Finally, in September 2022, Kat and Daisy were able to have the big wedding they always dreamed of, and I was lucky to be the MC at their reception! Of course, as MC I needed to catch people's attention. I'd been working on a different dress since 2020, and boy am I glad I put that project aside and decided to make this one instead:
This is my mockup of the design after I had sourced the material. I already had an iridescent dark blue-turquoise material from another friend's wedding (I got to keep the material after I made the bridesmaid dresses). And after long deliberation over colour, meters, and pricing, I found this beautiful starry material from this Etsy seller.
I've seen so many gorgeous dresses with a sheer overlay and poofy sleeves lately, I thought I'd try my hand at it. But there isn't really a pattern that looks specifically like what I had in mind. I tried to create my own pattern, but long story short, after testing it with muslin, it just wasn't working. Making a pattern from scratch was going to take way too much time, and I had about a month to complete this project.
Luckily, I was able to find McCalls pattern M8195, which had a very similar bodice layout. It even included a puff sleeve, but it was absolutely ginormous! So I modified another puff sleeve from a different pattern to make it a bit longer, and also modified the skirt so it was floor length.
Since this pattern didn't include a lace overlay, I elected to baste the lace and satin layers of the bodice pieces together. That way they would work as one. I also added interfacing to the mid-section under the bust, just to give it a bit more shape and that "gown" look without adding in boning (which I find too uncomfortable, especially at weddings where I'm going to be eating and drinking throughout the evening).
The skirt layers were kept loose from each other. The only minor issue with a lace overlay skirt is that I couldn't add pockets to my gown without attaching the layers at the sides. I wanted it to have a flowy look, so no pockets for me unfortunately.
I started with the skirt to ensure I'd like the silhouette. It ended up being a bit more straight than I had imagined, as I wanted it to be more A-line, but it was limited to the amount of fabric I had. Ultimately, I had to redo the skirt because I got mixed up about where the back seam was, and stitched it into the wrong place. Luckily they were easy enough to separate, as I just basted the top of the skirts together and gathered to see what the final skirt may look like.
I made the skirt a lot longer than it ended up being. I love how the fabric pools at the bottom here, and if I were going down a red carpet, I definitely would have left it this way. But being an MC requires a more practical hemline - so the skirt was shortened to avoid tripping over it.
With all the modifications in place, the pattern was easy enough to follow. I really love the way the bust is gathered underneath, and how plunging of a neckline it is. I wanted this to show off a lot of chest, because this dress otherwise is pretty full coverage. The pattern actually gave an option of either straps or a gathered puff sleeve at the top. I wanted the sleeve to be set into the straps, so I opted for both!
In this picture I'm pinning the lining to the outer bodice - look at how the little sheer sleeves are dangling off the ironing board 😆
The sheer material itself was really easy to work with. It's a lot stronger than it looks, and the only time it tore is when I needed to pull some seams and accidentally ripped the fabric thinking it was a seam. Over the course of a month I worked on it pretty extensively. I had a specific vision in my mind and wanted to make sure it lived up to that, so this project took me a little longer than most of my sewing.
I knew it was coming along well because my boyfriend would remark on it each time he came over. He'd say, "Oh it's looking really cool!" I asked if he wanted to see me try it on before the day of the wedding and he said he wanted to be surprised, but also wanted to try and match me somehow. I offered to give him the left over material for a pocket square, and he made himself a matching tie!
We look so good together! And it came out exactly how I had imagined. I don't usually tell people I made something I'm wearing, but I did tell the brides I was working on something special for their wedding. I know I did a good job on it because I got a lot of compliments on the day. And of course, any of my friends I didn't tell came up and asked, "Did you make this!?"
The best part was when I told my friends whom I made the bridesmaid dresses for that the underlay was the same material used for their wedding - they seemed to get a kick out of that.
All in all, it was a beautiful wedding. Lots of crying and celebrating and dancing! I'm excited to see what the future brings for my beautiful friends ❤️
]]>I've been making clothes for myself for a long time. At least, since I was 17, so I know what I like and how I like to look. Being mid-sized, some clothing options are available to me in stores, but I find there are a lot that don't bother to carry a size above an XL. So I was aware how noninclusive a lot of brands and stores can be when it comes to anything outside the typical sizing. Upon my first shopping trip with my boyfriend, I realized this of course extends to those who wear "masculine" clothes as well.
Any time we'd find a shirt that he liked, the store didn't carry his size, or his size was sold out. I found it a frustrating experience to say the least, but he was still chipper after we walked out of the mall with nothing. Perhaps it's because he likes saving money. In addition, a lot of the clothing we were looking at was on the pricier side, as anything other than standardized sizing tends to be.
At some point I got fed up with not finding anything for him, and offered to make a shirt. I bought a McCalls shirt pattern, M6044, and let him know that anytime we find some nice material for him, he can ask for it to be turned into his own personal garment. However, I warned him that this was my first time making a collared, button-down shirt.
There was a 90's themed birthday party coming up for a friend of his, and he was able to pick up some material more than a week beforehand. Plenty of time to put it together. My boyfriend likes really interesting and funky patterns, so I wasn't too surprised when he picked this one out:
Where does she start? How does she work with an author?
If you're reading this then that means you have an avid interest in children's literature and how picture books are made. To that I say, "Welcome!" Children's literature is not only a fun creative avenue, but it is also very rewarding. You probably already know at least one person who works in children's literature. It might be yourself. Or if you don't know someone, then you know me! As such, you'll know how seriously we take children's literature and how much work goes into making books for young people.
Ever since I started working on picture books, I've had a few inquires from pre-published or published authors. Some of whom I had the pleasure of working with and illustrating their books.
Very recently, I had another inquiry into my work from an author interested in working with me:
This might sound a little familiar to you! I can imagine that it's a bit hard to know where to start if you're working with an illustrator for the first - or even the second, or third- time.
For this author, I sent back a fairly thorough response so that they could have a better idea of my process, what I expect from them and what they can expect from me if we are to work together. I realized that there is so much information to consider, that it might be a good idea to create a resource for authors to have a better idea of the book making process. Thus this blog post was created!
Protip: It's a good idea to know where and how you're going to print your book before contacting an illustrator. A lot of the time, he or she will ask you the final size and format of the book (i.e. 8 x 8 inches, 9 x 11 inches, etc.). Most printer/publishers will have specific set sizes for the books that they print, so you'll want to make sure that you've had a look at those and decided on the sizing in advance.
An illustrator will also ask if the printer/publisher has printing guides. These guides are in place to make sure that important information, such as a face or text, doesn't get cropped out in the final print. The guides usually include a safe area, a trim, and a bleed. By obtaining this information from the printer/publisher in advance of your illustrator asking will streamline your book-making process!
Now, with all that being said, here's an idea of how I work on a book:
1) I get a sense of what the author is looking for.
I'll often request a copy of the manuscript. I definitely like to know what the story is before going further on the project. That way I can see if I'm a right fit and if the story brings imagery to my mind that I could illustrate. Of course, if authors are nervous about me reading their manuscripts, I'm happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
2) I like to get a sense of what the expectations are on delivery.
Generally, I like to work on a book for as long as I can (within reason). There are illustrators who work on books for a minimum of one year before sending it to their publishers. On the quick end of things, I'll compete the illustration work on a book at around three months, depending on the factors listed in the first step.
Here's an example of planning out your production timeline: You have a book about the Holiday Season that you would like to come out in November in time for shopping and gifts. You'll want to factor in how much time it will take for the illustrations to be made, for the book to be formatted, for the printer to print the book, and for those books to be shipped. My advice is to plan early and not to rush things!
Any marketing plans, like publishing a book in time for the Holidays, are also of interest to me as the illustrator. I invest a lot of time and passion into making the books I work on, and I'd like to see it be a success just as much as the author!
3) I like to get a sense of the author's marketing plans.
As an artist, I am intrinsically also a business person. And someone who wants to see her work in stores and on bookshelves just as much as any other picture book maker. If an author is unsure of how to get their book out there to the public, I'm more than happy to be involved. While I'm not a marketing expert, I do have experience with marketing and have useful insight into the children's book industry.
4) Making and signing the contract.
From here I can start to get a better sense of what the project is. Then I can give you a price point as well as a contract, which includes a payment schedule and due date for the illustrations.
Once the t's are crossed, and the i's are dotted, I begin my work on the illustrations.
5) Here are my steps to working on a book:
6) The paintings are then scanned and the high resolution images are sent to the author.
Generally I'll scan the images at 300 dpi, unless the author and/or the printer ask for otherwise. It's at this time that the illustrations are now in the author's hands. Now they'll need someone to format the book and add text. This can be done by an independently hired graphic designer, or on occasion, a designer who works for the printer/publisher that the author is working with.
Because I'm an illustrator not a professional graphic designer, I tend to avoid doing this step of the process. However, I can work on this step for an additional fee, but keep in mind that formatting is not my strong-suit.
The process of making a children's picture book is a collaborative one. At least 50% of a picture book is the pictures, and illustrators put a lot of additional storytelling into those images. As an illustrator, I'm passionate about making art that is interesting to children of all ages. I love how picture books can so deeply resonate with young people, that they want to read them over and over again, and maybe one day read them to their children.
There you have it! My whole process, minus some of the more specific details. Let me know if you have any questions about the illustration process or the children's book industry in general!
You move just a finger, Say the slightest word, Something's bound to linger, Be heard ~ Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods