your customer is working in the media, the camera only sees the front of a garment, put your time and efforts there.

Then, after you get all this in place, you can work on one-offs.

Save the teaching for later — it just saps your creative energy (I speak from experience). Write a book and put it online to sell as an e-book. Set up a Paypal account and let them download it.

By: emily

emily — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:13:21 +0000

Oh! So so beautiful! I’m so inspired! I have to say, I would def. take a class from you as matching plaids/stripes is the area I feel weakest! It just makes my head hurt. Well done!

By: LisaB

LisaB — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:10:45 +0000

Kate, your work is stunning! I hope you find just the right place to use the skills you already have and to learn even more.

Kathleen, thanks for sharing this with us. It’s inspiring, to say the least.

By: Lisa B. in Portland

Lisa B. in Portland — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:42:05 +0000

Kate, really awesome! I love how you matched the stripes! Just wonderful!

Ann K, would you come over to my house and iron my stuff? I press when I sew but I hate to iron my clothes. I want to wear them but I hate to iron.

Kathleen, so isn’t matching stripes easy? Don’t you just have to mark the pattern the right way so the stripes match at the stitching lines?