Pattern Procedures
Patterning is a very important part of designing and creating and anyone who wants to be a designer needs to know how to manipulate a basic sloper and transform it into something they wanted. Although it wasn't finished with facings or linings, patterning and sewing the torso foundation taught me a lot. I learned how to pattern inset darts which is very important and I learned how to sew them as well. It also taught me how I can create dresses or jackets without a distracting waist seam while it is still nice and fitted. I like the torso because it hugs the dress form just right and is very flattering and it can be use in many different ways. Knowing how to pattern a torso can help you know how to pattern a large amount of designs. You can use the one small pattern to create a million different things, the versatility is amazing. I know in the future I will use the torso foundation in creating beautiful evening dresses the form to the body and don't need a seam. I believe the torso is very useful and I am very glad I learned how to pattern it.
Draping Fundamentals
It was quite hard to choose which one of my projects this semester has been my favorite. I have so many projects that show my style as a designer and showcase what I can do. I have been very proud of all of them, but my green free drape jacket just seemed to stand out to me. I loved the silhouette that I created and the lines that the peplum, shoulders, and front and back made. I wanted to create a garment that showed off the feminine body but also have structure and strict lines. I also made it contoured enough to stay on the body without a belt or tape and then come straight out at the peplum. While I was draping this project I learned a lot about how to create square shoulders and create rigid structure. It taught me how to adjust seams to make them them more contoured or more straight to stick off the body. I know that in the future I want to design dresses, jackets, etc that have structure and strict lines while being flattering and having this be the first time to actually draped it and try it out helped me to know that in the future I will be able to create what I imagined. I will definitely remember this project well into the future and will definitely look back and use it as a reference and example of what I can accomplish.
Pattern Drafting Essentials Final Project
Reflection
I won’t lie, the Pattern Drafting Essentials final project was quite challenging. At first it was super easy for me to decide what I wanted to design and make and I had the whole concept down. But then came the tricky part, actually making the pattern, and then sewing that pattern into a garment. In my head it didn’t seem like it would be that hard, I thought I had good sewing skills, I understood the pattern, and my fabric was picked out and ready to go. However I greatly underestimated the work I was about to do.
As I was looking through the textbook trying to find some inspiration I came across a gathered sleeveless top. It was paired with a peplum and I loved the look of it. I decided to take that idea and work off of it. I added one sleeve, a collar, made the bodice go to the thigh, and made the peplum into a full circle skirt.
The patterns were not too hard to figure out and I quickly had them planned out and made. As I made them I learned how to adjust the pattern in order to create gathers along the entire torso. I also learned how to create a sleeve and sleeve attachment to add a sleeve to a strapless top. I struggled for a bit but once I figured out the attachment it was easy. The only difficult was how big to make the circle skirt. I made and remade the circle skirt pattern three different times until I finally got the length and fullness that I wanted.
After I had the patterns made the tricky part started. I had purchased a polyester silky fabric because I thought the colors were pretty and I thought the draping would look beautiful with the skirt and the gathered bodice. I cut out all of my pattern pieces and got ready to sew all of them together. I started on the torso by sewing two of the pieces together and as I pulled the string to gather it the unexpected happened. The fabric just shredded and the seams burst. The fabric frayed way too much in order for me to make my garment out of it. I scrapped the fabric and started over. The only fabric I had around my house was this plain purple cotton and a shear polyester. I decided to just go with it and see what happened.
Once the new fabric was cut out I got back to work on gathering the bodice. I learned how to quickly gather an entire edge of the fabric after I sewed two pieces together. I could quickly gather the pieces and make them the length they needed to be. On the bottom of the skirt I put a facing and I learned firsthand how to sew it to the skirt and then flip it under and sew it to create a smooth hem. The sewing itself wasn’t too bad after I got a better fabric, and I finished that quickly.
I was very proud of what I made in the time that I made it and the difficulties I encountered. I think that my design and finished product make the girl look very slimming and gives her a beautiful shape. I like the way the circle skirt gives lots of volume and how it makes the dress look more elegant. I really liked the look of the unattached collar with a single sleeve. I was proud of my design. However there are quite a few things I would fix. First would be the fabric choice. Although it was better than the first fabric it still didn’t give it the look or feel I was hoping the dress would have. After making it I would also have like to maybe do a different more interesting collar. Also I made the skirt too long and if I was making it full scale I make change the skirt from a full circle skirt to a 2/3 or 1/2 circle skirt so it is not too overwhelming. The skirt had a lot of issues with it when I was done sewing. The hem definitely needs to be fix and where the skirt meets the bodice you can see the seam allowance since the material is shear. I would change that if I could. Although there are a lot of issues with my sewing skill I believe that my patterns and overall concept was unique and intriguing.
I learned a lot about my sewing skills and about pattern making with this project. I know that I will use the skill of gathering that I learned and how to pattern those gathers. I will also use the circle skirt pattern and it taught me to know how big and full a circle skirt really is. My dress was very evening/red carpet or if it was white, bridal. I hope in the future to be designing and creating under those categories and so making this on a small scale has given me ideas and skills to make other dresses similar in design that will have fewer issues and imperfections.
I had fun making this project even if it took time and a lot of wasted fabric. It was fun to see how my patterns came out in the end and gave me confidence that I can pattern things that actually work. When I was done I wanted to design more and make more little clothes. It gave me a boost in confidence in my work and I am grateful for the experience.
As I was looking through the textbook trying to find some inspiration I came across a gathered sleeveless top. It was paired with a peplum and I loved the look of it. I decided to take that idea and work off of it. I added one sleeve, a collar, made the bodice go to the thigh, and made the peplum into a full circle skirt.
The patterns were not too hard to figure out and I quickly had them planned out and made. As I made them I learned how to adjust the pattern in order to create gathers along the entire torso. I also learned how to create a sleeve and sleeve attachment to add a sleeve to a strapless top. I struggled for a bit but once I figured out the attachment it was easy. The only difficult was how big to make the circle skirt. I made and remade the circle skirt pattern three different times until I finally got the length and fullness that I wanted.
After I had the patterns made the tricky part started. I had purchased a polyester silky fabric because I thought the colors were pretty and I thought the draping would look beautiful with the skirt and the gathered bodice. I cut out all of my pattern pieces and got ready to sew all of them together. I started on the torso by sewing two of the pieces together and as I pulled the string to gather it the unexpected happened. The fabric just shredded and the seams burst. The fabric frayed way too much in order for me to make my garment out of it. I scrapped the fabric and started over. The only fabric I had around my house was this plain purple cotton and a shear polyester. I decided to just go with it and see what happened.
Once the new fabric was cut out I got back to work on gathering the bodice. I learned how to quickly gather an entire edge of the fabric after I sewed two pieces together. I could quickly gather the pieces and make them the length they needed to be. On the bottom of the skirt I put a facing and I learned firsthand how to sew it to the skirt and then flip it under and sew it to create a smooth hem. The sewing itself wasn’t too bad after I got a better fabric, and I finished that quickly.
I was very proud of what I made in the time that I made it and the difficulties I encountered. I think that my design and finished product make the girl look very slimming and gives her a beautiful shape. I like the way the circle skirt gives lots of volume and how it makes the dress look more elegant. I really liked the look of the unattached collar with a single sleeve. I was proud of my design. However there are quite a few things I would fix. First would be the fabric choice. Although it was better than the first fabric it still didn’t give it the look or feel I was hoping the dress would have. After making it I would also have like to maybe do a different more interesting collar. Also I made the skirt too long and if I was making it full scale I make change the skirt from a full circle skirt to a 2/3 or 1/2 circle skirt so it is not too overwhelming. The skirt had a lot of issues with it when I was done sewing. The hem definitely needs to be fix and where the skirt meets the bodice you can see the seam allowance since the material is shear. I would change that if I could. Although there are a lot of issues with my sewing skill I believe that my patterns and overall concept was unique and intriguing.
I learned a lot about my sewing skills and about pattern making with this project. I know that I will use the skill of gathering that I learned and how to pattern those gathers. I will also use the circle skirt pattern and it taught me to know how big and full a circle skirt really is. My dress was very evening/red carpet or if it was white, bridal. I hope in the future to be designing and creating under those categories and so making this on a small scale has given me ideas and skills to make other dresses similar in design that will have fewer issues and imperfections.
I had fun making this project even if it took time and a lot of wasted fabric. It was fun to see how my patterns came out in the end and gave me confidence that I can pattern things that actually work. When I was done I wanted to design more and make more little clothes. It gave me a boost in confidence in my work and I am grateful for the experience.