Traveling with the Latitude Z

This weekend I got my first opportunity to try out the Latitude Z while traveling.  This was a quick, easy tryout, as Adam and I, along with our son, just took a drive down the coast and stayed in a resort overnight, to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

When I got the Latitude-Z, I noticed that it doesn’t come with a built-in DVD drive.  This surprised me at first, but then I realized that, at about 1/2 inch deep, there just isn’t room for a DVD drive.  To me it is worth the sacrifice to have such a thin and lightweight computer, since all you have to do is plug the external DVD (or BluRay) drive into the side of the computer, and you are all set.  This really came in handy over the weekend - I was able to bring one of my son’s favorite DVDs on the trip with us.  I botted up the computer, plugged in the DVD drive, inserted the movie, and he was all set.  No more hotel room boredom!  Yes, I’ve been able to do this in the past with other notebook computers, but the picture and sound quality on the Latitude-Z are so much better than my past computers - the HD display in particular makes a huge difference.

The Latitude also worked really well for me to stay connected with work.  Despite being out of town for a “pleasure trip,” I did need to look up some information on the fly for a customer.  I connected remotely to my office computer, got the information I needed, and quickly sent an e-mail to the client with the information.  What might have taken an hour (calling another staff member, perhaps having someone drive to the office to look up the information) was accomplished in just a few minutes.  So convenient.  Again, I’ve done this in the past with other notebook computers, but often the display quality on a remote connection is poor, and generally the connection is also pretty slow.  With the Latitude-Z, the display was much better and there was only minimal lag time with the connection.

I also got the chance to play with a few more features.  One of the coolest features I came upon is Dell Capture.  Dell Capture is included software that allows you, through the use of the built-in webcam, to scan documents and business cards directly into the computer.  My first attempts were only partially successful (due to user error rather than the software itself), but after a little practice, I found that I could successfully scan a business card and then export it into Outlook as a contact.  Cool!  I know that there are plenty of card scanners out there, but they always seemed like overkill for  my needs.  This will be perfect for me.

So, all in all, a good weekend - a fun and relaxing time with my family, a little bit of work, and lots of fun playing with the Latitude-Z.

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Staying connected with the Latitude-Z

I’ve mentioned before how lucky I have been throughout the years to see the world, often as a result of work-related projects. These days, in addition to traveling for work-related projects, I also find myself on the road to attend a variety of industry functions and speaking engagements (such as when we were recognized by Dell as a “Trailblazing” company).

As the business has grown, I have noticed one difference from my past travels, though - the need for me to stay constantly connected with the office and my clients even when I am halfway across the world. When I travel, I of course have my iPhone, but a notebook computer is now a necessity as well. With it and a wireless internet connection, I can log onto my office desktop computer (via our company network) and do just about everything I would do on a regular day at work - prepare customer quotations and orders, access documents on my office desktop or even on our company network, and so much more - almost as if I was sitting in my office at work rather than in a hotel room 100s or 1,000s of miles away.

My relationship with Dell Computers has been a huge help in this area. Recently they suggested that I try their newest notebook computer, the Latitude-Z, and I am so glad they did - it really is an incredible machine.

When I unpacked all the boxes for the Latitude-Z Package, I was impressed before I even booted up the computer. First, let me say how well it was packaged for shipping. The components were shipped via Fed Ex in several cartons - laptop itself in one box, other components in additional boxes.

Dell really does a good job in packaging the components to ensure that they arrive in good condition, using inner boxes, molded foam, and molded cardboard pieces. Nothing is going to slide around or get damaged in shipping - no way! But on the other hand, it also didn’t seem like there was a bunch of extra unnecessary packaging - just enough to keep everything safe and organized.

But it was my first look at the computer that really threw me for a loop. It is gorgeous - sleek and modern and oh so thin! Pictures really don’t do it justice. The first thing I noticed was the color. It is a beautiful Black Cherry (burgundy/black) color. The next thing to hit me was the size - it is amazingly thin and so lightweight! My previous laptop was about the same size (in terms of screen size, I mean), but it is so much heavier and bulkier. What a difference with the Latitude-Z. But even though it is thin and lightweight, it is still a good working size, at about 15″ x 9 ½”, with a 16″ diagonal screen.

I decided to spend my first excursion on the Latitude-Z exploring all that it had to offer. And it really does have some fun bells and whistles. The first thing I noticed was how great the wireless inductive charging stand is. I have never used charging pads or anything of that nature, so this was new to me. I plugged in the charging stand and set the Latitude-Z on top. The computer fit perfectly on the stand - no need for trial and error to get it in the right position. I booted up the computer, and almost instantly I saw that the computer was charging. It was time to start exploring.

I decided to check out the high definition display by pulling in some photos from the company digital file storage. The photo display was incredible - light years away from my previous laptop. I couldn’t believe the detail in the photographs - just amazing. I then opened a video - even more incredible. The detail is at least as good as (maybe even better than) my HD television. Wow! The sound is also great.

This really is a great notebook, and I am looking forward to putting it through some trials, including my first foray into travelling with it. I’ll keep you posted.

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Electronic Samples??

Do you need to touch a textile in order to fully appreciate it?  Or is there a way to photograph it or shoot video of it in order to show off the properties of the cloth?

In this super-digital “I wanted it yesterday” microwave kind of world, it comes as no surprise that many of our clients don’t have time to approve samples - there is just no time to wait for samples to come in, be mailed or Fed Exed.  The projects ships next week - or worse yet, tomorrow!

And even when there is (a little) time to send out samples, think about what they may be costing us - all of us - in terms of the environment.  Let’s take a single sample pack with 4 different fabric swatches inside as an example.  As a Just-In-Time provider and a non-stocking manufacturer, putting together just one sample kit for a customer goes something like this:

• Call the fabric mill / supplier and check availability of fabrics in question
• Order a yard of each fabric from the mill / supplier to be sent to our location via Fed Ex Overnight for labeling
• Dispatch the sample kit to the client via Fed Ex Overnight

At this point, there is not even an order yet!  And at least two Fed Ex packets have been sent.  If the fabrics came from multiple mills / suppliers, or if the customer required multiple sets of the sample kit to be sent (perhaps 1 to the set designer and another to the lighting designer), there could have been 4 or 6 or 8 Fed Ex packets sent for this one project alone.  And if none of the fabrics work out, or if the design changes, the whole process may start again.

It is not about the financial cost - which could be as little as eight dollars or as much as $150.  It is about the cost to the environment to send all of these Fed Ex packets flying throughout the country (and even worldwide).  The gas, the emissions, the traffic conjestion.  Last week we sent out 7 sample kits via Fed Ex Overnight - and that’s just what went out from here - it doesn’t count incoming Fed Ex packages with samples from our suppliers.

So - perhaps the answer is to have a video archive of all commonly used fabrics - showing them in a controlled environment, subjected to the same lighting and motion.  While it would not combat the fact that the color you see on a video is probably not true to the fabric, it would give a designer a better idea of what the cloth is going to do and how it will react to lighting.  If I were a marketing student, or perhaps studying textiles, I think this would be a fascinating project to tackle.

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Window drapes??

You sew, don’t you?  So why can’t you fill my order for some window drapes?

If I had a dollar for every explanation that I have offered new callers who were in the market for economical house drapes, I’d be cruising the Med right now.  It seems logical enough.  Indeed, we do know how to sew, we sell fabrics, and we make curtains and draperies.  But there are so many differences between residential-style draperies and those which we produce for the concert stage and theatre.  Here are just a few of those differences:

Types of Fabrics:  We are very limited in our fabric range compared to that of a retail fabric store.  Our materials must all be of very durable fibers, must come at least 54″ wide, must be available in large runs and have little or no dye lot inconsistency.  Many of the materials milled for our purposes are made in very commercial and utilitarian color lines.  There aren’t a lot of choices in cotton velour colors, for example - just three blues in total, 4 red tones, and one very ugly god.  Good luck finding carpet to match.

Flame Retardancy:  We typically deal in materials which are flame retardant - or treated to be such.  The laws in the United States require that we put only positively tested FR materials into public spaces such as theatres and concert halls.  In fact, the same requirements apply to all public spaces with drapery style textiles!  Many of our materials have lots of chemical flame retardancy applied to them.  Don’t know about you - but I would not want those chemicals hanging at my windows or on my bedspread or upholstered onto my sofa.

Cutting and Finishing Tolerances:  Our drapes are all hand cut and typically very big.  We once made a 1200 lb drape - it took a forklift to get it out of the building.  As you would imagine, the sizing tolerances are loose in pieces that big!  Even in a standard theatrical drape, acceptable industry tolerance would be within an inch to an inch and a half.  Of course, that would never work in a home kitchen window.  In comparison, residential tolerances would be within 1/4 to a half inch.

Sewing Machines: We use walking foot upholstery machines to create our durable and economical stage draperies and backdrops.  No blind hems, no invisible seams.  When it comes to thread, we use heavy spun nylon that is as thick as fishing line, and we stitch right through the face of the fabric!  No - just because it seems less expensive does not make it look any better in your dining room.  Trust me.

Pleating Styles:  We box pleat.  And knife pleat.  We even shirr occasionally.  But no - French pleating, triple pinch pleating, and other such fancy top finishes aren’t our forte.

So - where should you go for home drapes?  For off the shelf drapes in a variey of very nice materials and fashion colors, I personally think Restoration Hardware has the best selection.  The prices are fair for the very elegant textiles that they offer.  The sewing quality of their pre-made panels is also very good.  If you want something custom - try a local residential drapery and upholstery provider.  Ask for references first and be prepared to pay a 50% deposit (at minimum).  Let them measure and, if at all possible, let them install, too - it will be worth it to have the pieces hung and installed “just so.”  Hey - it is your HOME.

Happy house hunting!

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100 Posts

Today, as I opened up WordPress to write a new post, I noticed something that surprised me.  This is the 100th post!

On the one hand, it seems like it was only yesterday that my first post (under the user name “admin” as my own user ID had not yet been created), titled “What Fabric is Best for Stage Skirts and Black Stage Curtains?”, was published on March 24, 2009.  On the other hand, sometimes it seems as if I have been doing this for years rather than just 9 months.

Along the way, I have been joined by Megan, giving tidbits about the history of the company, her thoughts on the industry, and so much more, and by Silvia, introducing you to the fabulous Sew What? team.  My thanks to them for bringing new topics and perspectives to this blog.

I am looking forward to many more posts in the new year and to hitting the one year mark in just a few months.  I’ll keep bringing you information on custom stage curtains, band backdrops, fabric, flame retardancy, interesting projects we work on, and anything else that I can think of that you will (hopefully) find informative, educational, inspiring, or just plain entertaining.

Remember, I love to hear from my readers, so feel free to comment!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and so I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all of my readers here in the U.S. a happy and joy-filled day of turkey (or tofurkey, for you veggies) eating, parade and/or football watching, spending time with family and friends, and everything else that goes with this day.

I have never been the type to enjoy the Thanksgiving tradition of going around the table, having each person say what he or she is thankful for.  My brain freezes, I can’t think of anything, and I get tongue-tied.  A fairly embarassing situation.

But I do think that now is a good time to think about those things that we are thankful for.  Maybe we express those ideas to others, maybe we keep them to ourselves.  Either way, Thanksgiving serves as a reminder to us to take a few minutes to stop obsessing about what is wrong - in our lives, our relationships, our jobs, our country, our world - and instead focus on what is right.

So, on that note, here are just a few things for which I am thankful:

I am thankful that I have a job that I enjoy.

I am thankful that I work with people that I care about and who care about me.  We are truly a family here - complete with love, caring and occasional bickering.

I am thankful that, despite the difficulties in the economy recently, Sew What? has pushed through and remains a strong company.

I am thankful that I have made so many friends amongst our customers and vendors throughout my 5 1/2 years here at Sew What?, and I look forward to making many more as the years go on.

I am thankful that I, my husband and family, my friends, and my Sew What? family are all healthy and happy.

And lastly, I am thankful for the opportunity to post on this blog - sometimes I become frustrated trying to come up with a topic, but on the whole I really enjoy the opportunity to educate and entertain my readers (are you out there?).

So, readers, whether you are here in the U.S. celebrating Thanksgiving or in another country in which tomorrow is just another day, take a moment to think about what you are thankful for.  I promise, you will find that it really lifts your spirits to spend a few moments focusing exclusively on the positive elements of your life.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Sew What? to all of you.

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What would Emily Post do?

In referencing some classic Emily Post etiquette books published in the mid 60’s, I read that one should never make a call during the week before 9 am.  Or after 8 pm.  Nor should we call someone on a weekend before 10 am.  And never on a Sunday without invitation.  All communications should start with “Dear” or “To Whom It May Concern,” and be in one’s very best cursive script.  Remember - never abbreviate, never exclamate. (!)

So……

How about this iPhone that I have then, Emily?  If I get an e-mail at 11 pm on a Friday, mid-martini, should I jump to call, text, e-mail, and resolve the query?  Or does one wait till Saturday after 10 am?  Alas - Saturday is not a typical work day - so would I therefore further delay my response to the next business day after 9 am?

Oh my!

Being an anxious Capricorn, there is a very good chance that my clients will get that immediate knee jerk reaction, while my friends continue the conversation without me.  When my phone bleeps, my 6 year old comments - “Mum - you’ve got e-mail” (who needs AOL?).

Do we respond as honestly - and with as much thought - when we fly at an answer instantly?  Do we give our clients (big spenders and small alike) a warm fuzzy feeling when there is no “by the way” or “thank you”?  And what of the lack of capitalization and punctuation?  Does one assume the user is uneducated?  Or just too busy to backspace and correct it?

My challenge for the week is to locate the most current etiquette opinions on the matter from the SMB world.  I will let you know what I find.  Stand by - this should be pretty funny.

Yours, remotely, wirelessly, and conveniently connected in the palm of my hand.

Megan

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Travelling for Work

I was surfing the Internet recently - a late night habit I have developed - and struck upon some travel commentary.  It reminded me just how much I love to travel - and in turn got me thinking about all the amazing travel opportunities I have had which have been work related.  International and domestic - I admit to having had a pretty good run of it.

GREECE - yes- you heard correctly - 14 days in fact on board a luxury cruise liner visiting Mediterranean locations as exotic as Santorini and Venice, even stopping in Corfu just in time for the breaking of the pottery urns at Easter time.  I was not sewing stage draperies at the time - rather was a project coordinator for a privately chartered sales incentive program - back in 1993 or so when there were budgets for such extravaganzas.  These days they don’t go to Greece - they just serve Feta on the salad in an attempt to give some international flair.

NEW YORK CITY - the Big Apple - a product launch.  As a selected speaker for the launch of the Dell Computer Vostro computer lineup, I had the pleasure of visiting the top floor of the Reuters building and seeing our company posted on the LED billboard in Times Square.  Amazing!

BARCELONA - the Olympic Stadium was new, just post-Olympics, and then there was the trip to the convent on a Sunday to take fresh eggs to the nuns - a village tradition.  This time in charge of a large drapery installation amongst other elements for a privately sponsored event, this work trip left me with memories of La Segrada Familia and a fond appreciation for all things Gaudi.

CANCUN - Oh my - building a tent on the beach in the middle of college spring break.  Is it OK if I try to forget this “gig” memory?  Thanks.  I think we should let it go quietly.

TURKEY - I departed a cruise ship in Kusadasi after 5 days on board.  This time doing  a large upholstery project singlehandedly - it was a work-all-night-and-sleep-all-day kind of scenario.  No matter, however - with the time difference between there and America, it was easy to work the schedule.  I covered several hundred running feet of ducting with flame retardant Sunbrella® brand fabric - hard work but rewarding.

NEW ORLEANS - there were hurricanes - lots of them.  And I am not  talking about wind and rain.  WOW - New Orleans is a really hard city to stay focused in when it comes to deciding whether to work…or eat crocodile.

BRUSSELS - Not sewing concert curtains - but SPEAKING!  Yes - I was invited to speak in Brussels at an IFAI conference, on the subject of wide format digital printing.  This was a terrific experience where I met some very educated people on the subjects of “smart” and “intelligent” textiles.

So - my point here, I think, is that I have been fortunate indeed - to have been invited to work on high profile projects, in interesting places.  My grandparents and parents alike loved to travel - Adam and I have the bug too - so I picked the right profession, you might say.

Next……the stars?  Oh no - I am already reaching for them.

Megan

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Stevie Awards

A big congratulations to Megan Duckett, President of Sew What?, for being named a finalist for a 2009 Stevie Award for Woman in Business in the “Best Entrepreneur - Service Businesses - Up to 100 Employees - Other Industries” category.

This is not the first time that Megan and Sew What? have been recognized by the Stevie Awards.  Megan was a finalist in this same category in 2008, and in 2007, Sew What? won the Stevie Award for “Most Innovative Company of the Year.”

The 2009 winners will be announced on November 13th - keep your fingers crossed for Megan!

If you are not familiar with the Stevie Awards, they were “created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and business people worldwide.”

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A Family Business

I have always loved to cook (my mother taught herself to cook watching Julia Child and then taught me starting at about 5).  When I was in my early twenties, I dreamed of owning my own restaurant, so I went to culinary school to become a chef and study restaurant management.  When I got out and started to work in the industry, I realized how hard the life of a chef is, especially a chef-restauranteur.  Working 18 hours a day, 6 days a week (or more) - and, as the restaurant owner, everything is on your shoulders.  Fairly quickly I set that dream aside and pursued other goals.  But I have always recognized that it takes a special kind of person to own and run a small business.  Megan and Adam Duckett are two of them.

Throughout this blog, there are bits and pieces of the company’s history (both from Megan and from myself), but I realize that many readers may not realize that the owners are actually a married couple.  While Megan started the company on her kitchen table, her husband Adam (also a former roadie) later joined the company.  In terms of roles, Megan is President and focuses primarily on marketing and sales, while Adam serves as Chief Financial Officer with a focus on production and operations.

I have so much admiration for the two of them, that they have built this company to its current level, and that they continue to strive for growth and improvement.  Running a small business takes a lot of hard work and dedication - and sometimes it means being here late into the night or throughout the weekend.  Anyone who can manage to maintain that level of dedication throughout the years and still be excited and inspired for growth definitely deserves accolades. 

Add marriage and parenthood to the mix, and in my mind, it is even more impressive.  Most couples spend their days apart, and then come together at home in the evening and on weekends.  Megan and Adam are, for the most part, together 24/7, between work and personal time (oh - not literally - but you get the picture).  That can be stressful for a couple - but somehow they manage to make it work.

Maybe someday I’ll be ready to own my own business (don’t ask me what kind of business - definitely not a restaurant!), maybe I never will.  But if I do, I hope I do half as good a job as Megan and Adam have done (and continue to do) here at Sew What?

Note: There was a terrific story about them published in the “Palos Verdes Peninsula News” a few years ago - check it out in the Sew What? News Archive - I think you’ll find it an inspiring story.

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