Saturday, November 12, 2016

My Product

This assignment in the Fashion Industry Essentials online certificate program that I'm taking through Parsons School of Design and Teen Vogue, called My Product, was to make a sample of the bag we designed earlier with a stripe pattern that we also design. An earlier assignment called Collection Sample was to create a print on a piece of fabric. The video along with the assignment featured a Parsons instructor who showed how to create a stripe pattern using masking tape and screen printing ink on canvas. The instructor used a bone folder (this link explains what a bone folder is if you don't know, like me before I did the assignment) to firmly press down the tape, and applied the screen printing ink with cardboard strips cut from shipping boxes. I used this technique for the Collection Sample assignment, and I also used this technique on the bag. I had canvas left over from the Collection Sample assignment, so I used that for the bag. I wanted to make an asymmetric stripe pattern for the bag. I like the masking tape technique because it allows me to create my own prints on fabric. I used the same pattern pieces to make the mockup (I talk about this in the last blog post) and this bag.

My bag

Another part of this assignment was to calculate the cost of producing our bag. The production cost grid is below. I figured the cost of the masking tape and screen printing ink was only 10 cents because I only used a small amount of each. The cost is higher than I wanted it to be. The main reason for the high cost is the labor, so I would try shorten the production time to lower the cost.

Canvas Round Handbag
1/8 yard canvas
$2.12
2 silver tone metal circle handles
$7.90
Thread
$0.50
Sewing machine needle
$2.65
Scotch masking tape
$0.10
Speedball screen printing ink
$0.10
2 hours @ $9
$18.00
Total production cost
$31.37
20% profit
$6.27
Total cost plus profit
$37.64
Estimated retail price
$38.00

Making this bag was a good experience. It has made me want to keep experimenting with making bags and using the masking tape technique!

Friday, November 4, 2016

My Bag Mockup

This assignment for the Fashion Industry Essentials online certificate program I'm taking through Parsons School of Design and Teen Vogue was to create a mockup, or prototype, of a bag we designed for an earlier assignment. I designed a round shaped bag with silver tone metal circle handles because I like bags with ring handles, and I thought the circle shape of the bag goes well with the handles. The assignment said to use oaktag (a manila folder-like cardboard paper), light card stock, or muslin to make the mockup. I decided to use muslin because I thought it would work best for the shape of the bag I designed. Also, since I've never made a bag I've designed before, I wanted to practice making it with fabric instead of paper. The bag has a lining layer of fabric to hide the seams and add strength. I used tissue paper to make pattern pieces for the bag exterior and lining because I thought it was similar to the paper used for commercial patterns.

My bag mockup

Another earlier assignment called Production Inputs was to go to a fabric store and make a fabric card listing the quantity, style, and content information of four fabrics that fit one of the Pinterest boards we created earlier in the course. I decided to pick fabrics that fit a Pinterest board I made called "My Story." I think this board shows that my style is eclectic. I tried to pick fabrics that fit the colors of the board. I picked the Chinese brocade because my board showed that I like Asian things. I went to B&J Fabrics in New York City for the assignment. I've never been there before, and it's a really nice store.

My fabric card

Another part of this mockup assignment was to calculate the cost of producing the bag in each of the four fabrics. The production cost grids are below. It only took about 1/8 of a yard of fabric to make the bag. The prices for the sewing machine needles aren't the same for all of the fabrics because I would use different types of needles for the silk charmeuse, brocade, and silk chiffon. The estimated retail prices for all four bags might be a little high since the bag is small, but I think they are still reasonable because they are made out of finer fabrics.

Turquoise Silk Charmeuse Round Handbag
1/8 yard turquoise silk charmeuse
$3.74
2 silver tone metal circle handles
$7.90
Thread
$0.50
Sewing machine needle
$2.29
2 hours @ $9
$18.00
Total production cost
$32.43
20% profit
$6.49
Total cost plus profit
$38.92
Estimated retail price
$39.00

Turquoise Silk/Rayon Chinese Brocade Round Handbag
1/8 yard turquoise silk/rayon Chinese brocade
$2.74
2 silver tone metal circle handles
$7.90
Thread
$0.50
Sewing machine needle
$2.01
2 hours @ $9
$18.00
Total production cost
$31.15
20% profit
$6.23
Total cost plus profit
$37.38
Estimated retail price
$38.00

Lime Green Silk Charmeuse Round Handbag
1/8 yard lime green silk charmeuse
$3.74
2 silver tone metal circle handles
$7.90
Thread
$0.50
Sewing machine needle
$2.29
2 hours @ $9
$18.00
Total production cost
$32.43
20% profit
$6.49
Total cost plus profit
$38.92
Estimated retail price
$39.00

Iridescent Silk Chiffon Round Handbag
1/8 yard iridescent silk chiffon
$7.87
2 silver tone metal circle handles
$7.90
Thread
$0.50
Sewing machine needle
$1.87
2 hours @ $9
$18.00
Total production cost
$36.14
20% profit
$7.23
Total cost plus profit
$43.37
Estimated retail price
$44.00

I learned a lot from this assignment. I definitely see the value in creating a mockup for an accessory because in my case, it allowed me to see how the size of the whole bag and the bag opening, the position of the handles, and the construction process worked out before making the final product.