Recap.

Okay, so yesterday was really fun, everything turned out really well. I was there from 12pm until 11:30 pm so it was a really really long day. The venue was beautiful-however-it was in Narnia (very very far in the NE, through a secret passage, guarded by a Spinx,) but I found it.

Everyone got a kick about the mop dress, and thought it was awesome. Most people didn't realize it was made out of mops, but when they did they were really impressed. Conceptually I thought Kenzie and my installation was the strongest. We built a really cool looking space for her to reside in during the show. We even borrowed a chandelier from an interior design store that got hung above her. I'll post pictures of that very soon. I'm not going to post any pictures of the garments until Alberta Fashion Week is over. I am showing my collection on March 26th btw. Its a Friday.

So, everyone looked great in the clothes. I think the models really liked the stuff. The audience seemed to respond well too. I got a lot of positive feed back. There are some tweaks that need to be made, but its no bid deal. There are two outfits that I was going to eliminate because I wasn't sure if they went, but everyone thought they went really well, so I'm going to leave them in. I think the show needs another full length dress.....which is lots of work, but I'm going to consider making one for Alberta Fashion week.

Just before the models went onstage I had a zipped bust in my full length lace gown. I had to sew the model in, and was seriously just tying the knot and the girl was like '3 seconds' and I JUST got it tied in the nick of time before she stepped on the runway. . . I'm hyperventilating as I recount this for you... jesus. But it didn't bust on stage so thank god. .

My house is a disaster from that final push over the last few days. It seems I've built a nest out of scraps in the living room. Maybe I should lay some eggs to make use of it. . . . or just clean it up.

sleep

I just wrote a long descriptive blog about the show, and then accidentally closed the window... and I'm too tired to write another one tonight.... a special thank you to Judith Dutton. She put together two dresses and a skirt for me and saved my life. Also thank you to Andrea Strand and Katia Asomaning for sewing petticoats. Lots and lots of work goes into those silly things that no one really sees them, but I appreciate it so much. Not to mention all three of you helped conceptually and with all your advice I think the collection was cohesive and strong.

I need to sleep. Love you all. Kyle out.

Tomorrow

Well, the first show is tomorrow and I'm really really excited. I'm not done, of course, but I'm close. We have to set up Kenzie's boudoir today. We're going to use my wing back chair, lots of pink fabric, glass wears, old books and a gorgeous chandelier that Peridot the interior design store kindly lent us. I think it's going to be epic. The mop dress is adorable and I'll post pictures of it after the show (I haven't posted anything in an attempt to be secretive, is it working?)

I know, everyone's anticipation is building so much you might all explode and I apologize. You'll just have to wait. I've come to the conclusion that a couple of my looks don't really go. Obviously I won't change it for the show tomorrow, but I can revamp for fashion week! this is like a big crazy trial run. I'm pretty excited about the pieces that don't exist yet..... why do I make more work for myself. I could have just ate bon bon's and relaxed for the next two weeks, but no, I have do continue to sew my face off. I'm crazy. I want to make myself a coat as well.... I love this red coat that I posted. I think I could make a version of it for myself and it would be very flattering. I had a long disscusion with my boss at current (who has a degree in pattern making) on how to do the vertical side pocket flaps. There is no seem where they're inserted so it's going to be tricky...I've never done anything like that before.

I'm going to finish two dresses today and hopefully make a couple of hats. That's my goal. I wish I was a power ranger. Go go power rangers! They could do anything. I had a crush on the pink ranger...but a secret crush on the green ranger. He was hot. Who says the pink ranger had to be a girl, and the blue a boy? stupid color/gender stereotyping.

I loved pink when I was a kid. I never got what I wanted. Now that I'm a big boy I get all the things I like- my pretty princess bed and lots of pink ties, and a doll house! (well, I don't actually have a doll house, but I could, if I wanted one). Ha Ha! take that parents. . . . how did they not know.....

3 days

3 days until the show. Jesus.

Today I made a body suit, a petticoat (actually Katia made it, she helped me for a couple hours) and about 1/3 a green dress which I think will be quite pretty. All of the finishing is pretty much done, except for the hem on the purple dress.

Everything is going pretty well. I'm close now. It'll probably still be a couple of very late nights but I'm so close. I bought groceries and cooked tonight! It was delightful. I made balsamic pear chicken with dried cherries. mmm. It was so nice not to eat either a can of soup or pizza. I hope this stuff goes over well, I'm getting nervous. I sometimes wonder if I'm any good at this or if everyone is just mistaken.

I wanted to make hats for this collection, in fact, the whole collection was kinda inspired by these mythical hats that don't exist because I haven't created them yet. I wanted to get some stuff called buckram that my friend told me about. Its bendy mesh basically that you can shape into what you want. Apparently you can't buy it in the city. I bought some online tonight. 5 meters with shipping was $77. sweet Jesus. The hats better make themselves for that price. I'm so crazy. Why do I do this again? I should become a traveling acrobat.

I bet it pays better.

Good day.

I had a good day today. Yesterday was good too, it just didn't feel like it at the time. I put Andrea in the purple dress to see how it looked and the zipper broke, there was a flaw in the teeth. It was a bitch to stitch rip the whole thing out and do it again but the silver lining is, at least it happened yesterday and not on the day of the show.

I hate zippers. I've mentioned this before I realize, but I would just like to reiterate how much I hate them. Its so difficult to do it perfectly. Even the best zipper I've ever put in still wasn't perfect. It's so frustrating. The next time you zip up your jacket take a special moment to appreciate the agile five year old hands of that Somalian child who put the zipper in perfectly.

As of today I have one whole dress to make from start to finish and a body suit and I'm done. I have tomorrow and Friday off work, and the show is Saturday so I think I can do it. I think I can I think I can. I hated that train...so repetitive.

I have no idea what this green dress is going to look like. I just know I have to use this specific fabric again...we'll see what I come up with tomorrow.

This is a random aside, but I just got tipped $10 on a $230 bill. I'm at the hotel bar I work in right now. What the hell is wrong with people?. What is that...5 percent? ish. People suck. All it would take is one week of that guy working in the industry to leave a 20 percent tip. I know I'm a better tipper now than I was before because I know how hard servers work. I was so attentive... even though I'm blogging.... i really was. Oh well, whatever.

what will i buy with my $10? maybe a new hat. or t-shirt that says 'I served these bastards all night and all I got was this lously t-shirt.

It's finally happened.

I'm overly sensitive which is a good indicator that I'm stressed out. I had a good cry today, everything is fine, I'm just working my regular jobs in conjunction with sewing full time and its starting to get to me. It will all be worth it in the end, I just miss having a life. Is it this hard on everyone? Are the other designers breaking down over nothing? I'm not really sure.

I had a lot of help today from my friend Andrea and I'll probably get a bit more this week with some of the finishing stuff from another friend. I'm not even that far behind, everything will get done on time .. . its just another week of focused effort and then I'll be finished and I can lead a slightly more balanced life again. Its amazing how much you appreciate certain things once you don't have time for them, like cooking, and going to the gym.

Figuring out what the hell you're making is the biggest challenge and really is emotionally draining. Trying to be true to yourself, innovative, and organized is very challenging. Making 10 looks that go together but are different and will tell a story on the catwalk in a cohesive manner can drive you mental. Designers that make 40 look collections are pretty much super hero's in my mind, but i suppose I am still pretty new at this.

Spring makes me really homesick. It makes me think of growing up on the farm, chasing the cows home in the rain, feeding the chickens, swimming in the dug out, picking berries with grandma. It was simpler in a way. Lots to do, that's for sure, just different. I wasn't quite as emotionally exposed as I am now. Being an artist and putting your work out there on the runway comes with consequences, good, and bad, and you have to be prepared to deal with the aftermath.

the chickens never judged.

Sometimes I just wish mom was alive. She honestly inspired a lot of my work. Many of the things I made in college were inspired by her strength, and they continue to be I suppose. Just in a different way now. I miss my mom telling me I'm the most talented and the most beautiful. I know she was a little biased, but it was still nice to hear.

If the chickens start telling me I'm talented and beautiful, I'll commit myself, I promise. I'll know I'm crazy because they never say anything nice. All they do is bitch and complain.

6 days.

So. There are six days until the show. Presently I have six dresses done (sort of, I'm including the ones Judith is making for me) 3 half outfits, and most of a mop dress.

The mop dress is coming along well! I dyed three of the mops pink. I braided one whole mop, then I made a corset out of canvas and layered the braided mops into the panels of the corset. At first I thought it kind of looked like a ... carpet. but its prettier now that its coming together. Its tricky appropriating things to make them into ..other things. I want the original integrity of the mop maintained, while still manipulating them enough to make it interesting. If you looked at just the corset, you wouldn't really know its make out of dyed braided mops. That's why its important for the skirt part to have some free falling mops of their original color-so that there is a visual link. She'll also be holding a mop so I'm pretty sure people will get it.

The rest of the collection is moving along in a positive direction. I can't believe I haven't posted in almost a week, that's crazy. Time sure flies when your working like a dog. I was on Breakfast television yesterday! well, not me, but the lovely model Bonnie wearing one of my dresses was. I totally thought I was going to be on TV. I had to be there at 6:15 am...I was pretty sure 6:15 was a myth until this point. Anything earlier than 8 is just cruel in my opinion. I'm kinda night owl though. I'd gladly stay up until 2 or 3 sewing and sleep until 10. Anyways, I tossed and turned all night worried I would sleep through my alarm or something. I woke up at five and felt like I never slept at all

When I got there I found out that I wasn't going to be on TV, just my model... I even did my hair. .. oh well. There was no need to toss all night. I'm not sure why I was so nervous, I've been on TV before. Anyways, Bonnie did great, and everyone seemed to love my dress *giggles with joy*

This is going to be a hard week. I had to stay in again... Geoff is at our friends having a lovely dinner of smoked salmon and grilled veggies and oh I can't remember what else. .. . probably a lobster and cakes. hmm cakes.

I had to miss out so I could stay home and sew. I had a bowl of soup, and a cucumber sandwich. We're out of groceries, but it doesn't really matter, who has time to cook? or eat for that matter.

Thin is in, so I'm told