[Extra] Making a toile

I started making a toile. Sewing stage is much more relax than making pattern.
All notations are in this video.
Anyway, every single parts of process are fun!

Dyeing workshop

This workshop is a kind of introducing for dyeing fabric.
It is easy if it was small amount, but if I need to dye for whole my collection, it will be very hard to get good outcome. If I had a time, I will experiment some more.

[Extra] Pattern making

We started making pattern from other member's design.
First, our group was going to make more complicating silhouette but it was seemed to be impossible.
So we changed our design much easier and basic shapes.
Then we swapped our design.
The shape I had got one was long and tight dress with a big box pleats on the back skirt.
It was mostly basic shape, so it was not difficult. But the skirt was 123cm length.
Anyway, all notations are in this video.

Sewing file 1

Basic lines and curve, gathers.
I used black thread for this practise. Because one is for challenge, (black thread cannot gross over bad seam line) and the other is for permanent reference file (easy to find out seam lines).
I slightly regretted what I did not do ironing all samples before taking these photos. (Of course I did after that.)
What is a difficult point is controlling sewing machine speed.
Some of them are very fast and hard to get it slow. It means curve, corner, edge seams are often run over.
I need to get use to using industrial one as soon as possible.

Taped dress: Preparation to pattern making

This method was very interesting and unexpected.
Because I have been thinking that pattern should be followed normal panel shapes.
But this practise was much unlimited.
So I challenged very stream lined patterns.
I have no idea how my design turns to 3D.
I will see it when I made the toile.

Fabric contents workshop

[Fibre]

Natural Fibre
-Cellulose (Plant)
    Linen (flax), Cotton, Hemp, Bamboo, Pineapple, Nettle, etc.
-Protein (Animal)
    Silk, Wool (Sheep, Cashmere, Alpaca, Vicuna, Camel, Angora, Mohair, Yak, etc.)

Man-made Fibre (early 1920's)
-Rayon 'Art Silk'
    Acetate, Viscose, Cuprammonium (Brushed silk)

Synthetic Fibre
    Poly-amide (Nylon), Polyester, Acrylic, Polyvinyl Chloride, Polyurethane, etc)


[Weaving]
Plane, Satin, Basket, Twill, Brocade/Damask, Pile, Herringbone, etc.

It was very useful workshop. I could tidy my confused knowledge up.
For example, 'Denim' is, a name of fabric, the contents is '100% cotton', weaving is 'Twill'.

*Polyurethane=Elastane (Europe) =Spandex (USA)
All names indicate same fibre. Also each company has different brand names such as...
Latex, Elapspan (by Invista), Creora (by Hyosung), ROICA, Dorlastan (by Asahi Kasei), Linel (by Fillattice), ESPA (Toyobo)

Design Development

These are design development for Mystery/Mirror. My main concept is turning landscape photographs to vertical and find out shapes from the outline. Horizon becomes centre line. One side is the reflection. It is quite similar technique to technical drawing. Our group is going to mix each members' designs and ideas later. So these are not the final designs.

Extra practise for Pattern cutting

What a fascinating technique is!
I want to know more about pattern cutting.
So, I tried practising with a refernce book.
All notations are in this video.

B. Zamkoff, J. Price (2009). Basic Pettern Skills for Fashion Design. Fairshild Books.USA

Fabric and Trimming shops around SOHO

These shops are already familiar for me.
What unique thing is, each shop has each strength.
For example, Cloth House (North one) has wide range of natural fabrics for interior like Linen and cotton (they do not have any sheer fabrics!), on the other hand, Broadwick Silks has many fabrics for dress (like organza, doupion, Velvet and heavy embroidered silks). Cloth House (South) and Borovick Fabrics Ltd. have some unusual fabrics such like rubber (not Lycra!), polyester mixed with real feathers, new pattern Lycra and synthetics.
Their contact details are in the video.

My group theme.

New module has begun. Our group theme is "Mystery/Mirror". The target season is SS12. The theme is introduced from WGSN research. The colour ranges are dominated by dark colour and some vivid organic or geometric patterns. It may be slightly unusual for SS, but in these days, bright, pastel and white colours are quite classic for SS. Key desiners will be Gareth Pugh's and Alexander McQueen's SS2011.