Lariats! LOVELY LARIATS!!

I was brainstorming new ideas and creative ways to tunnel this energy and I decided to venture into jewelry and specifically lariats. I am a huge fan of the style of the lariat and how it looks. The right accessory can do wonders for any outfit. Here are a couple that I am currently selling...

I sell them on Etsy as well as my website www.dicartelcouture.com

Scrap Fabric

Yesterday, while I was cleaning my sewing room, I had to clean out another tote so as to make room for more scrap fabric. For whatever reason, I just can't bear to toss it. So today, I decided to google "scrap fabric" and I found this link.... 
http://tipnut.com/scrap-happy-fabric-scrap-ideas-free-patterns/  
VERY COOL ideas here. You do need a little time to venture around and find whatever because there are so many ideas but those who are interested and may need a little bit of a creative "nudge", might find this helpful.  http://tipnut.com/scrap-happy-fabric-scrap-ideas-free-patterns/

I do find it funny, at times, how people get so worried about someone stealing their pattern. Ugh...it's kind of annoying. Makes you want to contact them and say "Really?? Get over yourself!" I won't even bother attempting to make something from a pattern from someone like this: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/dipecase.html  (beside the fact that this pattern is extremely elementary)

This chic really takes herself seriously! Imagine going through life so worried about someone stealing your pattern? I personally like to create from my own ideas but will see what's out there from time to time. This sort of thing just makes me laugh. Anyway, nough bout that...I have a ton to do today.

Fabric, Fabric, Fabric

I absolutely LOATHE using some fabrics...they seem impossible! Like, satin. Ugh! Please don't get me started when it comes to hand sewing material like vinyl! 2 words...THICK NEEDLE! Oh yeah...one more word...THIMBLE! Sewing looks so easy. There's a lot involved. Knowing what needles to use with what fabrics...sometimes it can become a pain in the ass. Hence, I stated in a previous blog that you really need to stay focused and devoted otherwise, it's just so easy to say f-this!

BEEN A WHILE

I haven't blogged in a while and I could sit here for days making up excuses as to why... but really? Now that I'm here, I will say that I have recently been afforded the opportunity to focus more on design and execution and that is exactly what I intend to do. I started to explain how to design a bathing suit on YouTube and then I got distracted with something else so I just went and deleted those videos. I found that if I'm going to put something on YouTube, I should probably record the different parts FIRST and THEN post them. Makes PERFECT sense! With that said, I do intend to post some "how to's" at some point, just not right now. Besides that, people can be obnoxious when leaving comments! I'm new at the YouTube thing so...it's trial and error. I'm trying really hard to get inspired here. My goal is classy/trendy/timeless. Can it be done?

When I Realized...

While shopping for khaki pants for my teenage daughter for school, I became aggravated beyond belief when I could not find a decent looking pair of khaki pants with a little bit of style to them. Everything was "uniformish". I know kids aren't going to school for a fashion show but WOW..why can't a uniform look stylish while fitting the perameters and guidelines that is set forth? I was a 13 year old girl at one time too and I know that I wanted to fit in and look like I had a little style and fashion sense. In effect, I decided I was going to solve the problem by creating a line of uniform khaki pants for the entire district that would be fashion yet school friendly. How flippin' hard could it be? HAHAHAHAAAA! I had absolutely no idea what I was about to get into or even where to begin so I put the idea on hold until one day my mother in law asked me what I wanted for my birthday. After some thought, I decided I wanted to re-address the whole khaki idea and asked for a sewing machine. I got it! Now what? Computerized too?? I'm not in home-ec anymore! So I started drawing what I envisioned the pants would look like and even summoned my daughter and a friend of hers to draw their own ideas and we all compared sketches. Funny...they were all basically the same! From there I decided I had to start researching and learning all I could to make this idea a reality.

Hanging In There

I've searched the internet, purchased books and done endless hours of research in an effort to learn all I can about design, fabric, different stitches, what type of stitch works with what type of fabric, patterns, you name it, I've researched it. If you are truely serious about sewing and the art of fashion and design, it is absolutely imperative to seek out and absorb anything and everything you can to better your developing skill. Most people reading this blog were once in this position or are curious about something in relation to the subject. Through all my efforts, I came to find there's a lot of bits and pieces that one must put together for things to actually make some sense. There are endless FREE informational sites and literature about different techniques as well as products. You will come to find, though you've done what seems to be countless hours, days, weeks, maybe even months of research, you have to actually TRY to put your new-found knowledge to the test. You will also find, when you do, you will not end up with anything even CLOSE to what you thought the most ideal end result would be. Hence, most all of what you do, will be strictly through trial and error. Because we happen to be our own worst enemy and our biggest critics, it seems we will NEVER be good enough for ourselves. This, in and of itself, can be the breaking point whereas it's just easier to say "to hell with it! I'm just not good enough or it's just not ever going to happen-I QUIT!" It's at this point when a majority of people let their brand new sewing machine collect dust and all of the effort they put into learning the basics is flushed as well as the motivation to carry on with great ideas. The imagination factor shuts down and they go back to BOOORRING! DON'T LET THIS BE YOU! As much as it seems to suck that you just can seem to grasp it, trust in yourself and eventually, not today, not tomorrow, but EVENTUALLY, you will! Just hang in there and wipe your tears. Keep moving forward. It will come to life! Each time you sit down with your ideas and put them on paper, look at it as a fresh start and a new adventure and just let your imagination run wild! Say goodbye to your fear and your own worst critic (YOU) and just continue on your journey to your ultimate goal and dream. TRUST ME...you have NOTHING to gain by giving up and throwing in the towel. Believe in yourself, even if your hard work seems to fruitless.

Starting Out

Some people know when they're young or at high school or college age that they are going to go into the field of fashion and set all their goals around that. They go to school for art and design and major in that area. That is the most ideal scenario, however, just because you go to school for something, doesn't make you a professional. As most people are aware, it takes a more "hands-on" approach to really get the concept and it's at that time that all the concepts of the studies come together and make sense. In this case, I encourage anyone that realizes that this is what they want to do early on in life to go to a design school and learn all you can about the field and build on that foundation by apprenticing and/or working for a professional so as to really learn all you can before venturing out on your own. (some people don't want to be on their own and in this case, they will work the back-drop for someone else by just designing or something outside of the public eye) There are other people who are just born talented and fashion savvy and in turn, require little to no direction. They are the type that can pick up a piece of paper and pecil and just sketch out a snapshot of some unique vision of what they want to create and BOOM! there it is!! Then there are people who have the 9-5 job and they're in their mid early to mid 30's and one day they wake up thinking "I'VE GOT IT! I'M GOING TO DESIGN A LINE OF CLOTHING! I CAN FINALLY INJECT ALL THIS PENT UP ENERGY INTO SOMETHING I LIKE!! why didn't I think of this sooner...??" Haven't come across anyone like that?? Now you have! Style and fashion have always been interesting to me but I didn't say to myself.."When I grow up..." I litereally woke up one day and thought "Wow...with the right tools and a lot of devotion to stick it out, I may just have something here. This is EXACTLY what I've been wanting to do and I never even knew it...better late than never I guess...But where the hell would I even begin??" How about the basics for starters...