Coming down to the wire now -tomorrow starts the first ever, low fabric minimums wholesale show in New York City. Again, if you’re interested in meeting the gang, let us know to expect you. Jay has the membership list; see him to get a perk to place on your show badge so you can identify other F-I members easily. If you have no idea what I’m banging on about, catch up on the details.

Speaking of trade shows, we’re in home stretch for the Las Vegas February Market shows, aka Magic et al which open February 12th. Without fail two weeks from now, people are going to complain that they couldn’t source the fabric or services they had expected to at the show. It doesn’t seem to matter how many times I say this is not the optimal show for that, people think they will find that which eluded everyone else. Toward that end, this public service announcement is required reading –Don’t go to Magic to buy fabric. I’m not saying not to go because the experience will be invaluable but the research you do is that of learning the ins and outs of wholesale selling, not a leg up on getting inputs and suppliers to produce it.

And as is often the case, follows is a selection of entries published on this site for this week in history over the past nearly seven years. We’ll be coming up on our seventh anniversary soon -February 14th I believe. Likewise, there’s the archives page which is a running list of site content. Have a great week!

January 20, through February 2, 2006
What do fashion designers earn?
Fashion design isn’t glamorous
How to make a line sheet
Color numbers
Importance of Product Identification pt. 2
Nameless Tutorial #9
Suffering Unappreciated Inventor
Manufacturing organic home furnishings
Button sewing problems?
Designer’s guide to a business plan
Bias match-stripe
Piece rate is good
Sending patterns off for correction
How to make a line sheet pt.2
Analyzing sales by size

January 20, through February 2, 2007
If your contractor competes with you
The power of a good (or bad) review
Does the devil really wear Prada?
MAGIC Show February 2007
Fix this: mitten contest pt 4
Patternworks Inc
Pet Peeve: Cutters and Mixed Markers
Setting up a small shop

January 20, through February 2, 2008
Finding the right needle size in the Haystack pt.1
Mexico city architecture
Trip report: Seattle Trend Show
Finding the right needle size in the Haystack pt.2
News from you 1/24/08
Problem sewing contractor
Pattern puzzle: Parrot jacket 2
Japanese Vionnet book
Old school grading method?

January 20, through February 2, 2009
Where and how to get markers printed
CAD software compatibility in marker making
Pop Quiz 481: What’s wrong with this collar?
Pop Quiz 481: What’s wrong with this collar? pt.2
Pattern Puzzle: Origami Sleeve
How the industry has changed forever

January 20, through February 2, 2010
What if plus sizes made up 80% of the market?
Cutting too close to the bone
Men’s vs Women’s: Plus size apparel
Tagless labels and latex allergies
Dream Sample Room
Organic cotton ‘fraud’
Pattern Puzzle: pick one
Pattern puzzle: pick one pt.2
GMO cotton: good or bad?

January 20, through February 2, 2011
Getting things done when you’re not in charge pt.2
Getting things done when you’re not in charge pt.3
How to know if you need digital or paper patterns
The secret to starting a successful children’s clothing line
Knit fabrics research question
Textile geek fest
Grading machine patents
Getting things done when you’re not in charge pt.4
8 mistakes on your About page