I started my Final Major Project by visiting The Deep Aquarium, Street Life Museum of Transport and Ferens Art Galery in Hull. I went on this trip hoping to gather my inspiration for the project. My first assignment of the project was to take loads of photographs of the things which inspired me.

I produced a project proposal in the early stage of the project. I  believe that my proposal meets the requirements which I set to myself. I tryed hard to follow the project plan and I believe I managed this quite well. It might be that I delayed a couple of days of some activities.

I was inspired by the sea creatures, especially seashells, ocean colour palette and starfish, I took loads of photos and this was my primary research. The inspiration came from visiting The Deep Aquarium in Hull, the Aquarium tanks contains thousands of sea creatures. My main inspiration is seashells, particularly scalloped shaped. I selected the most inspiring photos and presented them in my sketchbook along with a responses  and experiments using a fabrics, threads and ribbons to reflect the image.

The next assignment of the project was Designer research. I selected designers for my secondary research which collections was inspired by ocean theme. The designers is Valentino, Chanel and Alexander McQueen. By exploring their work further I was inspired by scalloped edge dresses (Valentino), embellishments (Valentino), shimmering mother-of-pearl whites colour palette and cascades of ruffles(Alexander McQueen).

Throughout the sketchbook I was experimenting with different fabric manipulation and surface decorations and presented them in my sketchbook. Its quite difficult to select most inspiring  fabric manipulation or surface decoration. But I believe that scalloped edge is most inspiring. The shape of the scalloped edge represents rounded seashell shape.

The whole process of the project was a learning process, I did face some difficulties along the way, but the most difficult was the construction of the final garment, which is the waistband construction on the skirt. But step by step of hard work I managed to overcome this difficulty. Overall I believe that garment constructing and surface decorations are my strengths. In whole construction process I had good days and bad days. The most successful part of it was a balloon sleeve construction, I managed overcome a difficulty to work with very thin and slippery fabric and I feel that the construction of the sleeve was successful. The scalloped edge skirt wasn’t so successful as I wished. The semi circles turned out too small and not even. It means that I need to improve this technique, and overall I’m glad that I can identify my mistakes.

I had so many ideas for my final outfit, I was determined to put all ideas into one garment. So I had to produce at least 30 designs. Each of the designs has my inspiration included in it. Some of the designs are more detailed than others. I think I developed my ideas step by step to get closer to my decision. I feel that designing is my weakness, but I improved a drawing skills a lot since I started first year of my course. I decided on the design which includes all my influences: scalloped edge as a shape of the seashells, ruffles- full circular skirt as a texture of the seashell, starfish appliqués, ocean colour palette: mother- of-pearl whites , seashell colour palette. So both of the research primary and secondary are used in my final design.

The most enjoyable part was surface decoration, I made appliqués with glass pearl beads, I made it by hand, which I believe gives a garment more individuality, I really enjoyed the stitching by hand around the edge, of course it’s time consuming, but worth it. And I was crocheting a ruffles since I started this project, because I was sure I’m gonna use them, I started to crochet so soon because it’s very time consuming.

Throughout the project I was willing to write a regular blogs. The most of the  blogs I published in the end of the project, because I was very concentrated to the final garment. I never practice to write a blogs in my life time. I tryed very hard to write informative blogs, and believe that with the practise and time they would be more successful. So I hope they finished in quite high standards.

I worked very hard throughout the project and pushed myself to the limits. I enjoyed every aspect of this project.  I learned loads of new skills and improved the ones I already have learned in my previous projects and as a hobbie. I’m very pleased of the outcome of the final piece and I believe that I made a successful outfit.

This is it! I finished my final piece! I’m so happy!

I constructed two piece avant-garde outfit: a blouse with long balloon sleeves embellished with appliqués and crochet ruffles and a skirt in four layers- scalloped edge and full circular skirt.

In my opinion the most important thing was to select a good quality fabrics, and to make a good patterns for a outfit. And the other thing to work hard! Throughout this project and previous projects I learned a lot of new skills, I learned how to make a new pattern blocks: ballon sleeve, how to make a full circular skirt pattern block and the scalloped edge. The other patterns wasn’t so difficult, because I practised them to make in my previous projects. I believe that practise makes perfect!

The next task of the project was a construction of the garment. The most trickier part of it was the attachment of the waistband, because the skirt is very heavy and thick.

The most enjoyable part was a construction and insertion of the sleeves. I will be honest- it was quite tricky because the fabric is very thin and slippy. But I’m very pleased with my self how I managed to overcome this and made a successful composition of the sleeves.

The only thing did not worked out as I wished is scalloped edge on the hem of the skirt. Now as I see the finished product I can identify my mistake. I’m not happy what semi circles are too small and not very even. Before constructing the garment I made quite few samples of scalloped edge and it worked well. So if I had more time I would practice more on this fabric manipulation and probably would change the pattern block and drew semi circles bigger.

The most enjoyable part of this garment construction was a surface decoration. I made appliqués by hand sewing and crocheted a ruffles. I’m very pleased with these surface decorations.

Estimating the construction of the garment, I’m very pleased with the outcome of this project. I enjoyed every aspect of construction. And very happy that I learned so much of the whole process. I believe I produced a successful final piece.

 

And finally ,I’m almost finished my Final piece, It was enjoyable, stressful and most importantly educational time ,which I gonna end up with the most therapeuticall time – Surface decoration!

Firstly – I started CROCHETING the ruffles way before I started construction of the garment. I learned crochet when I was teenager, it is very therapeutic method of making beautiful things. I selected the embroidery thread colours even before knowing what colour palette I’m gonna use for the project. I just went with my intuition. So I chose neutral colours . And made 6 crochet ruffles . And attached them using a invisible thread.

 

 

Then the other surface decoration was the APPLIQUÉS : 6 starfish. I made them using a satin coral shade fabric, a template for a shape , silver decorative thread, glass pearls in various sizes and invisible thread and needle.

To make a template I just simply drew shape of the starfish on the paper Then I cuted out of the fabric and overlocked the edges.After overlocking the edges, I run the slip stitch around the edges using a silver decorative thread, it was quite time consuming.The final stage was to embellish starfish, so I sewn glass pearls on by hand and made a pattern so it looks like a starfish.Here is the crochet ruffles and starfish appliqués.The last surface decoration to attache is the frills, which I made using organza fabric , I cutted out a 3 long stripes of the fabric1.4 metres and 10cm width, I overlocked and made in gathers.Then pined them on the waistband and sew them on around the waistband.

 

 

The most last thing was to attache 2 poppers

I’m ready for the waistband construction, so I’v got the pieces cuted out of the fabric and interfacing as well.

I placed the interfacing on the band pieces and pressed. overlocked, then sewn sides of the CB and Cf together, so I have to separate bands, then I attached them, pressed. Now I have a waistline constructed.

And then chalenging bit was to attache the waistband to a quite heavy and thick skirt. So I pined the front side waistband to the skirt and sew on the skirt, it was a little bit tricky. I’m quite pleased that all seams comes together in the line. The next step , I turned in the overlocked edge inside the waistline and sew by hand using a slip stitch I completed the task.

I believe my construction of the waisband was successful.

For my circular skirt I decided to use a layer of tule on the cream satin fabric on each lengths. So basically my layerd skirt gonna have six layers all together.

Firstly I cuted out all layers out of the fabric, I overlocked only the satin pieces, then I attached satin with the tule and sewn close to the edge to secure it.so I used the same method on the other lenghts of the circular skirt.

the next step was to attached the sides of the Cf with CB. After the sewing sides together I had to sew the binding on the edge. I have the 11 metres of the binding, I attached just a few cm of the binding on the edge of the skirt by hand using a slip stitch,then I sew the binding on using the sewing machine and adjusting the binding by the hand.I felt very confident then sewing and adjusting the binding by hand . Now I have nice and neat edge. Very pleased with it. Before I finish this skirt I need to attache all three layers together, so I pined them together and I got very thick layer of the fabric and run the stitch close to the edge. Then I attached the scalloped edge skirt.

I cut it out the pieces of the  white satin fabric, I’v got 2 pieces of Cf. and 4 pieces of the Cb. I overlocked them.

I pined all pieces with the good sides facing each other and sewn around the hem of the semi circles on both from and back, then did the slits around the each semi circle and attached sides together, and on the back I attached and sewn up to the zip .I had to manipulate with the fingers to push out the semi circles out and pressed it.

INSERTION OF THE ZIP

i have purchased white consealed zip, and gonna insert the zip to the skirt. So I pressed the edges 1.5cm to the wrong side of the skirt, pined the zip, and selecting the right foot for the zip I sewn it on. I used the same method for the insertion of the zip on the other side of the back.

 

I’v got my scalloped edge skirt constructed:)

 

 

I’m using a thin coral shade drapie fabric for my balloon sleeves. I cut it out of the fabric sleeves pieces and overlocked first.

then I attached the armhole piece with the balloon sleeve piece and pressed. The important thing was to mark noches representing back and front and sew them together.then I run the stitch on the edge of the armhole and gather a little bit, did the same on the hem of the sleeve  and gathered so it makes a balloon. Then I sew the sides of the sleeve together,i used the same method to construct the other sleeve.

CUFF  and  BALLOON SLEEVE CONSTRUCTION

I cut it out of the same fabric and overlocked the edges. Then sew the sides together and folded on the good side. Pined the balloon sleeve edge adjusting the gathers and sewn together. Then pressed the whole sleeve. Did the same construction method on other cuff sleeve.

SLEEVE AND BODICE CONSTRUCTION

I pined the whole sleeve to the bodice armhole and constructed them together.So I have all top completed!!! So happy…

As I have my pattern blocks with me and got chosen the fabric I’m ready to construct an actual garment. I chose the mother of pearl white satin fabric for my bodice, I’m gonna construct bodice first.

I pined the pattern block to the fabric and cut it out.

I overlocked the edgessewn darts in, attached front and back together and sewn the shoulders and sides. I’m gonna sew the open end fly zip 42cm length. So I pressed 1.5cm edge of the Cb to the wrong side, then  pind  the zip and run the stitch with the right foot for the zip. I used the same  method for the other side to sew the zip. I got the zip on and bodice constructed.

On the neckline I’m gonna sew white satin binding. Firstly I sew by hand binding using slip stitch to secure it, when run the stitch using industrial sewing machine.I pleased with the final product of the  bodice construction !

Before I cut out of my chosen fabric I need to make a toile. To make a toile, for a scalloped skirt I used a calico fabric as well as for a sleeves. For bodice I used a cotton fabric and for a circular skirt I used a drapy polyester fabric.

To make the bodice I cut it out of the fabric and sewn darts in first and then sewn two pieces front and back attached together: shoulders and sides . To construct sleeves , I sewn two pieces together: shoulder piece with a balloon piece. Then I run the stitch  close to the edge on the hemline and gathered to make balloon sleeve, and run the stitch on the edge of the armhole and gathered a little bit.

When constructing a cuff, I sewn the sides together, and folded in half, then pinned to the sleeve gathered hemline and sew it on.

To make a pattern block for a full circle skirt used a book as a guide. I followed the instructions how to make a block. I measured a waistline of the mannequin to make a size 12 block and I got 28inch, I added 2 inches for side seam allowances, so I got 30 inches in total for a waistline.

I cutted paper 30 inches x 60 inches and folded in half. I divided30 by 4 and got 7.5 inches for the waistline. On folded paper i pindit the measure tape and measured from side to side 7.5inches, I drew curvy line to make the waistline. Then I had to decided on three different lengths of the layers, so I used. A scalloped edge skirt as a guide. I decided that the longest layer would be 50cm., so I measured 50cm downing he side seam and drew curvy lineup to the side seam. I did not add any seam allowance, because I decided to sew the binding on the edge.marked the grainline , folding line.to make the Cb I used the same method, just divided into two pieces to make up to the zip. For the other layers I measured 39cm and 29 cm and used the same method to make a blocks.