Progress Pics

Does this message look familiar: “Hey Nicole! We are so excited to meet with you next month for Dancer’s first fitting! Do you have any progress pics you can share with us?”

Dun dun DUNNNNNNNN!

This is a difficult one to maneuver around. For many reasons. I might regret this, but let’s just dive into the several scenarios surrounding this dreaded question:

• The costume pieces are all cut out, flat-lined, basted together, but certainly not resembling an actual costume yet. I can’t send them a picture of costume pieces...they’ll freak out.

• The costume is somewhat put together, but has no trim or other embellishments. And they are sure to respond with “it’s so plain”

• It’s friggin’ 7pm and dark outside. Which means no natural light. Which means if I take a picture, the recessed lighting in my sewing room will show every single imperfection. Kind of like the lighting in a dressing room while you’re trying on bathing suits. Yikes.

• And finally, you haven’t even started the costume yet because the first fitting is 2 weeks away…what do they want, a picture of the fabric nicely folded? I can’t send them a picture of that. They’ll freak out. Again.

It’s a delicate dance. Pun intended. And I treat this question differently for every single client. Have we worked together before? Or is this our first project together? What is the personality of the client? Has the client micromanaged every textile and trim choice? Or did she say “Whatever you think” (cue the angels singing in the background because this is my favorite response). 

More times than not, I usually answer: “I don’t routinely send progress photos. Let’s wait until the costume is nearly complete and then I can send some shots!”

The reason for this answer is that we have already settled on a design through a consultation and a sketch I have sent (with the disclaimer: “I’m a better at sewing than drawing, so bear with me!”) And, honestly, the finished costume is in my head. And duh. The client can’t see inside my head. It would be like walking through a house being built and just the frame is up.. And the architect or GC says: “Isn’t it great?? Can’t you see how beautiful this kitchen/living room/ bedroom will be?” And I’m thinking: No. No, I can’t. All I see are studs. Ughh…

Every Maker has their own way of handling this, but the question “To send? Or not to send?” is always a tricky one!

WELCOME TO THE MACHINE

I’m a simple gal. My wardrobe is an unflashy mix of ivory, brown and black. I wear blue jeans every day. My HAIR is even low maintenance. (I rocked a pixie cut for 10 years, and am now back to a no-frills bob that I usually just air dry and let my curls do what they please).So it shouldn’t surprise you when I tell you my daily-use machines are along these same lines. So let’s talk about them:

Singer 20U

Industrial Singer 20U
Well, there aren’t many industrial machines that can do a straight stitch AND a zigzag, so I have what probably many of you have: a Singer 20U. Is it the one that’s made in China, or Japan? I don’t freakin’ know. I fell down that ridiculous rabbit hole one weekend trying to figure out which one I bought, because I heard the Japanese-built ones are better. But I gave up after a fruitless search, because it works, and right now that’s all that matters. It’s a workhorse with little finesse. I use it for sewing on the layers of a tutu, but it wreaks havoc on silk and chiffon. Which is why I have my…

Janome HD1000

Janome HD1000
No bells or whistles either. It does a lovely straight stitch, stretch stitch, and I bar-tack like a beast with it. It has all metal parts and no computer, and my favorite feature: an intuitively placed reverse lever. (Ugh, don’t get me started on my former Pfaff machine that had a reverse BUTTON! At the top of the machine! Like, on what planet is this a user-friendly thing??? How many times did I hit it by mistake with my knuckle??? Shall I go on…) The best thing about this Janome? It’s under $400. I know. A steal. So I bought 2, and let my daughter use the other one to make her own leotards. Take that, overpriced dancewear!!! In yo face.

And then this brings us to the famous (or infamous)...

Johnson Ruffler

If you’ve been in the tutu industry long enough, you’ve heard of the Johnson Ruffler. It’s a retro-fitted Singer 15 with a bar drilled through the body of it with a crazy saw-toothed piece of metal that swings back forth, pushing your net into beautiful pleats…yes, it makes beautiful pleats. So we suck it up and take the bad with the good. What do I mean by this? This cockamamie machine is amazingly efficient when it’s in a good mood. But when it’s in a bad mood…it’s like a trifling ex-boyfriend, destroying everything in its path (thread included) and makes you question your life choices. So what’s the trick? Keep your stitch length longer than the machine allows, and keep the bad boy oiled. Like a 1970’s sunbather.

So there you go. A brief glimpse into my daily-use machines. The simpler, the better.

“YES.”

I’m back again for Tutu Tea Tuesday. On Thursday. Ready to spill? 

Let’s talk about the word “YES.” One of the loveliest responses a young, eager wannabe seamstress could hope to hear…

So let’s go back to the beginning. Before this first dance studio gig mentioned in my previous post, I had been stalking the New York City Ballet website regarding an open position for a stitcher. This was in 2012. The only sewing experience I had was from my high school fashion class, and some basic alterations I fumbled through for local military members when I lived near Travis AFB in California. So, I mean, let’s be honest, no fine-tuned skills. 

I sweated through 3-hour long sewing interviews at David’s Bridal, Fontana Bridal Salon, and…are you ready…the famous Kleinfeld’s in NYC (think “Say Yes to the Dress”). These sewing skill tests were not supposed to last 3 hours. But that’s how long it took me…to change out a zipper. I really had some pair of nuts (excuse my French). No fear. Just drive. I attacked my goal full force: I wanted to sew for a living.

How was my NYCB sewing interview in 2012? Non-existent. I got one of those polite “we don’t think you have enough experience” emails. They were totally right.

But I kept going, even after the constant stream of “NO’s.” 

After leaving my first dance studio gig (see previous post) and moving on to greener pastures, I had enough confidence (real or imagined, I’m not sure) to cold-email EVERY SINGLE dance studio within a 50 mile radius. OMG do you want to read my very first cold email? YES? Here it is:

Dear (Director’s Name),

I am a local tutu maker, located in Westchester County, New York. If your company or your students are ever in need of tutus for performances or competitions, I hope you will keep me in mind. 

I have attached a few photos of my work and have included my website in my signature line.

Please do not hesitate to contact me---I would love to answer any questions.

Respectfully,

Nicole Roque

That was it. Short and sweet. With 4 of my best photos attached. And a link to my current website, which may have been just one page. (I believe it was a WordPress blog that I had made to look like a legitimate website. I had heard from somewhere that a website legitimizes your business.)

I think I sent out 30 emails from my brand spanking new Gmail address that was completely empty except for the “Welcome to Gmail” email.  

And then I got it. My first real “YES.” From one of the better known studios in my area. I walked in there like I knew exactly what I was doing. I must have put on a good show because I walked out with a few alteration jobs, and then the rest is history. I still work with this studio today, and just built a new Snow Corps for them this past season.

And want to know something else? I reapplied to New York City Ballet (Hi Jarod!) in 2022. I actually got a chance to take a sewing test in the costume shop, which was like walking into the Yankee Stadium locker room. I mean, I died right there. And after that interview I got my most favorite “YES” of my career.

Will I disappoint you in saying I didn’t take the NYCB job? Well, I didn’t take it. I wasn’t going to be able to juggle the commute and be a good mom at the same time, so I declined the offer. And Jarod asked me, “....ARE YOU SURE?” 

And I said, “YES.”

The “B” Word

Welcome to Tutu Tea Tuesday. That’s right. I’m spilling secrets. About myself, that is. It’s all of the embarrassing moments, tough lessons, and humiliating experiences I’d prefer to shove down deep, and deny that they ever happened..

But alas, my trash is your treasure trove of knowledge. So let’s get started.

Today, boys and girls, we’ll start off with one of the very first tough lessons I learned as far as working with a studio. And it involves the “B” word…BARTERING.

Like many new makers, I got my start at my daughter’s first dance school. I had signed up for, and attended, Tutu School with Claudia Folts, and proudly brought my first tutu to my daughter’s school to show the director. I forget how the exact conversation went, but it was to the effect of: We’ll pay you for materials, and you provide us with costumes, in exchange for your daughter’s dance tuition.

Jackpot, right? Um, no. Because we all know that SOMEONE ENDS UP WITH THE SHITTY END OF THE DEAL. And that person was me. I kept telling myself “this is great! I’m learning my craft AND my daughter is getting dance lessons!” In reality, I had become an indentured servant, not only making costumes for the small professional company attached to the school, but was doing alterations, and working backstage every performance…and ultimately letting the director take advantage of me. She could smell my desperation for approval, the need to belong to this dance world, “free” dance lessons for my kid, and the list goes on.

And as you can imagine, the whole thing came crashing down when tea hit the streets that I had taken my daughter to an audition at a competing school! My kid was subsequently kicked out of the school, and the director proceeded to smack-talk me to all of the parents, while clutching my VERY FIRST TUTU I EVER MADE. ( She still has it, by the way.)

Now, in retrospect, this was a blessing. It was a clean break from the school. I didn’t have to figure out how I was going to start charging them for my work after they had gotten it for a bargain for 4 years. And, I now had 4 years of costume making and alterations experience to add to my teeny tiny resume.

So, my friends, I would advise against bartering. Ask the studio to send you an invoice for your dancer’s tuition, and you send them an invoice for your work. Not only is it a cleaner relationship, but it’s also better for the poor accountant who is already rolling his/her eyes at your P & L…

WELCOME

Welcome! I’ve met some of you in person at the first TMN event in the summer of 2024, I’ve spoken to some of you over the phone for various reasons, and I’ve interacted with many of you through social media! I’m so happy that you are as excited as I am about TMN.

The TMN website is literally 72 hours old. As you can see, I’m still trying to figure out how to organize it effectively and make it user-friendly. I have so many ideas, and am really just trying to harness them, because as we all know, the creation, or design phase can be chaotic, before the calmer construction phase can happen.

So as the dust settles from breaking ground on the website, I would love to hear from you. Tell me what’s going on in your personal tutu world! How’s business? What’s going on with the dancers these days? What trends are you noticing in the costume orders you are receiving? I want to know.

Warmly,
NIcole Roque
TUTU MAKER NETWORK