Online Consulting
All sewers encounter questions during their garment-making process. When questions arise, consider scheduling online consulting with me. No issue is too large or too small. This can be to solve any and all garment sewing issues, such as:
Fitting
Pattern work
Structuring and interfacing
Fabric selection
Construction (e.g., order, special techniques)
Ornamentation
Design
Interconnection between fit, pattern work, and style
Working efficiently
Nurturing your creativity
To get started, email me (sarah@sarahveblen.com) with a brief description of your goals or what you wish to accomplish.
If you are interested in devoting yourself to a period of intensive creative development with my guidance, please read about mentorship with me.
Consultation Platforms and Scheduling
Email, phone conversations, and video conferencing via FaceTime or Zoom. I can record Zoom meetings and provide you with the link (available only to you), so you can refer to and review our meeting. Many students find a combination of email and video meetings works well.
Email consultation allows both you and me to work together without being on a strict schedule. I try my best to answer emails within five business days, and often it’s within just a couple of days. But it can be longer depending on my schedule.
To arrange a phone or a video conference, email me at sarah@sarahveblen.com to schedule a mutually convenient time. I’m usually available within a week or ten days.
Payment
Prepay via check or online, in half-hour increments, up to 2 hours, for one or multiple sessions.
Consultation fee: $180. per hour
Muslin Guidelines
For fitting questions, having your fitting muslin clearly marked with a horizontal balance line (HBL) and the center front is extremely helpful to me. Information about marking and sewing a fitting muslin is on pages 33-34 of my book, The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting. You can also see this short tutorial on marking and sewing your mock-up.
Photo Guidelines
If you are sending me photos of a garment or fitting issue, please follow these guidelines. Some people also find making a short 1-2 minute video using their smartphone or tablet enables them to better explain an issue or question, and you are welcome to include this as well.
Please take photos of all four sides of the garment (front, back, left and right sides). For all photos, the arms should be at rest and by your side. If you are fitting a muslin on yourself and trying to get photos, it's best if you can get someone else to take the photos, or put the camera on a tripod and use a timer. Another option that yields less accurate photos of the fitting muslin but works in a pinch is to stand in front of a mirror and take a picture of your reflection in the mirror; however, holding the camera changes your arm position and sometimes your stance, which changes how the fitting muslin sits on your body.
Be sure to take the photos with the camera placed at the same level as the garment. If someone is taking the photos for you, this means he or she may need to sit or kneel down. Taking a photo while standing up looking "down" on the garment skews how the garment appears, preventing me from offering good advice. If the photos are skewed, I may need to ask you to re-take them. Use the example at left as a guide.