Starting toile

We were assigned a design each of another member of our group. I was given Charis Rokins design and created the pattern pieces based on the drawing. I removed the darts and created seam lines going through the dart points as she drew on her design. She wanted a zip on the bust line seam and one on the side. I had to re-draw the back of the top half of the dress due to a slight measurement inaccuracy. Once created the new back of the dress came out well.

Fabric/ Material tuition and fabric file advice

We were given a tutorial on the best way to assemble our fabric file and how to identify different fabrics. We learnt about the different categories of fabric ranging from natural fibres which are sourced from cellulose or protein sources, aka cotton and linen being plant based and silk and animal skins being sourced from animals/ silk worm. As well as synthetic and man made fibres. I was advised to separate my fabric file into categories based on fibre content that would consequently help me identify fabrics as well as be easy for me to locate fabric types in my file for inspiration for my garments.
I decided on a simple format of categorising my fabric samples being

• Natural (Cellulose/ Protein)

• Synathetic (Man made) 

• Mixed (Fibre content having both natural and synathetic fibres)

sewing skills file

To give a good insight into seam construction we have been asked to compile a comprehensive sewing file. I started creating french seams first which are best on delicate fabrics like chiffon/ organza. More heavy duty seams such as Fell seams are est on heavy weight fabrics such as denim and thus is used on many jeans seen on the market these days. This activity helped me understand how best to handle a different range of fabrics like the importance of different seams to cater for diverse fabric choices. I also feel a greater understanding of appropriate stitches for example the channel seam needed a long loose stitch down one seam line as it would then be unpicked so needed to be loose for this.

                                                                       French seam:

 

Gathering/ Gathering in seam

Channel seam:

                                                            
                                                           Fell seam

                                                              
I will go on to create more seam samples and start zip and pocket samples and begin storing my samples in a folder.

Putting the pattern pieces together and making the dress

We then assembled the pattern pieces and made the dress up in a toile to get an understanding of the complex pattern pieces and how they form a dress thus making the idea of strange panels less daunting. I found this pattern cutting activity very informative and as a novice at pattern cutting it gave a good introduction to the subject.

Pattern cutting excersise

We were given a pattern cutting excersise incorporating and introducing themes of dart manipulation and seam placement on a garment. Getting into a pair me and my partner began constructing a basic size ten pattern in paper from our pre made block. Using sellotape the paper dress was taped securely to the mannequin and then covered in numerous layers of sellotape. Once fully covered we began to draw new seam lines onto the paper/tape dress. This then removed the darts as we put seam lines through the bust points and dart points on the waist, hips and back. This also gave an insight into how to create complicated patterns with numerous pattern pieces.
   We cut out the new block shapes which we then traced onto paper applying a 1cm seam allowance around the newly cut pattern pieces. We changed the dress to an 18 pannelled dress thus giving good insight into creating unusual patterns from the basis of a basic dress pattern block.