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Hello my dearest darlings! I hope Springtime 2021 is finding you well! My Blog has been on my mind for sometime, as has about 20 personal sewing projects, that I have yet to even start. So, today, I thought I’d start somewhere, and get you an update on some recent happenings, and workroom photos of completed, and not-so-completed, projects! This is me, Roxanne, enjoying the fresh blooms of Spring, one of my favorite times of the year!  I recently found this lovely dress at The Salvation Army: It’s Vintage, a Perfect Fit, and... has Pockets! Since I Left You Last... I have been buzzing around like a pollinating bumble bee, juggling several side-hustles around my most important job: that of a Homemaker, Wife, and Mother. That may sound a bit old fashioned, but it is totally true, leaving me creatively drained with little energy for fashion design projects and sewing on most days! Although this past year has been spent mostly homebound for myself and children, we were able to safely travel to the Las Vegas/Henderson area of Nevada in January 2021, and we had a lovely time visiting our family there! Summer activities are already filling our schedule, including a camping trip this July!  The Rangel Family- Las Vegas, January 2021 Work! I am still working Saturday’s as an Alterations Specialist with the clothier, The Buckle, and am currently creating a Blog Article all about Jeans, which I surprisingly found quite fascinating! I can't wait to share that soon! I am still busting out Alteration Services from my sewing room at home. My Dad’s Boat Upholstery Project was delayed due to fabric sourcing, but new fabric has arrived! Check out this photo of the old upholstery fabric, next to the new upholstery fabric, for one of my Dad’s boat chairs! I will be sure to continue to keep you updated on this project, in future Blog Posts, as I expect this project's completion to go fast at this point!  Adventures in Upholstery Project: side by side comparison of old and new fabric. Now, let’s get to even more SEWING! Toddler Sewing Time My two youngest daughters are no longer babies, and are now on their way to becoming capable young children. My second to youngest daughter, SkyLynne, is expressing interest in learning to sew! Since SkyLynne is almost 4 years old, I’m starting her with hand-sewing lessons. So far, I’ve been teaching SkyLynne to use a large embroidery needle and yarn to get used to hand-stitching. I draw dots on the fabric as a guide for her needle, and she is doing great! We also started another Sewing Project together...
A Moon to Cuddle My two young daughters love the Moon (who doesn’t!). My youngest daughter, Minnie, is particularly obsessed, so when SkyLynne asked for “a Moon to Cuddle”, I decided to make a stuffed moon for each of them!
I have not made very many stuffed animals during my design/seamstress career, so these guys are definitely not perfect! Together, SkyLynne and I drafted a simple crescent moon pattern, with a night cap and star, as well as machine stitched face details! Although they could be better, I learned stuffed- toy-making tips & tricks for next time, and my girls now each have a cuddly moon to sooth them through the night! Priceless! Work in Progress... I love to visit thrift shops as often as I can. While shopping, I not only keep my eyes peeled for Vintage Clothing and Vintage Kitchen Wares, but also for... fabric! These recent acquisitions left me feeling inspired! Check out this yellow and green fitted sheet set, and lace curtains I bought for mere dollars! I will be creating something fantastic soon with these lovelies! Blog Post coming soon!  Vintage Bed Sheet Set (Left), and Lace Curtain (Right), that I will be using to create new dresses! 2021 Goals
I would love to hear your thoughts! What have you been up to this year? Do you Sew daily? What projects are you working on? Do you Sew with your children? What are your Creative Goals for the remaining 2021? Are there any Fashion or Sewing related topics that you would like me to write a Blog Article about? Leave me your comments below! I appreciate you! Have a fantastically fashionable day!  My beloved Grandma Minnie, San Francisco, California, April 2009 In Loving Memory of Mrs. Herminia “Minnie” Rodriguez 11/02/1941- 06/28/2020 Related Links:
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 My 2 1/2 Year Old Daughter in the Ladybug Dress that I created for her! Her accessories include a Ladybug Headband and Ladybug Wings that we purchased last year at our local The Dollar Tree: Must haves for a little girls "Dress Up" Bin! For the last 2 1/2 Weeks, I have been sewing FaceMasks non-stop, every single day! Ok, maybe not exactly non-stop, but it sure feels like it! Over the last few weeks, my little darling daughter has seen me creating masks with a red and black polka dot fabric, that she calls "Ladybug Girl"! She has asked me several times if the fabric was for her, if the masks are for her, and if Mommy is making a dress for her... I told her that I would make her a Ladybug Dress sometime this week... As my FaceMasks orders have been coming in, more people are choosing the red and black polka dot fabric for their mask order, and it is adorable! I knew I had to make her something out of this darling fabric before I ran out! Today, I decided to take a short break from Mask Making, and create something for my little one. While she and my 1 year old baby were taking their afternoon nap, I made my toddler the cutest 3T Ladybug Dress! The dress took me about an hour and a half to make, and I love how it came out!  This is my Applique Template of a Ladybug that I drew freehand on an index card. I used this template to create applique Ladybug Pockets on my daughter's new Ladybug Dress. Earlier last week, I received my long coveted Singer Sewing Machine Accessory Kit, that I ordered from Amazon. This Presser Foot Kit has been on my Wish List for years! The Presser Feet included within this kit are: Blind Hem Foot, Cording Foot, Darning/Freehand Embroidery Foot, Even Feed/Walking Foot, Gathering Foot, Narrow Rolled Hem Foot, Overcasting Foot, Satin Stitch Foot, Straight Stitch Foot, plus a Twin Needle. Imagine the creative possibilities with these amazing accessories! In March, I found a fantastic book at my local library's annual used book sale, Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques, by Nancy Bednar and JoAnn Pugh-Gannon (1999). This book explains how to use all of the various presser feet along with step-by-step instructions! When I bought this book (for ONLY $1.00!), I knew for a certainty that I needed, absolutely needed, to buy the Singer Sewing Machine Accessory Kit that I had found on Amazon so long ago... So I bought it! I already love it! The Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques is a must have companion to the kit!  My NEW Singer Sewing Machine Accessory Kit that includes 9 Presser Feet!  The Book, Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques, by Nancy Bednar and JoAnn Pugh-Gannon (1999). While on my sewing break from Mask Making, and with my babies peacefully asleep, I thought it would be fun to check out my accessory kit, by trying out the Satin Stitch Foot, and making my daughter her Ladybug Dress... I knew I could not make my daughter a dress entirely out of the red and black polka dot fabric, because I am running low. So I decided to make a Ladybug Applique out of the fabric, and attach it to a lovely charcoal grey stretch knit fabric that I had on hand. I was inspired by the design of a Carters Dress that I recently bought for my daughter online. The Carters Dress is a size 3T, fits her perfectly, and has little kitty cats as pockets on the front. I took the Carters Dress and traced the Skirt and Bodice on Pattern Paper, I added the seam allowances, then cut the new dress out of the charcoal stretch knit fabric. I also cut out the ladybug applique. With page 22, of my Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques open, I setup my new Satin Stitch Presser Foot following the Machine Set-Up Instructions on the "Applique, Basic Satin Stitch" Section of the book. How handy it is to have this tangible resource!  Page 22 of Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques. Check out my work in progress...
 After sewing the front and back of the bodice together, I finished the arm holes and neckline, then attached the dress bodice to the skirt. Finished! Nap Time is over, and the dress is ready! She loves it!
 Here she is in her new dress, gazing at the bugs flying in the yard! Thank you for reading about my latest project! I am excited to try out the remaining 8 presser foot accessories in my accessory kit. I will be sure to tell you all about it once I do! GoodNight! Related Links:
 This week I finally finished a Vintage Inspired Skirt for myself that I created with E.T. Novelty Fabric!  This is a photo of my E.T. PEZ Dispensers, posed in front of my PEZ Spaceman Metal Sign. I am a PEZ Dispenser Collector, and have an Instagram Account dedicated to my entire PEZ Collection! You can find me at www.instagram.com/ultimatepezcollector Ever since I was a child growing up in the 1980’s, I have loved all things E.T.! Over the many years, I have owned E.T. Dolls, E.T. Posters, E.T. PEZ Dispensers, an E.T. Watch, and a bar of E.T. Soap! Not surprisingly, when I spotted E.T. Fabric at Jo-Ann's Fabric, two summers ago, I couldn’t help but purchase several yards! I had planned to make myself a skirt with the fabric, but was delayed about a year and a half, due to finding out that I was pregnant with my youngest daughter. I had the skirt about half way made, when I decided to pause the project until after my baby was born, knowing I wouldn’t be able to wear it, with a growing baby-bump, followed by a post pregnancy body! Check out a close-up photo of the fabric that I found: (Isn't it bizarrely exquisite?!)  Novelty E.T. Fabric that I purchased at Jo-Ann Fabrics. Just recently, I found myself caught up on most of my ongoing projects... I pulled out my partially completed E.T. Skirt, and began to finish its construction! I rarely have time to make clothing for myself, so it is exciting for me when I finally do! I cut out contrasting lining, created a waistband to fit my current waist measurement, and I assembled the skirt to completion! I was very happy to find that I had just enough fabric remnants to add lined pockets! Check out the completed skirt:
 Close-Up photo of Lined Pocket and Pleats I absolutely love the design of this High-Waisted Full Skirt! To create this look, I used the skirt pattern pieces of Butterick Retro '56 Dress Pattern, B5813, and then created my own customized waistband, and pockets. I also love how this fabric isn’t instantly recognizable as an E.T. Print until one looks a little more closely! Check out a few more photos:    Close-Up photo of back zipper, and contrasting lining. Thank you for reading about my latest creation, my Vintage Inspired E.T. Skirt! I am looking forward to creating several more skirts and dresses for myself in the near future, as well as a 1930's Girdle! More Blog Posts coming soon!  Related Links:
As a Freelance Fashion Designer, specializing in Women's Wear, I don't often receive client requests for Children's Clothes or for other children's sewing projects. Every once in a while, however, I do receive such a request. Recently, I finished my first sewing project of the year for a dear friend of mine, Custom Keepsake Teddy Bears, which was a first for me! As that project came to completion, along with the recent end of 2019, and the beginning of a new decade, I began to reflect back on the few Children's and Baby Projects that I have thus completed in my sewing and design career. In the last two years or so, I have only worked on a hand full of items for babies, or children. You may recall one such project, that I completed in October 2018, when I had the privilege of creating Dance Costumes for the P.R.O.U.D. Modesto Girl's Dance Group. You can check out my Blog Article detailing behind the scenes design studio details of that project by clicking HERE. In addition to the P.R.O.U.D Modesto Girl's Dance Costume project, I have created the following children's projects for my own family, friends, or for my clients... Custom "Bath Time" Baby Toy Holder  Work in Progress: Hand Stitched Embroidery, and Hand-Cut & Stitched Bathtub Applique, on Felt. By Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel.
To achieve the idea I had in mind, I Hand-Stitched the words "Bath Time" in Embroidery, and I then cut and stitched a Bathtub Shaped Applique design which I attached to yellow felt. I also cut out a Rubber Ducky shape, also in felt, as well as the eye and duck-bill pieces. I sandwiched the felt details in between two sheets of plastic. On the top layer of plastic, I cut out and sewed three clear pockets, that would later be used for toy storage. The pockets have drain holes punched through the bottom to allow for drainage of wet toys. I loved the final outcome of this project! It is a fun piece to display in my children's bathroom, that is both decorational and functional! My family and I have gotten much use out of this toy holder over the past two years, and it has held up quite well! Custom High Chair Pillow After my daughter, SkyLynne was born, my Mother-in-Law, gave our family an old high chair that was my husbands when he was a tot back in the 1980's! I loved the colors, and simplicity of the 1980's design! After a fresh coat of orange paint on the tray of the high chair, and with the addition of a safety latch to secure the tray down, I then created a custom pillow to help support our growing infant. I used scrap fabric, that I already had on hand, in my fabric supply bin, of the same colors, black, orange, yellow, and green, that the High Chair originally featured. Take a look at the pillow that I created for our high chair! I am sure that it will be a treasured keepsake, along with the high chair for many more generations to come!
Custom Children's Mermaid Inspired Pants
Custom Children's Greek Play Costumes
They were so happy with their costumes! Their increased confidence was evident in both of their outstanding performances! I can't wait to create more costumes for upcoming school plays!  Quick sketch of measurements and design concepts for my children's Greek Costumes! Baby Couture  This is the lovely fabric from my clients Wedding Gown. I used the train of her dress to create a toddler's formal gown, bonnet and booties, out of the fabric! In the Spring of 2018, I was hired to create a fantastically creatively fun piece for one of my clients. The project was to create a baby's formal gown by using the material from my client's wedding dress! The wedding dress was an amazingly beautiful beaded lace gown with a long detachable train. I was honored to have been chosen for this special task! Because the wedding dress had a huge train that separated from the wedding gown, I was able to use the train fabric, leaving the beautiful wedding dress intact for future generations. The fabric included lovely beaded lace applique, that I took apart very carefully. All of the pieces I created, a Baby Formal Gown, a Bonnet, and Beaded Booties, are made of the original wedding dress material. I removed all of the beaded lace applique from the original fabric, and then reattached the beaded lace to the bonnet, booties, and dress. The final outcome was perfect!  Formal Wear: Baby Bonnet and Baby Booties, by Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel  Formal Wear: Baby Couture by Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel Check out this video featuring Behind the Scenes Photos of this project in my Designer Workroom: E.T. Pillow I love all things E.T.! Last summer, I was in the fabric store, and my eye instantly caught sight of this marvelous E.T. novelty fabric! I couldn't help myself, and I bought several yards to make myself a fun skirt (Click Here to see my Vintage Inspired E.T. Skirt)! I used the leftover fabric remnants to construct a lovely little pillow for my daughter's room! I love it! (My sister, Desiree, thinks that E.T. is absolutely creepy! I can't wait to surprise Desiree by wearing my new E.T. Skirt to her house! He he...)
(Can you find my E.T. Doll in the photo of my E.T. Pillow? I snuck him in there just for Desiree! I hope she is reading this article and is creeped out! Muah ha ha...) And now for my most recent completed children's project... Custom Keepsake Teddy Bears A very dear friend of mine, Megan, experienced tremendous loss, when her father passed away several years ago. Since his passing, she, and her only sister, have been married, and have had children of their own. Unfortunately, these grandchildren were born after their Grandpa passed away, and the children were never able to met him personally. Megan asked me if I could turn shirts that belonged to her father into a keepsake teddy bear for her son. I loved the idea, and agreed instantly, especially since I know the family so well. When Megan brought to me her father's shirts, I was pleasantly surprised that there were four shirts, with enough fabric, that would allow me to create four separate teddy bears! I didn't tell her that I made four until I presented the final project to her. My idea was that she, her sister, as well as both of their children would have their very own keepsake teddy bear to cherish, or she can do whatever she wishes with them! She loved the idea and she loved the teddy bears! Check out my Work In Progress photos of this project, as well as what the shirts looked like before I transformed them into bears!  Photo of Shirts (Before)  Work in Progress: Bear Pieces...  Work in Progress: Unstuffed Bear Heads  Work in Progress: Unstuffed Bear Legs...  Final Details: Button Eyes and Embroidered Noses... Check out the finished bears:  The four finished Keepsake Teddy Bears, made out of four Men's Button Front Shirts.  Close up of the Hand-Stitched Embroidery on the Teddy Bears chest. I embroidered, by hand, the name "Chuck" on each of the four bears.  Ready for delivery! Thank you to American Express for supporting Small Businesses, and supplying me with shop supplies every year, including these "Shop Small" Totes! Making these Teddy Bears was a fun project, and I definitely learned much in how to improve my Stuffed Animal making skills! It was especially hard for my youngest two daughters, ages 2 1/2, and 1 to watch me create Teddy Bears that they could not play with! I have since been inspired to create a Fig from Tumble Leaf Doll, as well as a few Frida Kahlo Inspired Dolls! I will keep you readers updated on those projects! That completes my recap of the sewing projects that I have made for children or babies! Although these types of projects are not my professional specialty, it is definitely fun to create sewing projects that are different than what I normally do, and that are interestingly creative! I hope that you enjoyed my Blog Post! Which project did you enjoy viewing the most? Do you have any ideas for upcoming children/baby sewing or design projects? Please leave me a comment below with any of your feedback or opinions! Until we meet again, Dear Reader! Have a exceptional day! Related Links:
The Dance Group is open to interested Boys and Girls, but at this time, only Girls have joined. Like the club, Dance Group members do not need to be Puerto Rican to join. I am delighted to have been commissioned by P.R.O.U.D. Modesto to construct the dresses for the girls in the new Dance Group! In September, I was sent photos of traditional Puerto Rican Dance Dresses, as well as the orders for the members of the Dance Group. I wanted to stay as close to the original concept as possible, due to this being a cultural costume. All dresses would be the same, but in various sizes. Once the orders were in, I drafted the pattern for the dress, in girl's dress sizes 5 through 12, I purchased fabric, trim, and notions, and I then began to create the costumes... Check out the sketch I drew, illustrating the dance costume concept, that the P.R.O.U.D Club Members decided on:  Conceptual Illustration of Puerto Rican Dance Costume, by Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel. Work in Progress... Here are some exclusive, behind the scenes, photos, taken in my workroom, as I created these lovely costumes!
 Cutting out the fabric for my size 12 dresses...
 The garment rack begins to fill up with dresses! Project almost completed!
 The Puerto Rican Dance Costumes are ready for the Final Fitting! Dresses Completed! When all of the dresses were finalized, I met with the dance group for a final fitting. With my rolling rack in hand, we met where the group was rehearsing. Once the girls tried on the costumes, I was pleased to see that only one minor alterations was needed. The dresses were performance ready!
 The PR.O.U.D. Girl's Dance Group, in costume, at their dance rehearsal. The First Performance!  On October 6th, 2018, the P.R.O.U.D Modesto Girl's Dance Group performed for the first time at The International Heritage Festival, held at Modesto Junior College in Modesto, California. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this festival, since I had a prior commitment scheduled for an OFW Art & Style Magazine Photo Shoot that same day in Oakland. However, my loving husband, Javier, took our three children to this event, where they were able to view a fantastic presentation of traditional Puerto Rican Dance, presented by the P.R.O.U.D. Girl's Dance Group! One of my nieces, Vivianna, is a member of the Dance Group! Javier was able to take some beautiful photos of their performance. Here are some of the marvelous photos that my husband, and my sister, Desiree, took of the P.R.O.U.D. Modesto Girl's Dance Group's first performance:  P.R.O.U.D. Modesto Girl's Dance Group at the International Heritage Festival! Photo by Desiree Rodriguez Peredez.  P.R.O.U.D. Modesto Girl's Dance Group at the International Heritage Festival! Photo by Desiree Rodriguez Peredez.
 P.R.O.U.D. Modesto Girl's Dance Group at the International Heritage Festival! Photo by Jav Ran Photography.  P.R.O.U.D. Modesto Girl's Dance Group at the International Heritage Festival! Photo by Jav Ran Photography. When viewing the photos myself, it was wonderful to see these young ladies enjoy themselves, while learning traditional dance of the Puerto Rican Culture! It was exciting to see the dresses I had created flowing with rhythmic beauty as the girls twirled and waved the folds of fabric while dancing! Thank you for joining me, as I created the Dance Costumes for the P.R.O.U.D. Modesto Girl's Dance Group! I hope you enjoyed the photos and commentary! Leave me a comment! I would love to hear your feedback on my Blog! I hope you have a wonderful day! Related Links:
As a Freelance Fashion Designer, I often take on requests from clients to create custom garments. My client may be a bridesmaid in a wedding that is looking for a custom fitted gown to match the wedding party specification. My client may be a clothing size that is not commonly found in the style outfit she may need for an upcoming event. My client may have an article of clothing that she would like re-created into something else completely. All of these are fairly common in my line of work, but once in a while, a client will contact me asking for something completely out of my realm of experience... "Can you make me a Parrot Costume?" While studying Fashion Design in college, a professor once told those of us who were hoping to pursue design and creative sewing as a future means of income, to not turn down requests, even if it is something we have never done before. Even if it is something that sounds mundane, or uninteresting. The reason? First, saying no to projects will lead to less people asking. Over time, no one will ask for your participation in projects, because they know you will say no. Secondly, the more you say yes, the more experience you gain, and more opportunities are presented. So, when a referred client called me up asking if I could create a Parrot Costume for her, my response was a firm, "Yes!". Even though I had never before made a costume at that point in my career, let alone a Parrot Costume! From Concept to Creation...  Conceptual Sketch of my custom Parrot Costume. Illustration by Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel. As a trained Dress-Maker and Fashion Designer, my immediate idea was to create a Parrot Dress, with a caped hood mimicking the Parrot's head and wings. I wanted to approach this project as High Fashion as possible, to stay true to my design aesthetic. I drew out the above conceptual illustration to show my client at our first meeting. I also went to my fabric supplier to obtain fabric swatches and pricing for the materials that I would use to make my sketch a reality.  This photo includes four fabrics that I used to create the Parrot Costume for my client. The Green, Blue, and Yellow textiles were used as feathers, and the Red Velvet was used for the bodice of the dress. I used a Red Cotton fabric as the base of the skirt for more structure, it was lined and completely covered in hand-cut feathers. I met with my client, with my illustration, fabric swatches, and price estimate in hand. When I presented my idea to her, she was thrilled! She loved the concept that I had come up with. Her only change was the hood in the sketch. My client wanted a Headpiece or Fascinator instead. She was also planning on full professional Special Effect Parrot Make-Up, from local Make-Up Artist, Paula Serrano. I took her measurements, and deposit, then I was off to the sewing work room to get this dress completed! Progress in the Designer Workroom!
 Tail Feathers added, as well as the zipper, button and button loop. (Costume in Progress by Roxanne Rodriguez) A Photo Shoot with my Client... After one fitting, and much work, the Parrot Dress, and Headpiece I created was finished! I also created a clutch for my client by creating a velvet pouch that I placed in a hand-held bird cage! The skirt was underlined with layers of Tule to create more volume in the silhouette. My client had a very specific idea for the completion of her look, and wanted realistic Parrot Special Effect Make-Up to transform herself into as close to an actual Parrot as humanly possible! She hired professional MUA, Paula Serrano to create the Special Effect Make-Up. This was my client's vision. With the help of myself and Mrs. Serrano, her vision was achieved!  MUA Paula Serrano completes Parrot Special Effect Make-Up. Photo: Roxanne Rodriguez. After my client was dressed and ready to go, I took her to the local park to take a few photos of the costume! Check out the completed look!
 My client poses in the Parrot Costume I created for her. Costume: Roxanne Rodriguez, MUA: Paula Serrano. As you can see, my client really enjoyed herself. The project was a success! As a designer, having a happy client is by far the biggest reward! If you have a costume idea that you would like to have custom made, contact me! I would love to create more interesting costumes! As always, feel free to contact me for all you Custom Clothing needs!  Our Client with MUA Paula Serrano. Costume: Roxanne Rodriguez.  Designer, Roxanne Rodriguez with client wearing completed Parrot Costume. Costume by Roxanne Rodriguez, Make Up by Paula Serrano. Thank you for reading my Blog! Let me know what you think of my take on a Parrot Costume, by leaving me a comment below! Related Links:
 Hello! This week on my Blog, I wanted to share with you a brief article on the topic of Alteration Services, Re-Design, and Clothing Repair! It came to my attention recently, that some of my clients were unaware that I offer these services at my in-home Design Studio! If you have a moment, I would like to share with you the importance of alterations on Off-the-Rack garments, as well as my experience, and the various services that I currently offer!  Wall of Thread, Photo: Roxanne R Rangel. Reasons to have Garments Altered by a Professional In modern times, much of the clothing that we purchase is Off-the-Rack, which is a term used to describe clothing that is mass-produced, in standard sizes. This term applies to almost all clothing found at retail establishments. Unfortunately, due to each person having a unique, one of a kind body, we rarely find Off-the-Rack garments that offer a perfect fit. One alternative to Off-the-Rack clothing, is Custom Made, or Made-to-Order Clothing, which is clothing created exclusively for one individual using their exact measurements. Because Off-the-Rack clothing is mass-produced, and often made in countries over-seas, where materials and labor costs are extremely low, clothing purchased through an apparel retailer can be considerably lower in cost to the customer than having a garment custom made within the United States. However, custom made clothing not only fits the costumer, or client, perfectly, but is usually a higher quality crafted garment.  A photo of my 2016 Ready-to-Wear Collection. All of my Ready-to-Wear Designs are Made To Order, and Custom Fitted. Photo: Jav Ran Photography. Another alternative to Custom Made clothing, is taking Off-the-Rack garments to a professional Alteration Specialist, Seamstress, or Tailor. These sewing professionals, can take any garment, and using the measurements of the client, create a custom fitted look. Common alterations on clothing include taking up, or lowering the hem of a pant, dress, or skirt, taking in, or letting out the waist of a garment, and shortening or lengthening sleeves. In some cases, a client may need a garment re-sized completely. All of this can be done, the cost will be calculated depending on the type of operations performed, and taking into consideration any unique garment details, that may take more time and skill to adjust accordingly.  Here I am working at the Nordstrom Tailor Shop! My Experience While studying Fashion Design at The International Academy of Design and Technology in Sacramento, California, I worked with the retailer, Nordstrom, within their Alteration/Tailor Shop. Nordstrom offers Alteration and Tailoring Services on clothing purchased at any of their store locations, including Nordstrom Rack, and Online. Nordstrom has onsite Alteration Specialists and Tailors at every retail location. I started my career with Nordstrom as a Customer Service Specialist in the Men's Wear Department, but then transferred to the Alteration/Tailor Shop, as an Administrative Assistant. I also completed my College Internship with Nordstrom as a Tailor Apprentice. During my years with Nordstrom, I was trained to complete fittings, and to perform a wide range of alterations. Due to my Fashion Design education, I began to specialize in Women's Wear Alterations, and Clothing Repair.
After my time with Nordstrom, I began working as a Tailor Assistant to Master Tailor, Mr. Randy Rowden, at The Oxford Way Tailoring and Men's Clothing, located in Oakland. One of the things I appreciated about Mr. Rowden, was his commitment to excellence, and quality, often using hand-sewing techniques to complete tailoring tasks.  The Oxford Way Taioring and Men's Clothing: Tiendres Rowden, Randy Rowden, and Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel. Currently, I work for myself, at my in-home Design Studio, creating my own Ready-to-Wear designs, as well as creating Custom Clothing for my clients. Due to my past training and experience, I also offer Alteration Services, Re-Design Services, and Clothing Repair.  Alterations: Lowering a Waistband Alteration Services, Re-Design, & Clothing Repair Alterations Services are available with me by appointment. Simply contact me for your alteration requests, and you can either come to my Design Studio in Oakdale, California, or I can come to you! At the time of our appointment, I will give you a total of the cost, based on the work to be done. Alterations may take up to one week to be completed. In addition to Alteration Services, I also offer Re-Design and Clothing Repair. To Re-Design an existing garment can mean many different things. In general, to Re-Design clothing, means using the material and findings (small articles or tools used in making garments), found in the original garment to create something completely different. Perhaps you have an article of clothing that is outdated in style, but you love the material. I can remake that garment into a modern article of clothing. I particularly enjoy this type of work for two reasons: it allows me to use my creativity and expertise to create something unexpected, and, by re-designing existing garments, we extend the garments life, limiting fabric waste that contributes to the pollution of our world.  "The Fitting" by Viktor Schramm, 1900. Many of my clients have clothing that needs to be repaired. Jeans commonly need patches at back pockets, or at the inner thigh. Sometimes, seams need to be re-sewn, or formal gowns may need beading replaced or mended. Snags and holes can also be fixed. Whatever the case, repairing clothing may be more cost effective then throwing the item out and replacing it completely.  Photo of Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel. To see a few photos of some of my completed projects, click the links below:
Alterations & Re-Design Services Custom Formal Wear Thank you for taking the time to visit my Blog! Please contact me for all your Alteration, Re-Design, or Clothing Repair needs! For all the ways you can contact me and connect, click the link below! Contact Information  Pregnancy can be one of the most exciting times in an expectant mother's life. However, with the growing excitement of soon welcoming a child into the world, can come many other anxieties, such as dealing with the numerous discomforts of a quickly changing body. Recently, I myself experienced such changes, shortly after I, and my husband, Javier, found out we would be expecting our first child together. The two of us had been planning this pregnancy for some time, and although this is my first pregnancy, we do have two other children, which are Javi's biological children that he had prior to our marriage in September 2015.
I began to think about my wardrobe... I day-drempt of a stylish pregnancy... I sifted through my crowded closet, and moved items around, placing items that still fit me near the front, for easy access on work days, which hopefully would help to eliminate the frustration of choosing "the perfect outfit", only to put it on and not be able to pull the zipper all the way up. A few times, dead set on the outfit I had chosen, I forced the zipper up, only to pop it off of its tracks, or to squish my stomach causing an unbearable tightness of clothing. Of course, these outcomes led, regrettably, to changing my outfit anyway.  My closet: My Skirts, and my playful Fur Baby. The first trimester of pregnancy can be challenging for most women, because a growing belly at this stage can feel like frumpy fat, not Baby. Existing clothes just don't fit right, but again, it is still to early for full on maternity garments. For myself, I tried to wear loose fitting, or stretchy clothing, that I already owned, that was as comfortable and as stylish as possible. Here I am at 13 weeks pregnant (three months) wearing comfortable, loose fitting clothing that I already owned, that is still fashionable and fun. The loose fitting silhouette of this particular dress, made by Neiman Marcus, allowed me to wear it through my first 6 months of pregnancy. I did not feel frumpy in this outfit!  This is me, at three months pregnant, wearing Kate Spade sunglasses, a Neiman Marcus linen dress, Halogen sweater, and Nine West Wedges. My Maternity Style! Once I began approaching month six of my pregnancy, I no longer fit many of the dresses and skirts that I wore regularly prior to becoming pregnant. My feet began to swell, and I was forced to wear wider flats when I needed to maintain a professional appearance, and flip-flops on casual days. I also wanted to create a few new Maternity Dresses for myself, as opposed to purchasing already made garments online or at a clothing store. Often times, when browsing for new clothing, I find myself thinking, "I can make something like that!". I had hoped that I could arrange my time between unpacking, and redecorating our new home, and working, to sew a new dress or two for myself! Now, here are a few examples of my Maternity Style!
 Here I am, pictured to the right, at 6 months pregnant, wearing a white empire style dress by Max Factor, with the gorgeous model, Lilibeth, at Oakland Fashion Week 2017.
My Maternity Creations! In all honesty, I had dreams of creating several Maternity outfits. However, as I began to prepare for the arrival of our new baby, and as my body began to grow, I found I did not have as much energy to create numerous garments as I was hoping to! I ended up making only one dress! The Maternity Dress that I made, is this Lace and Jersey Knit Maternity Dress, that I wore to my second Baby Shower. I loved the ease and comfort of the design! Check out a few pictures from that lovely day!
After my Baby Showers, it wasn't long after that it was time for labor and delivery! Nine months goes by fast in hind-sight! After a few weeks of our baby being born, I began to fit into many of my prior- to-pregnancy clothing. But then came another dilemma: Nursing! I found myself only able to wear dresses that have center front buttons or closures, blouses that easily pull up, or neck lines that easily pull down! But the best thing was, after one month the swelling of my feet disappeared, and I can wear my heels again! Our baby, SkyLynne Ellie Noir, and I! Here she is 5 weeks old!  Here is myself and my lovely 5 Week Old Baby Girl! I am wearing a Newport News Dress, with a Vintage Necklace, and Black Bongo Heels.  This is the beautiful Thank You Card, my husband drew and painted! He is so talented! Thank you for reading my Blog Article about my pregnancy experience! Feel free to contact me if you would like me to create custom clothing for any of your special occasions in life! Related Links:
My Whirlwind Wedding Engagement: From The Cliff House to Las Vegas, In 4 Months and 3 Dresses!2/2/2016  All photos featured in this blog article are the sole property of Roxanne Rodriguez, if not cited otherwise. Dress #1. May 2015, The Proposal. This past spring, in the spring of 2015, when I was finishing up my senior year of Fashion Design College, I came across some yellow and green fabric in a fabric donation bin, and I used this fabric to create a day dress as one of my final projects for my Pattern Drafting II class. I absolutely love this dress and happily received a high grade on the assignment. The bodice of the dress features a lapel collar, and is made in a yellow and green floral printed fabric. I then used a solid yellow linen fabric for the skirt. The skirt has an exposed lining at the hemline, showing the bright green lining beneath. The dress fits me perfect.  Roxanne Rodriguez Day Dress with Lapel Collar As May approached, and my final day of college arrived, Javier and I planned to enjoy a lovely weekend trip to the city of Napa. The two of us left immediately from my last class at my college campus in Sacramento. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and then headed North West to Napa! Javier had already suggested that we would be dressing up that Sunday, so I brought a few dresses, including my new yellow and green dress, in addition to skirts and blouses.  Javier and I enjoying a lovely weekend in Napa, California. Wine tasting, bike riding, and dinning! Then as Sunday approached, you can imagine my surprise when Javi told me that he would be taking me to The Cliff House in San Francisco! We left Napa dressed in our finest for an early champagne brunch in San Francisco! The Cliff House, San Francisco  An amazing panoramic view, taken by Javier Rangel: myself gazing upon The Cliff House and the Pacific Ocean. I had never been to The Cliff House before this day, nor had I been to this particular area of San Francisco's Land's End before. If you have not visited this area yourself, I highly recommend that you do! If you have been here before, it may be time to visit again!
Interestingly, The Cliff House is rich in history. The original Cliff House building was built at this location in the year of 1863. Tragedy soon struck this dwelling, causing it to become severely damaged in 1887, then becoming destroyed completely due to a chimney fire in 1894. The Cliff House was re-built and became the beautiful massive structure shown in the illustration pictured above. Unfortunately, this building too was soon destroyed by fire in 1907. The Cliff House was re-built, yet again, this time in 1909, and in a similar style to that of the simple original Cliff House building. Today it stands as a very beautiful neo-classical building, situated next to the ancient and decaying Sutro Bath Ruins. Now, back to the romance at hand... Javier and I had been dating for a little over three years at this point, and things were quite serious. I had a feeling that he might propose marriage to me during this particular romantically planned weekend, but I was still very surprised when he actually did! The food at The Cliff House brunch was amazing! The champagne was really good too! A harpist played music while the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashed around just outside the windows overlooking the sea. We had an amazing time... which we always do when with each other... I was feeling the champagne...I think Javi was too... But the endless seafood, water, and coffee was helping dull the effect slightly to a sensation just beyond utter contentment. I excused myself to the restroom, and giggled out of sight. When I returned, Javi proposed! He had the ring placed in the bottom of my champagne glass, and when I noticed, he asked. My solitaire black sapphire ring was so pretty. How could I say or think anything other than yes! We drank more champagne, talked endlessly, and ate more food & desserts, and then we headed happily together down to the Sutro Bath Ruins, and then to the beach!
Javier and I enjoy our "Engagement Day" at The Cliff House. Dress #2: July 2015, Our Garlic Love Story. Javier and I began to discuss the date we would plan our wedding to be on. One day, as I was reading some Northern California event news, I came across an advertisement for the Gilroy Garlic Festival Dream Wedding Give-A-Way Contest. The contest advertised a “Dream Wedding Give-A-Way”, in which a winning couple would be chosen to win an all-expense paid wedding ceremony, along with cake, Gilroy Garden tickets, and a year supply of garlic! This contest sounded great, and since we were planning to be married soon, this contest seamed made for us! Javier and I looked up the entry form, and began to get together the requirements needed for our submittal. Although not required, a video was recommended to tell our “Garlic Love Story” to the judges. As we thought about our love story, I thought about making a garlic inspired dress, perhaps for the wedding! Then one of my friends suggested that I make a garlic themed dress for the video filming instead! Why, that’s genius! So that’s what I did!
You can watch our “Garlic Love Story” by clicking on this link: Enjoy!
Roxanne and Javi during the filming of "The Garlic Love Story". Much to our dismay, it was announced that Javier and I were not even contestants for the Gilroy Garlic Dream Wedding Give-A-Way contest! It was very surprising! We stopped eating garlic for a while, picked our wedding date, and began booking our venue and reservations for a wedding in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada!  Dress #3: September 2015, Our Perfect Las Vegas Wedding. Dress #3, is not a dress at all, but a Formal Ball Skirt that I created especially for my wedding. When Javier proposed to me, I knew I would design and create my own wedding dress. As I started brain storming ideas, I continually was drawn to the concept of a formal ball skirt, paired with a charming blouse. Completely untraditional, I selected a gold satin fabric, and then I layered grey netting, for a truly unique look. The skirt features a hand beaded design, all designed, constructed, and sewn by me! However, time began to run out as our wedding day quickly approached. Instead of making my wedding blouse (as planned), I happily found a blouse, beyond perfect, on the sale rack at Wet Seal, just days before our wedding, while in Las Vegas!
Getting ready for our big day, at the Wynn Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada.  My family and I on our way to the chapel, we pause to take a photo in the lovely lobby garden of the Wynn Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 The Rangel Wedding, A Special Memory Wedding Chapel, Las Vegas, Nevada. Bride's hair and make-up by Stevee Danielle Hair and Make Up Salon, Las Vegas, Nevada. Our Wedding Day experience was truly perfect! Everything planned went accordingly. The ceremony was held at the Our Special Memory Wedding Chapel, in Las Vegas, followed by a dinner reception at The Fremont Hotel's Paradise Buffet. We then enjoyed a wonderful honeymoon night at the Wynn Hotel and Casino, before departing to The Grand Canyon! I loved being able to design and create the three outfits that I wore for my wedding and pre-wedding occasions! Creating my own bridal wear allowed me to be the unique, fashionable bride that I wanted to be! If you have any of your own special occasions in the future, contact me regarding your custom outfit! Related Links:
 Minoan Inspired Illustration by Roxanne Rodriguez, 2013. While studying Art History in college, I was continually inspired by art works of the past to create fashion of the future. Today, fashion influenced by art is a familiar concept. The examples of art and fashion in Fashion's Modern History is plentiful. Looking back, Elsa Schiaparelli collaborated with Salvador Dali in 1939, creating several Haute Couture pieces, including her famous Lobster Dress, worn by Wallace Simpson (The Duchess of Windsor). In 1965, Yves St. Laurent created a couture collection inspired by the fine-art work of Piet Mondrian. Recently, popular clothing e-commerce retailer, ModCloth, has created dresses inspired by Vincent VanGogh, with his famous Starry Night Painting printed on the fabric.
Examples of Minoan Frescoes As I learned about the ancient Minoan Culture, which was located on the island of Crete, now in modern day Greece, I became inspired by the lovely Minoan Frescoes that were depicted in my history book. The beautiful hues of blue, brown, and gold, alongside stark black and red, were striking and distinctive...  A Map of Ancient Greece during the Bronze Age. The word fresco, is an Italian word that means 'fresh'. The term fresco refers to an art work where the artist has used water based pigment applied to the plaster on a wall while the plaster is still wet. As the plaster dries, the paint that has penetrated the plaster becomes fixed, or bonded to the wall. Frescoes were popular in the ancient world, and were quite common for painting large murals during the Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci, used this method while creating The Last Supper, as did Michelangelo while painting the Sistine Chapel. Here are a few examples of Minoan Frescoes that I found to be quite beautiful, and inspiring:  Minoan Fresco  Minoan Bull Leaping Fresco. Conceptualization
Creating a Minoan Inspired Hand-Painted Skirt Later on, in my college career, I decided to create an article of clothing inspired by the Minoan Fresco of the women, for my final project in Art History Class. For this project we were asked to create something inspired by the Art History we had learned about during the semester. The options were endless. Some students who were working towards a degree in Graphic Design decided to recreate historical artworks through their use of photography, while I myself wanted to re-create an artwork using my education in fashion. I decided instead of creating the Minoan Inspired Swimsuit I had illustrated previously, I would create a Hand-Painted Minoan Inspired Skirt. To create this look, I first assembled the front panels of the skirt, made of canvas, and then, laying the fabric flat, I Hand-Painted the Minoan Inspired design using Fabric Paint. I then layered a sheer aqua blue Organza over the painted canvas to create dynamic dimension. I wanted the final look of the skirt to be just as striking as the Minoan Fresco that had inspired me. Check out the photos I took as I Hand-Painted, free-handedly, my rendition of the Minoan Woman:  Creating a Minoan Inspired Hand-Painted Skirt! Hand-Painted by Roxanne Rodriguez.  Creating a Minoan Inspired Hand-Painted Skirt! Hand-Painted by Roxanne Rodriguez.  Creating a Minoan Inspired Hand-Painted Skirt! Hand-Painted by Roxanne Rodriguez. Here I am wearing the finished skirt during a Student Showcase at my college:  Designer, Roxanne Rodriguez (pictured Left), wearing Minoan Inpired Hand-Painted Skirt, with her models, at the IADT 2014 Student Showcase. Here is a photo of the lovely model, Marisa Johnson wearing my skirt on her trip to Greece!  Photo of the lovely model, Marisa Johnson, wearing Minoan Inspired Hand-Painted Skirt by Roxanne Rodriguez, on location in Greece! I hope that you enjoyed this Blog Post about my fashion inspiration, and creating a Hand-Painted Minoan Inspired Skirt! I was very pleased with the final result, and have since used the technique of hand-painting motifs on other outfits I have created. I would love to hear your feedback, on my Blog Post, my skirt, or what historical art has inspired you. Leave me a comment below!  Designer, Roxanne Rodriguez wearing Minoan Inspired Hand-Painted Skirt. I look forward to sharing with you more adventures of fashion creation, in my upcoming Blog Articles! Until then... Have a extraordinary day! Related Links:
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AuthorHello Readers! Welcome to my Blog! I am Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel, a Fashion Designer from Northern California. I love all things Fashion, particularly historical fashion! Join me, as I take you around Northern California, covering fashion events and related topics! 
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