New Quarter, New Classes

Just started my 4th quarter at FIDM.  I'm taking 4 classes again.  Trying to keep it a little less stressful so I can put more effort into each class.   My first class was Pattern Procedures, the second pattern drafting course.  I'm a loser and totally forgot to bring my slopers to class! Luckily, my teacher was really cool and didn't seem to mind because I took the initiative to make mini slopers before class started so I could still participate.  A lot of students forgot stuff, but I can't believe I was so lame.

Class started with a creative exercise with playdoh.  It was cute, not too exciting.  Someone picked a type of music (we had teen pop, a movie soundtrack, and classic rock) and then a theme (toys, weather, transportation).  We had to sculpt with both the music and theme in mind.  It would be fun to do with kids.  Next we got our supplies.  Nothing new except for some ugly striped fabric and a small cartoon book about the manufacturing process.   I don't think it will really apply to home sewing.

Next we had a review of our slopers, which I didn't have, haha.  All my slopers were approved by my teacher last quarter so hopefully they will work out well for this quarter and my clothing will fit properly on the mannequin.

We then learned about the contour bodice block.  Using our pattern book, we adapted our slopers to contour slopers.  Basic slopers have enough wearing ease added to the pattern so that one can move around, sit, bend, drive, etc.  Contour bodice slopers are made for fitted, sleeveless, or strapless garments.  If you do not take out the extra ease, the garment will gape at the neckline and armscyes.  Not a good look!

We also made a marker in class as a group of 4 students and wrote out a sewing sequence for a skirt that was on display.   In our next class we are starting to design a sleeveless surplice bodice dress with an empire waistline and either a gathered or circle skirt attached.  Still need to decide how I want to design it.

I'm also taking a photoshop that is a complete joke.  I figure that if I can't say anything nice, I won't say anything at all so you probably won't be hearing about that class.

Taking another Draping class and a Creative Design Applications class as well.  More all all those later.

Honestly, I started this post a week ago and now I'm just finishing it, but so much has happened in the week including 2 days of a stressful mental breakdown.  I've never been this stressed out on the first week of school. . . EVER! Don't think I'll be getting straight A's again.  Something I'm going to have to learn to accept.


Thanks to two new Followers!  Justine of Sew Country Chick (Former FIDM grad) and Mak Teh.

Just a Boring Post

School's been rough the last week, so nothing really to post.  I have pictures of a top I made using this pattern that just need to be uploaded:

I also took a picture of the monstrosity of a "jacket" that I made for pattern drafting.  It's well made, just ugly!  The pictures are for Al...

Last weekend, we found out the family storage unit was broken into (again!) and my parents lost pretty much everything in there and I lost about 1/2 my childhood toys/memories.  They left me (among other things I'm so thankful I still have) this silly little doll I made when I was about 9 I think.  I took a picture of it, but it too isn't uploaded yet.

What else, what else?  I've been working on slopers for school and they have been killing me!  They have to be exact and they aren't.  It is so frustrating because I've made them at least 4-5 times!  If they were just for me, I wouldn't stress so much!  I have to have them done by Friday.  On top of that we have to design a dress, draw flats and a fashion figure for it, draft the pattern and sew it up.  Oh, and 12 flats in Illustrator! and Finals!  

Okay, this was me procrastinating....

And now thanks to my newest followers!

miss b, Gypsy Thread, and Meranda! 

Thanks Ladies!

My New Favorite Pressing Tool

I love my new sleeve board.  It's the best $4 swapmeet purchase ever!

Perfect timing that I bought it on Saturday right before I worked on my bodice and sleeve sloper for school.  In class we drafted a bodice front and back using the dressform measurements and then after class I drafted the sleeve.  Our assignment was to complete the drafts and sew up muslins of our sloper (or block).  I used the sleeve board to iron those narrow sloper sleeves and to press and shape the armsyce seam.  It was wonderful!

Slip the sleeve on the board.

Position armsyce seam around curved edge and press.

Great for pressing seams open!

I don't know how I ever lived without one.

You can buy one here:

Heavy-duty Ironing Board




By the way, here is the sloper on my mom's dressform.  It was not made for this form so the fit isn't perfect, but I know it will be perfect on the FIDM forms.

The Humble Beginnings of a Sloper

I finally have been inspired to draft a sloper.  For those of you who do not know, a sloper is a basic pattern block of 5 pieces (front bodice, back bodice, front skirt, back skirt, and sleeve) without seam allowances.  From this perfect shell of your body, you can draft ANYTHING! I love my pattern drafting class and I thought, "What better way to practice than to draft my very own sloper."  The back of my book, Patternmaking for Fashion Design (5th Edition), has a personal measurement chart to fill in with every possible measurement!

I followed the directions from the book and started by drawing CF and CB lines down a tight fitting tank top and leggings.  I added bust points and a piece of elastic around my natural waist as a guide.  I had help drawing dots and lines on my neck, back, and shoulders to complete my human dressform look.  My helper measured anything I couldn't measure myself.  39 measurement points with some having 2-4 different measurements.  It took a while, but we just finished.  I'm excited to start by drafting a basic skirt.  I've already done it for class twice and it is very quick and easy.  If I can get it to fit soon, I'm going work on drafting a high-waisted pencil skirt as my first real project! In between my classes, homework, and a possible internship....you know, when I have time...HAHAHA!

To prove that I drew on myself with an emerald green marker:

I photoshopped out the bust point X's.  It looked too pornographic for blog post.

Just a few more followers until my vintage pattern giveaway!  Yesterday we bought 2 huge boxes of older patterns (one box was a dud though) with 60's, 70's, and 80's patterns.  I'll pick some of the nice ones from there and from another stash of patterns we bought a while ago.

Maybe it will coincide with my 1st Blogoversary on April 23rd!