Applique

Today we had another workshop, applique, which was part of our brief. I enjoyed making my applique sample because I gained inspiration from one of the artists I had researched, Helen Brankin. She's a surface pattern designer and I thought that her work was really inspiring, amazing and creative. Here is the image of her work that I took my inspiration from.




Here is the applique that I made for today's workshop. I was inspired by the colours used on Helen Brankin's work. I interpreted her work, using more simple lines, as I'm not an expert at aplique. It's not really finished yet because I need to add more stitching and materials, but I hope you like it.





Thanks for reading, I'll see you on my next blog x.

Batik workshop

On Thursday afternoon I took part in a batik workshop that was part of our new brief. I had never heard of batik before so I had no idea what it would look when it was completed. Before starting the process, we discussing health and safety, so that we would avoid getting injured.

I enjoyed the workshop and was impressed with my finished sample, which you can see below.

How I made a batik sample.

• The first thing that you have to do is to heat up the wax. The wax container needs to be switched on and heated up at least half an hour before you need to start the process. The wax pot had already been switched on for us before we started the workshop.
• Whist the wax was heating, I drew the pattern I wanted on a piece of paper.
• Then I chose a fabric. Cotton or silk is preferable. I chose cotton for my first sample.
• After that, I placed my cotton fabric on top of the pattern that I'd drawn out and then poured hot wax over it.
• I was very careful not to burn myself on the hot wax.
• When the wax had dried, I put colour onto the fabric using inks.
• I then let it dry then took the wax off with hot iron.

Interfacing

During my pattern cutting lesson I learnt about 3 types of interfacing, light, medium and heavy.

Light and medium interfacing is used for cuffs, collars, facings, waistbands and button stands whilst heavy interfacing is used for stronger, structured garments.

Light/ medium interfacing on a collar.





Heavy interfacing is used on this dress to maintain the structure and shape.

Skirt Facing

Last Tuesday during my pattern cutting lesson I made a skirt facing. At first I did not know what a skirt facing was. I thought it looked like a waistband but it was not like a waistband at all. My tutor explained the difference between a facing and a waistband to all of us in the class. Facing is an option, instead of a waistband, to finish off raw edges around the waistline. Here is what I manufactured.

Outside

This is the finished skirt facing sample.




Inside

This shows what would the inside looks like.


Interfacing

The interfacing holds the shape of a garment and gives it structure.


Retaining row

The retaining row prevents the facing from rolling up. I sewed a machine line along the waistline, sewing the facing, interfacing and seam allowances together. I then pressed this flat, turned it inside the skirt and pressed it again.

My final toile. (cowl skirt)

This images show the final outcome of the toile that I made with the waistband. The front of the skirt reminds me of a close rose bud upside down. I like the cowl skirt folds because it looks like a big pocket on both side of the skirt. The final outcome looked similar as the design that I've drawn in my sketchbook as I would have imagined it to be. The waistbnd looked perfect but on my design it actually has a layer of folded panel. I think that I've made it perfectly concidering that it was my first time making a cowl skirt and the pattern was really hard to make as well.

Front of the skirt.

Close up of the waistband

Back of the skirt

Close up of the back

Producing my waistband

On this post I will show you how I made the waistband for my skirt toile.

This image shows the paper pattern that I made for my waistband.

I measured around the waist of my skirt then added 4cm. Then I decided that the width will be 10cm long. After that I added 1.5cm seam allowance. And then I doubled it up because I folding it.

This images shows the pattern being cut out of fabric. I didn't place the pattern on the grain line therefor it will stretch when I sew it in.

The next step that I did was to fold the fabric in half then iron it flat. I also folded the 1.5 seam allowance. Then I sewn in 1.5cm on each side of the waistband.

Then I reduced the bulk.

On this image the skirt got caught on the waistband when I was sewing it. So I unpicked it and made sure that the skirt wont get caught when I sew it again.

So that's how I made my waistband.

Hem

I've hand stitch the hem of my toile to give the couture effect.

Here I've hand sewn in the 1.5cm seam allowance for the hem.

Continuing with the toile

I've stitched the two sides of the skirt together and measured 1.5cm from the edge. This is going to be the cowl detail of the skirt. And then I've repeated the same on the other side.

Overlocking and adding the zip.

I've overlock the whole pattern and now I can add the zip.

back

front

Cutting the pattern on fabric.

After making the paper pattern and adding all the details on, I've pinned my pattern on my fabric so that I can start working on my toile.

Paper pattern

After choosing my design, I went on and made my paper pattern skirt for my toile. It was really hard making it because I've never done a cowl skirt before and I've never got to practice making it either.

I started drawing the pattern by tracing the back and front skirt block in size 12. Then I added four darts on both sides ignoring the original darts. Then I cut the seams open along with the cowl lines. On a new piece of paper, I've drawn a horizontal line and stuck down the pattern that I've slashed open lining it with the horizontal line. I've decided that my centre front will cut on fold so I've drawn in the cut on fold symbol. I've also added the grain line, my name, size and cut x1 on the pattern.

First draft

My pattern's not done yet, I've traced this pattern on a new piece of paper so that I could make more adjustments to it. After that I added 1.5cm seam allowance on the whole pattern apart from the centre front.

Second draft

I've traced the new pattern off and my paper pattern is done.