Todo List

Today has been somewhat productive. Although I haven't been called in to fit my dress to the model. I have been doing some more sketch book work. I have gone through my book and made myself a little todo list so I know what needs to be done. I work well with this technique as sometimes I get side tracked so this list will keep me focused and not confused with what needs to be done.
I have also breifly looked at what a spec drawing is. A spec drawing is a 2D drawing of your garment. This is important as the manufacturer needs to know what the garment looks like. Tomorrow I plan to create my Spec drawing and finish off my sketch book work as I will not be in on the Friday as i'm going away until the folowing Monday; Hope it's sunny!

Today I haven't been called in to fit my garment.

So instead I have been doing some sketch book work which needs to be continued. I have been amending my patterns; making sure they all have the right markings on, such as my name and grain lines.

I have also been on the machine and sewed together my remaining side seam but only up until the zip would begin.

Hopefully tomorrow I get to fit my dress.

Fingers crossed (Y)

FITTINGS WEEK!

Today is Monday and that means it's the beginning of fittings week!

I wasn't expecting to be able to fit my dress today but when I was called in, I was very excited and nervous. Unfortunately my dress did not fit the model but I did have a slight taste of how to fit a dress.

The model I had met today was a lovely girl. She had a figure to die for!

Yet she thought she was fat because she couldn't fit into my garment!

This gave me an insight into how each model must feel as there is a lot of pressure on a model; to be able to fit into a garment.

Even though I was not able to fit my garment today, hopefully I can fit it some day soon as I am going away for a long weekend. Through my own doing I have put the pressure on.

Today I have been doing bits and bobs in my book and finishing off some pages. I will be doing this for the rest of the week until I can fit my dress and make amendments.

Todays progress

Today i feel like I have achieved a lot as I have completed sewing on my 2nd and top layer to my shell. I have found no problems with this except my second layer needed to be sewn abit more as I had over locked the whole side which wasn't needed as the audience at the fashion show would see it. I feel that I can complete my dress by the end of the day; well, fingers crossed. I know I need to wait for fittings week before I can add in my zip and sew on my facing. All I need todo now is sew my front and back together.. wish me luck!

Lay Plan

Today we have learnt about the aspects of a lay planl; which is basically a way of working out how much wasteage you would have with laying your patterns out on fasbric. A lay plan is created by lying your patterns onto fabric and calculating how much fabric you need and how much it would cost and avoiding wastage. A lay plan is important to the industry as 'it's all about the pennies' This is my example of a lay plan.

Garment making

Today I have started to manufacture my dress for the fashion show after completeing my toile. Today I came in with a positive attitude and although I am waiting for one last piece of fabric I feel that I could have done more if it wasn't for my stressed out attitude towards the machines as they kept on comming lose and gathering at the bottom. (but a good worker never blames his tools!)
Although today I have sewed together my front and back pannels for the shell of my dress and then I tried to sew my top layer but because I have had issues with the machine I will have to carry on later.
Tomorrow is another day..

Todays progress

Today I carried on with making my garment for the fashion show. I started the day a little late as I had to travel to Chester to pick up some more interfacing. When I arrived at college I set off pinning my 2nd layer back piece onto my copper fabric and interfacing. After proceeding to do that there was then no stopping me. I knew what I had to do today and no sewing machine was going to get in my way! Today I have sewn my 2nd layer front and back panels together and bagged then out, the same as also doing my top layer panels and bagging them out. I feel like I have done alot of work today and I van't wait to see what the end result will look like!

Lace making workshop

I have learnt how to lace make. This is my example:

To lace make you simply use a sewing machine to sew on some wash away, making sure that you overlap as once you put the wash away in warm water it disolves leaving you with your nely made lace.

I decided to incorporate some fabric to add to my overall design and to experiment on how my lace would look for the final outcome.

I find that lace making is a very useful technique to learn and that I will consider incorporating this technique in my accessory.

Batik Workshop

Out of all the workshops I attended; Batick has to be my favourite. I think that Batik has many similarities to Tie dye as both techniques are a process of resist dying of textiles.
Although I feel that Batik is more effective as the process is more creative as you can choose your design and simply.. Go Wild

This is my first attempt:

In my experience I found that Batik-ing was slightly difficult as you have to own a steady hand and patience is a virtue, The main aim of Batik is to use your utensil to guide the hot wax onto your chosen fabric.

Sounds simple? Think again.

Occasionally the wax would become abit 'excited' and jump out of the utensil and onto the fabric which me and my peers found abit frustrating. After situating wax onto your fabric you must then wait for the wax to dry therefore you can either paint, ink or do what you want to the fabric to add colour.

But one problem.. how do you get te wax off?

Well, you simply place your wax riddled fabric between two pieces of newspaper and simply iron. Now, the heat from the iron extracts the wax away from your fabric which leaves you with your Batik styled design.

I found Batik very interesting and enjoed trying this technique out. I found that this technique was very effective so I decided to use it in my accessory.

Reverse applique Workshop

This new technique I learnt in just under an hour: This was created by selecting an object from my observational studies. I sketched out the iron and then cut away sections to reveal the colour from the other page (which I painted blue as the iron was blue).

Knitting Workshop

The next workshop I atteneded was a knitting workshop. I already knew what knitting was but I had never attempted to knit myself so I was intreauged to learn the technique.
After finally starting off I found knitting difficult but then as time went by I seamed to get the hang of it so much that I was able to change wool colours.
I found that knitting takes alot of patience (patience that I don't have!) and I also found that useing smaller needles made it look neater as my first attempt was scraggily. I feel that if I were to have more time and practise I could consider useing this technique but for now it's not on the cards.

Applique Workshop

Today I took part in a workshop called Applique. I have never heard of Applique before never mind had experience in makeing it. Although once Applique was explained to me it wasn't that hard to manufacture.
Applique is a technique used in many aspects of design, textiles, fashion ect..
It consists of cutting out a design in different types or colours of material and then place a piece of material that somewhat acts like double sided sticky tape (Can't remember the name of it) And then iron on the patterns in the right sequence and you have your pattern.
I found ironing on the sticky material to have a slight problem as I had ironed the wrong side but I quickly ammended this problem by taking off the sticky side before it had set.
After sticking down all the fabric we used a sewing machine to go around each side of the material.
This gave off a really good effect. I found this technique simple to achieve and learn. I feel that this technique is very effective and I will consider using it on my final accessory. This is my applique sample. I took the design from an observational drawing I had done.

Karen Nicol

Karen Nicol is another artist I have looked into. Her work consists of embroidery and mixed media textiles. I found the use of Embroidery in her work very unusual as she uses different textiles to work with. I originally thought that you couldn't use different media but I have been pleasently suprised.

I find that this image is a perfect example of the standard of for Nicol can create with embroidery.

After research I will take into account the effects embroidery can outcome and will consider useing embroidery on my final accessory.

Research...

For every breif I have been handed I am to research on designers, illustrators or artists. For this breif I have researched into Alicon Willoughby.

I found that her work is very unusual but very inspiring as she uses various objects and materials to create her garments.

This is my favourite of her collection. I find that her choice of object and colours compliment each other and is quite abstract. This has inspired me to think outside the box for what I decide to make for my accessory.

Manufacture Brief

Today we were given a new breif.
This breif asks for us to manufacture an accessory. Initially I didn't think I was advanced enough to make a necklace or bracelet but I am willing to push myself. My first idea is to try and make a necklace, although this might be abit too easy so I will try and push myself more.

Creating a Box Pleat

In my recent pattern cutting lesson I have been looking into different functions of a skirt: Zips, Pleats and Button holes. Today we looked at a Box Pleat.
To manufacture a Box Pleat we drew up our patterns (a basic A line pattern.)
I then put in a Box Pleat and ironed the pleat so it would stay in shape.
We only created the front of the skirt as it was just a sample but it shows the overall effect of the Box Pleat. This adaptaion is very effective and I would consider usinf this effect in future.

Enrichment week to Antwerp

For enrichment week, me and some peers from my college group went on a trip to Antwerp in Belgium. Before I left I was nervous as I usally am when I travel away from home but also excited to see what the city had to offer.

We were traveling by train so as I waved goodbye to my mother at Crewe station, we set off to ride many'a trains. We later arrived at our hotel which lucky enough; was right outside the station! We were all given the rest of the night to explore the area and hotel.

The next morning was a Tuesday and we all bought tram tickets so we could travel into the centre of Antwerp and visit the MoMu museum. This is where we were greeted by our tour guide. She gave us an insight into the main fashion section of the city. In the museum we were shown the work of degree level students from the educational unit of the museum. Which had produced the famous Antwerp Six. The students work was to an amazing standard and you could tell that so much, dedication, detail and time that had been put into each outcome.
Once we left the museum we were shown all the different types of streets that would offer sterotyped wear, such as; The high street backbone which had shops such as New Look and Top Shop. There was also a street which was graffittied which seemed to be aimed at a more, skating and bad boy genre. I am a person for graffitti and I thought that decorating the strrets added appeal and character.
One shop particularily stood out to me was 'Fish and Chips' they incorporated graffitti in their shop window disply which I thought was a very clever and retro way of advertising.

We were then given the freedom to look around the shops and explore, although we had to meet back up at the hotel for six. Me and Krystel wondered off and seemed to have gotten lost, I found this very frustrating and scary as we didn't speak the cities launguage. We spent most of our time walking around in circles using a picture I had taken of a Clock to try and find our way back. This proved to be sucessful as we found Jess and Sophie (the happiest moment of my life!)

I was slightly devestated that I couldn't explore the city centre and see its full potential as i was lost but we did see a shop the had a very different was of luring in customers. Julie... Julie the dog. This was a Jack Russell that had a beautiful coat and a Diomand collar. When we asked why she had a diomand collar the owner replied ''She has to. She's in fashion!!"

Wednesday; we took the tram to the MoMu museum again to spend the day looking around the Stephen Jones exhibition. I had never heard of him or his work but when I arrived at the museum I was instantly intreuged. My favourite piece of work was the, what looked like a wedding dress. It looked so elegant and so much time and care had gone into it.

Thursday was the day we were due to leave and we were given the morning to do some last minute shopping or pack. I spent the morning sleeping as i didn't have a good nights sleep. We left the hotel and waited for the first of our ling train journeys back to England. We arrived back into Crewe late at night.

Whilst in Antwerp I learnt a few things, Personal and Educational:

1. Don't ever become lost in an unknown City

2. Sleep more.

3. Antwerp has much to offer, buildings art work and fashion.

4. Dogs can work in fashion.

Overall I did enjoy my time in Antwerp, but travelling is just not for me.

Zip Skirt

My skirt is the first garment I have manufactured on my fashion course, in which I was to have a concept behind my design and ideas. I looked in to various designers and artists from the likes of Vivviene Westwood to Graffitti artist Banksy.
Designing my skirt was a little difficult but from my experience in my patteren cutting lessons I used what knowledge I had learnt but accidentally forgot to put in any darts. Whoops!
To begin with I thought my skirt was going to be easy to manufacture as it was just a simple 'A' line skirt; Boy was I wrong!
I had decided to put my zip in the front of my skirt instead of the back. I thought this would be a great feature and convay's my concept of rebelious nicely as customers expect to find the zip at the back of a garment or at least hidden in the front! My ain was to go against public perception.
I wanted to also capture shock potential like that of Photographer Nan Goldin. I also wanted to capture vulnerability through the position of the zip on the skirt. Which is in fully working order.
My target audience is age 14-18 as I believe my skirt is youthful and looks rebelious.
I enjoyed maufacturing my skirt and am pleased with the outcome.

The Punk Era

Whilst researching for my breif I came across Vivviene Westwoods work in the Punk era and this inspired me to give an edge to my skirt.

I like the wook or torn or ripped edges and the way this garment is presented is the way I would like to manufacture my garment. Personally I try to make my work look as inidividual as possible and turn my skirt into a Vivviene Westwood styled garment.

Concept

For our new breif we have been asked to create our own concept to convay in the skirt we would eventually manufacture towards the end of the breif.

To begin with I started to research into the work of Banksy as I find his work very captivating and inspiring.

The work of Banksy is somewhat quite political and has a rebelious side to his graffitti. This is what I would like my concept to be.

From looking into the work of Banksy I started to look into tattoo's and the work of fashion designer Vivviene Westwood. I initially like the look of caos and feel that it workswith anything to give each individual abit of an edge which is how I see myself.

Fifi and the Bunny-tots

Whilst researching into different fashion illustrators I stumbled across the illustrations of Fifi Lapin.

Now, what struck me most with her illustrations is that; instead of the sensual exagerated human figure fashion illustrations, Fifi illustrates Bunnyies. Yes, BUNNIES.

Fifi isn't well-known to the fashion world, but dear god, when she makes her break she will be HUGE.

Y'see, unlike most illustrators that so desparatly try to find a 'gap in the market' Fifi has struck Gold!

Characteristics of her work are childsh, unrealistic and not so serious, like other illustrations could come across. Fifi's illustrations instantly stand out in the fashion world and in many heads as it does in mine.

So I would just like to congratulate and say a big well done to the most spoilt and fashionable Bunny in the industry. Fifi Lapin... Congratuwelldone.

LIverpool Tate

Now, when it comes down to art it comes in many shapes, sizes and forms but when, for instance, Two buckets of water and a spade... Moldy bread... and a canvas painted blue, thats boarderlining on stupidity, it's definatly not my perception of art.
I myself have been to France and visited the Louvre to see some of the worlds greatest aspects of artwork such as, The Mona Lisa, I waided through a jam packed crowd to see that masterpeice!
Others might call me too judgmental and that I do not give things a chance but I did not find my time at the Tate useful as I could not understand how placeing three basket balls next to each other could even mean anything.

Elsa Schiaparelli's Lobster Dress Inspired by Dali

Whilst reading Elsa Schiaparelli's book I came across the Lobster dress. The simple white silk evening dress with a crimson waistband, designed by Schiaparelli in 1937 caught my eye because it featured a large lobster painted on the skirt by Dali.

The infamous Lobster dress, a design collaboration with Salvador Dali was worn by Wallis Simpson in a series of photographs by Cecil Beaton taken at the Chateau do Cande shortly before her marrige to Edward VIII.

Dali placed the lobster amongst parsley springs on the front of the skirt. Master silk designer Sache transleted the sketch to the fabric.

Vogue devoted an eight-page spread ti the results.

Apparently, for Dali the lobster had sexual connotations. As a result, his placemant of the lobtser thus charged the design with erotic tension.

I personally am drawn to the dress as I find that placeing; somewhat classed as an "ugly creature" upon a beautiful dress, works a really great contrast.

Barbie, Friend or Foe?

Since 1959, we've all had an unbeatable grad fixation with the 11.5 inch doll. The oldest teenager in the world; Her upbeat fashion, infamous blonde hair and an unrealistic toned body to top it all off. As America's top everything girl icon..

I present to you:

Now, Barbie has always been the smart, responsible, girl-next-door type, holding down 75 careers in the last 50 years but has she always been so innocent, as it may seem?There are many controversies behind the "role model" most pending of these would have to be the unideal body image. Barbie's waist has been widened in more recent versions of the doll to prevent leading the risk that young girls may attempt to minipulate their own bodies in order to achieve the glamours look that Barbie so profoundly carries.

Barbie syndrome is a term used to describe the desire to have a physical appearance and lifestyle of the infamous Barbie doll. Oftern noted to be directed to teen adolescence; as youths would want to look their best to impress the opposite sex and peers, they would see Barbie as being the perfect "role model".