Fun at Portland Sewing

Just took some snapshots the other day with my I-Phone of folks at Portland Sewing. It was Monday night, so it was the final session of Lisa’s level 1 Learn to Sew class. Students were completing their aprons. Some had never sewn before. Here are some shots of Zachary Michaud and Jessie Weitzel.

Then Melinda Conway sent me these photos of her kids wearing the kid-sized apron she made for them. She sewed this one because she had made one for herself in a summer class and they said it was the “most beautifulest thing they had ever seen.” Here’s Tristan and Sequoia. Melinda also blogged about her experiences. Here is the link to her site: http://timecapsuleeighties.blogspot.com/2010/09/ beginner-sewing-and-knitting-taking.html

In my room, we had a fitting. Then the Pattern 1 group started altering their torso slopers based on the changes we found in the fittings.. The torso sloper is the base for making such things as a blouse, dress, jacket or coat. Keely, from the morning group, had set to work immediately on making a blouse. Here are shots from the evening group.

From left to right: Annick Blomdahl, Emily Lippman, Karen Davis and Cindy Persson (love that tat!).

Thought you’d like to see what we’re up to on a typical Monday night. Enjoy!

Jennie Kalberer of Portland Ten teaches class @ Portland Sewing

It’s not enough to create a great product — or service. You need someone to buy it. Jennie Kalberer of Portland Ten shows you how to:

Finding customers: Market Research 101 (Saturdays, Oct 16, 23 & 30, 2-5 pm, $98)

In her three-week class, you will learn:

– Who the people are that you need to target.

– How many of them are out there.

– What they need and want.

– How to shape your product to meet their needs.

– How much they are willing to pay for your product.

At the end of the three weeks, you will have the tools to:

– Find current and potential customers.

– Expand into groups of buyers you haven’t considered.

– Figure out how to reach them and, better yet, talk to them.

– Determine the right shape for your product and how to get it into the right place, at the right price and the right amount.

Jennie Kalberer is the founder and owner of Kalberer Consulting, LLC. She consults with start-ups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses to help them raise funds through venture capital and angel investors, increase sales revenue, strategize growth opportunities and streamline business practices. She is a life-long entrepreneur and worked in design before receiving her MBA in Finance from the University of Portland.

She and Portland Ten have created a mentoring program that provides 50-100 hours of one-on-one advising and peer support and helped participants raise venture capital, revenue and sales. They are in the midst of launching their Fall program.

To learn more and register for her class, go to http://www.portlandsewing.com/apparel-business-classes/finding-customers-market-research-101/

Start an apparel business: What you need to know

Learn the basics of setting up your apparel business: How to protect your name, set up your infrastructure, deal with the city, state and taxes, do business with other apparel businesses, get into textile and trade shows, find out about EIN, RN other acronyms, rules and regulations — what to do with them and much more.

with Sharon Blair of Portland Sewing, Saturday, Oct 9, 2-5 pm, $48

Paloma Soledad reveals her Mythaus designs from Pattern 3

Hey Sharon! Margie looks great!! I sure miss those ladies. Hope your trip to Paris went well. Here are some photos of the dresses I made from your classes. -- Paloma

Protect your ideas class this Saturday!

Protect Your Ideas: Basics of Intellectual Property

How can you protect your ideas? What can you protect and how can you protect it when it comes to apparel? Learn the difference between patent, trademark and copyright. Walk through the process and cost for getting each. Find out what happens if you just put a “patent pending” or (c) or (TM) on an item without going through the process and cost. Bring all your questions for a lively discussion!

Instructor: Nancy J. Moriarty, attorney, Chernoff, Vilhauer, McClung & Stenzel, LLP

Saturday, Oct 2, 2-5 pm, $48

MARGIE YAP SHOWS OFF HER DESIGNS

MARGIE YAP SHOWS OFF HER PATTERN 3 DRESS AND JACKET

The occasion: Her son’s wedding

The idea: She went through Pattern 1, 2 & 3. Made the shell in Pattern 3 to see what looks good on her. Then did her research on Audrey Hepburn, Givenchy, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the little black dress.

The process: She used her torso sloper and made three prototypes before coming up with the pleat front linen bias dress with the deep-V back. She used her bodice sloper for the bolero jacket with Napoleon collar and cuffed short sleeves. BONUS: Finger pockets in the French darts for a hanky.

She sewed the garments in a series of Rehab sessions.

The result: Plenty of compliments, “Where did you buy that dress?” and amazement when Margie proudly told them she was the designer and creator. And then she got requests. Margie plans to make other dresses from her finished pattern.

The question: What do you think of Margie's design? Love to hear your feedback!

How do I protect my ideas? Patterns? Books?

Q. Good to run into you the other week. I wanted to talk to you about published work. Right now it's just some patterns and grading, and I was wondering if you had anything of that natured published before. It's for a sewing book. Just wanted to know things to look for in a contract and things to watch out for.

A. Put a copyright symbol and month/date on all your patterns and instruction books. As for books, expect a shelf life of 18 months and 3 cents on every dollar they earn. Find out how they are going to track sales and how you are going to see those reports. Will they give you an advance? How does that affect your pay and royalties?

Then get these books: Publish your patterns! : how to write, print, and market your designs / Nancy Restuccia. Writing nonfiction : turning thoughts into books / Dan Poynter. Both are available at Multnomah County Library.

BTW -- I'm having a lawyer talk about Protect your ideas: Basics of Intellectual Property on Saturday, Oct 2, 2-5 pm ($48). This is Nancy's specialty and she would be able to answer all your questions that I, as a non-attorney, cannot.

Good luck!