Pictures of Spring 2016 Boot Camp

Kathleen on June 6, 2016

Well, we had a blast at the Spring Apparel Manufacturing Boot Camp, held Memorial Day weekend and everybody learned and contributed tremendously.  Unfortunately, I can’t tell you much about it now because attendees and other interested parties, are clamoring for me to post registration information for the Fall session. So that will go up next. In the meantime, enjoy photos from the event! If you want to see the full size version of each photo, click on it and when the page opens, click on it again. Sorry for the hassle but I must not have the slideshow plugin installed.

Jamie and Donna
Jamie
Kris, cutting with the chickadee.
A chickadee in the fridge. Isn’t this where everyone stores hot cutting tools?
Frank and Lia. Frank was very useful to us — as would anyone be who owns a tractor like he does.
Our mechanic, Robert. He owns National Sewing Supply.
Stephanie
Sue
Margaret
Velma
Jen
Bente
Raina
Baquiya.
L-R: Keera, Zach, Andrew and Anna.
Being left handed, Kris had a bit of trouble learning to use the knife.
Eric, training Kris on the knife.
Keera and Jamie
Dustin. who placed 78th overall at the 2016 Boston Marathon.
Dave and Lisa; they came in celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary!
Dave and Lisa manning the Soabar shade marking station. Eric at right.
Kris. Notice the glove, dust mask and safety glasses. We’re serious about safety at apparel manufacturing boot camp.
Art (Donna at left). Art had never sewn before but learned the overlock very well.
Another style ready for bundling.
Anotther view of the cutting room at apparel manufacturing boot camp.
One style, ready for bundling.
The end of a long day.
Eastman drill.
We’re still-shoring, not re-shoring.
Production report, sewing operations and cost estimates at a glance.
Bundled in preparation for label attachment.
Kitting complete with piece work tickets.
Flagged facings. See Abby.
Another whiteboard shot.
Ready for notching
One of the knives, notcher and clamps.
Clamping
Sew bys at apparel manufacturing boot camp.
Supplies and parts
These carts fit neatly by the sewing machines.
Another bundle cart
This Singer overlock is very old (50 years?) but still works like a champ.
Another view of bundle carts.
The button hole machine, Kessler automated table stand.
The sewing room at the start of the day.
Bundles, more neatly now.
Bundles ready for sewing
Piece work tickets hot off the dot matrix (yeah) printer.
The pressing room.
Getting ready to fuse zipper inset areas.
Contrast yokes, ready for fusing.
Facings prepped for fusing.
Donna, David (Lisa in the back) and Heather.
Velma, Dustin, Darlene and Kris.
Awesome Mary.
Michele
Jen
Brianna
Stephanie
Keera. I think there are so many pictures of her because she was always at a machine and easy to find.
Art
Donna
Baquiya
Liz (who unfortunately, became ill and could not return).
Bente
Abby (designer and product manager)
Sue, Christin and Fatima.
Fatima
Yvonne, her guest and Eric, aka Mr. Fashion-Incubator (factory co-owner)
Andrew
Jamie, designer
Brianna, designer
Darlene
Margaret
Stephanie
Keera
Fatima
Jen
Raina
Sue
Abby
Mary
Velma
Whiteboard
Sue, our designer and illustrator.
Hard at work before everyone else arrives, Abby and Sue.
Margaret, Stephanie and Brianna
Keera and Mary
David and Eric
Kris, cutter extraordinaire
Susan and Bente
Lisa and Jen
L-R: Susan, Keera, Kris and Bente
Dinner on the last night.
Keera

Spring 2016 Apparel Boot Camp Samples!

Kathleen on May 1, 2016

Spring 2016 Apparel Boot Camp Samples!

Here is a sneak peek of the three styles that we’re producing for the Spring Apparel Manufacturing Boot Camp. We plan to make each of the three styles in all three colorways -quite a challenge from a production stand point- but that was built in from the get go.  All styles have contrast touches with coordinating piping and trim, specifically, we’ll be using over 700 yards of piping and 400 yards of bias trim.

As you can see, none of the styles we’re making for donation are simple box coffin clothes. I was not going to let our designers or stitchers off so easily because we must design and produce with integrity. Integrity means producing designs that are useful; not dumbed or watered down because the fine touches are “too expensive” or difficult to execute. Perhaps more than anyone, needy people deserve nice things. I should say, these are not the first designs our team came up with but I wasn’t going to let them think they’re design ninjas for putting pockets into simplistic A-line dresses. There is nothing wrong with simple dresses but I’d feel silly patting our team on the back for design excellence with such a low bar and besides, our “customers” deserve better.  But I digress -we’re moving closer to deadline and are right on target!

If you’re interested in joining us for the Fall 2016 Apparel Manufacturing Boot Camp session over Labor Day, drop a note here so we can fill you in with more details later. Also, if you happen to be attending the TexProcess trade show in Atlanta this week, give me a call (see the about page) if you want to meet up.

In 2 styles, pockets are hidden behind piping. In the other, the patch pocket is piped and trimmed with contrasting fabric.

In 2 styles, pockets are hidden behind piping. In the other, the patch pocket is piped and trimmed with contrasting fabric. Note how the piping lines up on the side seam and continues the design line onto the back? Not easy to sew and not cheap.

Spring 2016 Boot Camp, update #1

Kathleen on February 14, 2016

We’re moving right along, gearing up for the design portion of the boot camp which takes place Feb 25-29, 2016. Oh, I should mention that we filled all of those slots but we still have 7 openings for production which takes place May 27-30, 2016. Again, we’re making 250 house dresses for elderly ladies (more info).

Before I forget, one of the assignments our designers have is to host an open house for the Albuquerque community. We don’t have a set time yet but it will be in the late afternoon to early evening of Sunday, February 28, 2016 at our factory located at 410 Old Coors Dr.

Today our designers received their assignments and a schedule for their four days here and I’ll tell you a little about both.

First is that I decided that we will be taking a field trip on the morning of our first day. Everyone will meet here at the factory at 6:00 AM so we can leave by 6:30. I’m providing a hot breakfast and coffee beforehand (the factory has a full kitchen). We will be driving 90 miles northwest to Cuba NM which is where our “customer” lives. After getting some guff from internet-land, I decided that our crew needed a reality check. For the record, this is it:

Cuba NM (pop 735) is a very poor village. The per capita income is only $11,000. Really. There is no money for anything, the infrastructure is in tatters. For example, everybody worries about snow days but in Cuba, they worry about mud days. They get plenty of snow but mud is the killer. They have to cancel school if the mud is too deep for the school buses to get through. People who are fortunate enough to have jobs, have to time their arrival and departure for when the mud is hard enough to drive on. Once spring hits though and the mud doesn’t freeze… people are often stuck at home for days. For some people, or rather many, it is a hardship but bearable as many are subsistence sheep herders (yeah, there are still places like that in the United States). At the same time, they have macro nutrients (beans, potatoes) but very few micro nutrients (green vegetables). This causes many health problems; the worst are obesity and it is common for elementary school aged kids, to lose all of their teeth by middle school.

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