Etsy allows us to do this awesome feature in which we can show which items we currently have in the shop on another page. Because of this, we can post these items on a blog! Now here's what you can do with this nifty information:
1) Look at this blog post to see at a glance if there's anything you're interested in at the moment!
2) For those who are unfamiliar with Loki's Romance, you can get an idea of what we do to see if you wanna follow us! Or visit www.etsy.com/shop/lokisromance
<script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.etsy.com/assets/js/etsy_mini_shop.js'></script><script type='text/javascript'>new Etsy.Mini(5674842,'gallery',5,5,0,'http://www.etsy.com');</script>
Loki's Romance is an online collection celebrating all things handmade. It was created by emerging designer, Natalie Wallace, and is a reflection of what inspires her. Loki's Romance has handmade clothing, as well as artwork and other handmade things. Loki's Romance offers photos and artwork to inspire other DIY-crafters everywhere.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Mermaid Stuff!
So it has been quite a while since our last post.
We have been working actively on our new collection, that's why!
Our Spring/Summer collection is in production and our Pre-Fall Collection has been designed and most materials acquired. So right now on the menu we've got 6 new ensembles (TWO corsets, three skirts, a nifty blouse, and THREE dresses!) on their way shortly, and some new artwork gradually making appearances. Also, our older items are getting make-overs as we find even better ways to make them (our Mermaid's Kiss barrette is now made of a lovely Dupioni silk).
Our "Apothecary" (perfumes, soaps, lotions, etc...) is going to be released in the summer, after our Spring collection, and as of Fall as we release ANOTHER collection we are hoping to start making some appearances. In public!
So what are we inspired by now? Mermaid stuff!
We just re-designed our "Mermaid's Kiss Flower Barrette"- it's still hand-painted and hand-sewn, but now it's made out of silk rather than cotton, so we think it looks a little more like real petals.
We are also working on some new artwork so that our prints fit our "style" a little better. The artwork we have currently is lovely, but we are hoping to have some more that kind of fits the idea behind Loki's Romance a little better. Speaking of mermaids!
Note: We do custom work on artwork too- upon request.
We have been working actively on our new collection, that's why!
Our Spring/Summer collection is in production and our Pre-Fall Collection has been designed and most materials acquired. So right now on the menu we've got 6 new ensembles (TWO corsets, three skirts, a nifty blouse, and THREE dresses!) on their way shortly, and some new artwork gradually making appearances. Also, our older items are getting make-overs as we find even better ways to make them (our Mermaid's Kiss barrette is now made of a lovely Dupioni silk).
Our "Apothecary" (perfumes, soaps, lotions, etc...) is going to be released in the summer, after our Spring collection, and as of Fall as we release ANOTHER collection we are hoping to start making some appearances. In public!
So what are we inspired by now? Mermaid stuff!
We just re-designed our "Mermaid's Kiss Flower Barrette"- it's still hand-painted and hand-sewn, but now it's made out of silk rather than cotton, so we think it looks a little more like real petals.
We are also working on some new artwork so that our prints fit our "style" a little better. The artwork we have currently is lovely, but we are hoping to have some more that kind of fits the idea behind Loki's Romance a little better. Speaking of mermaids!
Note: We do custom work on artwork too- upon request.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
A sleepy sigh of relief and some cautious optimism!
So last week we were working really hard on our Steampunk Lolita Tutus for the upcoming dance performance! I had my friends Rae and Baskerville work on those while I focused my attention to the slightly more complex Siren's Tears Panniers . The Steampunk Lolita style we had made many times, so it didn't concern me much. These tutus were modified for dance simply by replacing the ribbon waistband with an elastic one. The only other difference was that we sewed on size tags because we were making many tutus that looked the same but were different sizes.
The Siren's Tears Pannier, however, I had only made once and it was for a bridal underskirt- something very different than a jazz dance costume! We had a lot of things to figure out before we could make this design functional for what it was being used for, and we had 8 of them to make, all in different sizes! Fortunately, I recently found a very talented seamstress who was able to help me troubleshoot. She and I met up to discuss the tutus, and she began to work on the first half of them while I prepared for the second half. Luckily, the pattern I had created for the top part (sorry, no pictures of the new one yet, but you can refer to the above link to see what I'm talking about) was correct and was constructed quite well! My sister (the lovely model Jennifer Wallace) tried on the first one which happened to be her exact measurements, and moved around in it to make sure it was durable. With the material we chose and the serging and zig-zag stitch and our durable no-roll elastic, this tutu should be able to withstand a lot of movement which is very important in jazz dance!
The only concern now is the tulle. The tulle is delicate and has no stretch or forgiveness. There isn't much you can do to tulle to change that. Now the problem is: if we sew this non-stretchy fabric to the stretchy fabric, it makes part of the stretchy fabric not stretchy! This is for a jazz dance performance, so we want these girls to be able to move! But since anything is possible within the principles of thermodynamics, we will find a way!
So we've got a little over a week remaining before we need to ship these, so hopefully things run smoothly. My seamstress has taken much of the sewing work, which frees me up a bit to try to troubleshoot and do the finishing touches on the Steampunk Lolita tutus. I have also begun to think about the next project I'm taking on- entrepreneurs, artists, designers, we are always one step ahead of ourselves!
Once I'm done with this project I'm shifting focus to upgrading the shop. (In case you haven't been linked to it a bazillion times yet, it's www.etsy.com/shop/lokisromance). About a year ago, all our shop had was little hair accessories and those pouches, the first actual garment introduced (and sold) was the basic lolita tutu, which was a lightweight sewn tutu with French seams and an elastic waistband. I still carry it but its popularity has been overshadowed by much more dramatic Steampunk Lolita style after our shops first makeover. After I designed and created my series of corsets and the new, voluminous knotted tutus, and a couple new accessories, I got a group of photographers, a very talented makeup artist, and my ladies to model. Since then, I've filled the shop with whatever I thought looked nice enough to sell. Now I really want to bring up the level of sophistication and introduce new products the store. Here's what's on the agenda!
-Spring 2012 Collection: A collection of beautiful samples, more corsets but also more ready-to-wear stuff, we've also got some dresses and skirts so we can bring our aesthetic to items that are a little bit less of a costume look (not that there's anything wrong with that). Now that we have a new seamstress it'll be much easier to handle the new custom orders of these upcoming samples.
-Stock Collection: We are hoping to make a few more copies of the items we already have in different sizes and colors in order to have stock ready in our "Pret-a-Porter" section and also to start selling in booths at events possibly by the end of this year!
-New Artwork: I am creating new artwork that is more appealing to the Loki's Romance customer. The artwork that is there now will most likely no longer be available except for special requests.
-Fragrance and Body Collection: We will be introducing four new products along with our new Spring Clothing and Artwork: Fragrance Oil, Eau de Parfum, Lotion, and Soap. We currently have our first four test fragrances aging (an important process in having fragrances reach maturity)!
I am hoping to have all these items ready around the same time to do a full-on shop "makeover". Our last wave of introduced new products really brought some more traffic to the store, and I'm hoping this will do the same. The tentative date for the beginning of the "makeover" is March 21st (intentionally the first day of Spring!) but it is very possibly that it may take longer, as this is only two months after our tutus have shipped and we still got a photoshoot to squeeze in with all the processing that takes. So while we are shooting for March, it could easily be April or May. Once the new launch has begun, production will focus on building stock on the items we already have for the booths that will be hopefully happening towards the end of the year. If all goes well, we are hoping to become a fully fledged growned-up business with our own domain name in 2014- but we shall see!
The Siren's Tears Pannier, however, I had only made once and it was for a bridal underskirt- something very different than a jazz dance costume! We had a lot of things to figure out before we could make this design functional for what it was being used for, and we had 8 of them to make, all in different sizes! Fortunately, I recently found a very talented seamstress who was able to help me troubleshoot. She and I met up to discuss the tutus, and she began to work on the first half of them while I prepared for the second half. Luckily, the pattern I had created for the top part (sorry, no pictures of the new one yet, but you can refer to the above link to see what I'm talking about) was correct and was constructed quite well! My sister (the lovely model Jennifer Wallace) tried on the first one which happened to be her exact measurements, and moved around in it to make sure it was durable. With the material we chose and the serging and zig-zag stitch and our durable no-roll elastic, this tutu should be able to withstand a lot of movement which is very important in jazz dance!
The only concern now is the tulle. The tulle is delicate and has no stretch or forgiveness. There isn't much you can do to tulle to change that. Now the problem is: if we sew this non-stretchy fabric to the stretchy fabric, it makes part of the stretchy fabric not stretchy! This is for a jazz dance performance, so we want these girls to be able to move! But since anything is possible within the principles of thermodynamics, we will find a way!
So we've got a little over a week remaining before we need to ship these, so hopefully things run smoothly. My seamstress has taken much of the sewing work, which frees me up a bit to try to troubleshoot and do the finishing touches on the Steampunk Lolita tutus. I have also begun to think about the next project I'm taking on- entrepreneurs, artists, designers, we are always one step ahead of ourselves!
Once I'm done with this project I'm shifting focus to upgrading the shop. (In case you haven't been linked to it a bazillion times yet, it's www.etsy.com/shop/lokisromance). About a year ago, all our shop had was little hair accessories and those pouches, the first actual garment introduced (and sold) was the basic lolita tutu, which was a lightweight sewn tutu with French seams and an elastic waistband. I still carry it but its popularity has been overshadowed by much more dramatic Steampunk Lolita style after our shops first makeover. After I designed and created my series of corsets and the new, voluminous knotted tutus, and a couple new accessories, I got a group of photographers, a very talented makeup artist, and my ladies to model. Since then, I've filled the shop with whatever I thought looked nice enough to sell. Now I really want to bring up the level of sophistication and introduce new products the store. Here's what's on the agenda!
-Spring 2012 Collection: A collection of beautiful samples, more corsets but also more ready-to-wear stuff, we've also got some dresses and skirts so we can bring our aesthetic to items that are a little bit less of a costume look (not that there's anything wrong with that). Now that we have a new seamstress it'll be much easier to handle the new custom orders of these upcoming samples.
-Stock Collection: We are hoping to make a few more copies of the items we already have in different sizes and colors in order to have stock ready in our "Pret-a-Porter" section and also to start selling in booths at events possibly by the end of this year!
-New Artwork: I am creating new artwork that is more appealing to the Loki's Romance customer. The artwork that is there now will most likely no longer be available except for special requests.
-Fragrance and Body Collection: We will be introducing four new products along with our new Spring Clothing and Artwork: Fragrance Oil, Eau de Parfum, Lotion, and Soap. We currently have our first four test fragrances aging (an important process in having fragrances reach maturity)!
I am hoping to have all these items ready around the same time to do a full-on shop "makeover". Our last wave of introduced new products really brought some more traffic to the store, and I'm hoping this will do the same. The tentative date for the beginning of the "makeover" is March 21st (intentionally the first day of Spring!) but it is very possibly that it may take longer, as this is only two months after our tutus have shipped and we still got a photoshoot to squeeze in with all the processing that takes. So while we are shooting for March, it could easily be April or May. Once the new launch has begun, production will focus on building stock on the items we already have for the booths that will be hopefully happening towards the end of the year. If all goes well, we are hoping to become a fully fledged growned-up business with our own domain name in 2014- but we shall see!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
The Crazy Tutu Party Commences.... part 2!
The crazy tutu party continues, and here's what we did this week!
If you recall, Loki's Romance is currently working on an order for 13 tutus for a jazz dance productions. This performance is a group of young girls ages 11-17, which is a first for Loki's Romance. Luckily, not much is different except the sizing. It's important to keep the younger girls' height into consideration so that the tutus aren't too long.
We have two types of tutus we are working on, our "Steampunk Lolita" tutu for the younger girls and a modified "Siren's Tears Pannier". The first style is actually our most popular item by far, so we are very used to making them. The second is a little more complex in the construction, but is still pretty simple to create.
Earlier this week, Rae and Baskerville came over to help with the first batch of tutus. These are the "Steampunk Lolita" tutus for the younger girls. They cut and tied the strips of fabric using a dress form, while I made the size tags and did the calculations for the patterns and sketches for the next batch of tutus. Rae and Baskerville have become experts on these tutus which is fabulous, because it made me be able to focus on the other ones. These tutus have been modified slightly for dance, so they are on an elastic waistband instead of a ribbon. They are ivory and gold, our most popular colors, but also have red intermingled in them.
This is an "in-progress" photo of one of our tutus. This one has a higher ratio of gold and red because we will be adding the rest of the ivory later, when the next fabric shipment arrives in a few days. The dress form has been padded with red felt to be the appropriate size.
The tulle fabric is cut into strips about 2-3" wide, and huge volumes of tulle are used to create these tutus. Once the tulle's been cut it's hard to know what to do with it! This is 3 of our tutus sitting in a box, actually. They will be trimmed later one once all 5 of this group are finished to maintain consistency.
And now for the other tutus! So Rae and Baskerville pretty much worked on the first batch on their once they got some basic directions, because they're pros at them. (They actually constructed the first two samples we ever made!) I was then able to focus on the next group of tutus for the older girls, which was lucky because they ended up being more tricky than I thought!
This is a general sketch of our tutus we're working on. Even though this is the "Siren's Tears Pannier" that we've made before, this one is being modified slightly. The top part is made out of a 4-way stretch spandex instead of satin to allow for more movement, and an elastic waistband to hold it in place. I also added an extra tier to alternate the colors properly and add a little more interest. I drew a sketch to illustrate to our seamstresses how it should look. These tutus are going to be in 8 different colors mixed with black" Red, brown, orange, purple, light blue, navy blue, pink, and ivory. The first thing I did was spend a lot of time figuring out the measurements and patterns. The girls have different sizes and proportions so I'm making a different pattern for each one, but because the fabric (on top) is a knit, the pattern is pretty simple. The tulle part doesn't need a pattern because the tulle is just cut into rectangles.
Lots of pretty tulle colors! 8 different 40-yard bolts, that's 320 yards of tulle!
First I cut the tulle and bundled it to get ready to sew.
Then I looked through my thread and matched the colors.
When I have large orders like this I usually get everything
set-up and prepared first so when the time comes I can
just focus on sewing, and also so I know have enough
materials and the proper thread colors, etc. This way,
if I was short a little fabric or if I had the wrong
thread color I'd have time to get it while I work on
the other ones.
I started working on the brown one first. Here you can see the tulle rectangles (rolled up for easier maintenance) next to the part of the main skirt I started gathering. For this design I use 4.5 times the width of the tulle I need so that I can gather it- for example I would gather 162 inches of tulle into a 36-inch hip sized tutu. I start by gathering the main skirt, then I made the tiers to sew on.
Here's a close-up of the gathered tulle. The amount of gathering to do on a garment depends on the thickness of the material. Typically you would use 2-3 times the amount of material, but in this case I use 4-5 because tulle is so thin and sheer. I gather the panels, then connect them with French seams, a sewing technique used on sheer materials to make the seams stronger but still be hidden in the fabric.
There's about two more weeks before these tutus are going to be shipped! Thankfully we have lots of help! However, since a lot of time is taken up in planning and sketching and making the first samples, things start to get moving a lot more quickly once the first one is done. We have a great start, there's still lots more to do but we are definitely feeling confident. Luckily, we love what we do so that definitely makes it a lot easier. :) I know I personally look forward to coming home to my workshop everyday so I can create some more beautiful wearable art!
If you recall, Loki's Romance is currently working on an order for 13 tutus for a jazz dance productions. This performance is a group of young girls ages 11-17, which is a first for Loki's Romance. Luckily, not much is different except the sizing. It's important to keep the younger girls' height into consideration so that the tutus aren't too long.
We have two types of tutus we are working on, our "Steampunk Lolita" tutu for the younger girls and a modified "Siren's Tears Pannier". The first style is actually our most popular item by far, so we are very used to making them. The second is a little more complex in the construction, but is still pretty simple to create.
Earlier this week, Rae and Baskerville came over to help with the first batch of tutus. These are the "Steampunk Lolita" tutus for the younger girls. They cut and tied the strips of fabric using a dress form, while I made the size tags and did the calculations for the patterns and sketches for the next batch of tutus. Rae and Baskerville have become experts on these tutus which is fabulous, because it made me be able to focus on the other ones. These tutus have been modified slightly for dance, so they are on an elastic waistband instead of a ribbon. They are ivory and gold, our most popular colors, but also have red intermingled in them.
And now for the other tutus! So Rae and Baskerville pretty much worked on the first batch on their once they got some basic directions, because they're pros at them. (They actually constructed the first two samples we ever made!) I was then able to focus on the next group of tutus for the older girls, which was lucky because they ended up being more tricky than I thought!
Then I looked through my thread and matched the colors.
When I have large orders like this I usually get everything
set-up and prepared first so when the time comes I can
just focus on sewing, and also so I know have enough
materials and the proper thread colors, etc. This way,
if I was short a little fabric or if I had the wrong
thread color I'd have time to get it while I work on
the other ones.
I started working on the brown one first. Here you can see the tulle rectangles (rolled up for easier maintenance) next to the part of the main skirt I started gathering. For this design I use 4.5 times the width of the tulle I need so that I can gather it- for example I would gather 162 inches of tulle into a 36-inch hip sized tutu. I start by gathering the main skirt, then I made the tiers to sew on.
There's about two more weeks before these tutus are going to be shipped! Thankfully we have lots of help! However, since a lot of time is taken up in planning and sketching and making the first samples, things start to get moving a lot more quickly once the first one is done. We have a great start, there's still lots more to do but we are definitely feeling confident. Luckily, we love what we do so that definitely makes it a lot easier. :) I know I personally look forward to coming home to my workshop everyday so I can create some more beautiful wearable art!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Crazy Tutu Party!
So New Years is all done, my play-time is over and it's back to work! I'm in dire need to get the workshop (aka the room I sleep in) tidied up so I can be back in business.
Currently, Loki's Romance is occupied with a TON of tutus for a dance performance! I'm very excited because I used to dance when I was little, and just recently started getting into it again. I remember how pretty and special I felt in my tutu, like some kind of fairy princess. I'm really looking forward to making these tutus, but it's going to be a lot of work! Fortunately, I've already gotten started, and I have a lot of help.
On Tuesday, Baskerville and Rae are going to help me make some steampunk lolita tutus. This is by far our most popular tutu design right now and most popular item in general. These ones are for little girls this time, and we're making them in white, red, and gold and we're using an elastic waistband instead of a ribbon because they're for a dance performance. I really love this design myself, this is the first time I've customized for a dance performance and I'm really happy with the results so far.
This is what our Steampunk Lolita tutu looks like- this is the first sample we ever made! Above is Jen modeling it. She may come by and help us with our tutu production as well! We are making these ones a little shorter and less full to better fit a little girl so they won't look quite like this photo.
A little more complex we are also making our "Siren's Tears Pannier". It probably takes about the same amount of time to make, but requires more sewing skills, so I found two fabulous seamstresses who do freelance work. This is really exciting because they can help with future projects as well so that we can really expand! I am hoping that with the help of the seamstresses and the new sewing skills that Jen, Rae, and Baskerville have been picking up we can really create enough stock to start showing in booths and flea markets and whatnot.
This is the Siren's Tears pannier design.
So these tutus are keeping us booked pretty much through January, but once we're done, I'm really excited about what's coming next! I have big plans for a new Spring collection, some new artwork and some brand-new aromatherapy products! Loki's Romance, this year, our resolution for 2012 is to gradually transition to a full-fledged business. This year I really want to introduce some new things. Very exciting, you will all be hearing more about it pretty soon!
Currently, Loki's Romance is occupied with a TON of tutus for a dance performance! I'm very excited because I used to dance when I was little, and just recently started getting into it again. I remember how pretty and special I felt in my tutu, like some kind of fairy princess. I'm really looking forward to making these tutus, but it's going to be a lot of work! Fortunately, I've already gotten started, and I have a lot of help.
On Tuesday, Baskerville and Rae are going to help me make some steampunk lolita tutus. This is by far our most popular tutu design right now and most popular item in general. These ones are for little girls this time, and we're making them in white, red, and gold and we're using an elastic waistband instead of a ribbon because they're for a dance performance. I really love this design myself, this is the first time I've customized for a dance performance and I'm really happy with the results so far.
A little more complex we are also making our "Siren's Tears Pannier". It probably takes about the same amount of time to make, but requires more sewing skills, so I found two fabulous seamstresses who do freelance work. This is really exciting because they can help with future projects as well so that we can really expand! I am hoping that with the help of the seamstresses and the new sewing skills that Jen, Rae, and Baskerville have been picking up we can really create enough stock to start showing in booths and flea markets and whatnot.
This is the Siren's Tears pannier design.
So these tutus are keeping us booked pretty much through January, but once we're done, I'm really excited about what's coming next! I have big plans for a new Spring collection, some new artwork and some brand-new aromatherapy products! Loki's Romance, this year, our resolution for 2012 is to gradually transition to a full-fledged business. This year I really want to introduce some new things. Very exciting, you will all be hearing more about it pretty soon!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Introductions Continued: Photographers and Makeup Artists
Here are some of the fabulous photographers and makeup artists we work with. For a full, and frequently updated list, vist:
http://www.modelmayhem.com/1643916
Now prepare for a big crazy gallery!
Photographers/Makeup Artists:
Eric Coutney- Tunk Productions
and Posh Makeup by Tabi
Tim O'Meara
Dev Photography
Les G Photography and Posh Makeup by Tabi
Nightbeat Photography, makeup by Kat Louis
Ivan Ramirez, makeup by Kat Louis
Marc Castro/ makeup by Thirati K (for second two photos)
http://www.modelmayhem.com/1643916
Now prepare for a big crazy gallery!
Photographers/Makeup Artists:
and Posh Makeup by Tabi
Tim O'Meara
Brooke Clyde, makeup by Kat Louis
Nightbeat Photography, makeup by Kat Louis
First Post: Time for introductions!
My name is Natalie and I reside in the bay area of the lovely Northern California. I have been a design student for several years, and I'm just now crossing over into the professional world! Before I started photographing my designs, I modeled for local photographers and have been lucky enough to use these connections to create beautiful images of my designs. I also have been lucky enough to have lovely friends who are always willing to model for me! They are also my business assistants who help out with lots of other parts of the business. Here's an intro to some of my lovely ladies:
This is my beautiful sister, Jennifer. She has been my model and sidekick for photoshoots as well as fashion shows! She also helps bring a different point of view to Loki's Romance style, and has helped with production too. Her bright, outgoing personality has helped promote us when our designer is too shy!
This mysterious looking young lady goes by Aurellius Baskerville. She has been a friend of mine for many years. She has helped construct our clothing, including the fabulous tutu she is modeling here. She has a strong interest in fashion and she brings a lot of edginess to our photo shoots, as you can see.
This is Rae. She has also been my friend for many years! She is very well-organized and helps bring some business sense and order to the whimsical folks at Loki's Romance. She has helped with clothing construction but also helps out with the organization and paperwork when our designer is too lost in fantasy land. And sometimes we can convince her to get in front of a camera!
This model goes by "Nymphette" and you've probably been seeing a lot of her around here. She has been modeling for quite some time and is in love with theatrics, so she is always the first to volunteer for a fashion show or photo shoot. Oh yeah... and she's also the designer! Nymphette used a stage name as a model before she started designing professionally, so whenever she is featured on Loki's Romance she chooses to still use her stage name.
We also have a great team of photographers and makeup artists that have worked with us. Expect to see a credits list and examples of the work soon! For more information on Loki's Romance, you can catch us on the following pages:
Etsy: This is our shop- purchase something ready-to-wear (or pret-a-porter) here or you can even message us about ordering your own custom clothing!
www.etsy.com/shop/lokisromance
ModelMayhem: If you are interested in doing modeling, photographer, and makeup artistry for Loki's Romance you can find the info here. More importantly, this shows the list of credits of people we've worked with. We tend to like to work with the same people, but there's always room for more.
www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/lokisromance
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