Hat Making

Hat making is something I have always wanted to do but never had the chance or the materials to try. I was beyond excited when I tutor come to me and said we were making 1950's half hats. After looking at many images of half hats and trying to find one I like I ended up copying a hat made by a fellow student in the year above me, I fell in love when I was shown it as an example and just had to make it but using my own style to make it abit different.

After measuring our heads we each got given a head block to mould our materials around, this I found difficult as we used this thick mesh stuff which we wet and stretched over the head to form the bases of our hat, it was quite sticky and difficult to sculpt around a head block. Once pinned in place and left I had the hard task of choosing my fabrics, it needed to be something stretchy in order for It to not have puckers.I found the shaping of the fabric and taking onto the base of my hat quite fun as I wanted it to be an even finish I kept having to re-adjust to make it perfect. I learned how to finish the raw edge by adding petershum on the inside using a stabstitch in order to not see the stitching.

I also made a baker boy cap which was abit less complicated method of making, it was all fabric cut into 8 pieces and joined together. I had to make a few practise shots as when sewn together it should look like a spiral which I couldn't do, after a few trys I managed to do it. The more tasks and mini projects I am given the more I am happy to try more than once so I learn from it and work better, my tutor set me the task of making the same hat in less time but still keep my standard up. I really had fun with this it was like competing against myself in order to win, I managed to do it and was actually really happy.

 

 

 

 

 

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Production Work - Cabaret

Production work can be extremely fun specially when its for musical theatre. This years main musical was Cabaret, as I was working mostly on opera I only managed to make a couple of items for Cabaret which I was gutted about as the designer was truly amazing and the costumes were to die for. At first I got really simple makes such as the sailors collars, basic shape and straight forward when sewing together. Moving on from that I was able to make a skirt which had fun trims on it, when I say skirt it was so short it could be mistaken for a belt.

The skirt was really fun to do as I had the task of putting in a zip I have only ever done when making the cushion, this was challenging to see if I remembered what to do, also worked with quite a thick fabric which I found abit awkward when putting it through the sewing machine. In the end I got there and the result I was very pleased with.

I was set another challenge of making two collars for two shirts. Yeah seemed simple in the beginning but these collars were very high up and had to stand on there own and meet in the middle at the front. I had to make several collars for practise as I struggled a lot to get the height and get it to be strong enough to stand up, I got annoyed with myself not being able to achieve it first time as I thought I was more capable, after much thought I realised it was a learning curve, this is something I have never done and It wouldn't have been perfect first try. After many mistakes I finally got there and the result I am quite pleased with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pattern Cutting

When I heard I was to do a pattern cutting class I had the fear, I have never enjoyed or even understood pattern cutting. I am so used to cutting on the stand and making it up as I go along really as all garments I have made is been for my own use. Creating a pattern to fit someone's body can be quite difficult if you struggle with maths which I do.

Thankfully I have a wonderful tutor who was very patient with me being all worried and scared about our first class, it actually went better than I could ever imagine. To begin with I made a simple shirt block taken from a step by step patting cutting book, taking my time and reading through I managed to draft my pattern with no fear in sight. I always had it in my head it was more complicated than it was which was a nice surprise as I began to enjoy it more. I think it might have been the way I was taught in the past which put me off ever wanting to do it again.

After we made the shirt pattern we made a mock up version to check the fit was okay. I then went onto making a skirt pattern, this time to fit myself. Working with my own measurements is something I have also never done so more challenging work ahead. Learning how to measure the body was a fun task to see that we all come in different shapes and sizes. Once my pattern was made and again made a mock up to check fit, surprisingly my skirt fit me which I was very excited about.

 

Some shots of my pattern cutting fun

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mini Projects - Cushion Making

My next mini project was cushion making, I wasn't overly excited about this as I thought cushion making was just two squares sewing together I was wrong. My tutor made pattern pieces so that the cushion was like patch work with each piece having a different technique on it, she also wanted them to be a mixture of different fabrics. This was not what I thought cushion was like but I have to say it was way more fun this way.

Learning how different weights and texture of fabrics work and if they work well together was abit of a challenge as I used some fabrics I have never thought of using. It was really interesting to see how I could handle certain fabrics on a sewing machine as some were quite slippy and moved a lot. Adding binding, piping, top stitching and folds as design features was quite fun to do also, normally these techniques would be used to finish an edge so it was a different way of working.

I also got taught how to put in a different kind of zip which was a concealed zip, something I have never done before. I normally only use invisible zips so this was abit of a challenge for me. It took me awhile to understand the process as it was completely different to what im used too but once I got the hand of it I loved it.

 

 

My Cushion

 

 

 

 

 

My friend and I got abit excited

 

 

 

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Mini Projects - Pocket Bag

As well as doing production work part of my course is having mini projects with my main tutor in order to learn new skills and progress. The most recent one was how to make several different types of pockets, something I have never thought about let alone actually try and do one. I was extremely nervous as I thought it would be very complicated and I wouldn't be able to achieve this. I was actually surprised at how they were put together it wasn't as complicated as I thought it would be and actually quite fun to do.

I practised 3 types of pockets patch pocket, welt pocket and what my tutor calls a smiley pocket. First I made several samples in order to get used to the process using different sizes and shapes for the patch pocket. After I got used to it and comfortable enough to put on in with confidence I made myself a pocket bag, this was so I can store my sewing kit and have it all neat.

This project was really fun, I got to choose my fabrics and design my own little bag using many different techniques throughout the process, adding piping and flap to give it more of a design. it was extremely fun to do.

 

My Samples

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Pocket Bag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for reading.