Love these two styles (from sartorialist). The first girl is my favorite and I would love to try making this skirt she has on (looks like a stiffer kind of polyester/cotton fabric) but as I study closer it looks like some kind of madness to make the darts and must be some magic on the fabric so it will actually not pleat and hold up like an umbrella.
The second skirt I love as well as it is very elegant and really enhance the hour glass shape of a women's body. Timeless!
A follow up on the Fashion Show, a video by Diane Pernet, just a glimpse of what's going on in the prestigious student show.
There are also more detailed videos about the show here (too many videos so I am not going to post here)
As a future attendee, I checked out the May Student Fashion Show (papierdoll). I guess it's hard to judge by looking at a few snapshots in the photo gallery, but I have to say the images did very little for me. Maybe I was hoping for a little more originality and sophistication in tailoring that could rival Antwerp Royal Academy, but not much gives me a hint of scholarly attitude in forming a concept, theme, or establishing a signature style. I do recognize some good craftsmanship that is looks very commercial (in a good way, as McQueen said), practical and luxurious, which is a signature strength for New York designers.
All in all I am still really excited and looking forward to my new venture. I believe that the school will provide sufficient knowledge and the outcome really depends on inspirations and hard work.
I have this image in my blog folder for quite sometime. The classic Roland Mouret dress from Fall 2005, has a very 1950s European style to it. It is such surgically body enhancing piece that really sculpt your body the right way. Looking at the voluminous blouses and dresses and all these emperor waisted style that are all concealing the curviness of the body figure, I find myself always going back to the body enhancing pieces, maybe adding the edgier, funkier element with a pair of unique heels, bold accessories, and captivating makeup. 
The International competition for the new fashion and photography talents is happening in the South of France! From the look of a few shots on Diane's blog I see some really exciting new designs that is absolutely innovative and refreshing - so far I am liking Peter Bertsch "Bionic" collection from Belgium (first 2 images on the bottom) and of course that "McQueen of kitwear" Sandra Backlund "Ink Blot Test" Sweden (last 3 images on the bottom - I have already blogged her twice, Knit gone wild and When art is fashion).
I am looking forward to see more new shots, and if I can find my way to a good source for the event I will definitely post it here!
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2. Fabric shopping craze!! yea well...now I know how people say they use all their lunch money to buy fabric - i think this week i have been using my lunch and dinner money to get fabric! (top pics: the top three I am thinking of making printed canvas bag with brown vinyl trimming; the lower three are some printed cotton stretch fabric, I am thinking of making some asymmetrical dresses using these! see the tibi one)
4. Sew another makeup bag! This is a gift for the person who kindly helped me in the application process! :) There are still more customization to this, which I will be adding later.Starting my new project. I bought this pattern package which has 2 different tops, a skirt and a flare dress pants pattern. I will be doing one of the top using a red satin fabric...nothing too fancy just want to practice my sewing and study how the construction using a pattern works.
One of the most important lesson is that you really need to layout your pattern on fabric on a "true bias". A true bias makes an angle of 45 degree across the length and width of a fabric, fabric cut on a bias has maximum stretch. Fabric also have something called "selvage" which is the edge of either side of the woven fabric. Lengthwise of the fabric (aka straight grain/warp) runs parallel to the selvages, which has almost no stretch (or "gives") at all; whereas crosswise (aka weft) runs across selvages and has a little gives. These are the fundamental for beginning sewers and as I go on I started to realize how much different fabric influences the "sewability" and out come of the product.
I will be posting my progress :)
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I should have post the skirt that i made from the sewing class a few months back, but it was such a bad skirt so didn't want to show it. Today I made a new one using slightly altered methods and a better fabric (it's a jacquard brocade fabric, the color is silver grey, black with thin gold thread).
It is still a bit too puffy (as you see on the mannequin) so i took the sides in a bit as well as shorten the hem - so the pictures with me wearing the skirt is the final product with the adjustments. I am still not really happy about it, I think mainly this fabric would be much better to do a pencil skirt with or with less pleats - now i learn how pleats would make the skirt look like an umbrella!
My intermediate sewing classes will be starting soon, so I will be posting my new work from time to time. Also I will be doing more designs of tote bags and makeup bags...I know once I start cranking those little bags i won't be able to stop! stay tune~!
Have been reading up a bit about consumer trend. It is apparent that consumers are much smarter and being more critical when buying products. They care about where the product is from (i.e. what kind of material they use to make the product? how do they obtain the material?), how it was produce (i.e. are they using child labor? are they giving a living wage to their labors and employees?) and whether they are potentially harmful to the environment (i.e. is the product biodegradable?). In a world that is overwhelmed with choices, a lot us are no longer satisfied with just the brand name goods or just the cheap knock offs or imitation of certain seasonal trends.
Etsy is one of the force that reckon this shifting trend. It is like the "Organic Ebay", except - it is actually much more advanced. There are many different search methods as well as innovative browsing engine, as a web design/developer I am totally impressed by the ease of use and features of this online marketplace! One of the feature is the "Time Machine" - this is a new concept that shows you the items that were sold, 1 min ago, 2 mins ago...etc. You can browse through this in three different visual display, watching items coming at you and passing out of the screen.
Another new way of browsing is through selecting a particular color. Once you selected the color, the items in that color will pops up on the same screen, and then you can keep picking different colors until the whole screen is full of colorful items!
There is also a geographical browsing method, where you click on a map and the seller from that area will pops up.
There are still tons of features there for you to play with. I am definitely considering opening my own store in there soon, so whenever i do, I will definitely let you guys know! :)
So I will be back to school again! It is really exciting for me and this will lead me to so many different possibilities now. I can't wait. :)
It's been awhile since I last blogged. Since I have recovered from some dreadful sickness, there is a little side effect of lingering laziness and lack of motivation. But regardless, my mind is still racing with ideas on some sewing projects, still looking out for new inspirations from the beautiful patch work ideas.
Starting from next week I will be going back to sewing school for the intermediate class. I will be posting regularly on the process, as well as pictures of what i made...etc. :)
I am really on a quest to find the perfect one shoulder dress for myself. I already jogged down a few items that are "must have for spring":
So I have made another makeup bag, this time I have another design in mind which is cutting strips of fabrics (two different color, which actually is just the front and back of the fabric) and sew them back together - I was thinking of the classic "bandage dress" introduced by Hervé Léger in the eighties (Helena Christensen looks especially stunning in this one) , and the great modern work by Proenza Schouler in his Spring 2007 collection.
My recent project is to make some cute makeup bags. I have a few makeup bags in different sizes, I use one to carry my daily makeup and the rest I would use when I travel around, they are great because I like to pack things in little compartments, like I would stuff one with socks, one with panties, one with some toiletries and a one with pads and tampons.
So the first bag I made was very basic. I used the fabric that I made my tote bag, one long invisible zipper and started sewing away. I wasn't too experience with handling the zipper, so on the right corner you can see the little defect. Also the fabric frays so doesn't look finished on the edge (see I have another reason to get a serger!), and the big problem is that the bag has no body so if I don't put anything inside it will look very saggy. Not the most attractive bag shape although I do like the pattern of the fabric a lot!
Anyway, tonight I made my second attempt to make an improved version of the bag. I figured that I need: fusible fleece interfacing to give the bag body, lining to hide all the edges of the fabric to look more finished. I also improved my skills in dealing with the zippers so this time it's not poking out on one corner like the first time.
This will make a perfect holiday gifts as well! :)
After 10 weeks of stitching and being bitched at, I am finally graduated as a Beginner Seamstress at the Stitch & Bitch University (uh...not sure how cool this sound when I told parsons about my sewing experience).
Anyways, I will be sewing some more for sure. Next steps will be sketching some designs, deconstruct some clothes that I was about to throwaway...etc.
Hola!! I am proud to present my first white t! It is made by a stretchy rippled polyester fabric, $3 a yard (it should cost more but he gave me a yard that is kind of dirty on some parts and yellowy on the edge), which was the first purchase I made from the friendly Indian (who later on told me I was actually his first customer since he opened the store that day - read My Sewing Saga) It worked, people loves this fabric and the fit somehow worked magically. It was a good size small pattern for me...I will sure be making some more of these and definitely...I am seriously considering getting myself a serger this winter...
