Purpose of this assignment: The aim of this unit is to develop learners' skills and understanding of the range of fabrics and materials, equipment, and production processes used within the manufacture of fashion garments. |
|
Scenario Frill Noun During the workshops you will have investigated different types of frills and practiced constructing them in different fabrics, and also experimented with how to use them creatively to embellish or create a garment. You are now asked to construct a well finished sample garment. The rules:
|
|
Task1: Produce samples of ruffles: at least 3 in calico & 5 in different materials. Try to use the whole width of the fabric (approx. 150cm) to produce substantial ruffles, and practice different ways of attaching them to fabric, as well as experimenting with different placements on the body. Present
photos of these experiments, as well as your samples, in a sketchbook
& annotate them -consider how to use different fabrics and
techniques to their best advantage and think about how you would attach
them to a garment. |
|
Task2: Using the college blocks, construct a man's shirt (fastened with a button stand) or a women's bodice or jacket (fastened with a tie at the nape of the neck) in calico. |
|
Task3: Construct your garment. you are aiming for a creative yet well-finished piece that makes the most of a range of different fabrics, and also shows off your technical skills. Remember that your constructed frills can be used to cut into, cover or extend your garmen t. Make sure that you provide evidence of the following in your sketchbook as you work:
|
|
Task4: Take a photo of your finished garments & print it out (A4-size). Evaluate your work. |
|
Evidence checklist |
|
ketchbook including:
|
|
Finished sample garment |
Frills, Ruffles, Flounce, Pleats and Rouches there are so many term in fashion and sometime the confusion it's palpable!
So, for my own sake and the reader one's, I gather (fashion pun intended!) together the definition of each one from the Collins.
Frills: a gathered, pleated, or bias-cut fabric edging used on clothing. Figuratively it also refers to something decorative or useful and desirable but not essential.
Ruffles: a pleated piece of decorative fabric often used as trim on clothes. The word ruffle is mysterious, but it might be from the Low German word ruffelen which means "to wrinkle."
Flounces: a piece of cloth that has been sewn into folds and put around the edge of something, for example a gown with a flounce around the hem, or a skirt, tablecloth, curtain. Such meaning of 'flounce' first was recorded in 1665–75!
Pleats: a double or multiple fold formed by doubling back fabric and pressing, stitching or steaming into place. From Old French pleit, from Latin plicฤre to fold
Rouches: a strip of pleated or frilled lawn, lace, etc, used to decorate blouses, dresses, etc, or worn around the neck like a small ruff as in the 16th century. The word generate from French, literally: beehive and from Medieval Latin rลซsca, bark of a tree.
Task1:
Produce samples of ruffles: at least 3 in calico & 5 in different materials. Try to use the whole width of the fabric (approx. 150cm) to produce substantial ruffles, and practice different ways of attaching them to fabric, as well as experimenting with different placements on the body.
Present photos of these experiments, as well as your samples, in a sketchbook & annotate them -consider how to use different fabrics and techniques to their best advantage and think about how you would attach them to a garment.
Sample 1
Narrow double edge ruffles, on calico fabric
Double edge ruffles are made with a single strip of fabric gathered by one or two basting stitches in the middle.
For my sample I used two stiches close together. This results in ruffles on both sides of the fabric.
They’re often used as an embellishment, typically used to disguise hemlines or for collars.
Detail
Sample 2
Wider double edge ruffle on calico fabric
Same as the first sample, the only difference it's the widht between the two stiches, way larger than the first sample, in order to experiments with the result.
It is a lavish and rich effect, created with such a little effort! Perfect for dresses or skirt.
Detail
Sample 3
Flounce on calico fabric
Flounce or circular ruffle, it is a pretty easy ruffle to made and once you understood the process, it's really fast creating meters of it!
It is usually sewn between the seams of a garment, often used for shirts or blouses.
Sample 4
Shoulder circular ruffle on calico fabric
It is a simple piece used as embellishement for the shoulders of a garment.
It is made by drawing a circular shape of your desired size and a smaller one, inside the big circle, big enough for your shoulder/armhole size. You need to place it like the one in the photo, connect the circle with a straight line in the area where le circles are closer. Add SA for both circles and the line, you need 4 pieces of it.
Stich 2 pieces, right sides together, stiching the outer one and the smaller one, stop before the line.
Cut the line and fold over, press with an iron, they are done!
You can sew them between the sleeve and the bodice for an ecclectic shoulder embellisment! I didn't found any photos as example, so I reckon it's a cleaver little fashion thing made by my fashion tutors!
Sample 5
Rouche on synthetic fabric
Similar to Shirring I rouched with cotton thread a stripe of synthetic fabric.Shirring is a gathering technique done with elastic thread, which creates a stretchy garment. Elastic thread is used in the bobbin, causing the fabric to gather up when stitched. Ruching instead is made by creating two or more parallel lines of gathering.
It can be used for front/back of the bodice.
Detail of the back
Sample 6
Rouches on polyester fabric
Rouches on a piece of polyester fabric for another experiment of frills on differente samples.
The ruffled polyester result to be sturdy, so I will suggest for application in sof furnishing, cushions or curtains.
Detail
Sample 7
Ruffles on folded chiffon
Example of ruffled chiffon as test for my final garment. This chiffon ruffles are perfect forany garment embellishment.
Detail
Sample 8
Ruffles on sateen ribbon
Plain, one thread gathering ruffle. Perfect for finishing edges on lingerie, dress or cushions.
Detail:
Sample 9
Two threads ruffles on elastic velvet
Another experiment with a simple two stiches ruffle on elastic velvet.
It can be used on a dress's hem or for a neckline any kind of garment or soft furnishing embellishment.
Detail:
Task2:
Using the college blocks, construct a man's shirt (fastened with a button stand) or a women's bodice or jacket (fastened with a tie at the nape of the neck) in calico.
For the task, I have decided to start with a plain women shirt block, with the the nape at the back.
I have made it in calico because it is a plain mock as base for the project and I ve decided to use a medium wide mutton sleeves.
I ve created the mock of the shirt as a starting point idea, but my inspirations for the project were a bit different, from what the block looked like.
I am showing here the mock shirt with the back closure, then some of the inspirations from the project and some actual sketches for the final.
Such a fancy straightjacket innit?!
Detail of the mutton sleeve
Details of the back and bow closure
Some inspirations:
For this project I was looking for opulence, trying to go "bigger" as my tutor often demands! These are some of the inspirations:
Comme Des Garรงons Autumn/Winter 2016 Ready-To-Wear.
Valentino at Paris Fashion Week Spring 2006
Vivetta at Milan Fashion Week Spring 2017.
The Vivetta Spring collection of 2017, still obsess me since 2017, so I really wanted to make something similar, but the lockdown and the shortage of materials, create some troubles and collided with my ideas! I had to go and turn around with the original ideas, colours, materials and final results.
So
my first idea was to execute something extremely similar to the
beautiful Vivetta blouse, with the addition of mutton sleeves, but then I
slightly change a bit of elements and in the making I changed things a
bit more!
2nd concept
Final concept
From the Vivetta inspiration, I went big and project a full ruffled blouse, keeping a lace piece in the middle front and adding the mutton sleeves.
The second concept had a piece of lace trimming going from the neckline front to the back and going to be closed as a bow. The top didn't have any big ruffle at the bottom hem, but just a straight finish. The mutton sleeves are gathered at the botton too and finished with lace trimming as the neckline. The back had the bow closure on top and 3 pearls botton held with blue sateen ribbon (reminascent of a bridal garment).
The finished concept it's more simplified, the sleeve are mutton sleeves with a straigh simple seam at the bottom, no bottons or lace trimming, keeping the garment on two shades of blue, I had a double big ruffle at the bottom, that gives a ballerina vibe and the back as a big and long bow closure, that make the outfit like a big chiffon present.
Task3:
Construct your garment. you are aiming for a creative yet well-finished piece that makes the most of a range of different fabrics, and also shows off your technical skills. Remember that your constructed frills can be used to cut into, cover or extend your garmen t.
Make sure that you provide evidence of the following in your sketchbook as you work:
- Sequence of operation/ step by step
- Risk assessment
Example of Risk assessment chart:
Risk assesment for Ruffles, Frills and Rouches
| What are the hazards? | Who might be harmed and how? | What are you already doing? | Do you need to do anything else to manage the risk? | Action by whom? |
| Slips and trips | Students/staff may be injured if they trip over objects or slip on spillages |
Mantain general good housekeeping. Keep work areas clear; coats & bags to be kept under tables. Don't allow leads or cable to trail. |
Notify staff of any spillages to clear up immediately. | All students and staff. |
| Needles & Pins | Students and staff can be hurt | Sweeping up any pins on the ground. | Dispose of broken needles and pins in a waste box | Students and staff. |
| Sewing machine | Students may hurt hands with the needle. | Using machine carefully, staying vigilant and focused. | Teach students the proper use for the machine, supervise the student on the first uses of it. | Students and staff. |
| Overlocking machine | Students may hurt hands with the needles or the blade. | Using machine carefully, staying vigilant and focused. | Teach students the proper use for the machine, supervise the student on the first uses of it. |
Students and staff. |
| Scissors | Students/staff accidentally cut themselfs or harm someone | Holding and passing scissors downwards | Notify people when passing by |
All students and staff |
| Fire Exit | Students and teachers may be endangered if the fire exit it's blocked. | Ensure exits are clear and kept clear at all times. | Ask everyone to keep the area tidy and don't obstruct any exit |
All students and staff |
| Eating/drinking | Students, they could get in contact with harmuful chemicals or spill drinks on electrical equipments | Keep food and drinks away from the working area | Ask everyone to leave the area for food or coffee ect breaks. |
Students and staff |
Sequence of operation/ step by step
Materials and tools used:
-For this final project I used a wide amount of stripes of blue chiffon, they were pre-overlocked. I will say they were approx 30 stripes of rughly 22cm x almost 3meters each.
-I used a piece of streched blue lace strips, that I have arranged into a front piece.
-1 full bobbin of cotton thread, blue
- One small scissors and a large one
-Seam ripper
-Pins and small pegs
- A mannequin it is really helpful in this project
- I used a teflon machine foot, to slide easily the chiffon through the machine, you can use a ruffler foot or gathering foot or even a normal one.
- A mutton sleeve pattern
How, step by step:
1- Using
a mannequin I draped 1 stripe of chiffon, previously cut in half, and
used each half for one side of front/back and the other.
2- I cut pieces of strech lace, following the drawings on it.
I sewn them together in order to create a "T" shape front piece of my desired size.
3- I sewn together with a french seam, 2 folded pieces of striped chiffon (you can use more or less, depending how see-trought you want your sleeves). I sewn the pieces together to have a larger piece of fabric to trace my mutton sleeve pattern.
4- Trace the sleeve pattern, be sure to add SA, to note were is the front and back point and to be sure you aren't doing 2 rights or 2 lefts sleeves! Sewn them and pin them on the manniquin.
5- After the sleeves, we need to tackle the most time-consuming part of the blouse, a busy front panel, that consinst in a dense and full amount of different ruffles. I've split each stripe in 4 pieces, first in half and then in half lenghtwise.
6- Cut a good number of these stripes around at least 10 for each side of the front, I as well made some larger ones (around 4 for each side) made by just cutting in half one of the stripes.
7- Chiffon it's a tricky fabric, that tends to frail easily, so fold the edges that aren't overlocked and use pins and pegs to be sure you secure each stripes. This will prevent the chiffon from frailing.
8- Using your sewing machine, gather each and every stripe ( use the longest lenght of stiches like 4, same for the pressure). When are all done, (there are chances you are gonna need more of those later on, but try to do a good amount all together) try to pull them from the bottom bobbin, in order to create chiffon ruffles.
9- On the bodice pieces do a little rouche, where you want your ruffles to stop (so you got a guide and a shoulder embellishment). Use the larger ruffles for the sides of the bodice, pin them into place and sewn them from the outer side going to the inside, ONE BY ONE! Patience and costance it's essential.
10- When you saw the next ruffle, keep the previous away, using some pins, this will avoid the mess of overlapping ruffles one on top of the other.
12-When you are closer to the center, you can start stiching the lace piece on the front side with the ruffles.
13- Fill all the side with ruffles, arranged as you prefer, the aim it's to cover the more we can in order to have a dense busy side. When finished, do exactly the same for the other side, until everything it's full of ruffles.
14- Now it's time to think about the back of the garment and the bottom, prepare a big ruffle, made with 2 fulllenght stripes of chiffon, almost folded in half leghtwise, and gathered at the top. (folded as the one in the photo)
15-
When the ruffle it's ready, pin it into the garment, starting from the
back bodice (fold the hem of it before), I advise to start sewing slowly
in 4 diffent times, so you can better control the result and secure it.
The front it's busy and full of fabric, so it can be really tricky to
stitch together, take your time and do bit by bit.
16- fold 2 stripes of chiffon four times (2 side fold into the middle and then fold everything again) secure everything with pins and sew both stripes
17- Secure the to stripes on per side of the back of the garment, choose the position you prefer, we opted to attach them from the sides closest to the first ruffles, in order to be more sturdy and camuflage a bit of the stiches behind the larger ruffles.
18- After you decided the position, stich a little square in order to secure the stripes in a strong way with no chances of pull it off. Now you can close your blouse with a big bow closure at the back!
Task4:
Take a photo of your finished garments & print it out (A4-size). Evaluate your work.
In order to better show the garment, I've asked the lovely Shardoney to pose for me with the Blouse, it honestly looks gorgeous on her!
Here some pics, before the evaluation.
Back detail
Side view Mutton Sleeve Detail
Shoulder detail
Front detail
Evaluation
For the first time, I feel proud and confident that I have fullfilled the points of the assignment and create almost an High fashion garment.
It is definately the most complicated garment I ve done, (yet!) it made me go crazy numerous times and, at least a couple of times, I was close to burn it down and send it to hell, where it probably came from!
It isn't my cup of tea, I had to dive deep into hidden sides of me, "going big" and giving a great big statment garment that screams: "here I am". Something ipergracefully and superdelicate and intricated, and even if I love blue and its shades, I preferred a black fabric. So it was quite the opposite of anything I like, but now that it is finished I actually love it.
(the compliments of other fellow students from my year and first year, really boosted my confidence too!)
I love how the back closes now, I think it is a better functioning and good looking way, that my original idea, it looks like a beautiful present wrapping!
I think was a good idea to eliminate the other strips of lace of the original plan, and keep it, for what is possible simpler!
I still wish I have done it in black, with a beautiful lace leafs piece I had, infact the front lace it's the only element that doesn't convince me fully.
I wish I had the right amount of a different fabric, like for example black powernet or black cotton organdie.
I had promised last year, to never ever used again organza o chiffon, to avoid any personal meltdowns! But in the end I did it again and after the meltdowns I am actually happy of the shine that the chiffon gives to the garment and how beautiful the dense ruffles look on it.
I really love the balance created between the overcrowded front and the seetrough back.
I am really happy that the garment it's done with scraps, even if it looks like an high brand garment!
Overall the mistakes are little and minimal and can be easily corrected for another piece, but I will definetly don't wanna see ruffles for an year, at least, after that! This blouse drove me mad, even if I m really proud of it!
Comments
Post a Comment
Be kind!