Brief explanation on how I started making my toile.

The first step that I did before making my toile is of course choosing the skirt/design. Then I had to figure out how to make the pattern, so I ask Jo my tutor can she help me make my pattern, she said yes and then we looked at different skirts on a pattern cutting books from the library. So I decided to choose the cowl skirt because it's the only skirt that looks like my chosen design and the easiest skirt that we could find on the book.

The next step was making the pattern. I had a copy of the steps on how to make the cowl skirt, so I started to make the pattern at home but I didn't know how to start it. So I ask Nick my pattern cutting tutor if she could help me start my pattern and then she helped me start it. I figured out how to make the skirt but whenever I get stuck, I ask for help just in case I make a mistake.

After I've finished making my pattern, it was time to make the toile. I remember thinking, 'how am I going to make this at home on my own without a sewing machine'. I had to work fast if I want to get as many sewing done before the last day finishes, so I had to concentrate with my work. In the end I manage to cut the pattern of the calico, overlock the whole skirt and stitched on the zip, then I was on my own making this skirt.

Box pleat and inverted pleat on a skirt.

On my last pattern cutting lesson we made a skirt with a box pleat and I thought that looked really cool. Yes it was my first time making a skirt but it was just a sample to get the idea of what it would look like

This is what the front box pleat look like,

and here's what the inverted pleat looks like,


so this is the skirts that we've made as a sample, see you next time. :)

Choosing my design.

This week we had to choose one of our designs for the toile that we're making over the Christmas holidays and we're also ask to make a toile diary. I wasn't really excited about it instead I'm really scared making it because we're on our on after this week and I won't have any idea how to make it.

This is the first design that I've chosen,







but then I've changed my mind to this design because I thought it's a bit more simple and sophisticated. There's not much details on this design that's why I changed it.



On my next blog I'll be showing you the process of my toile.

Choosing my design.

This week we had to choose one of our designs for the toile that we're making over the Christmas holidays and we were also asked to make a toile diary. I wasn't really excited about it instead I was really scared. After this week we are on our own, with no guidance and I am worries that Iwon't be able to make it.

This is the first design that I've chosen,



but then I've changed my mind about this design as I think it's too simple, to similar to a basic tulip skirt.



On my next blog I'll show you how I started my toile. See you next time.

My theme and concept.

2 weeks ago we were ask to choose a theme and a concept. I chose Asian countries as my theme and then I had to think about a concept as well. I decided that it was going to be about traditions. Then I focused on traditional Asian clothing. The clothing that caught my eye the most was the Thai traditional dress because of the detailing and bright vibrant colour.

Here is an example of Thai traditional clothing.

Then I thought that the details reminded me of plants and flowers, so I decided to research on flowers in depth. I like the layering, colour and shape of the flowers that I looked at. I also looked at what each flower meant and it's symbolism.

Enrichment Week

This week we had an enrichment week, (where everyone goes off for a trip or do other course to get the taste of them), my course went to Antwerp, Belgium. I didn't go because it was too expensive. So instead of going to Belgium, I went to go and experience different courses on the main campus.

On the first day, I took wellbeing, which is about relaxation, massages and meditations. I enjoyed that day because it was all relaxed and calm, it almost felt like we weren't in college that day. I also learnt that being relaxed and calm would help me concentrate better on my college work. When we did the meditation, this girl fell asleep and she didn't realize that she was snoring, it was really funny. Then we got taught about different healing stones/crystals and that they could be worn or displayed in your house. There are different stone/crystal for different type needs on a person.

The second day was completely different as the first day because we were learning about CAD, which is a software that most architect use to draw instead of doing it straight on paper. I didn't enjoy this course as much as the first day firstly because it was all done on the computer and I'm not too good on computers, and secondly there was only three girls on the course (can you imagine us with twelve boys in the room). I think that i would be useful using CAD in the future because I could use it for making pattern blocks and drawing illustration on the computer.

Thats what I did for the enrichment week. Until next time :)

Liverpool Trip

We went to Liverpool on September 28, 2010 to visit Tate Museum. I found some interesting art pieces in the museum but I could take a photo because you weren't allowed phone inside but that's the only thing that I could use to take a photo with.
When the visit were finish and we had about an hour to go and explore Liverpool, I found black building near the museum and it reminded me of Gareth Pugh's design.
The glass window, shape and the black colour reminded me of Pugh's 2007 spring ready-to-wear collection.

Pattern cutting skirt block.

About three weeks ago, we had a pattern cutting lesson and we had to make the full skirt block from scratch. I was so proud of myself because it was my first time making a skirt block from scratch and if anyone ruins it I will kill them, only joking. I found it hard making the block, not just because I did it by myself (with some help) but it's the measuring and the right accuracy because if you don't get it accurate then you'll have to start again. So I was very careful making the block and avoiding the place where I have to start again.

Here is my finish skirt block.

Lovisa Burfitt

Lovisa Burfitt inspired me to use the bright red lips on both of my illustrations because I thought that it would bring just the right pop of colour on my board





Lovisa Burfitt is a fashion illustrator. She uses ink to work with her illustrations. Her illustrations are not busy looking and I like those kind of illustrations and her illustration is very interesting.

my hermes bracelet

Here is my Hermes bracelet that I own that I used for my two illustration boards.


I've chosen this accessory because it's simple to draw and I could illustrate it easier than a shoe or a necklace.

Hermes bracelet

Recently when I was choosing my accessory for my next unit, I found out that my bracelet was made by a designer called hermes and i didn't know about it. So I research a bit of information about who hermes was and what they do, I found that they're a famous designer label and my bracelet cost about £170, I was shocked. I wouldn't even know that it was that expensive and it was made by hermes.

This is the bracelet that I own but it's in gold.

Hermes makes luxury products like scarves, ties, menswear, women's fashion, perfume, watches, stationery, footwear, gloves, enamel, decorative arts, tableware, and jewelry.

They're known for making finest wrought harnesses and bridles for the carriage trade.

First Lesson In Pattern Cutting :)

We had our first lesson in pattern cutting today. Arrrrrrrhhhhhhhh.
How foolish am I to think that pattern cutting dealt with pattern prints on clothing.!!!!!!!!
Pattern cutting is actually garment construction (almost like a jigsaw puzzle).
I learnt a lot in this lesson, for example, notches, a notch is a mark made on the pattern piece to help the machinist match pattern pieces together and one notch on a sleeve represents the front of a sleeve and two notches represents the back of the sleeve.

The red arrows shows the notches













I also learnt how to measure the body properly and some new terminology.

Machinist - A person that sews garments.
Grader - they will take a size 10 pattern and create that pattern in other sizes.
Grain Line - found on a pattern piece and indicates where the pattern should be placed on the fabric.

I enjoyed the first lesson and would urge people not to take titles literally. I think everybody should try something new as it will give your confidence a boost.

Alexander McQueen: Fall 2009 RTW

Aimee Mullins (model)

Aimee Mullins modeled on the catwalk in McQueen's 1998 collection. She is well known as a Paralympian and McQueen used her on his catwalk show to model garments. When I first saw the image below I thought that this was a touched up photograph not realising that her legs were wooden carved prosthetic legs. I think that she looks doll like and interesting in this image. I know if I had this disability I would not have the confidence to pose for a camera. I feel that McQueen is breaking bounderies by using disabled models to promote his collections. EQUALITY.
This poses the question should bounderies be taken away for all in order for us to progress into a more equal society?

Alexander Mcqueen Fact.......

Yesterday I found out that the girl in McQueen's 2001 spring collection catwalk show was Michelle Olley, at the end of the catwalk show a centre piece mirrored box opens to revile the model draped on a lounger covered in moths. The inspiration behind this was Joel Peter Witkin's image "sanitarium". Personally I feel that the use of a plus size model being used as a centre piece for the show is great. I like the shock value of this and it promotes plus size models. Researching this has shown me not to accept everything on face value. We should always ask questions.














This is McQueen's catwalk show

there will be more facts in the next few days.....
stay tuned...

First Day At College!!!

My first day at college was very nerve-racking, firstly because I didn't know what to expect and secondly I was scared. However I enjoyed my first day.


We had to make an item of clothing, it could be anything but my group and I made a blazer out of many cut out circles..

here's the front and the side view





















and here is the back..well we couldn't decide what to do at the back so we added some folded circles going across the back to add more detail..





















And this is what we did on my first day at college. I really enjoyed working with my team and extremely happy with the end result. We weren't sure how this was going to develop or turn out but I enjoyed this exercise.

xoxo

Lady Gaga Fashionista?

Lady gaga seems to be wearing all this extreme clothing. What is the inspiration behind it?

How can you really walk in this heels? Does it take practice? Well, she can almost wear anything that she can think of but not everything that she wears she can pull off in my opinion.

From crime tape to bubbles

She describes her style as 'a commentary on what it means to be a lady'. What are you on about Gaga? Is wearing these outfits being a lady? She said that 'she gets her signature look from her mother's love of fashion while growing up'. She wore the bubble dress on her tour concert in America and the crime tape on her music video telephone. Gaga has her own creative production team called the Haus of Gaga. They create many of her garments that she wears on her tour, concerts and many appearance show. In my opinion I think that Gaga is unique and sometimes stylish depending on what she is wearing. She has a lot of confident wearing those garments and I admire her for that. So here is the question, too extreme or unique?

What do you think?