Eva Lea Klein spent 18 years working at a department store in her home country of Brazil. She later moved to Florida and accepted the position of tailor at a Banana Republic clothing shop in Boca Raton. As a tailor, Eva Lea Klein finished, joined, and reinforced a variety of clothing items. Stretchy fabrics are popular options for activewear, but they are notoriously difficult to sew. Handling these fabrics properly involves lining up a pattern with the direction that has the greatest amount of stretch. Lining up the pattern allows wearers to enjoy a better fit from the stretch fabric. A tailor must cut stretch fabric carefully with a mat and rotary cutter to ensure clean cuts. Once the fabric is cut, the tailor should install a ballpoint needle in the sewing machine. Ballpoint needles have rounded tips that push the fibers of stretch fabric aside instead of piercing them. Ballpoint needles do not weaken or tear the fabric because they leave fibers intact. A tailor should use a polyester all-purpose thread on stretch fabrics. This thread is widely available and is somewhat stretchy, which helps ensure that hems and seams are resilient. Stretch fabrics do not pair well with straight stitches since they cannot accommodate the fabric’s movement. Instead, a tailor should use stretch or zigzag stitches. If a straight stitch is the only option, the tailor must hold the stretch fabric taut while sewing it.
0 Comments
A native of Brazil, Eva Lea Klein attended Al-Kafaat University in Brazil before embarking on a retail career in her home country and the United States. During her long career, Eva Lea Klein managed a retail store in Brazil and spent many years working for specialty clothing retailers such as Gap Inc.’s Banana Republic brand. Stores like Banana Republic and other specialty clothing and apparel brands have suffered in recent years with the rise of Amazon, smartphone apps such as Poshmark, and bargain-shopping chains such as TJ Maxx and H&M. However, retail analysts suggest that things may be changing for the better for these companies in 2018. According to an April 2018 report from Bloomberg Intelligence, specialty clothing retailers have seen a surprising increase in sales in the first months of the year. The report suggests that this uptick in sales may be related to retailers doing a better job of not only luring shoppers into their stores but also offering desirable and fashionable products once the shoppers arrive. Additionally, the report points out that global retail giant H&M has fallen on hard times in recent months. For specialty apparel stores to take full advantage of the upswing, analysts state they must focus on providing a pleasant in-store experience while continuing to improve online sales. Retailers should also be savvy about how they collect and use data about their returning consumers. A Florida resident and accomplished retail professional, Eva Lea Klein gained extensive professional experience assisting with the family store in Brazil. Family focused, Eva Lea Klein regularly visits relatives in locales spanning New York, Texas, and her native Brazil. One of the aspects of Brazil most popular with visitors is its tropical coastline and white sand beaches. A premier destination is Canoa Quebrada, which has roots as a fishing village in the state of Ceará in northeastern Brazil. Fronted by red cliffs, the town name means “broken canoe,” and the area became a backpacking destination in the 1970s. A unique moon-and-star design that now defines the area has its roots in the handicrafts of a local artist during this era. With the landscape combining lagoons, huge sand dunes, cliffs, and wide beaches, Canoa Quebrada has gained a reputation as a music and art haven. Some 70,000 hectares of coastal land stretching from Porto Canoa to the Jaguaribe River is now preserved as an Environmental Protection Zone. This ensures that a proper balance between the demands of tourism and the region’s stark natural beauty is maintained. An experienced retail professional and tailor, Eva Lea Klein moved to the United States in 1991 from Brazil. From 2005 to 2013, Eva Lea Klein worked as a tailor for Banana Republic, a clothing retail chain owned by parent company Gap, Inc. One of the world’s largest clothing companies, Gap Inc. sources material and labor from around the globe. As part of the company’s corporate social responsibility program, Gap Inc. supports international nonprofit organizations and maintains a series of global sustainability initiatives, including developing environmentally friendly practices and policies. One area in which Gap has focused these efforts is its logistics and shipping departments. Since 2011, Gap Inc. has been a member of the SmartWay Shipping Program. Coordinated by the EPA, the program brings together carriers, transportation entities, and logistics companies in the private and public sectors in an attempt to improve fuel efficiency. Since joining the program, Gap Inc. has committed to increasing its use of SmartWay shipping partners by at least 5 percent per year. Additionally, Gap has announced plans to support clean-fuel transportation and encourage fuel-saving strategies at all levels of its operation. As a result of these efforts, in 2016 the company earned recognition as a SmartWay High Performer. Born in Brazil and educated at KAFAAT University as an architectural designer, Eva Lea Klein subsequently worked in managerial roles. After moving to Florida, Eva Lea Klein served as a tailor with Banana Republic. She continues to visit her family in Brazil whenever she can. As a country rich in culture and history, Brazil is home to many interesting cities. Here are three of the best places to visit in Brazil. 1. Paraty. This city is situated on Brazil’s coastline and offers beautiful colonial architecture and an escape to tranquility. Visitors can enjoy strolling along cobblestone streets or taking a boat ride to any of the hundreds of surrounding islands. Ilha Grande is one of the most popular nearby islands. 2. Foz do Iguacu. Located within Iguacu Falls National Park, this town is best known for its spectacular waterfalls and surrounding rainforest. Visitors can enjoy walking along wooden pathways throughout the waterfalls and viewing permanent rainbows. 3. Fortaleza. This city is known as an exciting party destination, with 16 miles of pristine beaches and numerous clubs. It is popular with international tourists and native Brazilians alike. For more than eight years, Eva Lea Klein served as a tailor at Banana Republic in Boca Raton, Florida. In this position, Eva Lea Klein altered garments, created new articles of clothing from patterns, and joined or finished existing garments. One of the basic aspects of sewing is getting the right thread tension. With good tension, stitches are equally spaced and appear the same on both the top and bottom of the fabric. In most cases, the tension is off when the seam looks loose or the thread loops on one side. If the tension is too loose, knots appear on top of the fabric. If the tension is too tight, knots appear on the bottom. Most sewing machines have a tension regulating dial. Turn this dial to loosen or tighten the tension. The dial affects only the tension of the top thread - the thread coming from the needle. Adjust so the tension on top matches the tension from the bobbin. If the top tension has been adjusted and there is still a problem, the bobbin tension may need adjusting. Look for a small screw on the closed side of the bobbin case. Turn this screw clockwise to tighten the tension or counterclockwise to loosen it. |
AuthorEva Lea Klein is an experienced retail salesperson and tailor in both Brazil and the United States. Archives
May 2018
Categories |