Sew you want to be a Fashion Designer….. I know you like to draw pretty pictures of your dream designs…. Then what?? Find someone to build your dream into a garment?  How are you going to explain how to do this if you do not know how to do it yourself?    If you cannot sew yet, you better bite the bullet and take some sewing lessons. That does not mean you will always have to build your garments yourself.By building I mean engineer them. Note that I said “Build”. I believe a real Fashion Designer can build their own garment, but maybe not beautifully, like a professional seamstress.  The point is, if you have the idea, you have to understand how your garment can be made. I am not talking about, just stretching a piece of knit around a mannequin or someone.  Even knit garments, that everyone loves today, need to be sewn on a sewing machine. Remember, most fabric is flat and needs to be cut apart to fit around our cylinder bodies. Learn how to draw  a sketch of how you are going to construct your garment. It does not need to be pretty,it should Include all seam lines necessary  to shape your fabric around a human form. I am not saying do not try to work on knits first. Seems easy doesn’t it? All woven fabrics today include some stretch in them and are comfortable. Try to test a woven fabric , maybe just make a pair of baggy shorts or on a pillow so you can get used to using a sewing machine. If you do not have a sewing machine or there is not one in your family,purchase a reasonable machine or a used one or borrow one. If you have already done all of this, start an inspiration folder. When I taught my students at Palm Beach Community College I reviewed their inspirations folders. The rule was, no photos of garments or models wearing something you like, this is too easy and your designs might look like someone else’s ideas. My students were required to include home furnishings, artists work  and photos in nature etc. Designers in the past were occasionally inspired this way. A famous designer, Yves St Laurent once designed a dress based on a piece of art by Mondrian. It was a hit. Elsa Schiaparelli designed a sweater of knit with hands covering each breast,very daring at the time. No one else inspired them. Try this in your sketchbook. If you cannot draw well buy a book with tips on how to place a design of yours on a body. There are books like that in art stores all over.  i am writing a Fashion coloring book with some of my designs in it for people to color in, not especially wanna be designers, just for fun. Soon I will be selling them in my etsy site, which you can get from her. Scroll to the bottom of my blogs and see how to get to johannafashionworld on my Etsy site. Keep reading for more tips about this industry that I have loved all my life

Johanna