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“On ne nait pas femme : on le deviant” , Simone de Beau voir, 1949 This statement translates as “One is not born, but rather becomes a woman.” Wom anhood is a flourish from the awkwardness of childhood to a blossom into feminini ty and adulthood. Females in today’s society often find themselves und er pressure to conform to a fake, idealized femininity. As the result of media portraying an over sex ualized image of females, it has become increasingly dif ficult to accept and embrace femininity and sensuality. With beauty and aesthetics becoming incre asingly prom inent in current culture, it is no surprise that beauty pag eants and particularly chil dren’s beauty pageants are ever growing. The artist Susan Anderson provided a very inspiring starting point for my re search. As a photographer,
Anderson decided to follow the lives of child pageant queens. Looking into this growin g subculture, she ex plores the themes of youth, childhood, beauty and the longing for female perfec tion. “Femininity results from both nature and nurture, as little girls usually derive their first ideas from their mothers.”, (Salem Press En cyclopedia of Health, 2014) Asking a child to compete in a competition merely about aesthetics is disgusting. Chil dren have not developed and cannot be judged according to how they hold and con duct themselves. Due to this pressure children often form a fake femininity. To transform themselves into prema ture adults, young girls form a façade of over done eye make up, excessively glossed lips an d over coiffed tresses. These girls consume them selves with layer of fakery to attempt to make a transition into womanhood.
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Over exaggerated movements and expression s compensate for a lack of height and adult stature. While A-line dresses and puffed, exaggerated shoulders attempt to convey the desirable female figure not yet naturally developed. These young girls are often products of parents who are longing for acceptance or achievement themselves or possibly even desiring true femininity for themselves. Sadly yet interestingly, girls in Anderson’s portrayal of pageant life, have faces painted with distain. Or sometimes utter sadness. Some are over expressive, attempting in vain, to convey the emotions of a woman. They use this to try to compensate for lack of height and stature. Tilted heads allude to the sensuality of an elongated neck, sharp cheekbones an d an elegant jaw line. These young girls are adorned by what they feel identifies femininity: sickeningly brash pinks, rhinestones, tassels,
fake constructed flowers and glittering tiaras. These layers of fakery only serve t o cover up true iconic images that define true femininity. The intensely sickening pink is originally derived from the soft blush colour of roses. Rhinestones attempt to amplify light and draw attention to areas of the body, the female form which young pageant queens have not yet developed. Tassels convey a forced movement and grace, almost attempt to fake the grace and poise of an adult woman. Fake fabric flowers almost epitomise fake femininity. Flowers should convey a soft and delicate structure; simple elegant petals which blossom from the strong smooth stem. Real flowers convey nature and organic development. To create a flower out of fabric, is to attempt to mimic something natural, by creating something fake. But the question is: what is true femininity?
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True Femininity One definition of femininity is, “women’s own ideas about their own femininity which develop within and in response to a system of male dominance.” (Salem Press Encyclopedia of Health, 2014) Femininity is thought to be a result of a man’s vision of the ideal female. If this is true, then I personally would reject femininity. The opposing view is that true femininity has no regard for what is preferred by males. It is a pure and natural con cept in which women should embrace their natural aspects, traits and personalities, as well as natural form and beauty. Women should embrace their natural sensuality, instead of shying away in fear of it. Only a woman can embody femininity and the sensuali ty, which ensues. This ultimately excludes child pageant queens from competing.
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F orm
The female sil houette has been increasingly sexualised in the media and current advertising. With its delicate curved structure it is often easy to assume the female vessel is solely designed for sexual pleasure. However this statement is not entirely true. The female body should be celebrated as a complex sculpture of delicacy and beauty. It has sensual aspects however it is not designed to please the male standards of what femininity is. Sensuality should be the possession of the woman herself. Sensuality is soft and gentle, a suggestion of something that is not seen, but only imagined.
Delicacy
The female form is delicate and soft. Collarbones ooze sensuality. They show a certain vulnerability and define the female form to be delicate and somewhat fragile. The delicate pricking of pores on the skin and soft definition of the shoulders and arms. The spine also conveys elements of vulnerability. It softly juts from the back’s smooth curves.
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Movement The way a woman walks is incredibly sensual. From the sashaying of her hips to the soft swaying of her arms. A woman’s walk is part of her femininity.
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Movement was key in dev eloping my silhouettes. The way a woman walks, the way her hair flows in the breeze. Sensual movement is incredibly inspiring. Movement flows fluidly from the hips in particular. I like the idea of having a garment, which encompasses movement around the hips. Using a fabric like a silk to give a swinging movement to the garment or possibly an organza to show flashes of the female form. The concept of referencing lingerie is very important to this collection. Lingerie is a huge symbol of sen suality. The way it makes a woman feel can transform the way a woman holds herself. Lingerie can transport females to new depths of sen suality. Allowing them to define their figure and allow for coverage with the idea that what is held beneath is left only to the imagination. Del icate lace and silks allow lingerie to feel like a second skin of sheen and luxury.
Small dainty straps outline the female form. Straps are not only sensual they are also functional allowing a woman control over her body. Straps can allude to a very sensual idea. Lingerie contains various straps all connecting the lingerie to the body. I like the idea of using a different material to create straps or thin belts for my collection. I found a plastic thin strap in Kleins, Berwick Street. I really like the idea of it being transparent and plastic makes it quite contemporary. Fastenings are also key to lingerie. Hooks and eyes provide small dainty way of fitting lingerie perfectly. I found a small silver clip fastening traditionally used on waistcoats, but it works excellently with the plastic as the fastenings for the bac k of a bra or the belt of a coat.
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Many of my garments have low backs and lingerie underneath. I like the idea of drawing attention to the spine and transforming the traditional bra back into a thin strap adding a sensual edge to the looks. Throughout my research I have identified images, which use soft lighting to highlight the spine and collarbones. I found reflective tape very interesting and useful in highlighting areas of the body onto garments by using it as a sort of piping. Using the reflective tape against soft fabrics like wools really creates a juxtaposition of subtle sensuality and beautiful femininity.
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Fabric When sourcing fabrics I tried to source sensual fabrics that had a feminine edge. For outerwear fabrics I looked at neoprene, firstly as it is a very contemporary fabric. It also has a smooth texture that is very matt and soft. It could have potential to create structured shapes, which does not really work for my theme and design ideas. Another fabric I looked at was a soft textured wool. It is heavy but contains a soft heavy drape that would be excellent for a coat. Silks and natural fibers are very key in my collection. It is very important to me to have fabrics that are soft next to the skin, almost like a second skin. I love the idea of feeling the luxurious fabric of a garment and that texture having an effect on how you feel, giving the wearer a boost of self worth and sensuality. Sandwashed silk is soft and has a fantastic drape and structure. I like the idea that the feel of a delicate fabric could feel nice against the wearers skin. Silk crepe is another fabric key to my collection. The soft subtle sheen and lightweight drape add an element of movement and simplicity to my collection. Sheer fabrics like silk organza and poly organza add an element of raw sensuality. This allows the female form to be viewed and referenced in my garments.
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My fi rst initial line up was not very strong. I felt like I had lost a lot of the sensuality from my research and my silhouettes were not very sophisticated. I then decided to revisit my sketchbook and try to focus on exaggerating style details and concepts. I de cided to re design my bralettes. I wanted them to draw attention to the spine so I created elastic detailing at the back. I also decid ed to put bralettes under sheer organza tops to really exaggerate the idea of lingerie creating a sensual feeling in women.
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I also decided to exaggerate my two coat silhouettes. I changed the first coat from a fitted coat with flare into an over sized nipped in coat. I decided to include reflective tape in both of the coats to really highlight the female form. Both dresses were transformed; the first into a puff ball sty le dress which provides more movement and soft billowing that is restrained. The second into a low scoope d cowl neck dress with a very full skirt.
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I firs t took the bodice block as it does not contain any darts. I extended the block so it would fit around the knee. I then lowered the neckline into a V-shape, taking the shoulder seam down to 5cm. Squaring across from the lowest point of the neckline, I then slashed and spread the remaining block, from the lowest point of the neck to the hem. I divided the rectangle into 10 piece s and added a 5cm gap in between each, in total adding 50cm to the block. I repeated this process onto the back block. I decided to keep the front and back pieces cut on fold to avoid any unnecessary seams and cut out and cons tructed a toile in a soft poly cotton, as the final dress with be constructed in silk. I was not entirely happy with my first t oile. Due to the nature of the garment being an almost puffball style dress, the original length needed lengthening as the length ended up shorter than originally anticipated
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I decided to lengthen the dress by 10cm. There was also a lack of volume in the dress, so I decided to slash and spread the pattern again, separating the pattern into ten sections and adding another 5cm between each section. Due to the increased volume, I was forced to split the dress into four panels as I was unable to fit the front and back on as cut on fold. I then constructed a toile. I gathered in the hem using two rows of stitching on a very loose tension, then I created a 5cm facing which I attached to the hem of the dress. Obviously without a lining it is hard to imagine the real final outcome, but after pinning the facing up I was very happy with the final outcome of volume and movement. the lining to help hold it in After asking a technician about my facing, I decided to take away the facing and self-line the dress. When creating the lining pattern, I cropped the hem of the lining and extended the outer shell by double the length that it would take to meet the lining. This would help to create the puff-ball movement in this dress. The lining pattern seam allowance was made 7mm around the arm hole and neck-line so that the lining sits under the outer shell. I would have to understitch the lining to help hold it in place.
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For my j a c k e t I w a n t ed t o cr ea t e
T h e j a cke t w ill be cre ate d in a s oft
m y silh o u e tte by c r e a t i n g vo lum e
b ut s t r uct ure d w ool s o I de cid -
a nd g at h e r i ng th e v o lum e b a ck i n
ed t o t o i le in a s im ilar w e ight of
usin g a be l t. I d e c i d e d t o s t a r t wi t h
wo o l. I cut out and cons tructe d a
the bodi c e bl o c k and s qua r ed o ff
t o i le I wa s v e ry happy w ith. I w ill
the c entr e f r o nt a nd cen t r e b a ck
t a ke o ut t h e w ais t s e am as the re
lin es, le ngth e ni ng the pa t t e r n t o
i s s o m uch volum e in the j acke t
knee le ngth to c r e ate a r e ct a n g le.
t h a t wh e n gathe re d in it caus e s
I then e xte nd e d th e s h o uld er li n e
t h e s e a m t o be com e obs cure d. I
to meet th e r e st o f t h e r ect a n g le.
a ls o n e e d t o add be lt loops to the
This in tu r n c au se d t h e s lee ve t o
ja cket a n d I fe e l ins e am pocke ts
dr op, s o I d e d u c te d t h e d i ffe r en ce
wo uld wo r k ve ry w e ll w ith the
of f of th e sl e e v e . I c r e a t ed a s li g h t
v o lum e o f t he garm e nt. I fe e l like
cu r ve w h e r e th e bo t t o m o f t h e
t h e co lla r of the j acke t is s lightly
sleeve m e e ts th e j acket fr o n t a n d
t o o co n s t r a i ne d. I w ill w ait until I
bac k to a l l u d e to a sor t o f b a t wi n g
h a v e m y ful l line up toile d be fore
sty l e. I th e n c r e a te d a wa i s t s e a m
m a ki n g any dras tic change s .
a s mos t l i k e l y th e w a i s t s ea m wi ll be cove r e d by a be l t. F o r t h e s ki r t section o f th e c o a t I s la s h ed t h e pattern i nto f i v e p i e c e s s pr e a d i n g i t by 5c m , to c r e ate fla r e i n t h e c o at.
For my jacket I wanted to create my silhouette by creating volume and gathering the volume back in using a belt. I decided to start with the bodice block and squared off the centre front and centre back lines, lengthening the pattern to knee length to create a rectangle. I then extended the shoulder line to meet the rest of the rectangle. This in turn caused the sleeve to drop, so I deducted the difference off of the sleeve. I created a slight curve where the bottom of the sleeve meets the jacket front and back to allude to a sort of batwing style. I then created a waist seam as most likely the waist seam will be covered by a belt. For the skirt section of the coat I slashed the pattern into five pieces spreading it by 5cm, to create flare in the coat. I cut out and constructed a toile I was very happy with. I need to add belt loops to the jacket and I feel inseam pockets would work very well with the volume of the garment.
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I created my top from the blouse block. After tracing the block off I saw from my technical drawing that I only wanted volume in two s pecific places, so I slashed and spread 20cm from the side seam on the front and back, adding 10cm. After feedback from the review I decided to shorten the top slightly. I felt the length was hiding a lot of detail in the trousers. As the top will be made from organza I will be French seaming it. I will be finishing the arm holes and neckline with organza binding.
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For these trousers I slashed and spread the trouser pattern to create tucks. I moved the darts into the tucks so they were not as obvious. I toiled the trousers and then adjusted the fit slightly to make them more baggy.
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For this jacket I took the blouse block and extended it until the hem would sit at knee level. I then slashed and spread the back and front of the pattern to create some volume. To create the raglan sleeve I used a French curve to create a smooth curve from the underarm to the neck and repeated this process for the back. I then toiled the coat in a wool like fabric to make sure the volume and shape were okay. From my first toile I noticed that the fit was very tight across the shoulders due to the raglan sleeve seam be ing too high on the back. I dropped the seam to allow for a much better fit. I then also removed some of the volume I had added and added in the curved panels, which were in organza. 43
I have decided to include organza panels in my lining to keep the sheerness. My second toile sat much better on the body. I will be altering the length after all my toiles are finished to create more cohesive lengths for my outerwear. I altered the length slightly after my toile review as I felt it did not sit at the correct length compared to my other coat. For my lining pattern I added 2cm to my raglan sleeves ta perin g it off. I also added 5mm to the under arm of the front and back also tapering off towards the hem. My facings are 4cm as I want everything to be very delic ate.
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For this top I traced off the blouse block as I did not want any darts and drew in the low v neck on the front and back. I decided to make these measurements even. I then drew a line under the V-neck to create a section that I could slash and spread, divid ing the front and back into five sections of 5cm, then spreading each section by 5cm. I then toiled this pattern. The fit was very loose, due to the slashing and spreading the armhole was affected so I decided to take it in so it fitted better. The back V-neck was very high so I dropped it by 4cm. The front V-neck was also quite high so I dropped it by 3cm. In order to get the pulled in effect I desired, I used sewn in elastic. I decided to sample two different sizes of elastic. The smaller elastic was harder to sew however it provi ded a better result.
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For these trousers I first decided to create a pattern that would just be paneling and sewn together. I traced off the women’s trouser block and measured where I would like my panels to connect. I squared off the trousers from the hip to create a looser, straighter leg. I then toiled this pattern. I was happy with the fit, but I felt that the design was lacking. I was not completely sure how I wanted this design to be conveyed in a garment so I decided to try overlapping the top curved panel. I created a facing panel for this curved panel and re-toiled the garment. After this I decided that the first toile looked much better.
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For this dress I used the bodice block to create a base for the bodice of my dress. I then took measurements from the stand to where I would like the bodice’s extremely dropped neckline to sit when finished. To create the cowl style drape in the n eckline I split the bodice into three sections from the Centre Front seam and using a French curve I created curved lines from the Centre Front seam into the armhole. I then slashed and spread by 5cm for each section, taped the sections down and traced off a new bodice pattern piece. For the skirt section, I created a full circle skirt by using the waist measurement for a size 10 as the radius and the length for the diameter.
I wanted the dress to be very striking and have an air of ele gance about it. I wanted it to sit under the knee. I toiled the dress in a similar fabric to the silk it will be made in, but the first was not full enough. I then decided to split the skirt into four sections and each section was extended by Âź of the circumference to create more volume. I was reluctant to add in seams to this piece, but due to the drape of the skirt the seams are not visible.
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For this asymmetrical top I began with the blouse block, I then dropped the shoulder by 5cm. I then decided where the panels would cross over and where I wanted the v neck to sit then drew in the lines. I squared off the side seams as the hem will be elas ticated to extenuate the waist. I then created a waist band which would encase elastic. The arms also had a cuff which will encase elastic to pull the sleeve into the wrist.
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My first toile did not sit correctly on the shoulders so I raised the shoulders slightl y. My second toile worked much better. I have decided to face the edges of the necklin e, as I do not have any other binding in my collection. During my review, my top did not sit correctly and almost fell onto the shoulders slightly. Bruce suggested to keep the neckline like that and he suggested that I sew a little elastic into the shoulders to keep it from falling off the shoulders.
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For this skirt I began with a full circle skirt. I then attempted to create more volume at the side seams. I extended the circle until it was a full half. I then decided that each piece would be a quarter circle, so I drew a quarter of the waist onto the pattern piece, extending the side seams up to the waist. I toiled the skirt and found the back did not drop like my design did. I then altered the pattern to create a dropped back hem. I extended the hem by 20cm, curving it into the current pattern to create a smooth fall in the back. I toiled this new pattern, however the fall is far too dramatic.
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As I only have access to fit models of 5ft 7 it is difficult to see proportions correctly, such as length. After trying on my skirt on a slightly taller model I decided to take some length off of the back of the skirt. I drew a line on the skirt to where I would like it to sit and then I transferred the measurements onto the pattern. I the re-toiled the pattern and I am happy with the results.
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For these pulled in trousers, I started with the trouser block and decided where I would like the pleats to be. I then added volume into the pleats by slashing and spreading adding 5cm in between each section. I also tapered in the legs slightly. My first toile was a disaster, as there was far too much volume in the top of the trousers and bec ause I had tapered in the legs they looked very odd. I then decided to seek advice from Jane our technician. She suggested that I add less volume and create another toile in a similar way and then once my toile is completed I can draw on where exactly I would like the folds in the fabric to sit. I then toiled this again, slightly altering where the folds sat. The folds were spaced out to my technical drawing however the toile did not sit correctl y as there was now not enough volume to allow the folds to fall.
I then added more volume back into the trousers. However the volume was now staying in the top area and almost ballooning. I then decided to change the grain line an d cut the trousers on the bias. However this then gave me drape in the wrong areas. I then added peaks to the top of my folds to push the volume down into the rest of the trousers. Toiling as shorts allowed me to not waste time with toiling the full trousers, allowing me to place the folds where I wanted after multiple tries. However this might have worked to my disadvantage, as the volume had nowhere to fall. I then toiled the trousers in full length and the volume sat much nicer.
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For this puffball style top I began by tracing off the blouse block and marking in where I wanted the V-neck to drop on the centre front and centre back. I then separated the pattern into five sections and slashed and spread adding 10cm in between each section. I then traced off the front and back pieces and cut it out in a silk like toiling fabric as a light silk will be what it is made out of. My first toile was not great. To create the puffball effect, I did two lines of loose stitching along the edge of the hem making sure not to back tac at the start or finish. I then gently pulled the threa d to create a gathered effect, I then c reated a facing to attach to the hem and finish the edge. The top did not sit correctly on the shoulder so I pinned it so the fit was better and took off the difference on my pattern. I also took the toile in at the arm, as it was very loose. I then retoiled and I was happier with the fit. I asked a technician for some advice and decided to change the way I was going to construct my top. Instead of using a facing to pull up my outer-shell and create the puffball style, I have decided to create a shorter lining. This shorter lining will be slightly fitted to the body and will stop 10cm before my desired finished hem. In order for the lining to pull up the outer shell, I have extended the outer-shell by 10cm. Due to the low V-neck neckline, I have decided to avoid a facing as fusing the fine silk could alter the soft flow of the garment. I have instead decided to self-line the garment in the same fabric as the outer shell. I removed 3mm from my lining neckline and armhole seam allowance to allow the lining to sit correctly.
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For the bra I first created a l ingerie block as there was not one available from the workshop. I took the bodice block and followed instructions from “Pattern Cutting for Lingerie, Beachwear and Leisurewear� by Ann Haggar. I then toiled the new block for size. As we are making for a size 10 and the chances are that if I was to be selected for the show that the models would be relatively fl at chested, I decided to opt to make a bra for a B cup. The toile fitted my friend who is a B cup so from there I was able to adapt the block to create my design. I wanted to create a gap in the centre of the bra and for the cups to be full and curve up to a point to meet the straps. I then toiled the bra. The bra did not fit perfectly causing me to have to take 2cm out of the front. I then shortened the dart in the bra cup, as I felt that the height of the dart was causing a pointy shape along the bust point. I then re toiled this to find that it was even pointier.
I then decided to create a seam where the dart was creating two panels. I toiled this pattern and the cups are much smoother. For the straps I began experimenting with creating my own straps. I created a pattern that would create a 5mm strap. I toiled these. I liked them aesthetically as they would be created from the same fabric as the rest of the bra but they were not functional. I decided to investigate into traditional bra strap materials and most of them tend to be made from some sort of elastic. I found a bra elastic in Kleins, Berwick Street that was a perfect width for my bra. I also decided to include bra rings in my design as they were an efficient and aesthetically pleasing way of connecting my strapping. Originally I wanted to fasten the back of my bra with a tiny sliver clip traditionally used for waistcoats.
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I felt that the delicacy of this fastening really encapsulated my collection concept. However to achieve the result I would want I would have to either allow my elastic to be not perfectly centered or allow the fastening to be off- centre. This finish would look aesthetically horrible and I would not be happy with that type of dis-jointed finish. Instead I have decided to fasten my bra with hooks and eyes. This will allow me to have a more centered elastic strap as the hooks and eyes will be almost invisible and hidden. I have decided to change the design of the back of my bra, using two straps and almost mirroring the fron t design.
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Look 1 Because I had worked out the main flaws with this garment during the toiling stage, this dress was quite simple to make. I sewed together the front and back of the dress and lining, pressing open all of the seams. I then joined the lining t o the outer shell around the neckline and arm holes. I then stitched around the outer shell hem on a low tension and gathered the outer shell until it fitted into the lining. I then sewed the hems together. I then decided to under stitch the lining so that it would sit flatter.
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Look 2 To make this coat I first attached the reflective tape as a piping, sewing it onto the wool, trying to not stretch the tape at all. I then attached the organza panels, sewed up the lining, pressing open all of the seams, before attaching the lining to the outer shell. I created belt loops by using a chain stitch in a matching colou red thread. I created a belt for the coat by using elastic and sewing it to a silver buckle.
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This top was simple to construct, French seaming the side seams and shoulder seams before binding the neck line in bias cut organza and double turning the hem line by 0.5cm. However, after the garment was pressed, I noticed that the neckline had stretched by about 5cm. I then decided to remake the top. I recut organza and decided to line the top to avoid the garment being stretched by binding. I French seamed the side and shoulder seams of the lining and outer shell. I then stitched on a low tension around the neck line and then measured the garment against my pattern and pulled the threads to gather the fabric slightly until it was the same size as my pattern. I then attached the outer shell and lining together at the neckline, trimming down the seam to 0.7cm. For the final construction of these trousers, I sewed up the front and back, matching up the notches to create the tucks before joining the crotch seams together and attaching the waistband and invisible zip.
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Look 3 To make this coat I first attached the reflective tape as a piping, sewing it onto the wool, trying to not stretch the tape at all. I then attached the organza and top stitched the panels so the tape sat flat. I then attached the raglan sleeves to the outer shell, before sewing up the lining and facings. I then attached the facings and lining to the outer shell pulling the garment through a small hole left in the lining before pressing thoroughly.
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For c reating the final garment I decided to refrain from using a facing as with the low neck line this might cause my garment to loose its fluidity. I decided to self line my top. I let the lining fall 1cm above the hem of the outer shell. I used a 1cm seam allowance on the outer shell and I used 7mm seam allowance on the arm hole and neckline of the lining with a 1cm on the side seams. I finished the hem by over-locking and turning up by 5mm. I under stitched the lining so it sits much more neatly. I then measured 5cm from the hem and sewed in the elastic, stretching it as I sewed. For the final make of this garment I sewed the organza panels to the crepe de chine panels, over locking the edges and pressing the garment as I wen t. I then put in the invisible zip and waistband.
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Look 4 For the final make I cut the skirt panels so the the bias of the fab ric would fall against the side seams so that the skirt would fall in a curve, softly. I constructed the skirt and the top then sewed them together, gathering in the cowl neck by sewing on a low ten sion and pulling the threads to pull the fabric. I created straps by bagging out the pieces, attaching them to the notches in the top section. I created a drop lining pattern for the dress. I made the lining fall 1cm above the outer shell. When finishing the hem on the outer shell I sampled a few different finishing techniques, deciding that over locking and tuning up 5mm was the best finish. I left the hem to drop and I really liked the way the hem curved, so I fixed a few sections in the lining that were hanging over the outer shell to finish.
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Look 5 For making this top I matched up my notches so the cross over was identical on the back and front. I then French seamed the side seams, shou lder seams and sleeves. I then bound the edges of the top before attaching the hem and cuffs. To make this skirt I first attatched the front and back panels to gether leaving 12cm at the CB for my invisible zip. I then sewed up my lining again leaving space for my zip. I then attached the zip into the outer shell and then to the lining. I then attached the waist band to the lining and outer sh ell, securing the two layers together b y sink stitching the lining. I finished the hem by over locking and turning the hem up by 0.5cm
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Look 6 To make this top I first sewed up the outer shell and the sewed up the lining. I then stitched around the hem of the outer shell on a low tension and I then gathered the fabric by pulling in the threa d. I attached the hems together and under stitched the lin ing so that it sat better. I first attached the two fronts and backs together at the crotch. I then matched my notches up along the waist line to create my folds. I then attached the side seams an d the inside leg seams. I attached my waist band, over locking one edge so that when I sink stitched the trousers, a finished edge sat against the body.
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For making my bralettes I first sewed the outer shell and the lin ing. I then attached the elastic at the notches, before inserting the bra cups and bagging out the lining. Looking at the finished bralette, the lining was cut too small for the outer shell. I de cided to re- do the lining pattern, making it exactly the same as the outer shell. I sewed the new bralette up and it still did not sit correctly. The cup I was using was too full for my outer shell, so it was distorting the bralette’s fit. I decided to try and edge stitch the bra, turning the outer shell round by 2mm to making the lining slightl y bigger. This made the bra sit better, but the cup was still cau sing issues. I decided to scrap the bra cups as the bralette sat well without them. I re- cut the lining and outer shell and sewed up the bralette without the cup. However this time the bralette looked fine but the fit showed that the cups had stretched. I decided to fuse the whole of the outer shell as the satin had stretched when I was sewing it. I unpicked the pieces and fused the whole pieces including the seam allowance, as I did not want anything to stretch. I then used stay tape to hold the edges in place, as they would have been cut on the bias and they naturally would have stretched. I then bagged out the lining and edge stitched the bralettes. This fit was much better.
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