Trims

Today, Keiko sent me on an errand to pick up some fabulous trims for headbands in the garment district. I really enjoy looking at trims, buttons, and fabric because my imagination can wander. "What can I make with this?" I love the idea of making something with my own hands. It makes the piece unique and special because of the love that was placed into every inch of making it. I'm a sucker for giving and receiving homemade gifts. I just find it so touching to think, "That person took time out of his/her day to make that for me".

I sewed elastic around the armholes of an adorable dress that Keiko reconstructed from a big house dress. Things are getting easier.

Keiko sent me home with some trims to make headbands, and I still have fabric sitting here to make bows. I am so eager to get started, but I keep having to go to the notions store. I had bought needles and thread, but I forgot the bobbins, and then I realized that the machine didn't have any bobbin cases. I stopped today and bought a cutting board, pins, and hand sewing needles. I think I am finally ready to hit the sewing machine this weekend!

Accessories Day

Today was designated to making accessories, headbands specifically. I sewed bows and flowers, flowers and bows. I love what I get to to do at my internship. It's what I would want to do on my day off...create something. When I'm at home in Florida, I like to keep myself busy with craft projects. I love to work on the floor where I can spread all of my material out around me. I'd make a huge mess. When I finish my project, I put everything back neatly where it went, and my room is clean. Then, I would get bored with my tidy room and take everything back out and start another project...it's a messy cycle, I know, but that's what I like about it.

After my internship, I got really excited about making some of my own bows, so I stopped and picked up sewing supplies. Bows and flowers, flowers and bows.

Wow. A New Shirt

I must admit, I am pretty amazed. Today, Keiko showed me how to make a shirt. She cut out the pieces and sewed it all together in about 30 minutes. I took 3 hours, but that is definitely okay. It was my first ever garment! I still have a lot of practice ahead of me. Keiko had me make a shirt with a big shoulder bow and a cowl neck. I thought that I did a pretty good job for my first time. A few things that I had trouble with were forgetting to change the tension on the machines for certain parts of the garment, sewing the wrong edge of the fabric, and sewing on the cowl neck. Keiko actually finished the cowl neck for me after my many attempts, so I hope that I will be able to do it next time.

I couldn't wait to wear it, so I put it on for my friend's performance. Three people told me how much they loved my shirt. After I told them I'd made it, they said that the would love for me to make them one. That makes me feel so good! I can't wait to get better!

MAC Attack

The day passed by so quickly in Brooklyn today! I think it was all the time that I spent on the computer. I typed some e-mails and searched some blogs, and I found it a good use of my time because I had to figure out how to use a MAC. I'm a PC person, so every time I try to use a MAC, I go crazy. However, this was a calm day. I wasn't expected to work Photoshop or anything.It is valuable to know how to use both a PC and a MAC in today's world. I do not want to be limited in my efficiency and timeliness when it comes to completing a task just because I am not familiar with the basic computer functions of a MAC.

We spent lunchtime at a little Japanese restaurant. Keiko and Bobby took me out for my birthday, which was on Saturday (Yay! Valentine's Day). We talk a lot about good food that we've experienced. They recommended to me quite a few places that I need to try out, and I was able to do the same for them. Oh! There are just too many great places to eat in New York! How am I going to get to them all?

The sewing lesson for today was hemming. I used the serger to finish the end to prevent fraying, and then I folded the hem under and used the sewing machine to stitch it in place. It wasn't a particularly difficult lesson, but I had a problem with the tension and keeping the hem even. It will just take practice.

There will be plenty of time for practice. I recently found out that our dormitory basement has a few industrial sewing machines. I just have to buy some thread, needles, and fabric this week so I can get started and play around with it. Keiko was so nice and let me have some fabric scraps so I could practice making a few more headbands. Sweet!

Fashion Fur

I need to stop wearing black. Keiko's pets, Miku, Lacey, and Vester are just so adorable, that I can't help but set them right up on my lap and pet them until they fall asleep. I always forget that it isn't such a good idea until it is too late, and my stockings and dress are detailed with white fur. I figure that they can't change their coats, so maybe I should change mine. It will take a little bit at a time because the majority of my closet is black. I will need to do some shopping! For now, I've been wearing black dresses with a colored scarf, tights, or cardigan.

My third day with Keiko consisted of learning to make buttonholes on the sewing machine. It was easy because there is a selection on the sewing machine for automatically making buttonholes. The hard part is lining up the fabric on the sewing machine in exactly the right spot.

Later in the day we took a trip out to the garment district to pick out fabric for spring. I tried to get a feel for what Keiko was looking for and what her clothing is about. I want to be able to see a fabric, shirt, or trimming and know that it fits the image of Postlapsaria. I want to be able to make good decisions based on my knowledge of sewing, color/pattern/trim combinations, and the company.

I am always so amazed at this city. There are so many places to explore and discover. I never would have known about the fabric store if Keiko hadn't taken me! I'm just getting so excited about sewing! I just found out that my dorm building has some industrial sewing machines in the basement. I can't wait to play around with it and figure out how to use it!

Tying the World with Bows and Bands

4 is the magic number today because today I completed 4 bow headbands for Keiko at my internship with Postlapsaria. That was at the end of the day. Before the fun sewing began, we packaged orders for customers. I still find it amazing that businesses can complete transactions with customers over the internet in other parts of the world. We were filling out orders for places like Germany, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Suddenly, the world doesn't seem so big.

I was able to learn about how Keiko ran her website, and I am always get nervous when it comes to seemingly complex computer stuff. I don't know the first thing about creating or running a website, though I would like to learn someday. There is so much to learn and explore these days that I don't know where would like to place my focus. I guess that is why we have career goals...

...and friends. In this world, it's all about the people you know. If the people you know all do different things, then you will never need to know everything. When I hear Keiko telling me stories about fashion shows and photo shoots and how she has a friend to do makeup, a friend to do photography, or a friend to do modeling, I think that she is so lucky to have such caring and talented people who support her and want her to succeed. I'm sure that she hopes the same for them. Contacts are extremely important in the business world, and the relationship that you have with them is even more important. It is merely an "I'll help you if you help me" exchange, or is it an "I'd love to help you to reach your fullest potential" outlook? What makes the venture worthwhile is being able to accomplish it with "friends" rather than just "people you know".

Later in the day, Keiko had me constructing these adorable headbads with bows attached to them. I thoroughly enjoyed the project because it allowed me to work on serging as well as hand stitching. I like sewing projects because if you mess up, you can always take everything apart and start over. Needless to say, I did have a few mess ups (I sewed the bow on backwards!), but I didn't get frustrated. Realization hits me, and I think "Ugh. I can't believe I just did that, but no matter, I can fix it. It will just take me a little extra time and soon it will be right and done".

An Intro to Interning

It is really important to have your own blog. That was the ablsolutely first thing that I learned at my internship with Keiko Lynn at Postlapsaria. I've never actually blogged before, and to tell you the truth, I'm a little nervous. People are going to see this! However, I understand that this is an important part of marketing, communicating, and figuing out who I am and where I want to go in life. It will be amazing to look at these blogs down the road and see what progress I have made. Really, it's about time that I put myself out there. I guess I just needed a push. Thanks.

I can't wait to learn how to sew! I think that Keiko is so wonderful to be teaching me. Today, I had to get the hang of threading the serger. Those needle holes are so tiny! I also practiced using the serger, and Keiko nicely helped me when I managed to jam it a few times.

I was surprised that I got to do so much today! I even got to model one of Keiko's dresses, even though the snow was of no help. You know what did help though? Funfetti cupcakes!

I had such a great time today. I just hope that it won't be long until I can be a really useful intern at Postlapsaria.