big move!

Hello all! It’s been yet another massively long break between blogs. This is mostly due to being insanely busy, moving house, getting a puppy and trying to maintain some form of a social life! So, the biggest news is that I am on the move again. After 2 lovely years in my shop in Crossgates, I am now teaming up with Jennifer’s Dresses at 12 High St, Aberdour, Fife, KY3 0SW. I’ll now be meeting with customers in our gorgeous shared boutique. This will be a wonderful platform to unveil our new joint venture to the world. We have recently established Cherry Couture Bridal Ltd, a vintage inspired ready to wear bridal line. There will be more on this very soon… very exciting times indeed! Aside from that, I have made a few changes to how I operate. As I’m no longer in the studio, I have had to suspend the 6 week dressmaking classes. I do however, still offer one to one tuition as well as teaching for the community use dressmaking classes along at Queen Anne high school in Dunfermline on a Tuesday evening. The main aim of Dresar Studio is to design and create beautiful, quirky, bespoke bridal and evening wear and I am spending the majority of my time doing this. I also offer a bridal and evening wear alterations service. Using a combination of traditional and modern couture sewing and fitting techniques, you will always be guaranteed a high end finish and a fantastic fit. As an extra service, I also offer a bridal dressing service. If you have a dress which is tricky to put on/fasten, I will be on hand to make sure it looks perfect. I always bring along my little ‘just in case’ bag too so if there is dress related emergency, I’ll be there to help you! For an additional charge, I can help your bridal party with their dresses so your big day will get started without any stress and leave you to get on with enjoying your big day. All of my sewing/designing will now be done from my lovely home studio and, as a result, all consultations and fittings at the boutique will be by appointment. For any enquiries, please call me on 01383 514182 or 07780331548 You can email me on deanna@dresarstudio.co.uk or visit my Facebook page www.facebook.com/dresarstudio Want a sneaky peak at one my latest designs? Here you go!

Beginners Sewing Class for Nov/Dec

Beginners sewing class Hello all, after the popularity of the last few term's 'Dressmaking for beginners' class, we are going to be running one more before Christmas. This will be a 4 week course (4, 3 hour classes) which will cover all the basics of selecting, cutting and following a pattern, sewing by machine and hand as well as a whole host of other hints and tips on altering, repairing and embellishing your own garments.  Start date: Wednesday 21st November End Date: Wednesday 12th December Times: 6pm - 9pm Age restriction: Over 16's Places available: 6 Cost: £90 Additional information: All workroom equipment is supplied but if you have your own sewing machine and wish to use it, please feel free to bring it along. You will need to supply your own fabric and thread but this will be discussed during the first class so don't worry about buying anything just yet.  Please get in touch by email: deanna@dresarstudio.co.uk or call: 01383 514182 to book your place.

I've seen this dress online.... Can you make it cheaper?

I'm often asked two following two questions: 1. Here is a picture of a dress. Can you copy it? 2. I've found a dress I like in a shop but it is far too expensive. Can you make something similar but cheaper? Well, I'm across the answer to both of those questions is no. I can't compete with mass-produced high street shop garments for the following reasons: Fabric costs: When I buy fabric for a commissioned piece, I buy enough for that one garment. This means I buy it at retail price. The dress you saw in....wherever, was mass produced in it's thousands which means that the factory would have gained huge discounts for buying in 'bulk' volume.  Pattern cutting: When I receive an order, I meet with the customer to discuss their individual requirements. I then take a series of specific body measurements and draft a custom made pattern. The pattern is then turned into a sample garment (also known as a toile) which is fitted to the client to make any small amendments before the final garment is cut. This process can take several days to perfect. When a factory receives a design for a garment, they make one general pattern which is programmed by a computer and graded into the size range required by the company. Modern cutting technology allows hundreds of pieces to be cut at a time. In the time it takes me to create a bespoke pattern, a factory could have cut enough garments stock every Next store in the country.  Sewing: In a factory, every machinist has his/her job to do and is rarely skilled in anything else. One person sews the side seams, another person inserts the zip, another finishes the hem etc. They are paid by the piece and are under huge amounts of pressure to keep the production line moving. Quality is far less important to these people than making sure they reach their quota for the day. I have trained for 13 years in every aspect of the design/production process. I understand the subtle differences between fabrics and the necessary processes to achieve a beautiful finish. I also take tremendous pride in my work and would not allow a sub standard garment to leave my workroom. I practice traditional couture techniques and am always learning and improving my skills. When you pay for a dress to be made by me you are not just paying for some fabric and a pattern, you are paying for my education, skill, talent and devotion to my craft.  Service: When you buy from a high street shop, you are dealing with sales staff who have no input into the creation of your garment. They, for the most part, are there for the money. Many work on commission and with targets to meet, will pretty much tell you what you want to hear to get that sale. When you buy from me, you are a walking, talking advert for my business. I am extremely emotionally connected to each dress I make. They take me a long time to do, from searching for the perfect fabrics to the time it takes to make a garment (averaging  between 12-100 hours). Also, after spending at least 4 or 5 hours getting to know my customers, I also become invested in their happiness. When I make a dress, I make it specifically for you. Not just to make you look good but also to make you feel good wearing it.  Overheads: Chain stores buy in large volumes, they add on huge mark-ups (sometimes up to 1000%) and make massive profits. The top end luxury brand markets report profits in their billions every year. Running a small business costs a lot of money. Rent, insurance, alarms, accountants, PAT testing, sewing machines, tools, advertising.... The list goes depressingly on. These costs as well as the actual cost of making the garment (fabrics, linings, boning, zips, interlining,trims etc) have to be covered before a penny of profit can be made.   Design integrity Firstly, copyright laws exist to protect the designer so it is illegal for me to copy a design. I understand a lot of dressmakers do this as they are unable to create a concept of their own and need to have something to mimic to be successful. As a designer, I have spent years developing my own unique style. This style is the reason many of my customers seek me out. I do not want to cheapen that by diluting my range with other designers creations.  Having a dress made for you should be a wonderful experience from start to finish. It should be a statement of your personal style and a testament to my talent and experience. You should expect the price and the time frame to reflect the work that goes into it. My prices Evening wear: From £350 Bridal wear: From £700 Corsetry: From £150 The aim of this blog is to remove the myth that designers are needlessly overpriced and excessive or that dressmakers can 'run up' a dress in a matter of a few hours for less than you'd pay in a department store. If more people understood the process and the fantastic results that can be achieved, there would be a lot less people settling for a style that doesn't reflect their style, fit them properly or do justice to the special occasion it is intended for. I hope this has been informative and not too 'ranty'. I'm always open to questions and comments so please feel free to get in touch. Tel: 01383 514182 Email: deanna@dresarstudio.co.uk

Buying a 'bargain' dress online?

A wee word of warning to you all specifically regarding a company called E Dresses and generally about ordering 'custom made' dresses online. I've lost count of the number of horror stories I've heard (and tried to fix). If you are going to buy them here are a few tips: 1. Do your research! Type the company name into google and find out what other people have thought of their work. 2. Pay with a credit card or paypal: that way if the worst happens you have someone to complain to and apply to get your money back from. 3. Leave plenty of time to receive your order. If the fit turns out to be wrong, you'll have time to have it professionally altered or, like in many cases, it turns out to be completely not what you ordered, you have time to find something else! 4. If you are on a super tight budget for a big event, consider buying a 'pre loved' dress. There are fantastic bargains out there from people who want their dress to go to a good home. For a fraction of the cost of a new dress, you can have it altered and customised to make it feel brand new! Please choose wisely. Good luck! 

New Years Resolutions...

Hello! Happy New Year everyone.
 I won't even begin to make excuses for my complete lack of blogs. I will however say the word BUSY. I write it in annoying CAPS LOCK as this is kind of how the past 6 months feel in my head. Big and slightly overpowering. However, I feel I am now evolving the business to where it wants to settle. Maybe this time next year it'll be all grown up and be ready for some real commitment? Who knows...
To sum up Dresar Studio over the past 18 months, I think of phrases like 'jack of all trades', 'everything to everyone' and a few even less flattering (or printable) terms. This is mostly due to my fear of not doing well and an inability to say no to people. I now feel like I'm finding my feet. I'm also realising that to become successful in business, you have to know your market. My market seems to be Bridal. There, I've said it! I've been avoiding putting myself into that box for a number of reasons but as the appointment book fills up and the request come in, that would be where at least 80% of my income is coming from. Good. That's that then....
So, where to go from here?
Well first things first, I'm changing my opening hours to accommodate this new breed of customer. This, I'm also hoping, will slowly filter out the kinds of work that aren't very rewarding or financially viable to keep taking in.
Next, I'll be doing a few bridal shows and photo shoots for PR as well as completely re-doing my website as lots of it is out of date info now.
I'll be teaching fewer classes. That being said, I love teaching so I'll still be doing one or two a week.
Couple that with my resolution to get organised, fit and become a superhero and I reckon I'm on track for a pretty productive year.
Let's see what I'm saying in February....

This will be my new opening hours:

And this will be the info sheet in the window, letting my customers know about the type of work I do:

Hope it's big enough for you to read...

Anyway, that is all for now my dears. Thanks for stopping by! More photos and updates as soon as I can.
x

Working with knitted/stretchy fabrics

Hi, 


Laurie from my sewing class asked me for some pointers on working with stretch/knitted fabrics so I've compiled a little list. 
Hope this helps!
Any questions at all, just let me know? 

There are many different weights/types of knitted fabrics. Here's a very brief overview:

Single knit: Single knit fabrics are made from a single layer of thread loops. This forms a distinct right and wrong side to the fabric. Single knits are generally light to medium weight and very stretchy

Double knit fabrics are made by interlocking two layers single knit thread loops simultaneously. The resulting fabric looks virtually the same on both sides. Double knits are generally medium to heavy weight, sturdy fabrics with minimal stretch.

Most of the really stretchy knits include some synthetic fibre content to give the fabric strength and good "˜rebound' after it has been stretched. Knits are available in 100% cotton and 100% synthetic fibres, and many blends in-between.

Preparation work:

Cutting out stretch fabric can be tricky as it is so easy to stretch it out. I recommend laying out a sheet of tissue paper under the fabric and pinning onto that. It helps add a layer of stability and makes cutting much easier.

Make sure you follow the grain line (parallel to the selvage/fold line) on your pattern to make sure the stretch is going to be in the right direction. This will make sewing the pieces much nicer.

When cutting, make sure you use super sharp scissors too as the fabric can drag or be stretched with a blunt pair.

Sewing:

When sewing a stretch fabric it's important to use a stretch ball point needle in your sewing machine rather than a regular 'sharp' needle. Ball point needles have a rounded tip which allows the needle slide in between the 'loops' of the fabric (and stops cutting/fraying of the fibres)

Use a polyester thread rather than a cotton thread as there is more stretch in synthetic fibres and will work with the fabric better.

Have a play about with some scraps of your fabric to get the best stitch length. I suggest trying a medium length straight stitch or a narrow zig zag. The bonus of the zig zag is that there is more 'give' and this will allow your seams to stretch a bit when you are wearing the garment.

You can buy a special presser foot called a 'walking foot'. This isn't essential for sewing but can give more uniform results.

Make sure you keep the edges of the your pieces even as you are sewing them . I find it helpful to pin across the fabric and stitch over the pins. This stops your 2 layers from moving around and prevents one layer being stretched more than the other when sewing.

Take your time with stretch fabrics. Try to keep your pieces on the table (rather than hanging off the edge) the less pressure you put on the fabric the more likely you are to sew it well!

If you have access to an overlocker, this is a great way to sew stretch fabrics. Follow the advice from above about preparing your pieces and maybe even think about hand tacking your seams before you sew them (then you don't have to worry about removing pins as you go)

Good luck, don't be scared, give it a go!

A moving story...

Dresar Studio is Moving!

Well, almost a year after Dresar Studio was established, it is almost time for us to wave Bon Voyage to our first office at Liberty Business Centre in Dalgety Bay and move on to pastures new.

Dresar Studio will now be making it's home in the lovely (energy efficiant, apparently) village of Crossgates, in Fife.

For those of you who dont know the village, this is the link ot the google map:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ky4+8aj&sll=56.084138,-3.375264&sspn=0.008046,0.026178&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Cowdenbeath,+Fife+KY4+8AJ,+United+Kingdom&ll=56.084513,-3.375442&spn=0.007998,0.026178&z=16&iwloc=A

Yikes! Long link...

For those of you who do know the village, I'm at the traffic lights (there's only one set, it's a small village) next to the Hair and Beauty shop, Wax and Relax.

If you are going to be sat-navving your way out to see us: the full address is:

Dresar Studio

8 Main St

Crossgates

Fife

KY4 8AJ

So, that's the where taken care of. Now all I have to do is:

Get a good sign maker (easier said than done)

Get a custom made cutting/sewing area made by a joiner who will not require me to sell my home, hair and several organs.

Get a painter to do the outside (I don't think my slap dash painting method will quite cut it here)

Decorate (the fun bit)

Make enough stock for the new Ready To Wear selection that will be available to buy in store

Fix up, take care and upcycle the vintage stock that will also be available in the shop

Develop a new and exciting range of sewing workshops and courses for all ages and abilites

Organise and host a fabulous Grand Opening Party.

All by the end of May. Better get cracking! 

I'm so excited to be, not only back in my home town, but also watching Dresar Studio grow from strength to strength. When I cast my mind back to this time last year, I can't believe how much things have changed. It's been a tough mountain to climb, full of financial and social sacrifice, but I can say with my hand of my heart it has been the best decision I've ever made. 

Since I'm getting all emotional, I should also take a moment to thank my friends and family who have provided unwavering support, in particular, my Mum and my boyfriend, Steph. It would have been literally impossible to have done this without you guys.

I can't wait to see you all at the party! More details on that to follow. 

Big love, see you soon

Deanna