My Last Garment...A Skirt.

This week week, we could make a garment of our choice, inspired by a previous successful garment...

Inspired by the skirt i had done a three weeks previous, I took elements of that, shape of my skirt previous to that and elements of my third dress and created this midi length taffeta pencil skirt with draped net...

I think it looks really modern and fashion forward with historical references... 

the V&As Golden age of couture book was a big inspiration too me, aswell as the fabric...I love taffeta, the way it moves, its weight and sheen...It kept the lines clean, used the seaming as a detail and the net to add a bit of character...I like the navy grey and black (styling) together...mix of textures...

I used a deep hem to finish it; put a concealed zip in; used a facing to keep the waistline clean and a vent in the back allowed movement...

Vent

Deep hem

Sewing binding on

Fabric File

Fabric File

This is a snapshot of the various fabrics that i have collected throughout this project...

I have really tried to look at fabrics and how they can be used or implemented...

I tried to gather a variety of fabrics that captured the depth and breadth of variety...

I also tried to get as many fabrics from suppliers as possible in addition to shop fabrics...

I contacted companies such as Millerrain; Linton; Pongees; Litman and Whaleys.

Garment detail file

Garment Detail file...

This is a snapshot of a file containing cuttings, experiments, toiles, and other information i have collated through the project...

Group work...

During this project, we had to work as part of a group, each week one member would purchase the fabric for the rest of the group, them deciding on what they want...




I feel like that while my group did have a few problems...i.e  Late fabric; occasional communication glitches...this is to be expected, its only normal...considering it is a week time scale to buy the fabric and make, yes one may say that you could buy and make weeks before etc...it just wasn't practical due to money issues, some people working and maybe missing lessons...


On the rare occasions that we used different fabric, it wasnt made into an issue...we got on with it and, I presented something every week, except dress #3...


we did keep contact through our Facebook group and through the phone etc...


I think we worked well as a group overall 

Trousers #3

I have gotten really into making trousers, since i have realized how too...

This week i wanted to take the idea of a 'crisp pair of pressed trousers' and make a beautiful pair of wide legged trousers...very Celine esque...

I used a chocolate brown taffeta that had a watermark print...

I put a concealed zip in the rear of the trousers and a waistband...

The hem i rolled over and left it deep to add some weight and substance to the leg...

I did a few mistakes...like using a different coloured thread...

This was purely due to time issues...usually i Know the importance of little details like that and how they make or break a good design....

Concealed Zips - These are something i think i am finally starting to master...I am not saying an expert, but if i take it slowly i can get a real professional finish

Hems and finishing are something i consider integral to be considered in the design of a garment...the heavier the fabric, i think the heavier the hem...unless a raw edge is wanted or whatever...

I am really happy with these trousers and think they look very stylish and have been both an experiment and helped me resolve some issues, and practice my skills further (Zip) 

Next week is the final week...A culmination of all the knowledge aquired on this project...

I am going to do my best to make the best possible garment in the time frame and in my skill base. 

Dress #3

This is, I think my favorite dress...Its Glamorous, but not too pretty. 

It is made from 2 colours of Chiffon and Black and Grey tulle....

A Lot of Colours but, they somehow work...

it was intended to be backless with a plunging front and a 'twenties' hankercheif hem...

I think it does really work well and has a fashion/historical/beautiful thing ? going on...

I Simply over-locked the edges, and used this as a detail...Too do this i created more seams than unnecessary, purely for detail....

This dress originally started out in simply Navy Chiffon with the grren as an accent and lined with a nude silk...but it didnt really work...thus resulting in me ripping up what i had made (as usual) and out of pure despair, I started draping on the stand (I have no pictures...but i know i should have documented this !) 

From this...

To this...

I really like this finished garment...It really was difficult to work with the chiffon, and find a way of manipulating it to create the vision i had in my head...

I think it has a look of one of my favorite dresses, and most inspiring to me...The Green dress Keira Knightly wore in Atonement. 

Skirt #3

This is the skirt i am most proud off. 

I think it represents one of the aspects of my personal design handwriting...I love raw edges on fabrics like chiffon and taffeta etc....It brings to mind Lanvin by Alber Elbaz (one of my favorite designers) 

I used a fabric that is of similar weight and feel to taffeta, but is in fact (Im told) Nylon...

I fell in love with the fabric as soon as i looked at it..and knew i had to  make a skirt out of it...

I used the same waist detail as my week one skirt and developed it a bit further and backed it with grosgrain ribbon (another favorite) to strengthen the waist and ensure the gathering stitches don't snap...

I used a really deep 3 inch hem and took time to put in a beautiful concealed zip that just disappeared into the folds of the gathers. 


To emphasize this, i kept the design really simple and made it a bit edgy and perhaps a bit scary by leaving it mid shin length...

Details of the skirt...

Deep hem

Concealed Zip

Gathers and Grosgrain waistband

French Seam

Trousers #2

This week the fabric was a stretch Polyester satin fabric.

Front View

Side View

Back View

I was going to make a simple, well cut pair of wide leg trousers, fastened with a concealed zip to keep the lines clean...

At the cutting out stage, I accidentally cut 2 fronts and backs for the same side of the leg...thus leaving me short of fabric...so to remedy this i decided to do one long leg and one short leg...

I tried to do a waistband...and then put a concealed zip, but i had lost all enthusiasm i had for them...

In hindsight, i now realise i should have faced them to keep a simple line and taken more time to cut out and finish and put a concealed zip in... 

I added a pocket last minute to try out a pocket in its simplest form..

I though i had nothing to loose in doing so, because the trousers had gone wrong anyway...

I dont think the look that bad...they may be considered fashionable...they are certainly an acquired taste.

Waistband

Asymmetric trouser leg 

Patch pocket

Mistake.

Dress #2

Dress #2 was made from a Metallic blue polyester fabric...it frayed like nothing else on this earth...didn't iron well...became static...slipped out of place if you so much as looked at it...I think its suitable for theater, but not really fashion. 

I think i created something simple and met the breif of a dress...I made a simple slip style dress that was completely backless...and i think the model made it look good...

I am very disappointed with myself...but i didnt choose the fabric and i tried to do the best i could...  

skirt #2

Skirt #2 was made from a coated cotton, and had pockets a waistband and 3 zips (one as fastening and 2 for detail and too allow movement).

due to the stiffness of the fabric I wanted to do something tailored...then deciding to do something a bit sporty came up with this...

Exposed zip fastening..like i used in week ones skirt...I tried to keep a sporty theme with the chunky plastic zip...i put the zip in asymmetrically to add a point of difference...wasn't too successful. 

Side Pockets...very deep 

instead of just creating a vent to allow movement, i put another zip in to emphasize the sports concept

Waistband - I should have used interfacing in the waistband, but i never...learn from next time...the gathered waist was taken from week ones skirt...

Pocket inside out...I used the fabric from my first skirt to create a contrast and link the skirts...

as the fabric didn't fray..i didn't think it was worth trying to finish it...though with hindsight...perhaps a run and fell seam would have worked better.

I could have done a deep hem...

Overall I liked the style...it was the finishing that let it down perhaps...and i could have designed the details better...I do think a week is such a short time to properly think, design, and make a successful garment...however it is possible and is down to time keeping skills. 

Trousers #1

I really enjoyed making these trousers, They where the first pair i had ever made, so they are not as 'trouser-like' as they could have been.

I took influence from the Skirt I had made in the first week, with the High-Low staggered hem and the exposed zip (to an extent) 

Used my Favorite style of fastening, The exposed Zip, but in a much more minimal and clean way.  

To Make them, I cut the fabric on the cross grain, using only a tracing of the crotch/inside leg seam. so the trousers, one may say are half draped, half pattern cut.

this enabled me to get the full circle skirt effect on each Leg.

This i found particularly enjoyable as there was a sense of experimentation/ not knowing the outcome...

The main Difficulty came In Hemming...

I didn't want to do a plain Roll Hem...I wanted to do a hem and stitch by hand to add weight and an almost attempt at Couture sewing. Couture techniques are very interesting to me.. and i constantly use 'Couture Sewing Techniques' by Claire B.Shaffer as a reference.

The book suggested that I should ease the hem with heat and steam, but i think this didn't work so well due to the fact the fabric was a Linen ? so i just stitched it flat where I could and made the occasional tuck where needed to remove excess fabric.

Small Tucks