No restrictions

I had gotten the latest email blast from Coletterie and I just had to smirk a bit. Not that it was bad or I was being especially snotty or anything but it was about a little trip to NYC and different fabric stores. One of which was Mood. Then they described this draping class that was being taught there and this beautiful piece was made.

This is what made me smirk. Of course it is gorgeous but also how many yards of fabric do you think it took to make this? My rough estimate with those wide pleats would be somewhere between 15-20 yards. That is also not muslin which makes a large difference as well. Even muslin at Mood prices for that much yardage it would be about $120. It just amazes me how unrealistic some of these things are that they present to people as options. I guess they can get away with that in NYC but you would find yourself hard pressed to get someone in Columbus to shell out the class price with an additional couple hundred in just draping supplies.  I would know, I teach draping in the summer at CCAD.

I dream of the day when I have copious amounts of money or means to drape amazing unrestricted garments but alas, I must work with what I have and be conservative with each piece. Once upon a time in college I was able to do this regardless of cost, not because I had the money but because I was an oblivious youth with big dreams and very supportive parents. The last time I gave myself unrestricted allowance for fabric was my wedding dress. That took about 8 yards of silk organza because of all the pleats.

 Well anyways that was just my little two cents on that post from Coletterie and their trip to NYC and Mood. It is hard to be a designer without any support and income and especially harder if you are an adult with an interest in it and looking to take classes. Fashion design is not cheap nor is it easy. I try to be as sympathetic as possible to my students pocket books but I feel their pain between the creative expression and the reality of the situation you live in.

Best of luck my friends and don't be discouraged by your resources. Continue to create and learn and be happy in what you are doing for yourself.
Cheers!

My Father's Shirt

Randomly my dad gave me this shirt the other day when I was visiting him. They don't live far just on the other side of town. I think he misses me a lot so I should try to visit them more, but that is besides the point of this post.  Dad gave me a shirt because he knew I had another shirt with the same blue pinstripes so he was trying to be thoughtful by giving me his.  It was a mans large of Old navy, I was swimming in it of course. I thought I would make the best out of it and turn it to a tunic shirt.

Here are some terrible pictures of me wearing the end result.  I am showing these first so we can end with the better looking photos because it really turned out nicely.

I struggled for a long time with the front of this shirt.  It needed some sort of shape and the darts every which way I did them were unsatisfactory.  Finally I folded in some pintuck seaming and I was smitten with the faux bib (for lack of a better word since my brain isn't functioning today).  I also rolled up the sleeves and stay stitched them down.

For the back I brought it into a box pleat in the middle so that it created an interesting drape and brought the shoulders and back up a fit so the front was more fit.

Amazing that I was able to do all this with a few selective stitches and not cut a single piece of fabric out of the shirt.

Antique to Summer Classic

I got this lace table runner a while ago at an antique store and thought I could cut it and use it for mini runners on my two side tables in the living room to protect cat claws ans spills.  The I saw a little label on the inside with the date and captions that all the lace was handmade.  I couldn't bear to cut into it so I left it folded quietly in my stack of fabrics.

I took it out last weekend determined to get some precious time in on my sewing machine. I laid it over my mannequin in a few different variations which ultimately gave me some ideas for other designs I'd like on on using my own tatted lace.

I settled on this simple drape of a peasant blouse with a deep drape in the back.  The fun thing is from this rectangle I only needed to sew four parts to keep this shape.  A connecting seam in the front, one tuck stitch under each arm to make arm holes and the fourth was in the back to keep it together a little more so it wouldn't slide off my shoulders.

I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can wear this out over a vibrant tank dress or with some skinny jeans and tall wedges.

Pattern Magic #3 -Book Review

Of all three Japanese Pattern magic books this has been my favorite so far.  I think because it hits really close to home for me combining the elements of drafting with draping.  Things that I can describe to other people or draw out but then they question me if that is really the right shape.  This book solidifies that I have been right in 98% of my freehand flat designs.

This book like the previous ones has very simple and clean photos on mannequins or models that show off just the clothing and not anything else.  The language of this book doesn't matter so much because the photos are so well done and the pattern details are clearly pictured.  I find that a lot of English patterns are too wordy and get more confusing to transcribe then they are to actually piece and sew together.

Here is a representation of how to take a plain pants block and spruce it up with some simple slash and spread on one side giving the pants that Ruching look.  Easy to do right?  as long as you get the general concepts and aren't afraid of the weird shapes you can do so many amazing things with drafting off of the simple block.

I like how in the picture below it shows all the different possibilities for the one pattern.  The idea of taking one garment and styling and wearing it in so many different options is something I look for in my personal wardrobe all the time.

 

I would say that if you are really interested in Pattern drafting and fashion design this book, well this entire series of books is a great investment.  The first two books Pattern Magic 1&2 can now be found in translated into English now on Amazon.

A look at Draping

 Draping is one of my passions.  Not not as in valances in your window but as in a way to construct and sculpt a pattern for garments.  I was working on some dresses for the Band that is playing at our wedding coming up.  It's not the most original idea but it will be cute and a style that will fit both ladies.  It is 1950's inspired with a halter neckline and lapels.

The trick is that one lady is stick thin whilst the other is your more average day American woman in size.  Both have this gorgeous pale skin.  I chose to make the dresses out of a dark green stretch cotton Sateen.

Well onto the Drapery! Remember this isn't the most inventive but it will show you the basics of how I work.

 First you have the blank canvas, one of my mannequins (she's not the best one but don't tell her that).

 I always like to start with the waist and bodice when doing a full dress.  Since this is also a balanced pattern I only need to work on half the form.  As my friends Johnny says "Use your Imagination!" to view it as a whole dress.

Two key things here, the straight grain of the fabric is parallel to the center front and I mark that straight grain (which you can't see the chalk in this picture but you will later).  Yes I know it has wrinkles but that will be resolved later in fittings with actual stretch fabric (similar to the final fabric) on the person.  Also this is just the beginning.  I always pin the grain to the center front first, then I gently work my way to the side seam to pin it.  This is one of the few times where it is ok to pin directly to the mannequin because it is just the beginning and you have no other fabric to pin it to. One of the Fundamentals to draping is once you get far enough along nothing is actually pinned to the mannequin itself b/c you have draped and fitted the fabric in a way where it holds itself naturally to the shape just as the clothes naturally hangs on your body.  Seriously you wouldn't pin something to your skin to wear it would you? (don't answer that if you are into those fetish things).

With the bodice I am now working on the upper section to cover the breast and be the foundation for the lapels.  I am on purpose working with this on the bias so that the lapels will have a straight grain to be sewn onto giving them more strength and foundation.  I always use a large piece of muslin to begin and cut is away and re-use what's left as long as I can before it's too small or the grain is off.  When I laid this down I drew over the muslin and then cut leaving  some extras as seam allowance and room to drape or change as I feel fit.

When I am satisfied I clip off the excess muslin and pin the breast dart for shape and where the seams meet I fold the fabric under and pin it in the same direction that stitches would be as if sewing it.  This helps me to visualize where the true seam will be on the pattern and easier when I need to make my final markings.

Next I am working on my lapel collar.  I find the easiest way is to fold over my seam allowance and just lay the fabric on top.  Then I draw what I want the lapels to look like.  Even though I am doing a split lapel I am drawing them together so I have a better Idea of the positioning and size.  You can faintly see my chalk below.

I take it off and cut this exactly in the shape I'd like with no seam allowance because I do not want to bulk up an unnecessary thing at this stage.  Later when I get into the final pattern pieces I will make a more refined Muslin collar to fit.

I fit the the lapels into the collar to make my judgement on the size and position and they look good for now.  Once again something I will probably mess around and change when I do the in person fittings.  Once again I pin the seams back just like I would for sewing.

Taking a step back is important to reflect on what you are doing in the process.  When you work too closely to the fabric you can easily loose site of your concept and goal.

Just a little shameless promotion that I always use one of my own Felted Pincushion rings when I am working.

I sell them on Etsy at Sew to Speak and recently Wholly Craft!

I draped the back, it was pretty simple.  I still want to keep the straight grain on the center back the same as I did on the center front.  Also a straight grain seam is the easiest place to install a zipper for a dress.  It will lessen the puckering and pull that might occur on a side seam zipper that high up on the bodice.  The back is a simple Halter tie in a bow.

This is the first skirt variation that the Skinnier singer requested.  I will need to measure her knee length and plan on making it slightly Tulip (flare) at the bottom.

Below is the second skirt variation for the more average sized singer.  It has a bit of tulle underneath to give it the 1950's fullness. I have already decided to change this from a gathered skirt into a more streamlined circle skirt version.

The Muslin after I made my final markings before I put it into paper and sew a full body first draft from new muslin.  I usually use a black chalk but to make it a little easier I decided to use a Pink Marker for you.

You can see the breast dart and how the top overlaps the center front.  That is for modesty which depending on the girls may cross over more for more modest or less to be more revealing.  It would be a pretty simple adjustment and shift overall.

 

I hope this Step to Step of my process in draping was of interest.  I'll do my best to recording taking the muslin and putting it back into paper for you next week!