Cate Anevski

Love Cloud

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.

Going into Blytheness?

I've been hard at work this week packaging a ton of Blythe dress kits for an event this Sunday that I'm really looking forward to. A lovely dolly friend invited me to a Going out of Blytheness sale here in Portland, and I'm hoping to snag a few dolly goodies and perhaps sell or trade some of my kits as well.

If you're interested, come on down and check it out with me! I know I'm going to enjoy all the lovely Blythes, and it was a great push to get myself to actually package all those dresses (one of the many tasks I've been putting off throughout tax season).

Hy Heartfelt Thanks

I cannot say how much it warms my heart to have received so many kind and thoughtful comments regarding my career change. It's a great reminder as to why I'll never exit the crafting world, no matter how many other things I have in my life.

I have successfully completed my move, which is such a relief. However, it does bring up a confession I must make: This is the first time I've lived in Portland. I've spent the past three and a half years living in Beaverton, which any Portlander will tell you is most certainly not the same as living in Portland (despite the fact that it's a mere eight miles away from Downtown Portland).

My stupendous boyfriend happened to find me a great (cheap!) apartment in Portland proper, and, best of all, it's only a mile away from my tax firm, so I get to walk to work every day.

Yep, my life is shaping up to be pretty awesome, and the crafting community that I have been lovingly welcomed into is a huge part of the awe. Thanks, guys!

Well, look at that!

Thanks to the generousest friends ever, Maggie & Kyle Ruth, I have a couple of dolly visitors to help me out with my Blythe fashion design. I can certainly see why this becomes so addictive...

I'm not late, I'm early.

Yep, that's right. I'm very prepared for the 2012 holiday season. It has nothing to do with the fact that I didn't order my holiday-themed Blythe dress fabric early enough, or that I didn't get a chance to sew them together until after the new year.

I'm just thinking ahead.

And, if you're as forward-minded as me (or if you like to celebrate the yuletide season all year like me), you can obtain your very own DIY holiday Blythe dress kits in my shop.

Bunnies, and Fuzzies, and Bears! Oh, My!

Here are a couple of my new Blythe dresses. They're both very silly and pointless, but isn't that how doll clothes are supposed to be? In fact, isn't that how all clothes are supposed to be? And perhaps I have just stumbled on the reason I have difficulties with traditional job interviews. Isn't my suit supposed to be covered with pink bunnies? Hmm...

At any rate, you can find these DIY kits in my shop.

A Project for a Rainy Day

As usual around this time of year, I have found inspiration in the constant rainy days of the lovely Pacific Northwest. This year's Christmas wasn't exactly white, but there were quite a few lovely rainbows. And so, as is becoming usual, I have turned that inspiration into Blythe dresses.

When I started this tiny adventure, I had no idea how much it might consume me. I tend to sketch only in tiny dresses, which makes for an interesting sketchbook. Of course, that means that I have quite a few more dresses to come, especially now that my itty-bitty sewing skills are improving daily.

These dresses are available as DIY kits in my shop.

Let's Go Fly a Kite

This week's Spoonflower contest theme is "kites." I got an image of jewel kites in my mind, and I simply couldn't shake it until I had created a pattern. You can vote for this design here, and do be sure to check out all the other wonderful kite fabrics. I'm quite smitten with the adorable ideas that other designers created.

I have been thinking lately of the best way to share my patterns, and I've decided that I'd like to offer them as desktop pattern tiles from time to time. And so, I present this tile. Simply save it to your computer and set it as your desktop on the tile setting, and you can enjoy jeweled kites while you work. (Or while you check Facebook. I'm not here to judge.)

I have also realized that a Spoonflower swatch is just the right size to create a Blythe dress from this pattern, which I believe means I'll spend some time at my sewing machine during my holiday break.

When life gives you lemons...

...make tiny dresses!

I've had this dress idea in my mind for quite a while now, but I'm having a bear of a time with the construction. I swear the pattern I'm using shrinks and expands behind my back. The skirt simply refuses to fit onto the bodice.

I, of course, refuse to be beaten, so I'm going to keep plugging away at this one, but I just couldn't wait to share it in the meantime. Thank heavens for pins to tuck and hold a wayward dress in submission long enough to take a photo.

On the plus side, my tiny-sewing skills are improving daily. This is the first Blythe dress I've created without having to "pardon my French" an undue number of times while sitting at my sewing machine. I love the power of practice.