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Students find inspiration for clothing
Washington senior Brandi Kimball, left, talks with Ortonville senior Mike Tyle about ways
of attaching straps to a dress that she designed for the upcoming Threads fashion show.
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Washington senior Brandi Kimball sews pieces of cloth together for a dress that she will be
using in the upcoming Threads fashion show in April. Kimball and other Apparel Merchandising and Design majors put many hours
into their work for the spring fashion show.
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The spring semester at Central Michigan University is a busy one for student designers with events like April's Threads
or the Organization for Black Unity fashion show.
Many people never see the difficulty and dedication it takes for
students to carry out a fashion program, said Ortonville senior Mike Tyle.
"It's a lot harder than I would really expect,"
said Tyle, who finds difficulty in executing the sleeves and collar of a design.
Identifying concepts, creating patterns
and completing garments challenge each student as everyone has their own designing process.
Finding inspiration
Students
figure out what will work best for them in many ways.
"I'm inspired a lot by city life and rock 'n' roll," said Holland
junior Luke Mamo.
Some designers get ideas from music or scenery. On occasion, they might feel motivated by history
or a particular era.
"I usually go find patterns that are similar to what I'm making," said Washington senior Brandi
Kimball. "Then I alter the patterns from there."
Keeping up with a plan
No two designs are alike, and the designer's efficiency, attention
to detail and number of articles being made all can affect a design's execution.
"It takes a lot of time," Kimball
said. "You've got to put aside a time and just do it."
Sketches, mock-ups and choosing fabric are just the start. Quite
a few students dedicate entire days and the weekends themselves to designing.
"I can make a dress for a girl in a day,"
said Macomb senior Danielle Grieser, who designs and creates clothing for personal use and friends, in addition to future
shows.
Eyeing every detail
It takes more than an idea and a plan of attack for students to finish a
project, as they grow wary of specific details. "I hate measuring all the time," Tyle said. "I want to just eyeball
it." Depending on things like fabric color, designing might require extra effort for it to be just right. "I'm
currently dying fabric," Grieser said. "It's going to be something that really tests my abilities, patience and skills." The
finished productWith the end of a design comes a few finishing touches. The look of each model is crucial,
not only the garment they show. Accessories, hair and makeup are chosen by each individual designer. "The designers
usually have hair and makeup specific to the look they're going for," said Kelly McKay, a Harrison Township senior. The
moment finally comes once the designing students see their creations worn and walked down a runaway - an experience which
is gripping for many. "It's really exciting because it's kind of like the capstone," McKay said. "Everything we've
learned is exciting to put together." news@cm-life.com
A slice of Apple: MacBook Air now on sale
Apple has taken a giant step forward in the world of portable technology. The new MacBook Air dares to combine
all the benefits of having a laptop with its folder-size body. In addition to its fast next-generation Wi-Fi and Bluetooth,
the sturdy aluminum computer comes with programs like iLife, Safari, iChat, Time Machine and a built-in iSight camera. "I
think it's a pretty machine," said Paul Albee, assistant professor of Computer Science. "But it's not aimed at the average
user." MacBook Air is completely wireless-based, meaning the sleek industrial design best serves the diligent on-the-go
businessman. Because the biggest advantage is its portability, basic performance is expected to suffer. "I don't
know if it'd be worth the sum of money they're looking for," said Jamie Dubi computer lab technician in the computer science
department. Its cordless exterior requires features separate from the main computer, so the price ranges from $1,799
to $3,098. The slimmer battery inside the sleek body does not take away from MacBook Air's capacity to hold a lasting
charge, yet the life of each battery worries Dubi. "The fact that the battery is not user replaceable really throws
me," he said. Detroit freshman Nyiesha Jones owned an iPod from Apple, which eventually broke. She said she fears the
MacBook Air would meet a similar fate. "It's really thin and probably easy to break," she said. The 3-pound
weight of the new MacBook Air is cause for concern among many individuals. Jason Little, Williamston freshman, agrees
with Jones, but still takes note of Apple's ability to produce quality merchandise. "Apple has good products, but I'm
not always careful with my things," Little said. "It probably wouldn't last very long." For an undersized piece of
equipment, MacBook Air still comes with a lot of valuable features. The 13.3-inch wide screen, already bigger than
the current MacBook, makes the computer's display unique. MacBook Air's full feature keyboard with back lit illumination
and oversize, gesture-based input track pad, causes even the most infrequent user to compute day and night. "Usually
when you get something that small, you can't do much with it," said Haslett freshman Kevin McDonald. "But it still has like
two (gigabytes) of memory, so that's pretty amazing." Though two GB for adequate working memory might seem above average,
four GB could be found in any Apple iPod Nano recently sold in stores. MacBook Air's thickness ranges anywhere from
.16 to .76 inches, which leaves no room for an optical drive. Any software users want to set up would have to be first
installed on another nearby remote disk enabled Mac or PC in order to later install the program on the MacBook Air wirelessly. It
also comes with an additional piece called the Time Capsule, which makes backing up files wirelessly possible. lifeline@cm-life.com
Who can bleed the most?
Students can help Central beat Western once again. Central Michigan University is in the middle of a two-week
blood drive challenge against Western Michigan University. CMU hosts several blood drives a year, but 2008 marks only
the third of the spring challenge. "This cause is important because it helps us supply donations to our hospitals,"
said Paul Stumpfig, donor recruitment representative for the American Red Cross. "High school and college student donations
make up 20 percent of blood nationwide." Starting Monday, students can donate from noon to 6 p.m. at various locations
around campus. While the classic rivalry is all in good fun, the blood drive's main purpose is to motivate students
to turn out donations. Every two seconds a person needs blood in the United States, yet only 5 percent of the eligible
population contribute to the cause, according to the American Red Cross Give Life Web site. Dave Weston, the Isabella
County Red Cross Community coordinator, is no stranger to blood drives, having worked them at Central since 2001. "When
we have drives on campus, I'm generally at them from start to finish," Weston said. Many first time donations take
place under Weston's supervision. "They seem to keep coming back whenever they can," he said. Big Rapids senior
Annie Palmer has been a donor since high school. "I was part of the National Honors Society at my high school," Palmer
said. "We hosted a blood drive and as members, we were encouraged to participate." news@cm-life.com
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