Wednesday, January 28, 2009

To err is human - to forgive, canine....

Poor Lacy...she's in the dumps because it's snowing and we can't go outside and play. Although it's the best weather for me to stay in and work on new designs, I did try to play fetch and toss her sherpa baby to her a bit, down in the den. I didn't expect a lot since she's never been much of a fetcher, preferring to grab the toy, shake it, drop it and sniff her butt. But I thought she'd appreciate my undivided attention. No dice this time. She walked upstairs in a huff and planted herself in Jeff's sock basket. My ploy was to get her in a better mood so I could try on the newest Lollypups creation and it just wasn't working. She looks forlorn and dejected huddled among the sport socks, no matter how much I bribe her to come out.........we women can be really bitchy when we don't get our way. Chicken for dinner tonight might cheer her up........hopefully, tomorrow will be sunny.

Monday, January 26, 2009

I divert today..........

Bought myself a knitting machine on sale and started playing. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it however, I don't picture myself doing much with it except experimenting with swatches and colors. It's only a straight knit/purl machine and since I prefer mixed stitches and mishmash designs, I may need to find a book or something. Honestly, I'm in the throes of learning so much already, I think I'll leave the knitted proto making to the experts. My real purpose is to experiment with intarsia patterns which I can just send off to be developed, without a proto . I've yet to find a CAD program that doesn't cost a bundle and will translate graphs into sweater designs. I know they exist but cost a lot and right now, funds are tight. I'll try to figure it out in Photoshop or illustrator but until I can, old fashioned colored pencils will have to do. So many ideas............so little time. This is such fun!!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

More progress....




Lacy is wearing Misty Heart (in honor of Aunt Marie's Chihuahua--RIP) It literally started out with the heart motif and grew from there. This prototype was sent to China Jan.7 and materials have been sourced but a counter sample won't be made until the factories reopen after Chinese New Year (Mid February for the dyers!) I'm assured that the technique can be replicated and all materials can be provided in the same colors but I'll have to wait and see. Meanwhile, it's a great Valentine's day sweater but my timing is a year off :(
I'd like to create a couple more though since themes are always popular. (but no Santa's, I promise) Coming up next......Sugar and Spice theme, a confection in shades of cream and cottony fluff...this one's tough and I feel it needs more planning than the others so I'll have to be a bit more disciplined. Also on the horizon, Winter Garden theme....a garden of appliqued flowers in a multitude of colors. The question that STILL remains after all the smoke clears on these designs, HOW MUCH WILL THEY COST TO REPRODUCE!!



Stay tuned...................









Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Progress report



Due to Chinese New Year the factories closed 1/20 and won't re-open till 2/2. One of the counter samples did arrive Thursday. It's the Tigger style which was actually one of the easiest to reproduce and considering I supplied all the materials as well, it only took the factory a week to make. It's pictured to the right of the prototype and although the technique is great, the sizing is way off. I can't even try it on Lacy which was the point of giving specs in a size medium. Another disappointment is that they didn't follow my instructions to make the collar removable which it needs to be. This vendor seems a bit lax and I don't have as much confidence in them as I have in the other trading company, which I've had an ongoing connection to since September.

Vera is great. Always answering my questions right away and very professional. At first, her response to the two prototypes I sent was that the factory will have a hard time sourcing the materials and so they might need to substitute similar ones. I told her that I was open to options as long as they maintained the aesthetic of the proto. In her message today, she actually went the extra mile to search and locate the exact materials needed to reproduce the prototype and has assured me that the technique, materials and colors will match.

Of course, the dyers are off until Feb.10th so I won't get the counter samples until probably the last week of February. I'm anxious to see these two styles because they're so complex, however, once it's determined that they can be produced and at the right price point, I can move forward with the website. And THAT will be challenge #2. More on that later.

Friday, January 16, 2009

More photos of the "kids".............



P'tunia, Beth's beautiful pug, loved trotting around in the Lucky Rainbow sweater. It fit her like a glove and so I realized, I had made it broad enough in the chest for a more barrel chested breed than Lacy. Which was actually a good thing. This was also true for Scooter, Emily and Chris' rat terrier (and my grand dog). Scooter was not as happy modeling but did get a dingo bone as a reward for sitting on my work table for the photo and being so patient. Rat terriers are NOT patient.....love you Scoot!











Lollypups is born.........

Here's Lacy in the very first Lollypups sweater design. It took 4 months just to set up the business, which included designing the product, registering the name, attending small business seminars and classes at FIT, meeting with hand knitters who could make up prototypes,(I crochet but I don't knit), researching vendors --China (very helpful) USA (not), Canada (rude) and keeping in communication with them. Designing the garment itself went fairly quickly. I'm not one to figure out stitches on paper but work a design out in my head as I'm doing it. The Lucky Rainbow sweater was pretty successful considering I only had to rip it out once :(
The one problem I encountered was in the fit but being the first prototype, that was to be expected. Lacy, my model and muse, is the perfect size medium but it looked too long on her so I eliminated the rose section at the bottom. The sleeve placement was a bit low too, and so I've adjusted the specifications and have sent it off to China to be reproduced as a counter sample.....we'll see how they do. It's been a nice journey so far.......working 16 hour days never felt so good! And Lacy's happy I'm at home to keep her company.