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Wednesday

My first internship! (Dressmaking, beading, alterations and more)

Share on Tumblr Okay ladies and Gents its been a while but I'm finally back! These past few months have honestly been so hectic. There's been ups and downs and hardly anytime for fun; but in the midst of figuring everything out for college, housing etc, taking classes and working part time I've managed to find myself a truly amazing internship on my own! In the past month, I've already learned so much and I'm very excited to share with you all what I'm working on, where I've been, who I've met and everything in between during this experience.
Sewing cat sews! *so cute*

 So Tay what does the internship consist of? 
     Basically right now I'm working with an amazing experienced Dressmaker/Seamstress named Michelle Nnolum. Michelle has recently opened up a storefront called Sew Pretty Studio, in Haddonfield New Jersey where she does alterations, designs and constructs custom made gowns/ wedding dresses and is now teaching classes for sewing. And although the store is new, Michelle has worked in the industry and been affiliated with different stores like Macy's and Saks 5th avenue for over 20 years! While working with Michelle I'll be working on alterations, bead work, lace applique, constructing garments, cutting out patterns (basically anything and everything she needs help with lol) etc.  
Lets go back in time to the beginning of the summer. After being less than fulfilled at my artistic and design oriented deli job at Wawa (sarcasm heavily included); I decided it was time for me to start looking for potential internship opportunities during the summer. Of course I stayed involved in fashion and costume design while I was out of school; looking for the right college to transfer into, and I kept myself busy with different personal projects (this blog included), designing different costumes,and making collages.  I was confident in my drawing skills but in my sewing abilities...ehhh not so much. Sure I looked up videos on you-tube and bought books on sewing ("Sewing for dummies" anyone?), but who can beat real life experience! 

 l wanted to do more.I wanted to learn about my craft and learn how to do it right! But most of all;I didn't want to be alone anymore.

I wanted to be around people who were passionate about the same things I was; who was actually making a successful living in an industry where that's one in a million. To meet new people and be inspired!



How did you get it? 
       When I say obtaining this internship was one of the least difficult things I've ever done, I really do mean it! It was as simple as asking a question, being at the right place in the right time and pursuing it. Lets be honest, the thought of doing an internship can be really scary especially if your trying to find it on your own without the help of your school or career services. When looking at a bunch of internship websites I felt so intimidated! I wanted the internship because I wanted to learn but it seemed like the ones that were listed catered to people who graduated, or already had a bunch of experience! I knew I needed to try another avenue.

A close friend of mine (check out her blog here)  actually got her internship by going to a company that never interned students before but created an internship position for her after she expressed her desire to intern there. Her story inspired me to do the same and I could only think of one place that I really connected to.I loved my senior prom dress so much, and the alterations done on it made it fit perfectly and made me feel like a goddess. 


I knew I wanted my internship to come from Jans boutique.

The first thing I did was call Jans Boutique where I was informed that the store contracted out their seamstresses (which basically means that they work with the seamstresses rather than the seamstresses working for them). They encouraged me to come into the store to talk the seamstresses. 

Now this is where being at the right place in the right time kind of came in handy. When I got to the store; I explained my interest in and internship with one of the seamstresses and why I was there. At first, the woman at the front of the store seemed confused and said that she didn't really know if any of the seamstresses did internships. She was really nice but I of course was disappointed. At that point, another associate happened to come up to the front of the store to hang up a dress; her name was Charron and she also happened to  be Prom manager (which I didn't know at the time). She heard some of our conversation and instantly mentioned Michelle. She told me that Michelle was really the only one that did internships and had even hired some of them. She told me all about the different projects she had done and what she specialized in; she also gave me Michelle's card to contact her. To say the least I was very excited! 



I emailed Michelle explaining how I got her contact information, why I was emailing, my background with fashion and costume design and what I hoped to achieve and learn while interning with her. She emailed me back and we set up a time for us to meet at her house. Meeting Michelle was a treat! Even though it was technically an internship interview; I felt so comfortable and she was so easy to talk to. As soon as I walked downstairs into her work room which was filled with color, spools, mannequins and fashion/sewing books; I knew I would learn so much from her! She loved my art portfolio and told me all about her background and the different companies she worked for/how she got into sewing. It was so nice to talk to someone who was so passionate and and knew so much about alterations and dressmaking; and was also venturing out into new things with her store. I filled out paperwork, we discussed availability, and she invited me to attend a fashion show she was doing alterations for that following week (which I could luckily go to).

Ever since then I've been going to her store a couple times every week helping her with different garment making/alteration projects and also opening her store! Its only been a month and while I feel like I've learned a lot so far I know that we've only just begun to scratch the surface(especially when prom season hits!)

But I honestly can't wait and if your still with me; then be prepared to take this journey and learn with me as I go. I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, and I know things will only get more difficult.

However, I'm up for the challenge, are you?








Thanks to all these fabulouse websites for supplying the gifs in this article


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