Showing posts with label SewNews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SewNews. Show all posts

Jan 22, 2015

Retrospektiva Sew News članaka


Nisam baš najbolji bloger u poslednje vreme. Već sam pisala o tome u prethodnim člancima, ali stalno osećam potrebu da se dodadno opravdam pred vama, čitaocima, i dam vam uvid u to kako trenutno izgleda moj život. Dosta poslovno putujem, a zbog konstantnog mimoilaženja sa D. tokom radne nedelje, ne stižem da uslikam ono što šijem (a zaista šijem – imam da vam pokažem šest novih haljina, tri košulje i dve suknje, a imam i spremne neke tutorijale, koje već mesecima čuvam na računaru). U trci za svaki slobodni momenat, nekako je Štepalica počela da trpi. Nadam se da ću uspeti da nađem modus koji će me vratiti u kolosek, jer sve vreme osećam grižu savesti zbog toga što sam zanemarila blog.

Uporedo sa nepisanjem o novim stvarčicama koje sam šila, uspela sam i da preskočim da napišem koju reč o člancima koji su u međuvremenu objavljeni u Sew News časopisu. Dugujem vam čak tri članka – po jedan za svaki od izdanja koja su izašla u avgustu, oktobru i decembru. Zato ću ovaj put, umesto pojedinačnih članaka, dati retrospektivu ala „3 u 1“.

TR Suknja za avgust / septembar 2014.


U avgustu je objavljen moj članak u kom sam opisala tehniku za modelovanja kroja za veoma interesantnu „spiralnu“ suknju. Za modelovanje kroja Koristila sam tehniku transformacije i rekonstrukcije, koju je razvio Shingo Sato. Moj način modelovanja kroja je varijacija na temu njegove tehnike, budući da sam koristila papir umesto tkanine kao sredstvo modelovanja.

Štepalica: TR suknja u Sew News časopisu

Suknja je zanimljiva i zbog svog oblika, jer je od struka do kukova krojena kao klasična uska suknja, odakle se širi zvonasto do obima koji je malo manji od punog kruga. Sastavljena je od samo tri krojna dela koji se nepravilnim oblicima i konturama gotovo spiralno prepliću od poruba ka struku, dajući suknju volumen i oblik. Gotov kroj je veoma neobičnog oblika, a sam proces krojenja i šivenja je netipičan. Naime, pri iskrajanju materijala ne vodi računa o pravcu niti tkanja, a pri spajanju materijala u suknju šnajder mora biti izuzetno precizan kako bi se delovi savršeno uklopili u konačni oblik.

Suknja je napravljena od dve vrste tkanine, što dodatno naglašava njen neobičan kroj. Model je takav da verujem da bi odlično stajao većini različitih ženskih figura. 

Ovaj članak je posebno zanimljiv jer ne daje precizna uputstva kako se kroj pravi, već je više dat kao skup smernica i ideja koje svako može interpretirati na svoj način i napraviti varijaciju na temu.

Štepalica: TR suknja

Šanel - Mekvin jakna za oktobar / novembar 2014.


U oktobrskom izdanju je izašao članak u kom sam predstavila veoma atraktivnu jaknu sa rajsferšlus zakopčavanjem, inspirisanu klasičnim Šanel kostimima i kožnom jaknom Aleksandra Mekvina. 

Štepalica: A. Mekvin jakna u Šanel stilu

Kroj jakne potseća na kožne moto jakne sa skrivenim rajsferšlus kopčanjem. Kratak volan na struku ističe žensku figuru, a polu-ranglan rukavi daju određenu dozu oštrine. Kopčanje je dijagonalno postavljeno, od struka ka levom ramenu, pa preklop formira raskošne revere kada je jakna poluotkopčana ili potpuno otvorena.

Materijal je vuneni štof sa šarom koja potseća na pletene korpe, zbog čega ova jakna izgleda još zanimljivije. Gotovo identičan materijal je korišćen u Šanel kolekciji pre koju godinu, što me je potstaklo da jakni dodam ukras tipičan za ovu modnu kuću – našivene trake napravljene od istog materijala od kog je i jakna. Umesto pletenica tipičnih za Šanel, ja sam odabrala kratke rese, koje su prišivene za ivice preklopa jakne.


Članak daje detaljna upustva kako da napravite kroj za ovu jaknu, koristeći najosnovniji kroj sa brusnama. Ilustracije vas vode korak po korak kroz proces modelovanja svih krojnih delova, a uz članak su date i instrukcije za šivenje jakne.

Da potsetim, o ovoj jakni sam pisala prošle godine i na blogu, pa preporučujem da pročitate i tutorijale koje sam tada objavila.

Sirena haljina za decembar 2014. / januar 2015.

Najnovije izdanje sadži članak o haljini sa veoma zanimljivim faltama u origami stilu. Falte su tako aranžirane da potsećaju na krljušt ribe, pa sam kreaciju nazvala "sirena". Ovu haljinu sam šila pre tri godine, u Njujorku, a bila sam inspirisana origami tehnikom. Zanimljivo je da moja originalna ideja nije izgledala ovako, kako je vidite na slikama. Igrala sam se papirom neko vreme, kako bih dobila šablon za faltanje materijala, pa je ideja polako evoluirala od inicijalne do konačne. Papir i dalje čuvam, jer mi je dao još par ideja za igranje sa tkaninom.

Štepalica: Sirena haljina u Sew News časopisu

Osnova haljine je bila kroj iz Burde, koji sam prilično izmenila, i dodala nafaltani panel kao ukras. U članku sam opisala kako se pravi ovakav kroj, i dala detaljan opis šivenja neobičnih falti. Zanimljivo je da postupak nije mnogo komplikovan, ali zahteva strpljenje i malo urednosti.

Materijal je vuneni štof u fenomenalnoj petrolejzelenoj boji. Falte na centralnom panelu podosta skupljaju materijal, a poželjno je da panel bude iskrojen iz jednog komada, pa sam vodila računa da kupim dosta materijala (mislim da sam imala oko 2.5 m, a kasnije sam ustanovila da je 2 m sasvim dovoljno). Preporuka za ovakve falte je da se koristi materijal koji se dobro prepeglava, i koji se ne tegli previše po dijagonali. Pored vune, verujem da bi se odlično manipulisalo i šantung svilom, trevirom, čvrstim lanom, bistrečom.

Štepalica: Sirena haljina

Povezani članci




A retrospective of Sew News Articles


I've been a bad blogger lately. I wrote about it before, but I keep having the need to justify myself in front of you, my readers, and give you some insight of what my life looks like at the moment. I have been travelling a lot for work, and D. and I can't get to match our working times, so I haven't been able to snap photos of the garments that I made (oh, I've been sewing - I have six dresses, three shirts and two skirts to show you, and I have some tutorials for you on my PC). While I have been running to grab and use every spare minute of time, Stepalica has been suffering. I do hope I'll find a way to get back to old routine, as I've been feeling guilty for neglecting the blog.


Along with not writing about the new garments that I've made, I managed to skip posting about my articles that were published in Sew News. I owe you reviews of three of these articles - one for each of the issues published in August, October and December, Therefore this time I'll share with you a "3 in 1" retrospective of my articles.

The TR Skirt in August / September 2014


The August issue featured an article in which I described a technique for drafting a very interesting "spiral"skirt. I used the TR technique by Shingo Sato to draft the pattern. I designed the pattern a bit differently than Shingo, as I used a paper instead of fabric as a drafting tool.

Štepalica: TR suknja u Sew News časopisu

What makes this skirt interesting is its shape, since it is cut as a classic pencil skirt from the waist to hips, but it heavily flares from there to the hemline, making almost a full circle. It consists of only three patterns pieces with strange shapes that twist and swirl around each other thus giving the skirt its shape and volume. The pattern has an unusual shape and the process of cutting the fabric and sewing is rather atypical. One doesn’t have to pay attention to the grainline while cutting the fabric, and sewing has to be as precise as possible so that the pattern pieces are perfectly fit one with another into a final shape.

The skirt is made of two types of fabric, which additionally enhances the unusual cut. The model would suit various body types.

This article is especially interesting because it doesn’t give precise instructions for making the pattern. It is more of a set of guidelines and ideas that each seamstress can use to make her own variation of the given model.

Štepalica: TR suknja

The Chanel – McQueen Jacket for October / November 2014


The October issue featured an article where I presented a very attractive jacket with a zipper closure. I was inspired by Chanel suits and a leather jacket by Alexander McQueen. 

Štepalica: A. Mekvin jakna u Šanel stilu

The pattern resembles a biker jacket with a hidden zipper closure. A short waist peplum enhances a feminine figure, while the semi-ranglan sleeves give the jacket some boldness. The zipper closer is laid diagonally over the front, going from waist towards the left shoulder, so that it forms rich lapels when the jacket is half closed or opened.

The fabric is a wool suiting with a basket weave, which makes the jacket look even more interesting. Chanel used an almost identical fabric in their collection few years ago, which inspired me to trim the jacket with a trim typical for this brand – I added a fringe detail made of the shell fabric. 


The article gives detailed instructions on how to draft the pattern for this jacket, using a basic jacket pattern as a starting point. The illustrations guide you through the drafting process and the article contains brief sewing instructions as well.

To remind you, I wrote about this jacket last year, so I recommend reading the tutorials I published along with it.

The Mermaid Dress in December 2014 / January 2015


The newest issue contains an article about a dress with a very interesting origami-style pleated detail. The pleats are arranged in such manner that resembles the fish flake, so I named the dress “Mermaid”. I made the dress four years ago while staying at New York, and I was obviously inspired by the origami folding technique. It is interesting to note that my initial idea didn’t look like the dress you see on the pictures. I played with some paper for a while, folded it in various manners before I choose the pleating pattern. I still have that piece of paper saved somewhere, as it has given me more ideas for playing with fabric.

Štepalica: Sirena haljina u Sew News časopisu

The base pattern for this dress is a pattern from Burda Style magazine, which I altered a lot. The article describes how to make the pattern, and how to pleat the fabric to get the same effect. The pleating procedure isn’t a really difficult one, but it requires patience and neatness.

The fabric is a wool suiting in gorgeous petrol green. The pleats shrink a fabric a lot, and the central panel should be made from a single piece of fabric, so I used a lot of fabric for this dress (I think I had a piece of 2.5m, but realized afterwards that 2m would have been sufficient). I recommend using fabrics that do not stretch on bias, and that crease the folds well. Beside wool, I think you could use shantung silk, taffeta, gabardine, stiff linen.

Štepalica: Sirena haljina

Related posts

Jul 7, 2014

Summer with the new Sew News


Dear readers, I haven't been a great blogger lately. I haven't posted anything for almost two months and I totally neglected Stepalica. This of course wasn't my plan, but life imposed the rhythm that dried out all of my energy and took all my free time. At the beginning of May we went on a vacation, after that the terrible flooding hit us, and at the same time I was overwhelmed by an intense work at my day job. There were days when I would either work or sleep, as there was no time for anything else. I didn't like living that way, but life brings us these situations as well, during which you have to put on hold all your hobbies and joy so that you can at least rest a bit.

But here I am, back to the old rhythm and ready to sew and write. Meanwhile I made several garments, and prepared few new tutorials for you, but I haven't managed to snap some pics of the clothes nor to write the explanations for the tuts. Along with that, whenever I make a big gap in blogging, I find myself thinking of whether I should give you an insight of what had been going on in my life during the break. There's also the question of the amount of details I am willing to share with you. I suppose you are interested to know what I am doing when I'm not sewing (some of you even sent me emails wondering if I was OK and asking when I would start blogging again - thank you so much for caring!), but I can never estimate the level of details that is OK to post in public. So, most of the times I'd rather skip writing than sharing too much.

Along with all this, the gap in writing can cause a blockade, when you have a bunch of ideas to write about, but do not manage to articulate any of them. I've been suffering from this type of blockade, and I've startesd writing several different posts in the last two weeks, but failed to complete or publish any of them.

A new article in Sew News is always a great excuse to write a new post, therefore, for breaking the blockade. The article was published a while ago, in the June - July issue of the magazine, so I am late with bragging about it, too. The article gives you instructions for drafting a pattern for a light summer dress, inspired by Spanish flamenco dresses. The pattern is really simple, which can be seen in the magazine, and the satin ribbons give it a more polished look. The art director of Sew News saw the dress as a great wardrobe for celebrating the 4th of July - the Independence Day.

Štepalica: Summer with the new Sew News

I made the dress ages ago, I think back in 2006, and for a while it was one of the most frequently worn dresses from my wardrobe. I made the dress just before I went to Spain, so the source of inspiration is quite obvious. At the time I had a favorite dress pattern, that I drafted myself, that I altered and re-designed numerous times, by altering the neckline, the skirt length or volume, etc. I made tens of dresses but this one is one of the few I still have.

However, I can't wear it anymore, as it's too tight for me now. At the time I wore it, this is how the dress looked on me.

Štepalica: Summer with the new Sew News

Leto uz novi broj Sew News


Dragi čitaoci, nisam bila sjajan bloger ovih dana. Gotovo dva meseca nisam pisala i zanemarila sam Štepalicu u potpunosti. Naravno, nije mi to bio plan, ali životne okolnosti su mi nametnule ritam koji me je iscrpeo i uzurpirao mi svo slobodno vreme. Na početku Maja, to je bio odmor, potom nas je zadesio potop, a paralelno sa njim je stigao i obiman i naporan posao u firmi u kojoj radim, i nedelje prekovremenog rada. Bilo je dana kada sam ili radila ili spavala, nije bilo vremena ni za jednu drugu aktivnost. Nije mi baš bilo po volji, ali život čine i ovakve situacije, tokom kojih ste primorani da žrtvujete i stavite po strani sve svoje hobije kako biste uspeli makar malo da se odmorite.

No, evo me nazad, u staroj formi, odmorna i spremna za šivenje i pisanje. U međuvremenu sam sašila nekoliko stvari, i pripremila materijal za više tutorijala, ali nikako da se nakanim da se uslikam i da sednem da pišem. Pored toga, kad god napravim veću pauzu u blogovanju, uvek se zapitam da li bi, i u kojoj meri, trebalo da vam opišem zbivanja iz svog života, iz perioda tokom kog je bilo zatišje. Pretpostavljam da vas zanima šta radim kad ne šijem (neki od vas su mi mi čak slali mail sa pitanjem da li sam dobro i kada ću se ponovo oglasiti - hvala vam na brizi i lepim rečima!), ali nikad ne mogu da ocenim koja je količina informacija koju je OK javno objaviti, i gde je granica preko koje se ne ide. Zato se uvek radije uzdržim nego što se raspišem o privatnom životu. 

Na sve to, dugo odsustvo i apstinencija od pisanja umeju da izazovu blagu blokadu, kada imate mnogo ideja na pameti, ali ni jednu ne uspevate da artikulišete. Slična blokada me i ovaj put pogodila, pa sam tako počela da pišem nekoliko postova u poslednje dve nedelje, ali ni jedan nisam završila, a kamo li objavila.

Novi članak u Sew News časopisu je odličan povod za novi post, a time i za razbijanje blokade. Zapravo, i članak je objavljen pre nekog vremena, u junsko - julskom izadnju, tako da i sa njim kasnim. Članak opisuje postupak pravljenja kroja za laganu letnju haljinu, inspirianu španksim flamenko haljinama. Kroj je izuzetno jednostavan, što se u magazinu da videti, a sa par ukrasnih satenskih traka ova haljina izgleda raskošno. Umetnički direktor Sew News je u haljini video odličan motiv za proslavu 4. jula, američkog Dana nezavisnosti. 

Štepalica: U susret letu, uz novi članak u Sew News

Haljinu sam sašila pre dosta godina, mislim 2006. godine, i jedno vreme je bila najčešće nošena haljina iz moje garderobe. Napravila sam je uoči puta u Španiju, pa je očigledno odakle potiče inspiracija za nju. U to vreme sam imala jedan omiljeni kroj za letnju haljinu, koji sam sama modelovala, i koji sam do besvesti modifikovala i pravila varijacije na račun dekoltea, dužine, širine suknje, i sl. Od desetina haljina koje sam u to vreme napravila, ovo je jedna od retkih koju i dalje imam. 

No, na žalost, više ne mogu da je nosim, jer mi je sada tesna. U vreme kada sam je nosila, haljina je na meni ovako izgledala. 

Štepalica: U susret letu, uz novi članak u Sew News

Apr 3, 2014

Zlata skirt in Sew News magazine


After a series of posts about sewing the Zlata skirt, you must have expected I'd give it a break for some time. I thought so too myself, but then I remembered I haven't even mentioned the current issue of Sew News which features Zlata skirt on the cover! Each time my garment is being featured on the cover I am equally amazed and feel happy. However, I've never thought my garments would be featured on the cover two issues in a row! Oh joy!


Zlata skirt by Stepalica on the cover of Sew News

You must be wondering if the article covers the pattern drafting process. Yes, the article gives a detailed explanation of how the pattern is drafted and a brief sewing instructions.

Why would I publicly share drafting instructions for the pattern I'm selling myself? Well, not every seamstress has an access to Sew News. Other than that, not every seamstress who reads the magazine is skillful enough or comfortable with drafting a pattern. So my logic is as the following: who wants to learn (or already knows) pattern drafting will learn a lot from my articles and tutorials, and this person most probably won't buy my pattern. However, many other people like having a tried and trued pattern that's precisely drafted which does not leave any room for dilemma or guessing.
The reason I'm publishing the patterns I've already written of and that I've posted the instructions for is that many readers asked for drafted patterns for certain models. On the other hand, since I'm still working on my day job, I only have a limited time for sewing and pattern drafting and sometimes I can't manage to simultaneously draft different models for the magazine and for selling.

Do I break the contract conditions with Sew News by selling the patterns I write about? No, since the contract is limited only to the contents of the article I write: the text and the pictures / illustrations, which cannot be published in any other magazine or on blog or website. On the other hand, I have the right to publish the skirt anywhere, as well as to write about it for any other magazine, blog or website, as long as I don't use the same pics and text.

Will I launch the patterns I wrote about for the magazine in the future? Yes, there will probably be more similar situations in the future, but I plan to also publish patterns for unseen and brand new models that I won't write about for the magazine. It will all depend on my inspiration and the time availability.

Finally, here's a reminder of how the skirt looks on me. I really like this skirt and I can't wait to get it back.


How to buy the pattern


Stepalica: Zlata skirt pattern
Zlata skirt pattern costs $11.98,and it can be bought via my Etsy shop. 
I use 2Checkout as a payment collector - it is an equivalent to PayPal - which accepts the following payment methods:

* PayPal via 2checkout (www.2co.com)
* Credit / Debit cards via 2checkout : Visa, Dina Card, Master Card, American Express, Discover

PayPal doesn't support selling option for my country yet, so I use 2Checkout payment collector instead.







When making a purchase order, select "Other" in the payment options. I have to manually issue an invoice for you, via 2Checkout system. The invoice contains a link where you can complete the purchase - it's a page on 2Checkout's website. Once you fill in your billing information, you can chose to pay either by using PayPal account or your credit card. You don't have to register to 2checkout and you won't be charged any additional fees. It's simple, fast and secure. Once the payment is completed, I will enable the pattern download on my Etsy store. I monitor the state of my Etsy store several times a day, and I get instant emails whenever any change is made, so the purchase is usually completed within the same day. Sometimes, due to my daily duties and a time zone differences, it takes more than a day to complete the purchase.

For any additional information about the pattern or the purchase, feel free to email me at: anajan.stepalica [at] gmail [dot] com. 


Zlata suknja u Sew News časopisu


Posle serijala postova o šivenju Zlata suknje, verovatno ste očekivali da ću neko vreme odmoriti od pomena ovog modela. I ja sam tako mislila, a onda sam se setila da nisam ni pomenula aktuelno izdanje Sew News časopisa u kom je, zamislite, Zlata suknja ukrasila naslovnu stranu! Svaki put kada moj model osvane na naslovnoj strani, ja se raspametim i obradujem kao da mi je prvi put. Međutim, nisam ni sanjala da će moji modeli dopseti na naslovnicu dva broja za redom! Sreća, sreća, radost!

Zlata suknja u Sew News časopisu

Sigurno se pitate da li sam za časopis opisala kako se pravi kroj za suknju. Da, u magazinu možete naći detaljno uputstvo za pravljenje kroja, i veoma kratke instrukcije za šivenje suknje.

Zašto bih javno delila uputstvo za pravljenje kroja koji i sama prodajem? Ovo je odlično pitanje, koje ima vrlo jednostavan odgovor: ne čitaju svi Sew News. Pored toga, čak i među onima koji čitaju magazin ima ljudi koji nisu vični pravljenju i prepravljanju krojeva, i koji bi rado sašili lepu suknju iz časopisa, ali se ne usuđuju da prave kroj. Vodim se sledećom logikom: ko želi da se bavi modelarstvom, taj će mnogo naučiti iz mojih tutorijala i članaka, ali ta osoba sigurno neće kupiti moj kroj. Pored toga, mnogi vole da imaju isproban i precizno izmodelovan kroj, koji im ne ostavlja prostor za dilemu. 
Razlog što objavljujem krojeve o kojima sam već pisala, i za koje sam postavljala instrukcije je i taj što su čitaoci za te modele izrazili želju da ih naprave i poželeli da imaju kroj po ko bi radili. S druge strane, pošto još uvek radim na dnevnom poslu, nemam uvek vremena da se posvetim u potpunosti šivenju i modelovanju, i nekad ne mogu da stignem da paralelno pravim modele za časopis, odvojeno od modela za prodaju.

Da li kršim pravila ugovora time što prodajem kroj za garderobu o kojoj pišem u časopisu? Ne, ugovor me obavezuje samo na sadržaj članka: tekst i propratne slike ili ilustracije, koje ne mogu koristiti u ni u jednoj drugoj javnoj publikaciji. S druge strane, imam pravo da suknju objavim bilo gde drugde, kao i da ponovo pišem o njoj za bilo koji drugi časopis ili blog.

Da li ću i ubuduće objavljivati krojeve za modele o kojima sam pisala ili ću pisati za časopis? Da, verovatno će biti još sličnih situacija, ali planiram da paralalno izdajem krojeve kako za već viđene modele, tako i za potpuno nove, koje niste imali prilike da vidite na blogu. Sve zavisi od moje inspiracije i vremena koje imam na raspolaganju.

I, za sam kraj, da se potsetimo kako suknja izgleda na meni. Volim ovu suknju, i jedva čekam da je dobijem nazad.

Zlata suknja u Sew News časopisu

Kupovina kroja


Zlata kroj za suknju košta $11.98, ali kupci iz Srbije ovaj šnit mogu kupiti za upola manje novca, tj. za 500 RSD.

Kroj se može kupiti u dolarskoj valuti preko moje onlajn prodavnice na Etsy sajtu, ili uplatom novca u dinarskoj valuti na moj žiro račun.

Napominjem da dinarske cene ne važe ukoliko kupujete preko Etsy prodavnice.

Za sve dodatne informacije o kupovini, molim vas šaljite mi email na adresu: anajan.stepalica [at] gmail [dot] com.


Povezani tekstovi

Jan 27, 2014

How did I start writing for Sew News?


I'm frequently asked by acquaintances from both real and virtual world on how I started writing for Sew News magazine. I have to admit it, it's quite unusual to hear that a woman from Serbia, who still lives in her homeland, writes for a foreign magazine about sewing. I don't know anyone from here who does the same thing. A local fellow blogger Jelena has the most similar experience, she writes custom ordered blog posts on various topics for various clients. We're not doing the same thing, but you get the parallel between us.


chevron-dress-sew-sews-cover

Those who don't sew at all think that I write either about fashion or they have no idea what I could be writing about - cause what's there to write about when it comes to sewing! Those who more or less have some insight in sewing usually think I'm selling my hand made garments via the magazine, or my patterns (the later one isn't far away from the truth). However, no matter whether they sew or not, local people think I write for Burda, since it's a local synonym for sewing.

Friends who know me well and who remember the first time I mentioned I was starting to write for a certain American magazine can't really distinguish the difference between my work for Sew News and Burda Style - I can't blame them, both Burda Style and Sew News happened to me at the same time.

So I thought it would be interesting to you to read about how and when I became a Sew News columnist and what it looks like to work for the magazine.

My progress with Burda Style


Back in 2008 I discovered BurdaStyle website, which was brand new at the time. It had less than 100.000 members (now it has approximately a million members) and it was a small yet opened community of people who were fascinated with sewing. It was something like Facebook for dressmakers. I signed in to acquire some of their free patterns that were available at the time and for some moral support - I needed to show my creations to someone who was genuinely interested in sewing. I needed someone to pat me on the shoulder and tell me "Well done, you make nice clothes!", as I didn't know anyone who sewed and I had no one beside my mom to admire my work (and at the time, my mom wasn't available either, since I had moved from my parents' house). I had no idea at what level my sewing skills were, since I had no one to compare with. And I was self taught... I had no idea of how much I knew and I thought I didn't know much.

However, as I started posting pictures of my creations, and following other members' works, I realized I knew a lot - I was better than average, but I had a lot to learn. I started absorbing any information I could find about sewing and I sewed like a maniac. During the next six months my sewing technique increased rapidly - practice made wonders! Honestly, my competitive spirit helped me a lot; while watching all those lovely and impeccably made creations other members had made I was moved to improve my own precision and to pay more attention to details. I wanted to be the best and I wanted to be noticed by other members.

When I realized the website had an option for members to post their patterns, I decided to try and make one myself! Drafting a pattern wasn't difficult - I used a commercial pattern as a basis and altered it according to my design. However, converting it into a PDF file was a challenge. But, I mastered another skill and made my first amateur sewing pattern for the AMC dress and uploaded it to the website. The pattern was quite successful, and had some solid reviews. So far it has been downloaded approximately 20.000 times - not bad for a beginner!

Along with the eight patterns I had posted to the website, I started writing instructions and tutorials for pattern alterations. One of them, for making the leaf pleated dress drew attention of Ellen March, the editor of Sew News magazine.

My first article and the Pattern Play column


Honestly, even though the tutorial was quite understandable and straight forward, it was so sloppily done with lousy photos. I still don't understand how Ellen dared to offer me to write an article about the dress for the magazine - which was exactly what she did. I thought I was dreaming. Since we don't have an access to the magazine here in Serbia, I was afraid her offer was some sort of a scam and that I wasn't communicating with real Ellen but with some manipulator. But I didn't let that frighten me, I called some American bloggers for help, and asked them to write me a few words about the magazine. One of the ladies I communicated with directed me to a person who actually worked as a collaborator for the magazine, so I was assured Ellen was a real person and her offer was no scam. And so I accepted the collaboration.

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However, I decided to be proactive and take my chance while I had it - when Ellen and I were defining terms of the collaboration, I proposed her to make a regular column that would teach pattern drafting. She liked the idea, and the Pattern Play column was born, we signed a contract and I became a columnist of Sew News.

I can't explain how excited I was. I had to wait for ten months to get my first article published, which was a nerve wrecking period to me :). I was assured I wasn't dreaming it all when I got my issue of the magazine in January 2011. It was all real!

Work for the magazine


Many are surprised when they realize each of the items published in the magazine travels back and forth from Serbia to Colorado in order to be photographed. Also, many think my articles are written with no plan. In fact, each of the magazine issues and articles that are featured in it is thoroughly planned, months in advance.

I propose the topics - I provide a short description of the garment I will write about, I attach a photography of it (in case the garment is already made), or a sketch or a photo of a similar garment, with notes on the fabric I will use and what would be the focus of the article. Since I write six articles per year, I make a list of at least eight suggestions, and I make sure I have at least half of the items from the list already made. This gives me enough time for sewing some additional garments during the year. It's important to me to know that the items I suggested to Ellen are the ones I'll still like when it's their turn to be sewn, so I chose the ones I've been fascinated with for a while. I also copy famous designers frequently.

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According to my suggestions Ellen picks topics for the next year, we make an annual plan, set the deadlines for each of the articles and sign a preliminary agreement. All in all, I have to have each of the garments ready at least ten months before the issue the garment will be featured in is published. And ten months goes from the moment I send a garment to the States for a photo-shoot till the moment I get it back. Quite often I sew a garment just before it is sent to Sew News so I don't get a chance to wear it before that.

Each article requires three things: the text that describes the process (usually a pattern drafting process), photos or illustrations that demonstrate the described process, and a finished garment which is the subject of the article.

I write the article in a technical manner - with the step-by-step instructions. The editor edits my text, makes all the necessary corrections to my English and writes a brief intro to the article - usually it's a short text that describes the garment itself. I'm glad I don't have to do this part of the job, as I am not one of those people who can write witty and catchy headlines that draw readers' attention.

Once all the material for the article is collected by the editor, she sends me a contract to sign. After that I get my check, usually three months before the article is being published.

Occasionally I get an opportunity to write additional articles, like I did with the February - March 2014 issue. Topic of these articles is usually some sewing technique which I suggest or the editor asks for. This part of the job is optional and if the editor and I agree on this, we sign an additional contract.

What has working for Sew News brought me


Along with the obvious things, like getting the fee for my articles and having a feeling of doing something out of ordinary, the collaboration with Sew News has influenced me more than you can imagine:
  • First of all, I've done something good for myself by getting out of my comfort zone. I was insanely lucky to be spotted by the editor of the magazine, among thousands of other members of Burda Style, however I can't be too modest about it - I mean, my work got noticed among thousands of other items on the website! Also, my boldness played a major part in the story - I knew I was able to work the magazine, and I asked for more than I was initially offered, and I got what I asked for! 
  • After I started writing for the magazine, I realized no one from Serbia nor the region knew about me and my work, so I decided to start blogging. So, here I am, three and a half years later, slowly making my blog a business that brings some profit. My blog was bilingual because I had already knew a lot of people from the sewing community who were from abroad, and I didn't want to lose their friendship and support. I think it was the right decision, which lead me to meeting some new friends and getting to know people from all over the world, all thanks to Štepalica.
  • I've realized what I should do for a living. Years before I started writing about sewing I was looking for a way to cash in my creativity, but I wasn't interested in making custom fit garments for others. When I was given this chance, I realized the merge of writing, pattern drafting and sewing was a winning combination to me. This lead me to thinking about starting my line of sewing patterns, which was exactly what I did.
nougat-dress-pattern-stepalica

  • My self confidence has increased a lot. I've never been one of those people who are shy, but I wasn't bursting with confidence either. Now I feel I can do whatever I set my mind to.
  • I have improved my English. Seven - eight years ago my English knowledge was solid, but when I tried writing my first comment and garment description, I was stuck - I was completely unfamiliar with the sewing terminology. As a comparison - now I find it easier to write about sewing in English than in Serbian. Writing in English every day has helped me improve the language, and I think it gets better and better every day.

I hope I haven't drowned you with this post, and that I have answered your questions on how I started working for Sew News. Also, I hope I have inspired you to move and get out of your own comfort zone. It's not that hard, I swear! 

Kako sam počela da pišem za Sew News časopis?


Sve češće me poznanici, iz realnog i virtuelnog sveta, pitaju kako sam počela da pišem za Sew News. Moram priznati, prilično je neobično čuti da jedna žena iz Srbije, koja pri tom i dalje živi u svojoj zemlji, piše za neki strani časopis, i to o šivenju! Lično ne poznajem nikoga ko radi to isto. Jelena ima najsličnije iskustvo; ona piše blog postove po narudžbini, za različite klijente i na različite teme, tako da naš posao nije istog tipa, ali jasna vam je paralela između nas dve.

haljina-riblja-kost-sew-news-naslovna

Ljudi koji se ne razumeju u šivenje ili misle da pišem o modi, ili nemaju baš nikakvu ideju o čemu bih ja to mogla da pišem - jer šta ima da se piše o šivenju! Oni koji manje ili više znaju da šiju obično prvo pomisle da prodajem svoju ručno sašivenu garderobu ili svoje krojeve (ovo drugo i nije daleko od istine). No, bez obzira da li znaju ili ne da šiju, svi misle da pišem za Burdu, jer je ovaj magazin sinonim za šivenje u Srbiji. 

Prijatelji koji me malo bolje poznaju, i koji se sećaju kada sam prvi put pomenula da počinjem da pišem za neki američki časopis, ne mogu više da pohvataju šta sam radila za Burda Style, a šta za Sew News - razumem ih, i Burda Style i Sew News su mi se desili u isto vreme. 

Zato pomislih da bi vam bilo zanimljivo da pročitate kako je, i kada, do ove saradnje došlo, i kako moj rad za ovaj časopis izgleda.

Napredovanje uz Burda Style


Dakle,  2008. godine sam otkrila Burda Style sajt, koji je tad tek bio u povoju. Brojao je manje od 100.000 članova (sada ih ima oko milion), i stvarao je osećaj male ali otvorene zajednice ljudi koji su fascinirani šivenjem. Nešto kao Fejsbuk posvećen šivenju. Učlanila sam se zbog besplatnih krojeva koje je sajt nudio i zbog želje da nekome, koga šivenje zaista zanima, pokažem svoje kreacije. Trebalo mi je da me neko potapše po ramenu i da mi kaže "Bravo, baš si to lepo sašila!", jer nisam imala u svom okruženju nikoga ko je šio i nikoga sem mame da se divi mom radu (a u to vreme, ni mama mi nije bila pri ruci, jer sam se odselila iz roditeljskog doma). Nisam imala čak ni predstavu o tome koliko dobro šijem, jer nisam imala sa kime da se uporedim. Pri tom sam bila samouka... Nisam imala pojma koliko znam, i verovala sam da ne znam previše.

Međutim, kako sam počela da postavljam slike svojih kreacija, i paralelno da pratim radove drugih ljudi, shvatila sam da zapravo znam dosta - bila sam bolja od proseka, ali imala sam još dosta da učim. Počela sam da upijam svaku moguću informaciju o krojenju do koje sam mogla da dođem, i sumanuto mnogo šila. U narednih šest meseci moja tehnika se rapidnom brzinom poboljšala - praksa čini čuda! Iskreno, veliki doprinos mom usponu imao je i moj takmičarski duh; gledajući lepe i savšeno pedantno sašivene stvari drugih članova, dobila sam elan da i sama usavršim preciznost i da se posvetim detaljima. Želela sam da budem najbolja i želela sam da me ostali članovi primete.

Kada sam shvatila da sajt nudi mogućnost da članovi postavljaju svoje krojeve, reših da se oprobam i ja! Napraviti kroj nije bilo previše komplikovano - koristila sam komercijalni kroj kao osnovu i izmenila ga prema svom dizajnu. Međutim, pretvoriti ga u digitalni format je bio veliki izazov. No, i to sam naučila, napravila svoj prvi amaterski kroj za AMC haljinu i postavila ga na sajt. Imao je sasvim dobar uspeh i rejting. Do sada je skinut sa sajta oko 30.000 puta - nije loša cifra, zar ne?

Pored krojeva, kojih sam ukupno postavila osam, počela sam da pišem i instrukcije za izmenu i re-dizajn postojećih krojeva. Jedan od njih, za haljinu sa nafaltanim detaljem u obliku lista je privukao pažnju urednice Sew News časopisa, Elen Marč.

Prvi članak i kolumna Pattern Play


Iskreno, tutorijal je bio, iako jasan, toliko aljkavo ispisan i fotografisan, da se dan-danas pitam kako se Elen usudila da mi ponudi da napišem članak o toj haljini za njen magazin - a upravo je to uradila. Kada mi je ponudila i honorar, mislila sam da sanjam. Budući da u Srbiji nemamo pristup ovom magazinu, u trenutku me obuzela skepsa, plašila sam se da je sve prevara i da osoba s kojom komuniciram uopšte nije Elen, već ko zna ko. No, nisam bila lenja, pozvala sam u pomoć više blogera iz SAD, i zamolila ih da mi napišu koju reč o magazinu. Jedna od žena sa kojima sam komunicirala me uputila na osobu koja je zapravo pisala za Sew News, te sam tako iz prve ruke čula iste informacije koje mi je i Elen dala. To me prilično umirilo, i tako sam pristala na saradnju.

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No, uz pregovore o pisanju tog jednog članka, ja reših da budem proaktivna i iskoristim svoju šansu - predložila sam Elen da od toga napravimo kolumnu, koju bih ja vodila. Ideja joj se svidela, i tako je nastala kolumna Pattern Play, potpisali smo ugovor, a ja postah stalni saradnik i kolumnista Sew News magazina.

Mojoj sreći nije bilo kraja! Do izdavanja broja u kom je bila moja haljina prošlo je bar deset meseci, i to je za mene bila borba sa strpljenjem :). Tek kada sam, u Januaru 2011. godine dobila svoj primerak magazina i nazad svoju haljinu, uverila sam se da se to zaista dešava, da ne sanjam.

Rad za časopis


Mnogi se iznenade kada shvate da svaka moja stvar koja se objavi u časopisu pređe poveći put do Kolorada i nazad, kako bi bila uslikana. Takođe, mnogi misle da moji članci nastaju stihijski i bez plana. Zapravo, svaki broj magazina i članci koje će sadrćati se temeljno planiraju, mesecima unapred. 

Teme članaka ja predlažem - dajem kratak opis odeće o kojoj bih pisala, priložim fotografiju gotove stvari (ako je stvar završena), skicu ili sliku slične garderobe, sa naznakama od kog materijala bih je pravila i šta će biti fokus članka. Pošto godišnje pišem šest članaka za Pattern Play kolumnu, uvek dam bar osam predloga, i uvek vodim računa da bar pola predloženih stvari već imam sašiveno, kako bih ostavila sebi vremena za dodatno šivenje onoga što me trenutno inspiriše. Bitno je da znam da će mi se stvari koje odaberem da pravim za magazin, a nemam ih već na lageru, sviđati i kada dođe red na šivenje, pa biram klasične stvari ili one koje me već duže vreme fasciniraju. Neretko kopiram poznate kreatore.

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s-kaput-sew-news

Elen bira teme za narednu godinu na osnovu mojih predloga, pravimo godišnji plan, definišemo rokove do kada svaki od članaka treba da bude gotov i potpisujemo predugovor. U suštini, svaku od stvari moram da imam spremnu otprilike deset meseci pre objavljivanja broja za koji je namenjena. Isto toliko vremena prođe od momenta kada svoju stvar pošaljem u SAD na fotografisanje, do momenta kada je dobijem nazad zajedno sa izdanjem u kom je objavljena. Često mi se desi da odeću napravim neposredno pred slanje, pa ni ne stignem da je obučem. 

Svaki članak podrazumeva da obezbedim tri stvari: moj tekst koji opisuje proces rada (najčešće izrada kroja), fotografije ili ilustracije koje ilustruju opisane korake, kao i gotovu garderobu koja je tema članka. Tekst i fotografije šaljem email-om, ali i narezane na disku, poslate zajedno sa garderobom. 

Članak obično pišem vrlo tehničkim tonom - dajem korak-po-korak uputstva, bez romansiranja teksta. Uredništvo potom rediguje moje instrukcije, koriguje moj engleski i daje kratak uvod u članak - obično je to kratak tekst koji opisuje gotovu garderobu. Meni je drago da taj deo posla ne moram ja da radim, jer nisam baš od ljudi koji umeju da pišu zvučne natpise koji mame čitaoce da pročitaju članak.

Kada uredništvo dobije sav ugovoreni materijal, šalje mi ugovor za članak, koji ja potpisujem i prosleđujem im jednu kopiju. Nakon toga dobijam svoj honorar, obično dva do tri meseca pre objavljivanja broja u kom je objavljen moj članak.

Povremeno, kao što je bio slučaj sa februarsko - martovskim izdanjem za 2014. godinu, dobijem priliku da napišem još koji članak za magazin, mimo Pattern Play kolumne. Tema ovakvih članaka je obično određena tehnika šivenja, koju mogu ja da predložim, ili koju samo uredništvo predlaže. Ovaj deo anganžmana je opcioni, što znači da se naknadno, po ugovaranju tog konkretnog članka potpisuje novi ugovor. Takođe, može se desiti da za taj članak imam manje vremena da ga pripremim nego za ostale, budući da je neplanirani dodatni rad u pitanju.

Šta mi je rad za Sew News doneo


Pored očiglednih stvari, poput novca i osećaja da radim nešto nesvakidašnje, saradnja sa Sew News magazinom me je promenila više nego što biste mogli da zamislite:

  • Pre svega, pokrenula sam se, uradila nešto dobro za sebe, i izašla iz zone komfora. Priznajem da sam imala ludu sreću da me urednik jednog takvog magazina zapazi među hiljadama drugih ljudi, ali ipak neću biti lažno skromna - među hiljadama drugih, baš moj rad je bio primećen! No, presudna je bila i moja odvažnost i vera u samu sebe - znala sam da mogu da radim taj posao, i tražila sam više od onoga što mi je ponuđeno, i to sam i dobila.
  • Nakon što sam počela da pišem za časopis, shvatila sam da niko u Srbiji i regionu ne zna za mene i za to što radim, pa sam pokrenula svoj blog. Evo me, tri i po godine kasnije, polako od svog bloga pravim posao koji donosi zaradu. Blog sam počela da pišem dvojezično jer sam već znala mnogo ljudi iz inostranstva, čije druženje i pažnju nisam htela da izgubim. Mislim da je to bio pravi potez, jer sam stekla neke nove prijatelje i upoznala neke sjajne ljude širom sveta zahvaljujući Štepalici.
  • Shvatila sam čime želim da se bavim. Godinama pre nego što sam počela da pišem o šivenju tražila sam način da svoju kreativnost unovčim, a nisam želela da radim kao šnajderka. Kada mi je pružena ova šansa, shvatila sam da je spoj pisanja, modelovanja krojeva i šivenja dobitna kombinacija za mene. Od toga je nastala ideja o pokretanju svoje linije krojeva, i konačno sam u tome i uspela.


  • Poraslo mi je samopouzdanje. Nikada i nisam bila nešto sramežljiva, ali nisam bila previše sigurna u sebe. Sada znam da mogu da uradim sve što poželim.
  • Unapredila sam znanje engleskog. Pre sedam - osam godina sam sasvim solidno pričala engleski, ali kada je trebalo da napišem svoj prvi komentar i opis garderobe, nisam znala ni jedan stručan termin. Sada bolje vladam engleskom nego srpskom krojačkom terminologijom. Svakodnevno pisanje je dosta uticalo na moje znanje jezika, koje je sve bolje i bolje.

Nadam se da  vas ovim postom nisam previše udavila, i sa sam vam odgovorila na pitanja kako i otkud ja u Sew News magazinu. Takođe, nadam se da sam vas bar malo inspirisala da se i sami pokrenete i izađete iz svoje zone komfora. Nije tako strašno, časna reč! 

Jan 20, 2014

Moje dve haljine u Sew News časopisu!

Kada ste poslednji put bili toliko uzbuđeni da ste (skoro) skočili sa stolice? Znate onaj osećaj kada vas obuzme neizmerna sreća i preplavi vas ponos zbog nečeg što ste uradili, i u šta ste uložili mnogo truda. Kada podetinjite toliko da poželite da trčite kroz kuću i vičete ukućanima "ovo sam ja uradila!" 

* to read the text in English, click here.

Moja haljina riblja kost na naslovnoj strani Sew News časopisa

Meni se upravo to desilo kada sam videla naslovnu stranu novog izdanja Sew News časopisa. Nije mi ovo prvi put da je moja stvar osvanula na naslovnici, to se već desilo sa mornarskim pantalonama i tufnastom haljinom. Čak ne mogu ni da vam dam poređenje - kada sam više bila uzbuđena - svaki put je to novo, jedinstveno iskustvo, koje me ispuni ponosom i preplavi emocijama. 

Februarsko / Martovsko izdanje za 2014. godinu nosi jedno lepo iznenađenje i mali iskorak iz rutine. Naime, za ovaj broj sam napisala ne jedan, već dva članka o dvema lepim haljinama, ali ima tu i još par mojih stvari, koje ćete možda prepoznati sa bloga. 

Haljina riblja kost


Haljina sa naslovne strane je nastala u Maju prošle godine, u pitanju je kroj iz Burde (moram da napomenem, pošto u časopisu stoji pogrešan natpis da su svi modeli iz članka moj dizajn; zapravo, moja je samo interpretacija komercijalnih krojeva iz Burde i Patrones časopisa), koji je odlično poslužio za demonstriranje tehnike uklapanja prugastog materijala u šaru riblje kosti. Materijal je sintetički taft, koji ima naizmenične providne pruge u organdin tkanju, a cela haljina je postavljena bledoroze postavom.
Pored haljine, članak prikazuje i moju košulju Burda vs. Patrones, zatim tirkiznu moto-jaknu, kao i detalj sa srcaste bluze koju sam pravila tokom TR Masterklasa. Uredništvo magazina je velikodušno objavilo na svom sajtu ovaj članak, koji možete pročitati i download-ovati ovde.

Moja haljina riblja kost u Sew News časopisu


Čipkana haljina


Uz tutorijal o šivenju riblje kosti, napisala sam i redovan članak za kollumnu "Pattern Play", u kom predstavljam potpuno novu, do sada neobjavljivanu, čipkanu haljinu, za koju sam sama modelovala kroj. U pitanju je crna svečana haljina bez bretela, koja u sebi nosi korset. Pored korseta, haljina ima i među-sloj od puderastoroze svilenog satena, koji crnoj čipki daje divan kontrast. I konačno, četvrti sloj čini postava sa unutrašnje strane haljine.
Korset ima ukrojene korpe za grudi, kao i fišbajne u šavovima, koji drže formu haljine i sprečavaju gornji deo da spadne s tela. Haljina je oblikovana uz pomoć vertikalnih brusni. 

Moja čipkana haljina u Sew News časopisu

Čipka i saten su krojeni kao jedan sloj, kako bi se saten što manje pomerao ispod čipke, ali i da bi sakrio dodatke za šavove, koji bi se provideli kroz transparentnu čipku. Ivica čipke je iskorišćena kao porub, i kao ukras korpi korseta, čime je haljina lepše izbalansirana.

Ni u jednoj od ove dve haljine nisam stigla da se uslikam pre nego što sam ih poslala u Ameriku na slikanje, tako da ćete ovaj put ostati uskraćeni za par mojih slika. Ali, uz ovako lepe fotografije, mislim da nema potrebe da vas dodatno ubeđujem da su haljine vredne pažnje!

Two of my dresses featured in Sew News!

When was the last time you were so excited that you (almost) jumped off of a chair? You know that feeling when you're overwhelmed by happiness and pride over something you did, something you had put a lot of effort into. When you go childish wanting to run across your house screaming "I did this!"


* za verziju teksta na srpskom, pogledajte ovde.


Chevron dress by Stepalica featured in Sew News - cover page

That's exactly what happened to me when I saw the cover page of  a new issue of Sew News magazine. It's not the first time my garments are featured on the cover, it happened with the sailor pants and the Dots Invasion dress. I can't give you some qualitative comparison of these situations, nor to tell you when I was more excited - each time it's a new experience, which fills me with pride and overwhelms emotionally.

The February / March 2014 issue of the magazine has a nice surprise and a slight step out of the routine to me. I wrote not one, but two articles about two nice dresses and few more garments that you might recognize from the blog.

The chevron dress


The cover page dress was made back in May last year, using the Burda Style pattern (disclaimer: the article says all the models are my own designs, which isn't the fact; I only interpreted commercial patterns from Burda Style and Patrones magazines), which was a great base for demonstrating a technique for sewing striped fabric into chevron. The fabric is a synthetic taffeta with transparent stripes in organza weave; the whole dress is underlined using a pale pink lining.
Along with the dress, the article features my Burda vs. Patrones shirt, turquoise motor-jacket, as well as a detail from the heart shaped box integration bodice I made during the TR Masterclass. The article is generously published on the Sew News' website, and you can read it  here.

Chevron dress by Stepalica featured in Sew News

The strapless lace dress


Along with the chevron tutorial, I wrote an article for my regular column "Pattern Play", which features a brand new strapless lace dress which I haven't posted about yet. I drafted the pattern for it myself, off course. It's a cocktail strapless dress, witch has a corsage structure. Along with the corsage layer, the dress is underlined with a powder-pink silk satin which gives the black lace a great contrast. Also, the dress is lined, which means it's constructed of four layers of fabric.
The corsage has breast cups and boning structure, which hold the shape of the dress and keep the top from rolling down. The dress is shaped using vertical waist darts.

Lace dress by Stepalica featured in Sew News

The lace and silk satin were sewed as a single layer, so both layers act as one. This way, the satin hid seam allowances of the lace layer. The lace had a scalloped border, which I used as a hemline. I added a strip made of the border to the neckline, thus making the dress well balanced.

I hadn't managed to snap some photos of any of the dresses before they were sent to the States for a photo-shoot, so this time you won't see any pictures of me wearing the garments. However, with such nice photos from the magazine, I think the dresses are featured the best they could have been!