Anoushka (0376986) Bachelor of Fashion Design of Technology (Honours)

 This week was all about adding the finishing touches that would truly elevate my designs. I delved into intricate details like beading, belt-making, and crafting statement roses for both looks. It was a challenging yet rewarding experience, full of lessons in patience, technique, and creativity. Learning to Make a Belt Next, I moved on to creating a belt, an essential accessory to tie the looks together. i struggled innitially to make the belt wrap around the body, to fit in the curves, which brought an opportunity on learning how a belt is more than just a rectangle pattern piece.  Design Inspiration and Execution My goal was to craft a belt that balanced structure and flow. I chose a semi-stiff material to give the belt form while maintaining a soft, elegant drape. The process involved: Cutting the fabric into precise strips. Adding interfacing for structure. Hand-stitching delicate details to give the belt a polished, professional finish. Creating the belt was a fun experi...

 This week, I took the exciting step of working with my final fabrics for both looks. Moving from test garments to actual materials was thrilling but also brought its own set of challenges. This stage required precision, focus, and adaptability as I aimed to turn my design vision into reality. Choosing and Preparing the Final Fabric After careful consideration, I selected fabrics that aligned perfectly with the aesthetic and functionality of my designs: For Look One , I chose a soft, flowing fabric with a subtle sheen to enhance the frills and hidden placket’s elegant feel. For Look Two , I opted for a stiffer fabric that could hold the exaggerated sleeves’ structure while maintaining a sophisticated silhouette. Preparation began with washing and ironing the fabric to prevent shrinkage and ensure a smooth surface. Prepping the material this way allowed for accurate cutting and a professional finish. Cutting the Pattern Pieces Using my refined patterns from Week 11, I carefully laid...

 This week was an exciting and crucial phase in my final project journey: the fitting stage. I had my model try on the test garments for both looks, and this hands-on session provided invaluable insights into fit, design, and functionality. It was a challenging but enlightening experience, where every adjustment helped refine my understanding of pattern drafting and garment construction. Fitting Look One: Tailoring to Perfection For Look One, the test fit revealed several areas that needed adjustment: Frills Adjustment: The bottom frills needed elongation to balance the proportions of the garment. This required recalculating the frill dimensions and ensuring they still maintained their flow and structure when worn. Sleeve Refinement: The sleeve length wasn’t quite right for my model’s arm measurements. To fix this, I slashed the sleeve pattern and shortened the drop while ensuring the puff effect was retained. This adjustment taught me how small pattern manipulations can drasticall...

 As Week 10 rolled around, the reality of the final project began to set in. This week marked a significant step in my journey as I started cutting and sewing the calico for the test fit of my garments. It was an exciting yet nerve-wracking experience as I transitioned from planning and pattern-making to actual construction. Getting Hands-On with the Test Fit The process began with cutting the calico, a practice fabric used for test fitting. It was my first opportunity to see how my patterns translated into physical garments. While I had visualized the designs for weeks, seeing them come to life was incredibly satisfying. Here’s what I worked on: Sewing the Darts: I started with the darts, a crucial element for shaping the garment. Aligning and sewing them accurately took a bit of practice, but I managed to get a clean result after a few tries. Joining the Seams: Next came the seams. It was challenging to align everything perfectly, but this step taught me the importance of pinni...

 After the independent learning week, where I dived into experimenting with pattern making, Week 9 was all about refining my efforts and receiving guidance. This class turned out to be a pivotal moment in my final project’s development. Presenting My Patterns to Ms. Melina I brought the pattern pieces I had created using the fashion pattern-making book and presented them to Ms. Melina during class. Sharing my work felt like a blend of nervousness and excitement—it was my first time attempting patterns independently, and I wasn’t sure how accurate they were. Ms. Melina carefully reviewed my patterns, pointing out areas that needed adjustments and explaining how to refine them. Her feedback wasn’t just about correcting mistakes; it was incredibly educational. I gained clarity on: Proportions: Adjusting specific pattern pieces to better align with my designs and ensure proper fit. Techniques: Understanding advanced methods to perfect darts, seams, and structural elements. Efficiency...

 Independent Learning Week provided a valuable opportunity to dive deeper into self-directed exploration and preparation for Week 9’s final project consultations. Rather than merely planning, I decided to take a proactive approach to enhance my skills and refine my vision for the final project. Experimenting with Pattern Making During this week, I took the initiative to purchase a fashion pattern-making book to independently explore creating patterns. This step was driven by my desire to not only enhance my technical abilities but also to better align my design vision with tangible outcomes. The process turned out to be both challenging and rewarding: Matching Patterns to My Design Vision: I pored over the book, identifying pattern pieces that resonated with the aesthetic I envisioned for my two looks. This allowed me to see how theoretical designs could be translated into actual pattern work. Experimentation: Combining different elements from the book, I experimented with adjustme...

This week’s pattern drafting class was focused entirely on honing our skills in creating a basic fitted blouse and tailored skirt. While I haven’t started work on my final project yet, this session was invaluable in building the technical foundation I’ll need for later stages. We began with a lecture that provided essential insights into: Converting a bodice block into a pattern with precise seam allowances. Manipulating darts to create a more tailored fit. Understanding fabric grain and its importance in garment construction. Construction techniques for collars, sleeves, and hems. This theoretical overview reinforced the core principles of pattern making and garment assembly. The tutorial was a deep dive into applying these principles, including: Dart manipulation on the women’s bodice block, focusing on accurate placement and proportions. Drafting patterns for a blouse with a collar and a tailored skirt. Creating notch patterns, blending lines, and adding seam allowances to ensure cl...