It's always so much fun for me when I get to see one of my Blythe creations complete. The designs begin their lives as barely comprehensible sketches. I try to show them off to friends in a flurry of excitement, expecting that my loved ones can somehow translate my loose pencil lines into the completed image I have in my mind. Of course, all I have to show is my messy sketchbook.
And so I trudge along, digitizing my concept so that I can upload the appropriate file to Spoonflower for printing. Once that's ready, I shout it from the rooftops, asking my friends their opinion on my latest design. Admittedly, it's a bit more advanced, but still not quite in its final form.
By this point, I begin the waiting game. I have all my fabric delivered to my office. It's so nice to expect fun mail at work, and I love being able to share with my coworkers what I do when I'm not doing taxes. Once it arrives, I still have more processing to do before I get to the finished product. I prewash all my fabric to ensure that my customers' beloved Blythes won't be stained by the fabric inks, and then I get down to the business of sewing.
When all is said and done, I get to see how well my little sketch works as a three-dimensional object. Usually, it's even better than I expected, thanks to the wonderful work of Spoonflower and their constant commitment to quality products. Of course, there have been a number of dresses that just don't turn out, meaning it's back to the drawing board for me. I try not to be disappointed by these, though, since each misstep teaches me invaluable lessons in fashion manufacturing and dimensional thinking, and I love being able to see the improvement as I move along.
And there you have it.
