Sadie Fox

In my high school year book it says I wanted to be an interior decorator. However, I think what I really always wanted to be was a fashion designer. I was photographed by our high school year book committee as one of the fashionable kids in our school. Don’t judge, it was 1988.

I would sit for hours combing through the pages of Seventeen Magazine looking at the styles. I was figuring out how to replicate the look with the money I made babysitting and working at DQ. I remember painting a pair of white Keds with hot pink fabric paint, because Seventeen said it was cool. I loved those shoes. I wish I had them now. Today you can design your own Keds online at the Keds Studio.
In middle school I would spend hours upon hours sitting at the bottom of our front steps playing in a mud puddle. I sculpted little bears out of the mud and dressed them with leaves, grass and flowers.
As a younger girl I was obsessed with my Barbie dolls and would make clothes and accessories out of anything I could find. In grade school, my best friend and I even tried our hand at making paper clothes. We were trying to make costumes showing what pilgrims wore. Unfortunately, we failed the assignment. They fell apart during our presentation; but with better skills and supplies I think it could have been really cool! Check this out.
I grew up around three women who could really sew. My grandma has made porcelain dolls for as long as I can remember. She makes all of their clothes right down to the tiniest of details. Whenever I have a problem, she is the first one I call for help. My aunt is a true artist. She can paint, draw, photograph, cut paper, knit, crochet, sew…you name it. She inspires me to be creative and use my imagination. My mom is a talented sewer as well and made her own clothes when she was in school. She made her own prom dresses and her wedding dress. She also made my prom dresses. She crafted throughout my childhood and created original ideas to sell at craft shows.
So, I have been day dreaming about going back to school for fashion design. The Academy of Art University in SF offers a BFA in Fashion Design that you can take all online! BUT WAIT! Who am I kidding? I have two young girls, parent council meetings, play dates, music classes, holiday gifts to make, piles of laundry, dishes and long long lists of things I should be doing. Not to mention the price tag. So I have come up with a plan to challenge myself without a strict timeline, learn something new and hopefully have some fun.

I found this book at the library.

I plan to do all 200 projects or “workouts” and post my progress every Friday. Who knows how long this will take to complete? With exercises ranging from choosing a sketchbook and doing research all the way to draping and designing my own collection, I am sure to learn something. I have already competed Workout 1 - Choosing a sketchbook , so now on to Workout 2 - Personalize your sketchbook.