final major project update #4

Deadline day is looming but I thought I would update this with my work so far! I got all my fabrics laser cut (thanks so so much to Jane, a total life saver!) and have sewn everything together! Its just finishing pieces to go. I did a photoshoot last night with a few beautiful friends who were free and willing to wear my garments in public! 

final major project update #3

.The pressure is on. I finish college in under 2 weeks! I will hopefully be done on time, I just have to finish my garments. I'm making 2 dresses, a shirt and trousers. Here are a few of my fashion illustrations from my sketchbook:

I have never screen printed before this project but it was something I really wanted to learn so Dean showed me how one afternoon and I plan to use it on my final garments. 

(first ever screen print!)

I had some issues with deciding what colour I wanted to screen print in. I wanted the garments to be monochrome with one accent colour. I started off using black which worked really well but didn't add any thing extra to the garments. I experimented with a light grey (did not work!), a sort of burgandy colour (too boring) and eventually settled on a purple I mixed up. The grey suiting I bought for the trousers and dress has purple threads running through it so I thought the colours really went well.

Of course I've stitched my street names into it too so I've gotten my words in.

I have had a slight crisis since my last update. I planned to laser cut leatherette for the shirt and dress I am making but when I phoned the DCA to book in the laser cutter was booked straight through to the 17th May (my final deadline is the11th). After crying my eyes out my tutor, Claire, pointed me in the direction of Jane, who runs LaserFlair in Fife, and I've planned to meet her on the 3rd! So hopefully all will be ok!

final major project update #2

So much has happened since my last post! After spending an entire day trying to cut a detailed map by hand (horrid), I booked myself in for a tutorial on the laser cutter at the DCA. And I am in love. The tutorial took about an hour and just taught me the basics to the laser cutter at the DCA. I wasn't planning on spending long there but ended up staying for about 7 hours! I had to scan the images from my sketchbook then edit them so that the lines were super clear and then, with the help of my tutor Dean, changed them to vector files. I had no idea until I had to do it but this just means that the laser knows what lines to follow when it is cutting. 

The photos are a few of the cuts I did on my first time there. I mainly used paper, I did attempt to cut into a photograph and the photo just above is a train ticket cut into. I was so amazed by the machine that I took a video:

final major project update

I've made a lot of progress since my last post. I have started to get some drawings into my sketchbook and some experimenting with my initial ideas. 

After speaking to my specialist tutor, Tracey, I've decided to make 3 daywear garments which will make 2 clothed people. I've also begun to look at maps in detail, the recycling centre in Dundee is an absolute gem for maps, they have shelves and shelves of massive maps from around the world, I could have spent hours there if I didn't feel bad for dragging my boyfriend there. I've started to think about layering different maps like subway routes, street maps, bus routes etc. which I'm really enjoying developing just now. 

I've always loved words, just anything written really inspires me (total bookworm, I know) so I'm trying to work street names into my designs anywhere I can.

final major project

We have been given pretty much free choice of our subjects/inspiration for our final project. I decided I wanted to look at mapping in Scottish cities and basically look at how inhabitants move within them. I took a few day trips for inspiration, firstly to Glasgow:

At this point I was photographing pretty much everything because I hadn't totally decided what I really wanted to do yet! By the time I visited Edinburgh I was more set on looking at street names and alleyways.

I'm planning on looking at maps eventually and then hopefully mixing details from each to use as a textile application in my final garments.

somebody that i used to know.

I cannot stop listening to this, I have it on repeat on my laptop and phone. His voice sounds so similar to Sting, love it!

some inspiration

Mary Katrantzou

a beautiful mess blog

pugs in clothes

Carey Mulligan in Prada

dress detailing