That one time a client told me my pleats looked like origami gone wrong

I was working on a pleated skirt for a local boutique in Portland and the owner, Janet, looked at it and said they looked like a crumpled paper fan. She was right, the spacing was all off because I was rushing through the pressing step. Now I take the time to measure each fold with a ruler and pin them twice before ironing, it adds 20 minutes per panel but the finished pieces actually hang straight. Has anyone else gotten feedback that made them totally rework their process?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_julia1mo ago

Oh lord, nothing like being told your work looks like a craft project gone sideways. At least you can fold it into a paper airplane and fly away from the critique.

benlewis1mo ago

Did you ever have one of those art teachers in school who would walk around and say things like "interesting texture" in a tone that made you want to throw your project in the trash? I had a ceramics teacher back in the 90s who told me my vase looked like a melted garden gnome. I was so proud of that thing too. Spent weeks on it. Now I can't even look at garden gnomes without feeling a little embarrassed. It's funny how those offhand comments stick with you years later.