Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Heart Lab: emedemarta



Marta's handmade emedemarta creations make the sweetest gifts and are all limited editions. Wouldn't you just love to receive this I miss you deer frame purse???

1. Inspiration
I have a little notebook which I always take with me. It is where I write down all kind of ideas and where I draw some sketches and inspirational things (although many times I use any piece of paper!). I find inspiration in most of the things around me: my family and friends, my home, my favourite blogs and magazines, in materials like wood and cotton, vintage finds, old books and handicrafts, nature and above all in words like tenderness, nostalgia and melancholy. I think that after all I just need 1 lucky second for having the idea.

2. Drawing
When I decided to make the animal purses “I miss you deer” and “I miss you rabbit” I wanted to draw the animals expressing some kind of nostalgia. I spent a lot of time making sketches until I got the good ones, I’m not particularly good at drawing! I spent 3-4 hours.

3. How to do it: First decisions.
Once I get the idea I have to decide which kind of fabrics I want. In this case I found all these materials in several stores here in Barcelona. I really like touching materials and seeing how they look before buying them. The same thing happens with the frames. It’s not easy to find something like this if you don’t know where the shop is. Now I have my own list of favourite shops here in Barcelona. Finding the perfect materials usually takes me more than one day.

4. Patterns
When I have all the materials I start with the pattern. If it’s the first time I use something like metal frames I have to do a little research into it cause I am self-taught. I like going to the library and search in some books but in the end I usually search the web for tutorials. When I have learnt the basics it’s not as difficult to transform the pattern. So depending on the size and the shape I want I make my own new pattern. If it’s only this last step it takes me between 1-2 hours.

5. Cutting Pieces
I always wash the fabrics when I buy them. I like them to be clean and it’s good because they shrink what they have to. After making the pattern it’s time to iron again the fabric and cut it: twice for the exterior and twice for the lining. Then I have to whipstitch it. I usually try to cut several pieces each time, you save time this way! But for one purse it would be 10 minutes.

6. Embroidering, my favourite step
Now let’s embroider the drawing. There are many different ways to do it but I prefer to trace the drawing on a piece of thin paper (always better on a light colour tissue paper), place it wherever I prefer and then embroider it following the drawing. This is my favourite step, I love to embroider slowly, while I listen to some music or I’m talking with my friends. It takes me between 1/2 or 1 hour for these little animals.

7. Let’s sew!
Now I can sew the pieces with my sewing machine, but before I have to make and sew by hand the emedemarta label on the lining ,) It’s about 15 minutes.

8. Apply glue: the risky step
With lots of care I apply glue generously to one of the channels of the frame and to the side and top of the purse, allowing the glue to dry for a while. Then I insert the purse into the frame very gently and taking care of placing it well aligned. I repeat this step with the other side. It takes me about 20 minutes.

9. We are nearly there!
Once the purse is mounted I leave it dry for some minutes and then I sew up by hand the gap in the lining and I clean away the rest of glue with alcohol. About 20 minutes.

10. Packaging
If m is for marta d is for details ;) I can’t help appreciating each small detail in everything around me. I put lots of love and dedication in everything I make and it’s something in which I never save time. Each little purse is numbered and comes with its own cute fabric bag. It also has a small emedemarta handmade card with some care instructions. I spend more than half an hour making it.

11. Last steps
Now the purse is made. In this case I took some photos for my last catalogue. I always do it with natural light and I take lots of photos so then I spend a lot of time choosing which ones I’m going to use, I’m sooo slow. Then I edit them in Photoshop (usually levels) and then I list it on Etsy. I also spend some time giving it a name and writing a short description-story (and trying to translate it into English! ,) When the piece is sold I prepare the parcel with love! I use a safe padded envelope and I also make a small cardboard structure to protect the purse. I typewrite both addresses with my old typewriter and include a hand written thank you card with a small emedemarta’s surprise.

And that’s it! Thank you all for your sweet attention! marta

Thanks Marta!!

6 comments:

Melissa de la Fuente said...

Lovely and yes! I would love to receive this little purse as a gift, who wouldn't? :) Marta sounds like a gem and her work is perfection!
xo
Melissa

Amy (the b-line) said...

I just love this little purse and I've enjoyed reading about Marta's process. Thanks for sharing!

misako mimoko said...

lovely-lovely-lovely purse, as they are all the sweet things emedemarta does!
thanks for these great explanations.
eva

/// said...

Love this!

La AraƱa Tecla said...

It's everything soooooo beautiful!!! I think the final piece deserves the time and the process. Lucky you! You hava a gift!!

Unknown said...

oohh this is really nice


Congratulations again Marta, you are pure tenderness. I was delighted to read on your way to work. a kiss

marta