Quick FotoFlexer fashion drawing tutorial

Here's the FotoFlexer Tutorial as promised. It's my first so be gentle. If you have any suggestions or questions, please let me know. Especially if I can be more clear in places.

Before you start, find a photo of the pattern you want to try out with different fabrics. The easiest ones to work with are the actual flat pattern drawing from the back of the pattern.

Very Easy Vogue Pattern 8945

You could also use the actual fashion drawing. It's a little harder, but can be done and looks great.FotoFlexer and open a free account. You can use the tools without logging in, but you won't be able to save your photos. The app seems to be payed for by advertising banners, but they aren't terribly intrusive.

Original drawing from the Vogue site

For the sake of this tutorial, I'm gong to go very simple.  You can get a little fancy with this, but this is a very quick way.

Next, find a photo of the fabric you are interested in using. You can create your own in Spoonflower or find a fabric you might by online, or even scan in a photo of a fabric you own. Those are whole different tutorials. If you use a photo of someone else's design and use the photo online, you should link back to them and give them credit.

I created a heart fabric in Spoonflower using a copyright free print.

Literal hearts

Now you're ready to use FotoFlexer.

Upload your pattern drawing.

Upload your fabric photo

 Click on the layers tab and 'push back' the fabric photo to the back.

This is the fun part. Make sure your pattern drawing is on top. When you 'fill' it in transparent mode, you are erasing the top layer so that the fabric in the bottom layer shows through.

Now you are ready to finish it off.

Done! Please let me know if there is any vital information I have left out. I'll do a tutorial on how to get a little fancier at another time. This is just the basics.

Won't be making this anytime soon

Epatterns...ooooo..hate to love you baby

The GREAT thing about ePatterns is that you can have them RIGHT NOW. They are convenient to purchase and they are usually cheaper. The HORRIBLE thing about ePatterns is putting them together. I have a really hard time dealing with all those sheets of paper and then the fussing around to tape them together. I came up with a way to deal with it that helps me. I break it down to smaller chunks.

First I print out all the pieces and put them in a notebook

I make sure the directions are all ready to read like a book

After printing out all the pieces, I lay them out on the floor in the proper order

I then cut out each individual piece and tape them together. Painters tape isn't ideal, removable scotch tape would be best. You don't have to be tidy here, just make sure all the pieces are together.

Once you have more manageable pieces, you can take your time and really match them up well.

File this under "Things that aren't helpful"

Fringe Tutorial

I wanted to use fringe on my flapper dress, but I didn't have any hanging around the house and I can't spend money on anything right now. What I do have is yards and yards of cotton string that I got at the thrift store. I also couldn't find a tutorial for handmade fringe, so I made my own.

figure out how long you want your fringe to be, then wrap your string, yarn, floss or whatever have you around a book that is roughly twice that long.

Cut the string at the top and bottom of the book

You'll end up with a pile of string

Double each length of string and loop it over a cord

Pull the loose ends through the loop and tighten

do this a million times

Squish them together

I don't know if they will be swingy enough, since it's cotton. Any pig in a poke I say. We'll see what happens when I have a long length of it.

Actually pretty great. On the dress, it almost looks like marabou feathers