07/11/11 - Realisation Week 2

Monday:

As part of our contextualising practise lecture this week, we were made to choose a collection in order to research for our final essays. The lecture had great variety from the special collections, here at man met. library to the film archives which had an eye opening film on fashion in the 40s/50s on cotton in fashion. I was really cool to see the differance between how muted a fashion show was then by only having a few buyers to how popular culture has made it the phenomeon we know today with bloggers, magazine editors to celebrity. I ended up choosing the journal collections as I really want to find vogue from my birthday as I know Kate Moss was on the cover, hairstyles by James Brown. Or any other that catches my eye. I'm scheduled for 10am on Friday 18th November for my collection meeting.

Tuesday:

Today was crunch time in pattern cutting. With my final idea and a long fresh batch of calico I went to finally get my head around how I would make my rather complex design. After I arrived I instantly regretted designing something of such complexity, but if I'd of gone for the ultra-symplistic route I would not feel that sense of achievement or satisfaction with my design in the end. My final fabric will hopefully be cotton organdy (at £12.50 a mtr), which is rather expensive but hopefully with give it the luxurious feel and quality I desire. I managed to get a very clear view of my pattern plan after explaining my ideas/plan to Robin, which gave me a good start and direction. I made all my pieces and cut them out ready to sew at 9am tomorrow so I get a good table!

Wednesday:

Today I got in at 9am so I got a good table and a good headstart! my first 'toile', or should I say toile 0.5 was made by around 11. Then i hade to create the otoshiana (drop hole) process (found in the pattern magic book) which requires me making the hole out of a flat and tubular shaped calicos and fitting i into a hole in the dress. I then drew on my seams to the dress to create odd angular shapes. I then translated the cut calico pieces to pattern paper (around 10 additions to the pattern) and added 1cm seam allowance. Then I cut the pattern out and designed and made a collar (i want to experiment with a rounded collar) all cut out to sew together as my officall 1st toile tomorrow then I have my first knit workshop! I managed to go into town to abakhan to get my cord for my piped seams just in time too!

Thursday:

Today I was really keen to get on ith my first toile after having all my pieces cut and cord etc. As I was creating the garment it did seem like i was creating three seperate shirts, but I wanted to stick by my design and attempt to reflect what I have come up with in the process. From the whole week of pattern creating, cutting and sewing once I was near the end of sewing, I placed my toile on the stand to see that its fit was terrible, the otoshiana (drop hole) was completely flat and overall the design looked terrible! I had the knit workshop at 1:30pm, yet I knew Robin was around, after being informed he had just left the workshop at 1pm I e-mailed him for help as I was left lost and disappointed with myself and went to the knit workshop.

The knit workshop really lifted my spirits after my design made me feel like a failure. We firstly learnt and recieved samples of differant types of knit, sampled finger knitting and differant types of weaves. One of the workshop technicians called Sue showed us the right and wrong ways to steam set our samples as most types of knit curls and needs to be flattened. Then we got a go on the domestic hand knitting machines! They were tricky to work at first but then i was soon trying out all the techniques Dr Annie Shaw showed us. I just need to find time to come and practise randomly so I can get better! I need to finish hand knitting my hat for winter too!

Luckily after the workshop at 4:30pm I found Robin in the corridor. I showed him my design and my toile. I wanted more volume in the very flat drop hole which would require me adding panels to the back and inbetween. After deliberating this, and showing him some of my designs, he admitted and I thouroughly agreed that it should be kept simple like my original puzzle dress I created a few weeks ago. I will extend it to a more modern 3/4 length, add blocks of colour (burnt orange/red), add a grandad collar (full collar will be strange) and a long placket down the back!

Friday:

Up bright and early again to pattern cut the new design before tutorial. This time I had no hitches and had just enough calico for my pattern (phew!). In tutorial I explained my meeting discussion with robin about my first toile and fortunately Louise agreed that my work did have too much going on, and after showing her my puzzle dress and ideas for final design she said it would be a good idea to make it. Just need to dye my panels for monday stitch up and buy final fabrics! Phew!