The only problem is that in this world, mentors cost money... ugh. What annoys me most is when someone who knows what he/she is doing posts a video about how to do something... but stops at the second step only to ask us to purchase their videos. I can't blame them; they paid money to learn the tricks they know. And, seeing as fashion/designing is a huge trend now, one trick might make someone the next best designer. If I was the one with the information, I would want a chunk of the money someones makes after using the information I gave him/her.
This isn't just a fashion problem though. This money aspect happens in all aspects of life. It's a huge factor in education. Why is college so pricey? Shouldn't everyone have a right to the same level of education (regardless of brain power)? Why can only some afford grad school? Why are there so many talented high schoolers unable to go to college with the military as their only option? This money issue is also prevalent in sports: look at rowers, speed skating, shooting (side note: i can't believe shooting is a sport), etc. I don't want to continue on this train of thought because it could get political. As a Minnesotan, that's that last thing I need. Bottom line, if you have money you can make yourself into a better-than-average-whatever-you-want. This shouldn't be news. Fortunately, hard work and talent play a factor. Hopefully this will get me somewhere if money doesn't.
So on to my biggest problems: 1) measurements and 2) sleeves.
1) Measurements- This is probably the number one most important aspect to fashion. Make one place in a garment a little bigger, and the whole look can start to look dowdy. My issue is that I don't know where that one place is. I don't know what can be given ease and where things have to be fitted. I don't know where exactly on the body the certain measurements are taken. This issue really stems from my lack of knowledge about clothes. For most of my life, I have worn a jersey t shirt with either jeans or sweats, which are all eased to the max! Fortunately, the drafting I have done gave me a better understanding of fit an measurements. For example, I now know that even though my chest is exactly 36" [okay it's more like 34"... point 5; i need more muscles! Not to worry, I still love my body for what it is and you should too!!!], if i make the circumference 36", I won't be able to get in.
Two things will help me a lot on the measurement problem. The first is a dress form. I really can not take measurements on myself. I do not have eyes on my back, and every time i grab for the tape measure, I will bend in a way that alters the correct measurement. The second thing I need is someone to show me on the dress form and on a person where and how to take the measurements.
2) Sleeves: It's my Achilles' heel. I just can't handle the ease that needs to be at the cap. There is one type of sleeve I can handle and it's called the shirt sleeve. I can handle it because there's not a lot of ease at the cap. So why are sleeves are problem? Because I can't draft a shirt sleeve. I've tried many, many times. and every single time the garment feels weird. In the beginning I thought it was mostly because the armhole was drawn incorrectly. Then I learned it was my pattern. I noticed that everytime I lifted up my arm the whole garment came up. This is normal as the sleeve is connected to the side, but, it was going up more than it usually does. On my last project I made the arm hole bigger (and consequently the sleeve bigger) This this only intensified the issue. I then set in the sleeve, and the fit felt way better. my movement was not as restrained. When I applied the sleeve in the shirt sleeve method, I kind of made an extension of the side. As a set in there was a separation of body and sleeve.... Are you getting this? This is very difficult to explain without visuals... I'm just so embarrassed about my work though!!!
For my sleeve problem I need someone to show me how to draft a sleeve.
I am so fed up. I'm seriously at a point where I just want to give everything up! I understand this is a challenge, and I understand that if I give up now, I'll feel more pain later than I am now. But still, I don't like how difficult it is to get some decent information. I think I'm on the end of what has consumed me for these last four years.
I will end on one positive: I am so happy that I learned how to sew! If I did not, I would still be in this weird confusion state. I now know about a field that I never would have been exposed to! I learned the pros and cons of taking a certain path. I've met some really nice people (and on the flip side, and just as important, some terrible people). But most importantly, I've learned how to experience something that interests me. This discovery is perhaps the best present I have ever received. Now, regardless of whatever interests me, I'll know how to step forward in that journey.