Textile Friday: Additive vs. Subtractive Dying

           Some of you all may have seen this before as it's been out for a couple of years, but lately I seem to be getting a sleuth of questions about dying. Dying is one of those topics that drives everyone in textiles CRAZY because your computer screen NEVER matches the actual fabric/in person. This has to do with how the color is created. On your computer screen the color is generated by adding different colored lights together (Named aptly enough additive dying). In fabric, the color is created by SUBTRACTING colors (aka- subtractive dying). While adding and subtracting always end up with the same number on paper, in real life this rarely happens as all additive colors together make white while all subtractive colors added together make black. Kinda hard to meet in the middle there. This is further complicated by the fact that colors often have vague or non-standard names like tan, black, or gold. What is a true color in any shade may vary from region to region or even season to season. One year's perfect forest green may be another year's hated pea soup. While pantone has been used for a long time in the printing industry to make sure everyone is one the same page colorwise, they have more recently created this stellar ap for $10.00 (A lot cheaper than the $100 plus printed sample books) which helps you bridge the gap between the two worlds. Best of all it can work from photos or a variety of color sources so you can archive, e-mail, and shop making practical application functions like making sure all your bridesmaids have the same color wedding dress or getting your florist to pick flowers that match your wedding colors. A huge gift for designers in every field and brides-to-be as you can finally coordinate color anywhere in the world. I think this is a vast step forward as color will so often make or break a design and it is also one of the hardest elements to pin down without being in person. I am passing this on to you as a gift for the week as it was given to me. Now have fun going out and designing!
               I hope this takes some of the headache out of color matching for you.

Textile Friday: Mastery Teaches You to Love

           “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God.”
             ~ King Solomon, the wisest man who lived on the meaning of life, Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

             So, hopefully you enjoyed last week's textile friday post. It comes to you courtesy of a friend who said that it's important to let people see you struggle. Me, I hate that level of honesty. I'd like people to think I was just naturally brilliant instead of hard-headed and human. Well, we'll see if this helps you, my readers. Ultimately this blog is for you. Anyways, so if last week's post didn't scare you, why do through that level of hell? (BTW, if you have the time you can always spread out the learning curve over a decade or two with less pain. That's perfectly respectable. Money and time always help cushion the blows.) The answer is a simple one word:
              LOVE.
              There's something about doing something you love, that makes you wake up passionately ready to go in the morning that is just an unbeatable feeling. I think strongly that it's something everyone should do at least once. To do something I loved, every morning, every day....for almost three years now has been the greatest gift I think I've ever been given. I also feel that it has helped me fill up the cracks in my soul and years of insecurity. The wisest men of every generation from King Solomen forward to Henry Ford to the Beatles to Walt Disney have all advocated doing something you love. And eat well. Not like, but would be willing to spend the rest of your life paying someone to do for free. And it's not the same for everyone. It took me years of trial and error to find. But for me it's sewing. The physical aspect of sewing something on a machine and then seeing customers smile as they walk away or come back a year later with a story of how they wore what, then, with friends or family or loved ones that fills me up. I've never been good at telling people I love them or taken much stock in words as they're easy to manufacturer and mean little. Making them something that physically touches them every day, that seems incredibly real to me.
              For you, it may be something else. Woodworking. Or blacksmithing. Or crunching account numbers. I hope that whatever gets you up the morning to work you find. Even if you take a while to get there. Have a great week people. And for everyone local look forward to seeing you Sparkcon tomorrow. Next week, I'll be revealing our new fall collection: Beloved.

Textile Friday: Shop Upgrade/Come Learn with Us

                  This week, Nash and I took the plunge and bought a dozen high-end industrial sewing machines. Everything from Consews, Merrows, Rimoldis, and Singers. We've been debating this for almost a year, but finally had the opportunity to do so. Included are two of my beloved Merrow sergers so I can do high-end work. We are so excited to grow to this new level. And we are inviting you to come with us. While we plan to use the studio during the day, we are opening Li Sashay up on evenings and saturdays for you to dream your dreams. You may take a basic $60 3/hr. class on how to use industrial sewing machines or rent time in the studio starting Jan 1st for $10/hr.
              My hope is to provide a place for people of all ages to dream in fabric.

Have a great weekend everyone. I will see you on Monday.