Sketching Class: Alison Esther Spring 2013 RTW Collection

Posed Croquis

 So for my Fashion Sketching class I had to design a collection of clothing. We had to make a mood board, draw technical flats of all the individual pieces, draw technical flats of the pieces layered on top of each other, and draw posed croquis.  (I don't know if the plural of "croquis" is "croquis," but I'm just going with it.)

My mood board

We didn't use color for this assignment, but my collection was heavily influenced by color and print.  (Turquoise, light pink, and florals if you couldn't tell.)  I was also inspired by 1940s and 1950s fashion, the whole shabby chic thing, and bows.  

The technical flats

I wanted to play with the idea of bows being part of the garment instead of just being stuck on as an afterthought.  Besides being really into bows, I'm into scallops and ruffles in a big way.

Look #1

Cardigan with bow pockets, bow tank top, and a circle skirt with a scalloped waistband.

Look #2

Cropped bomber jacket with a rib knit collar, halter top with a bow back, and a high-low skirt.

Look #3

Low-back dress with cap sleeves and a circle skirt.

Look #4

Peter Pan collared tank top with rick rack trim and a pencil skirt with a scalloped hem.

Look #5

Peter Pan collared blouse with gathered sleeves, a back pleat, and a bow pocket and a pencil skirt with a bow waistband.

Look #6

Romper with a ruffle, a bow, cuffed shorts, and tie straps.

This was my first time designing anything and I had a lot of fun doing it.  I'm very happy with my collection.  Sox is pretty stoked on it too.  I wanted to design fanny packs so you can carry your cat around with you, but my mother nixed the idea. Someday I'll design a line of clothes around cat fanny packs.  The world just isn't ready for it yet.

Simplicity 7329 (Vintage)

I had a pair of overalls in high school and my friends hated them. I'm fairly certain they stole them. So, five years later, I decided I desperately needed another pair of overalls. I found a pattern from 1976 on Etsy and knew it was a sign from God.















I used denim from Jo-Ann Fabrics' Red Tag section.  The color is a lot lighter in real life.  Maybe I should get a real camera instead of using my MacBook's Photobooth...

Total Cost: $6.39

• Fabric: $2.70
• Overall Buckles: $2.49
• Zipper: $1.20

These overalls fit me like a glove.  I didn't have to change the pattern at all.  I didn't even shorten them. (Although I did sew a pretty deep hem.)  Amazing.

I'm very proud of these overalls. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but my topstitching is impeccable.  I think the contrasting white thread is a nice touch.

Look how good my butt looks!

Sox napping on my overalls.

Butterick 5613

My friend bought a dress with a gathered skirt and she called it her cupcake dress. I don't know how her dress - or this skirt - has anything to do with cupcakes, but I like it.

I used Butterick #5613 view A. I shortened the skirt 2.5,"  made a rolled edge hem with my serger, and added a lining.

Total Cost: $6.44

• Fabric: $3.37
• Lining: $2.07
• Zipper: $1

I bought the fabric at Sewfisticated in Framingham, MA. The fabric claimed to be cotton on the bolt, but it feels more like rayon challis, and the lining is satin.

I learned a valuable lesson whilst sewing this skirt; don't gather the lining to the same degree as the shell fabric.  Attaching the skirt to the waistband was a disaster and I broke two serger needles.  I eventually got it done, but it's not pretty:

It doesn't help that I didn't have a black zipper on hand...

The back of the waistband is no good, but look at how twirly this skirt is!