Being an Apprentice: Jun 12, 2007
From FiranMUX
Laurelle comes into the tailors shop to do some odd jobs as an apprentice. She's even gotten some pretty clothes too, to make sure she doesn't look too common and put people off who might demand respect. "Mer Garmon, I'm here, ready to work for you!" She calls out, looking around.
Garmon smiles quietly from his post at the work station and pats a stool, "Well, young one, come on in here and sit down." He chuckles and says, "I trust that you are well, that you are staying out of trouble and the like?" He thinks a moment and says, "Oh, yes, we were going to work on your outfit today, weren't we." He smiles and says, "First of all, let's look at the colors," He pulls out swatches of linen cloth and says, "Which is appealing to you for a base color. For a rainbow outfit, I would say you would need a base to be more white or black, but you can pick."
Laurelle walks over and hops onto the stool to look at what you're doing. "Ooh, uhm.. black is nice, I've got lots of white tunics already!" She says, "I'm staying out of trouble, but I've been trying to find a kind artist.. Since I'm gonna be a tailor when I'm older, I wanted to learn how to draw, so I could design my clothes before I make them, and come up with nice ideas too, for when we make stuff together." She says, kicking her feet back and forth between the legs of the stool. "I bought the tools and lots of papyrus too, but I didn't know what to do with it all.
Garmon chuckles and says, "Well, surely we can find someone to teach you. I will put the word out and see what we can come up with. I think that is a wonderful idea, Laurelle, to sketch the designs. You might be very good at designing before you begin to sew." He motions for a moment and says, "Let's get this area cleaned up and we will work on your outfit." He moves all the unfinished clothing off to the side and smiles, "I think that will do for now." He pulls out a long piece of black cloth and takes out the papyrus scroll, "Now, see here, these are your measurements. You were 4 knots tall, so we need to cut the fabric to reflect that." He nods and pulls out the rope, laying it on the fabric, counting out 4 knots, he cuts.
Laurelle helps you to keep the fabric nice and flat for when you cut it and smiles, "Oooh, wonder if I'll be five knots tall when I'm an adult!" She says with a smile, pulling the rope to one side once you start cutting, to help keep the place tidy, "This fabric is linen, isn't it?.. Made from... uhm... Flax?.." She asks, trying to remember what she'd learned from a farmer who grows flax.
Garmon nods his head and says, "Yes Laurelle, this is linen and it is made from flax, now, actually, we may need to make some more cloth, you are 4 knots tall and I only have about 3 knots worth of cloth." He rummages, seeing if he has an flax left in the storage. He smiles and says, "Now, I predye my fabrics and leave them around to use later. What we will do is cut another piece this length and stitch them together to make the tunic. We won't cut the hem until they are stitched, because we don't want to make it too short."
Laurelle nods her head wth a smile, "Whats predye? Is that like, you make the colour of the fabric before making the fabric?" She asks, hoping she has the concept right, "And whats a hem?" she queries, looking over the fabric as you talk to her, she wants to make sure she learned everything in as much depth as possible.
Garmon chuckles and holds up the two pieces of linen, making sure he has cut them evenly. "To pre-dye the fabric means that I dye the fabric when I make the cloth. So that when I need black fabric I have some, if I need blue, I have some. I don't dye it when I am ready to use it. Its already there." He motions for her to stand and says, "A hem is where the bottom of your tunic will stop." He holds of the fabric, to her shoulder and it falls the four knots to her ankles, "Now, see you aren't old enough to wear a stola." He takes a hand and rests it just above her knees, "So your hem will be cut to here."
"Oooh, above my knee?.. I like stuff that comes just above my knee!" She says, "Makes me look pretty!" Then she stands up and watches as you let the fabric roll down to her ankles. "I could do some dyeing too, since I'm working for you. I bet there's lots I could do for you like that, and it sounds like fun."
Garmon nods his head quietly, pinning where the hem should be cut. He makes a mark on the black fabric, just below the pinned section, so that he can see it. "Now, we need to figure out how we want this to be rainbow for you." He pulls out another material, its a linen, though it seems to have been woven much thinner, almost mesh than natural linen cloth. "I will dye this in graduating colors, so that the hues blend. We use this over the black base, so that it will sparkle in the light, each of the threads are seperate colored sections and blend together nicely." He lays the black piece and the thinner piece on top of it on the table to demonstrate.
Laurelle listens intently rather than query everything every second, so that she can simply learn for a moment. She asists you in putting the fabrics into their layered form. "Ooh, so you can see the black behind the linen.. Thats clever! I'd never be so clever to have thought of that, but I'm going to have to learn to be clever too!"
Garmon nods his head and says, "Now, you can see how we dye things in the shop." He smiles and moves to take out a series of clay bowls, all with many shades of colors, and many different colors. "Now then, we will do this in pretty colors." he takes up the thinner piece of fabric and begins to dip the fabric in each bowl in turn. Holding it out to make sure the colors don't mix on top of each other, but that they blend nicely, fading from one hue to the next. He sets it aside and says, "We will let that dry and then, we will add some sparkle to it." he winks at her and says, "For now, though, we will pin the rest of your measurements." He hands the knotted rope to Laurelle and says, "Now. Your shoulders are 2 knots. Can you measure that here?" He motions to the black fabric now on the table and hands her the pins.
Laurelle watches in awe, as if dyeing fabric were some kind of magic, "Goes in white.. comes out red.. Goes in white.. comes out yellow.." She says, scratching her head somewhat. Given a task though she puts her curiousity to one side then wanders over to the fabric with the rope. She looks at it, and follows the knots down the rope, the first pair were the length, she recalls, the next pair must be the shoulders maybe. She takes the knot then holds it in one corner of the fabric, takes a pin and pushes it through the rope into the black linen, holds it straight then stabs another pin, through the second knot into the fabric beneath then looks up, seemingly proud, "Like that?"
Garmon claps his hands and nods, "Yes, Laurelle, just like that!" He gives her a rewarding little chuckle and says, "Now, we will need to find out where your head will be. So, with the pins, and be careful now young one, let's slip it on over your head." He picks up the garment, and says, "Your arms will be able to stick out the sides for now, we will pin those when you get it on, but first, we need to make sure you have ample room to move your head." He pauses, "Now in most cases, you won't be trying these on with a person, so you have to guess, unless your client has enough time to come in for a second fitting as you are doing now."
Laurelle giggles, "And I don't need to get changed to do this?" She asks, wondering if it'll fit over the top if she's already wearing clothes, but holds her arms out all the same, so as not to be a nuissance. "Can't you measure on the rope where a head will be, and add two extra knots for it, or is that a silly idea, Mer?"
Laurelle giggles, "And I don't need to get changed to do this?" She asks, wondering if it'll fit over the top if she's already wearing clothes, but holds her arms out all the same, so as not to be a nuissance. "Can't you measure on the rope where a head will be, and add two extra knots for it, or is that a silly idea, Mer?"
Garmon chuckles and says, "Well, when you don't have the client in your presence it is a good idea to do that, you are a very smart young mes." he pulls the fabric over her head, and starts to mark the head spots, "But this way you can pin the arms and the place you want to cut the neckline." he motions to the fabric being right up under her chin and says, 'See, no one wants a neckline that high, even the stiffest of noblewomen, thus, we can gauge where we want to cut it." He marks off the neckline, just at her collarbone and says, "That's a proper length there, you will do fine with that."
Laurelle watches, as best she can whilst being the 'dummy' and chuckles, "Hard to see, but I can get the idea from the feelings I'm getting where you are marking stuff!" She says. "It isn't too complicated so far, except for the magic dyeing stuff." She says, trying her best to keep as still as possible for you to do your thing with the fabric.
Garmon chuckles and begins to take the sides in and motions for her to hold up her arms, "Now we will work on the arm slots. I will pin underneath, now be careful how you move Laurelle, we don't want you getting poked with anything." He chuckles and says, "I think you need a little flare to your tunic, so we will add a small sleeve at the top, here, see, to cap the shoulders. And we will add some beads up there to add sparkle." He smiles and adds, "You will surely look FABULOUS, when we get done."
Laurelle looks at you a little worriedly, as you didn't answer her question earlier, and are now taking the fabric in a little more, "Uhm, Mer Garmon, if you start making everything fit now, its going to be baggy isn't it? My tunic is a lil baggy right now, so that I can grow into it." She says, but silently wondering if you have some tailors trick for it that she isn't aware of.
Garmon smiles lightly at the girl and shakes his head, "No, see you learn that you always allow for more room in the beginning, and then when you actually cut, you have about 1 knot to work with. See these smaller knots here between these two big ones?" He holds up the rope, pointing out what looks like a modern ruler of knots. In larger increments there are small knots to give small increments. "This will allow me to have a precise fit for you." he motions, "Now, up with your arms, young mes, and we will see what we have to work with." He smiles and says, "I think that dye might be almost dry, let's open a window and let the air in, that will speed things up a bit."
Laurelle nods, "See, I knew all along that you had a trick for it!" She says, to try and cover her ignorance a little, and looking a little relieved too, for reasons she isn't revealing. She holds her arms up gently, and hopes that you didn't pin through her other tunic, in case you pull it off, and to ensure you don't, grips the ther between her knees. "You're clever Mer Garmon."
Garmon chuckles, "You learn all sorts of new tricks and when you have gone and visited as many cities I have, and confered with as many tailors as I have, you begin to swap out tricks of the trade, things that work for you, and they may not work for others, but then you learn how to do things like signature cuts or designs. Like this overlay we have here." he points to the drying dyed piece, "I think its ready for some sparkle." He pulls out a small bar of silver and another clay jar, "Now, you ready to see how to make clothing shine?" Garmon's blue eyes twinkle a bit with mystery.
Laurelle blinks at the bar of silver, then to you, "T..thats... more money than I've ever seen!" She claims, she has seen bars of silver, usually through windows though as nobles did things with them between other nobles. "Yes please, I wanna watch this, are you really going to use silver on the fabric?" She asks, "Isn't it expensive?"
Garmon smiles a bit and pours into the clay jar a thick white, pearly dye, "Well, we are going to use a small amount of it yet, just for some sparkle." He takes out his jeweler's tools, this is why being a jeweler comes in handy. He starts to take the tools, holding the small bar of silver over the jar and begins to pick away at the bar, "See how the small flecks of silver, fall into the dye, we will use that over the colored fabric, to add some shine." He winks at her and says, "I don't think you are strong enough yet to be able to use these tools, so I will do that, and you can stir it up for me."
Laurelle nods her head at you as she starts to stir the dye for you whilst you add the flecks of real silver, looking a little surprised. "Silver in a dress.. wow." She says, then adds, "I'm strong, I'm a Griffon, and I'm over ten summers old too!" She says, nodding, but still mixing, managing not to make a mess as she's so not wanting to waste any silver flecks at all.
Garmon chuckles and says, "Now, I know you think this makes a tunic more expensive, but in reality.." He shakes off the silver bar, "We don't use a lot to begin with. Now, what we will do is dip this brush into clay jar, what we want is a very very light stroke of the dye over this colored fabric. Enough to see through and only add shine." He demonstrates first, taking the brush, dipping it in the jar and pressing out the excess dye with another tool, "We don't want it to clump or to be too thick, or you won't be able to see the colors in some spots." He smiles and says, "Now. See how the flecks stay in place, but they are only noticeable when you look real close."
Laurelle watches intently, like she were watching Alchemy at work and her eyes lit up like stars in the night sky. "Really?.. so all that silver costs almost nothing to add?" She asks, eyes still firmly locked on the painted fabric, as if willing it to dry so she can see what will happen, "Uh huh, I see, I see! Wow, this is fun to watch, and fun to do!"
Garmon smiles and says, "You want to try? Its easy as pie," He pauses and says, "Now, I am not saying that it doesn't cost anything to put the flecks in the dye, only that you don't use enough for it to put a large dent in your steni pouch. That is, if you can afford the silver." He smiles and hands the brush to Laurelle, "I will let you finish up this, and you and I will start cutting the fabric to the proper length when you are finished." He sits his old bones down on the stool again and smiles, "I am glad you are enjoying the lesson."
Laurelle takes the brush and starts delicately painting the fabric, and trying to be as careful as possible, with silver in there she doesn't want to be slap-dash, even if the prospect of tonnes of silver appeals to her. She paints up, she paints down, then stops to recharge her brush again, using that toll you used earlier to squeeze out the excess before starting again in a fresh patch, trying her utmost to make it look even and thinly applied, perhaps taking way more time than needed as a result.
Garmon leans over to look at her progress and smiles, "You are doing a fine job, Laurelle, a fast learner we got here." he nods his head, "Now, when you finish with that, you just let me know, and we will start working on the base here and cutting it." He pulls the black fabric to him, putting out the scissors to cut with and busies himself smoothing the fabric, and readying it for cutting.
Laurelle continues on painting away, after all, this is to be hers, so taking her time with it will ensure she has the prettiest outfit in the land. But, even so, she can't take forever on it, and eventually she says, "I've done it!.. I'm going to eat a snack whilst it dries!" She says, reaching into her backpack for something.
Garmon nods his head and says, "Well, wonderful!" He claps a bit and motions with a hand to have her watch, whilst she eats her treat, "It looks lovely. So we will let that dry, it shouldn't take long." Now, as he talks, he starts to cut. He watches her, talking and explaining the proper way to cut fabric, the difference in the measurements. He doesn't seem to be paying attention to the actual cutting, but cut he does as he speaks and stops to show her aspects of the cutting.
Laurelle offers some of the jerky beef over to Garmon with a smile, "You want to eat something too?" She asks, smiling as she sits back down in her stool after she moved it closer, feeding her bunny on the floor a small baby carrot she bought this morning. "Aren't you concentrating on what you're doing, Mer Garmon?" She asks, chewing the last of her meat and swallowing.
Garmon tilts his head and says, "Well, yes of couse, I am concentrating. When you have been doing this as long as I have been, you get to where you can feel the pins and cut as accordingly." He chuckles and says, "All cut, see now." he starts to pull the thread from out of the bottom of the work station, threading a needle. "Now, you can learn to stitch." He nods and says, "This part will take the longest of everything, but now that we have your overlay drying and now, the cutting is done, we will start the stitching part, so that it holds together.
Laurelle shakes her head, "Oh wow, I would have to stare at it to do that!" she exclaims, and watches as you pull a sharp thing from the workstation, "A needle!.. I've... seen one of those.. " She doesn't expand on it, and even frowns a little, though you'd need to be perceptive to notice, and says, "Uhm.. You can sew, I'll watch for now.. maybe start sewing something smaller, so I don't make mistakes on a loverly tunic.."
Garmon chuckles and says, "Well, yes, when we start your actual practice, we will work on pouches and dolls first." He nods his head and says, "Now..if you notice, we need to start the stitch, we will need to make sure that the shoulders and the sides stay together. Because we have a black base, and the overlay will be the center piece, we can stitch the seams with black thread." He smiles, "What we need to do first, is turn your garment inside out, this way, the seams are not seen when you wear it."
Laurelle noddles eagerly, "I could make a matching pouch for all my money!" She says, with a slight giggle and starts to lean on you a bit, so she can get a better look as you work, "Why not use white thread, wouldn't that make it prettier?" She asks, a lil thick perhaps, but hey, this is all new to her.
Garmon grins at her, as he has made the garment inside out now, he pokes the needle through the fabric at the shoulder pins and pulls the thread through, "Well, you can use whatever thread you want. I think for this first garment for you, we will try something a bit..subdued. We have a flashy overlay and it will bring focus to that, and most of the time," He pauses quietly, starting to make little stitching down the line, "You don't want too busy of a tunic, so that people don't have to look at every inch of the garment, the overlay is already going to bring eyes to the attention on you."
Laurelle smiles, "I'm going to get attention? From a tunic? Wow, I'll feel like a Noble lady!" She says, stepping down from her stool and twirling as she imagines what it'd be like to have such pretty clothes in public. She can be such a day-dreamer at times. "Okay, black thread it is. But, I might have to go shortly, its my turn to clean the kitchen up." She says, looking for some hint as to the time of day it may be.
Garmon smies and says, "Yes, well, you go and do that, and then when you come back, the stitches will be done and we will attach the overlay, alright." He nods his head as she twirls and chuckles a bit, "You will get all the attention needed for a small girl. We don't want you to look too overly made up, above your station." he smiles and motions, "You scurry on home and when you come back we will talk about the applying of the rest of your tunic."
Laurelle nods, walks over and hugs you, gingerly, as she doesn't want to nudge you at all. "Thank you Mer Garmon, its been a reallly fun day for me. When I get back I'm going to practice doing it, so that I remember." She says, smiling, "I'll be back tomorrow morning, okay?" She says, "Goodbye Mer!" She calls out, picking up her backpack and her bunny, then looking for the remainder of her expensive preserved meat, if any even remains at all.
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