Making dress toile..eeekk (and review)

I was a bit nervous about making the toile at first but at the same time excited to make my first design. I decided to make a dress, the bottom half like an A line skirt and top bit in panels with flower like material over two panels. I had to work out the best way to create the panels and what patterns to use as i was using stretch mesh fabric. In the end i used the jersey Pattern. After a confusing start i managed to work out what i needed to do and created the pattern and started to put the dress together. I realised id have to make some changes like.. i couldn't use a button as the mush is too delicate for a button whole. So ill have to change the back of my dress. This was the outcome of the review. The teachers seemed happy with the design but i have to redo my toile with another mesh which is less stretchy and change the back pattern and use a hook and eye instead! Although i would prefer not to have to do it again.. im happy as it was my first toile and it also means I will hopefully think a bit more about it before i start the next one so i don't make the same mistake!

Illustrator Jersey T Shirt

This is my working drawing I created for my jersey tshirt on illustrator. I found it a little challenging.. but once i knew what I was doing I could get on with it and complete it. I'm happy with it..going from knowing nothing about the programme to being able to create a professional (hopefully) working drawing. I think I just need to practise on the programme quite a bit more to get used to it and remember what all the buttons are!

Lectra & Jersey Workshop

After printing off our pattern pieces we created using Lectra, we only had to lightly pull the sides as they were already partially cut by the machine/printer..was so easy we didn't even need scissors! We then started to make our jersey t shirts. It was so much quicker than i expected and easier than other fabrics and clothes we'd made. We only had to use the overlocker as its a stretch fabric which made it quick. I enjoyed using Jersey so will be looking to use it again soonnn!

More Lectra.. T Shirt Jersey Pattern

We learnt how to mirror the pattern pieces we'd digitised in to make a full pattern pieces. We also added seam allowances and grain lines. The cuff and rib pattern was quite easy to create using measurements, the rectangles appeared. We tried experimenting making a vest pattern and using Modaris and reshape, to lower the neck line and making a 'V' shape as well as lowering the arm holes and back neck line. Getting it perfect could get frustrating but i enjoyed transforming it into my own little vest shape how id like it n design it.

Creative Design and Promotion

I first chose to do my project on nature as i feel this is what inspires me most in designing. After a tutorial I was told this was too broad and to narrow it down to one particular aspect of nature. I chose to look at shells as there are many different kinds, shapes and shades of colours of them. I think I get most inspired by texture and shapes and how the shells swirl and twist, are patterned, striped, etc. It give me lots of ideas with shaping, pleating and folding. It intrigues me that something so natural and non man made can be so detailed and exquisite so i decided to look into it further and to be base of my project..

Start of Lectra

To be honest I was dreading the Lectra lessons. Pattern cutting on computers....?! Pure dread..

After our first lesson though i realised it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. In fact a lot easier than manual pattern cutting. All we had to do was to put the pattern piece on the electronic board (digitiser), and using a mouse control click the numbers or letter which meant either corner, intermediate point, curve, notch etc.. then it appeared the the computer screen as a pattern piece. It was a relief :)

Week 13.. First Buying and Merchandising Lecture

I'm really interested in the whole buying and merchandising part of the fashion industry so I was looking forward to learning about it in these lectures. I enjoyed the introduction to this and found John Maynard easy to listen to, as he's already done it al and explained it easily- he was also clearly passionate about it. I learnt that although its fun and rewarding, its also very tough and one wrong move, choice or decision could be disastrous for you in this career. I find the buying aspect quite exciting and something id like to perhaps work toward as a future career.