Runway Musings
This is not a post on the show itself, or any of the spoilers or videos, but on the nature of the challenge of the show.
This weekend as we went to G Street Fabrics I set a budget for our Rennie costumes of $100.00 a piece. Thinking this was a legitimate amount based on the simplicity of the patterns (no pun intended) and how foofy they were. Plus I wanted to put it into perspective and not go completely overboard with it, since it is merely a costume and we don't need to go all out for it.
As I mentioned previously that all went out the window when we were forced to look at the huge selection of material. But we did keep reigning ourselves in and looking for something that was cheaper and still looked good.
Here's the thing. We must have spent at least an hour looking at the patterns in the historical costume sections of the pattern catalogues. We spent a good three hours in the fabric store itself looking at cottons, linens, brocades, wools, lace, trim, buttons, ribbon, thread. I mean we spent probably a solid hour looking at trims alone because we trying to match the look of the outfit with the trim and not go crazy on the cost. It was really an endeavor. And we wound up doubling our budget (doublet?).
So, now to the Project Runway portion of this post. These designers are presented with a challenge, given 30 minutes (more or less) to sketch out a design, 30 minutes in the fabric store and usually 30 minutes in the store that sells notions and trims (which is usually not broadcast). Then in the remaining time they must create the pattern for the dress, cut the pieces, sew the dress, and fit their model to put that outfit out there on the runway.
This blows my fucking mind.
It's been a long time since I've made clothes. Literally it's been years. The last thing I made was my ceremonial robe (you know, the church choir lookin' one?) and that took me days and days and I was up sewing until 6:00 a.m. to finish it in time for a ritual that I was using it for that night! That was a daunting task. Well, I did make a cloak, but a cloak is so easy. It's maybe all of 5 long stitches. Whatever.
In making two outfits I spent 5 times longer in the fabric store (and thats knowing roughly what you need to finish the garment at hand), twice as long just selecting a pattern, not designing anything at all, and God only knows how long it's going to take me to put this stuff together!
And they are doing this for a month solid, and then they only get a few months to put together an entire collection?! Wow. Super-wow.
It really puts how awesome these people are into perspective. I, myself, could never do that. It would take me years of dedicated effort to even come close to reaching that level of performance. And honestly, it's not one of my life goals. I appreciate making things. And sometimes I do a really good job of making things, but it's not my life.
So, yeah. I have deep respect for the designers on Project Runway. They are in a class among themselves.
Kudos.
This weekend as we went to G Street Fabrics I set a budget for our Rennie costumes of $100.00 a piece. Thinking this was a legitimate amount based on the simplicity of the patterns (no pun intended) and how foofy they were. Plus I wanted to put it into perspective and not go completely overboard with it, since it is merely a costume and we don't need to go all out for it.
As I mentioned previously that all went out the window when we were forced to look at the huge selection of material. But we did keep reigning ourselves in and looking for something that was cheaper and still looked good.
Here's the thing. We must have spent at least an hour looking at the patterns in the historical costume sections of the pattern catalogues. We spent a good three hours in the fabric store itself looking at cottons, linens, brocades, wools, lace, trim, buttons, ribbon, thread. I mean we spent probably a solid hour looking at trims alone because we trying to match the look of the outfit with the trim and not go crazy on the cost. It was really an endeavor. And we wound up doubling our budget (doublet?).
So, now to the Project Runway portion of this post. These designers are presented with a challenge, given 30 minutes (more or less) to sketch out a design, 30 minutes in the fabric store and usually 30 minutes in the store that sells notions and trims (which is usually not broadcast). Then in the remaining time they must create the pattern for the dress, cut the pieces, sew the dress, and fit their model to put that outfit out there on the runway.
This blows my fucking mind.
It's been a long time since I've made clothes. Literally it's been years. The last thing I made was my ceremonial robe (you know, the church choir lookin' one?) and that took me days and days and I was up sewing until 6:00 a.m. to finish it in time for a ritual that I was using it for that night! That was a daunting task. Well, I did make a cloak, but a cloak is so easy. It's maybe all of 5 long stitches. Whatever.
In making two outfits I spent 5 times longer in the fabric store (and thats knowing roughly what you need to finish the garment at hand), twice as long just selecting a pattern, not designing anything at all, and God only knows how long it's going to take me to put this stuff together!
And they are doing this for a month solid, and then they only get a few months to put together an entire collection?! Wow. Super-wow.
It really puts how awesome these people are into perspective. I, myself, could never do that. It would take me years of dedicated effort to even come close to reaching that level of performance. And honestly, it's not one of my life goals. I appreciate making things. And sometimes I do a really good job of making things, but it's not my life.
So, yeah. I have deep respect for the designers on Project Runway. They are in a class among themselves.
Kudos.