URSA MINOR STUDIO

I've decided to start another blog to document and share my studio practice & to show off my new clothing line, URSA MINOR.

As I've been getting this new line together over the past few months I've really missed sharing my progress/successes/adventures/failures with a group of peers. Throughout this time I've struggled deciding whether to launch my collection uber-professionally or in a more organic manner, showing pieces as they develop. I've finally decided that, for now, I want to be able to reveal my work on a more regular basis, to dwell on the process and the product and to build a community around me. What this means for the seasonal/selling format of my line I'm not yet sure (though you'll be the first to know.)

So I invite you to come visit me over at URSA MINOR STUDIO whenever you want to see what I'm up to professionally/creatively. I won't promise that I'll post often, but I do promise to show-and-tell (most) all about my work and probably ask for advice too. Visit often!

And, of course, I'll continue to post life-related items regularly right here on Persuasion.

MAKE IT WORK

The past few weeks have been a real struggle. Not only have I been spending an excessive amount of time by myself, but I'm right in the midst of drafting my Spring 2011 collection and it's been killing me. The same problems I always encounter with a new collection are still prevalent - straying too far from my original concept, trying to find small sample quantities of notions etc. without having to plunk down a ton of cash for many more than I need, over-thinking everything & not trusting my instincts, the overwhelming fear of cutting sample fabric before I'm really ready to, the overwhelming fear of spending money, trying to make too many things, losing focus......

This time has been extra hard what with R out of town and Genevieve, my ever-trusted critic, having moved recently to Montreal. It really has been a lonely, slogging immersion in the creative process which, I've realized, is not entirely healthy for me. People often ask me how the collection is coming along and I catch myself thinking "goddamn you, how dare you even deign to ask when you know I'm in the plodding depths of creative despair?" Of course this rivals my other favorite thought which is "goddamn you, how dare you not even bother to ask when you know I'm in the plodding depths of creative despair?" Feelings are confusing.

R finally got home on the weekend and I'm starting to feel better about things. Even keeping a regular schedule again helps. Monday I had a great day of drafting and I'm beginning to feel like a collection is finally emerging from this creative no man's land I've been swimming in for weeks. So I say.

My Patterns are always such a mess when I'm through with them. Of course some people don't care, they'll sleep on anything:

MY GIRL

We've recently welcomed a new addition to our little family, she arrived in a box from New Jersey on Friday and RB and I have been rather smitten with her ever since. Cleo the cat mostly just likes the box, go figure.

I've never owned a real dressform. At Nokomis everything was flat-drafted and we generally used live fit models for adjustments; draping just didn't happen as we had neither the expertise nor the necessary equipment to do it properly.

A main goal now that I'm working on my own is to simplify my process and take the time to develop new skills. Standardizing sizes would be nice too. Anyway, I finally took the plunge and bought a dressform, god knows why I've been putting it off for so long. I decided to go with a cheaper form in the end (which I bought from here), mostly because I'm just starting and can always upgrade later if needed. I haven't had a chance to really play around with her yet, though I did drape blocks this weekend and hope to do some more exciting projects later in the week. And so comes the learning curve.

Poor Sally Stitch, the new form makes her look very shabby indeed.

Wish me luck.

DRESS, BUILT.

BUILDING A DRESS IN FIVE STEPS

1) Plan and draft pattern.

2) Cut.

3) Sew.

4) Embellish.

5) Assess.

And it's just as simple as that.

SACRED THINGS

The studio continues to improve as I find places for treasures old and new. I hope to start some patterns on Thursday, though finding the time to accomplish everything is beginning to pose a problem. Who knew unemployment could be so time-consuming?

WEIGHTY ISSUE

Stopped by the newly re-opened antique mall on the weekend and picked up some green glass insulators and various paperweights to use as fabric weights. With the new studio finally coming together I wanted something slightly more visually appealing than the usual tin cans to use when drafting and cutting. I love how these catch the light and contribute to a space that is starting to feel like my own.