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Sunday, February 24, 2013

True Passion

It wasn't too long ago that I was on here saying how I was gonna start blogging more often. Then I go and miss an entire week.

Things have been interesting on my end. I'll just leave it at that! :-D

Well, I don't have a whole lot to show, but I'm pleased to say I've just about worked my way through several custom garments. 

Some of these include 

an African style outfit...



This skirt and top was constructed from a very large robe style garment that was simply a huge rectangle with a hole cut in it.  All the lovely embroidery work you see there was already a part of the fabric.  I just worked around it. What I did do was add the ribbon around the sleeves and skirt hem and also the chiffon that wraps around.

(The pictures don't represent the final product, as I had to do some alterations on the top. Also, you can't see the wonderful flared detailing and top stitching on the skirt.)



Four dresses customized for a customer in New York...








This pink dress is much too big on me, but I think it's gonna fit its owner quite nicely. I learned a lot working with that dashiki panel fabric, at least where this dress style is concerned.  The whole point of the dress--aside from the squared neckline--is the asymmetrical hem.  The flared points at either side hang longer than the rest of the dress.  Well, it turned out that I was gonna need more than the 2 panels sent by the customer to get that effect.  We discussed it, and I ended up ordering an extra panel from another designer who I know uses this same type of fabric in her work--Jahzara Afrique of Jahzarah Design Studio (https://www.facebook.com/JahzaraDesigns?fref=ts).  She sent a panel and a half, and turns out that given the nature of the material--the symmetry-- and the size of the dress, that still wasn't enough! So, long story short, I ended up using whatever scraps I had left over to do some piecing together.  This is the sort of thing I believe I do well: taking what I have and making it work.  Due to my strategic and careful placement of the pieces around the bottom flared parts and matching it all up, it comes across as seamless and unnoticeable.  It took some serious effort, though!

In the end, I'm very happy with it.

Also, it has to be said that I am in complete love with the purple/red dress!  The customer chose the colors and sent the black and gold fabric for the middle piece, and I think she did a great job coordinating it the way she did.  All of these dresses are flyTie Clothing classic styles. They were just customized to her specifications and size.

Some original versions:

   


And finally, my friend Olympia Vernon--a gifted writer and novelist--came through for a visit.  


While she was here, she tried on and took some pictures in a dress that she loves.  
She was going to get this one but decided to have one customized so that it's just a bit longer.  Also, the main color of her dress will be blue, but the printed material on others will likely be different.

You can read some of her work and find an article about her at:
 and

So. Yep. That's pretty much it. 

I'll try to keep my word and be back with an update sometime later this week...

peace!
:-)


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Fly Tie :),

you're an excellent seamstress!Making the most of a material you already have really shows that.
I enjoyed very much watching the video where you show us how to wrap a scarf around your upper body part.Plus it was great being able to hear you :)...

XOXOXO

Nekiah Torres said...

I love that pink dress. I would a pair of pants with that fabric!

flytie said...

thank you so very much, jasmina! :-) i try to be as resourceful as i can when doing this work.

@ kiah....oh yes, that would be nice...