I have now begun to patten for my skirt, I traced around the dress block and then extended the length to suit my design.  I firstly drew round the skirt block, and manufactured a basic skirt in calico, this will be used as my undergarment for the skirt. I then took my pattern and drew a new design line extending from the hip horizontal to my new length. 

Basic skirt.

I then cut this out of calico and begun to manufacture it. I then stitched 1cm around the hem, and another stitch of 2cm I will then gather these, to achieve volume following the same process I did on my sleeve.

Here you can see how I've adapted and changed the pattern.

I have now completed my design board, for the garment that will feature at the College Fashion Show...

After looking at my board, now it is finished I am still not satisfied. I am going to go back into the skirt and work into it, adding more tones showing where the light and dark shadows are.

This week I have began to toile, my final garment.

The first port of call was to pattern for the bodice, I traced round the bodice pattern and adapted it to suit my specification. I then manufactured the darts, interred the zip and sewn the shoulders together.

Another problem I faced was when I put my bodice on the mannequin, it was then clear that the neck was too tight. To problem solve this I then dropped the neckline by 2.5cms and transferred this to my existing patterns.

I then took my sleeve sample out of my sketchbook to attach to the bodice, but the sleeve I had was too small for the bodice. I then had to re pattern for the sleeve head.  I also wanted more volume, so I divided the pattern up and expanded it out by 20-30cms adding more volume towards the top of the sleeve.

This here is the bodice, with the sleeve attatched.

This picture shows the rolls pinned on, that will feature on the front of my garment.

Firstly this is a very delayed post... as in 3 months late! I had lost my camera and have just found it with these pictures on and so her is the post to follow...


During February I went to Oxford Rds Corner house with my mum, which is the home of art, films, books, food and drink. Whilst here I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Samantha Donnelly's Contour States exhibition.
 The exhibition compromised semi-painted casts of mannequins, sexualised figures of the female body, three dimensional sculptures and architecture.  Samantha has a strong interest portrayed in today's media who idealise the human female form, and her work is a clear representation of this. 

Another exhibition that took place on the second floor was; Lost is found. This was a group show of work from nine artists. The exhibition displayed objects that had been discarded and that have now been transformed into beautiful history with new identities. 


"Displacement of identity, relics of childhood, secret desires, fragments of memory and traces of history are brought to life through sculpture, photography, installation and drawing"


My favourite piece was  Richard Proffitt’s Louisiana Blues, Anywhere is an absurd totem of the modern world, which consisted of  a makeshift ceremonial artefact inspired by biker and teenage subculture.

Me and my mum in Manchester;

DESIGN BOARD

As part of the criteria at college I am required to produce a design board. This in tails a detailed drawing of my garment, along with inspiring picture and samples of sections of my garment. 

I have now began this task, and whilst drawing my garment I have decided that I would like to add sleeves. I feel this would achieve a stronger effect against the oversized shoulder. 

Here is my design board so far; 

I will update my final design board tomorrow! 

Today I began to construct my toile, I began by patterning for the bodice.

1. Firstly I traced of the front and back bodice, onto pattern paper.

2. I then closed the front bodice dart using the slash and spread method, and altered the arm holes to my design  and traced this of onto new piece of pattern paper.

First draft

Adaptations, with added seam allowance.

3. I then added my seam allowance and cut out.

Final pattern

Manufacture of Toile


1. I firstly pinned my fabric to calico and cut out

2.  To start I manufactured the darts in the front of my garment.

3. I then over locked the two left sides where my zip will be applied upside down. I then inserted my zip sewing up using the zipper foot leaving 1cm at the top of the zip.

Today I began my toile diary, to record my "journey" through making my garment. I also began to sample, the tubes that will feature at the front of my garment. 

1. Firstly I cut a suitable sized piece of fabric, and ironed interfacing onto it. 

2. I then drew markers on the interfacing, 7cm which would be the roll and then a 3cm gap. 

3. I then folded the fabric on the 7cm ensuring both markers matched and sewn down, leaving a gap and repeating this step.       

4. I then pined the tubes so it was equal each side of the folds, and sewn straight down the middle. 

Here I am pinning the roles, ensuring they are even
either side

All rolls are pinned, I have drew my line down the centre
and am ready to sew onto 

Here I have know sewn down the centre

I then repeated these steps changing the measurements too;

6cm rolls with a gap of 3cm

8cm rolls with a gap of 4cm

I then decided that the original worked best, using 7cm rolls and a 3cm gap.

Here I have created the 8cm rolls, they are now ready to be pinned.

Rolls are pinned and have been sewn down centre.

I also began to sample the sleeve on my garment, where I am aiming to achieving maximum volume. To do this I traced of the sleeve block, and then divided it up into 10 sections, which I then cut up. I then traced of the sleeve block again, as I will use my original for the lining. I then on a new sheet of pattern paper made myself a centre point, which I then put the cut up pieces around and extended them outwards by 10cm. I then drew around these and therefore created my over sized sleeve block.

 I then pinned my fabric to the pattern and cut around, once complete I  that began to sew two taking stitches around the outside of the sleeve and pulled to ruche the fabric. Once complete I will upload photo's

WATCH THIS SPACE...

I have know choose my final design, for my garment that will feature at the College fashion show. I will now begin to sample difficult sections to eradicate any problems. 

Sections I will sample;

1. Putting poppers on the shoulder, making it easy for the model to get into and out of

2. Sampling the tubes, that will feature on the front bodice

3. Sampling different ways to portray, the techniques on the back bodice

4. Sampling ways to achieve volume by pleating

Once I have sampled these sections, I will update with my results!

Final Design

Yesterday I choose my final design, for the College Fashion Show... however I still don't feel happy with it! To choose my design I picked five of my favourite designs, and incorporated different aspects of each into one design. 

I then reflected upon other designers work, and looked at ways that they had achieved this effect. 

This also gave me my inspiration for the fabric for my garment; Duchess Satin. I have choose this as it will compliment the effect I aim to achieve. These pictures come from Alexander McQueens; The girl who lived in the tree. I have previously researched into this collection, and have choose it as it reflects the effect I want to portray. 

 

I have also begun to sample, using sections to ensure I achieve the right effect. I have also used Alexander Mcqueen's collection to help me sample. I used calico, pinning it to the mannequin I am also going to sample this in the duchess satin to see how it would actually look.