slow week

This week was a very slow week at work.  We are currently between seasons so the workload is not very heavy right now in our department.  Everyone is finishing up Holiday stuff now and not heavily into spring season yet.  Basically, I just continue to measure, cut, file and do in-house errands.

Since not much is happening I thought I would talk a little about the random tidbits I have learned so far.  First off, I have decided that I don't particularly like measuring garments.  There are so many technicalities to, but, however, I have gotten faster at it.  I like measuring pants though.  They not only easier to measure, but the measurements wanted (front/back rise, inseam, waistband/joint seam circumference, ect.) are more straightforward.  Measuring stuff reminds me of when Laurel had us create knock-off patterns of garments in class one day.

After I've measured all this stuff it is a lot easier to identify what the patterns would look like.  Cutting patterns is also easier because I can figure out which piece is which without a ton of scrutiny.  The commercial patterns aren't labeled like we label them at school, so its harder to know what you're looking at if you aren't familiar with the style.  Most of the patterns are labeled similarly, with slight variations depending on the factory that made it.  The pieces tend to include the style number (sometimes without the division or season characters, which makes it harder to file if I don't know what the piece is), the size, the grain line (which doesn't necessarily have an arrow) and sometimes it will have a coded number that includes some measurements and/or a code for which piece it is.  For example something might say LFRT, which would mean 'Left Front.'  Something interesting about the patterns is the seam allowance.  Typically it's 1/2" to 3/8" on major seams.  Armholes, if sleeveless, and necklines often have a 1/4" to 3/8" depending on the factory/style.  The darts are usually folded out, not trimmed down.  Also, Michael Kors uses french seams on all the major seams in dresses and tops.  So the side seams and armholes are all french seams.  Another thing I didn't know is that neither leather or shearling get a seam allowance because it's so bulky.  It's all just built in.

People often ask me where all the factories we use are.  There are several big factories that my supervisors work with: China Ting- everything silk; MMK- I don't know where this is, but they do a lot of wovens as well as knits; Coddy- a lot of pants are sent here as well as other things; Kyra- a factory in India handles a lot of our specialty tops like anything with sequins.  We also have Wellstart, Xhjing Jiang (which I have no idea where this is or what they do), and I think one in Korea.  An interesting thing I learned about sequins, however, is that when you have something where you can see a slight variation in color of the sequins that produces a visual line somewhere, it is a result of where the seamstress stopped working for the day.  The sequined pieces can't be done in a day because of the tedious labor it requires.  Can't have the seamstresses be blind!

Hopefully, it picks up soon so I have more to do!  And the camera is finally working so I will try to get some more pictures up here.  Have a great weekend!