PICS

The end

This is our final post of the blog. This is the end and the final product of the whole blog. Between these few weeks I have created not only a product but also a knowledge of a world that I had little knowledge of. I started out by wanting to make two summer dress by my own hand and I did but this has also help me to appreciate what I make. As I finished this last dress this weekend I had to make of point of showing everyone my final product and telling everyone. I have this new sense of pride in myself with myself. I feel a connection with my work and I like the feeling knowing that I made these two dress that I can use. I made them from fabric that i choose. Then week by week I began to construct what now are two dress. With these different dresses I used a pattern for the first one. This process was very fast and annoying. I only say annoying because I had to follow steps and had to read for each step. It lacked my inspiration and did not have me in it. The second dress the pattern was created by me. I had to research the proper way of measuring a person and completing a pattern piece. As soon as I created the the pattern piece the process of construction went by very fast. With the help of technology I was able to produce a dress more efficiently. Although I had help with the making the dress it still allows me to enjoy what I made and I still have this sense of pride.

New Craft

So as the class knows last week I got engaged. So in the process I got a ton of pictures that his brother had taken of the proposal and his mother of the whole weekend. This week I decided that I would start a scrap book. This is a very different route than making clothing, but in my first blog I talked about making something that could use for a long time. In this case the scrap book would work out very well a memory keeper. This process is very time consuming. I need to first buy the scrap book I would use then I needed to get the little pieces and paper that would bring the book together.
This item is a unnecessary item that i do not need to have but I very much want to have for the future. This item will tell the story of the past that many people would want to hear. This would be consider fancy work in clothing. I added a lot of detail and time to this project. This was a very important time to my life.

One down One to go!

This past week I finished one dress. This dress is white and I used a pattern to complete it. This dress was very easy to make. I did not have to come up with my own ideas or sizes. All I did was decide what size I needed to make and then cut out pattern then fabric. Then I followed the step by step directions. This was an easy process with not much thinking. I did not spend much time putting this dress together because the biggest part was already taken care of. This week will spend a lot more time because i have to finish measuring my top part of my dress. Having the pattern done already is worth the cost of not having it done. Pattern pieces are about 4 to t0 dollars. The price for of the pattern pieces is worth the hours one saves in the end process. The only down fall I can point out is the fact that the dress does not 100 percent fit my body. Yet with a few modification I can get to better fit my body.

Pattern Dress

This weekend I started the the pattern dress. This process was rather quick to get set up. When using a pattern the only thing you need to get the pieces traced and cut is just a pattern piece and scissors. I then had to pick the size and style I was going to make the dress and cut out the right pattern pieces. I picked a dress style that consisted of the letters F I and H. Altogether it took me about ten minutes to cut out 6 pattern pieces and to add the notches ( notches are tiny triangles that help to match up the patterns correctly). Then I decided to take the pattern piece H. H was just a ribbon that went around the dress and I thought that the dress would look better with out it. Then I was left with four pieces. I then began to get the fabric ready. This process is very important. When cutting out the piece of fabric you have to make sure you cutting on the right grain. Lenght-wise grain run parallel to the selvage edge of the fabric. It is somewhat strong and and what you want to line op your pieces. Crosswise is perpendicular to the selvage edge and is not very strong. the strongest is the bias cut. That cut is at a right angle to the lengthwise and crosswise. This has stretch and is a very nice cut for certain items. Yet, using this cut requires a lot of fabric. I then ironed the fabric to make sure it was smooth and crisp. This allows for correct pieces of fabric. I pinned the pieces of patterns to the fabric than I traced a 3/8 inch around the pieces and cut. Then I began to sew the bottom piece together and I the top. I have yet to attach the two pieces together.
This process was rather faster than drawing up the patterns myself. Having the patterns pieces done already allows me to get to the best part of putting the dress together and that is sewing the piece. It is a good feeling knowing that in just matter of an hour I could have a brand new dress for me to wear. I would be able to show of my work a little faster.

Finishing and Fitting Shell

So this week I took the process a little easy. I first went to Hobby Lobby to get the finishing for the dresses. I have three differnt kinds of fabric on white, one white and blue, and some red fabric. So I first found the most important finishing I need which was the zipper. I decided on a 7 in zipper I figure that would be enough space to get in and out of the dress. I purchased two white zippers and one red zipper. Then I decided to get a light blue ribbon to tie a bow around the waist of the plain white dress to add a little color.
I had some white and red plaid fabric that I created a fitting shell of a skirt to make sure the that the base would fit correctly. The fitting shell took about an hour to cut and to do a basic stitch and the was right on. The next step to my process is making the bottom and top of the dress and them putting them together. I am saving the pre-made pattern for another week I decided to work on one dress at a time so I do not get confused about the sewing process. I will be adding pictures of the process next week.

Draft Time

For the past two weeks I have been getting the patterns ready. For the homemade pattern I had to search on the internet how to create the pattern. Then I start to take measurements. In the process I take two sets of measurements; one for the lower have of my body and the other for the upper half of my body. This process was a little difficult. I had to ask my roommate to help measure and make sure the measurintape was correct and straight. With in the drections it states that if one measurement is of it can affect the dress. This process was also rather time comsuming. First I had to find the right pattern and then I had to take down the measurments. Some of the measurments that I took were: Waist, bust, High waist, low waist, shoulder, and so on. After that I decided to start the pre-made pattern dress. This process went a lot faster. All I had to do was pick which type of dress I wanted to make and cut out the peices. After I cut them out I placed them on the fabric. I have not cut the fabric yet because I want to make sure I get the correct seem allowances. If I cut to thin or to much I will either have samller or bigger dress. Both processes will produce a sundress but yet one is faster. Is that better? The truth is I do not know yet. If we are talking about time and effort I would yes the faster the process the sooner I have a dress. Then I have to think that the dress might look like every othere dress I have tried on. It just might look not so great, because with a pattern it is set to generic sizes. Like ready made it is appealing to many people. With the homemade pattern the dress with fit my body the best, because it is my measurements that are creating the pattern. It just might look better because it is my shape. Only time will tell.......

Patterns

For the past two weeks I have been finding patterns and fabrics. Last week because of the snow I could only search on the internet for patterns. This past weekend I went to a fabric store and picked upsome fabric and a pattern. Between and the long lines of traffic in Indianapolis and the million options of dresses it was a long process. I purchased three different types of fabric. I also purchased thread, zippers, and buttons to add to the dresses.
While picking out the fabric I wanted to stay with a summer theme. I wanted to buy something that would not be hot in the sun and something that is bright and colorful. I ending up buying a red fabric with white poke a dots and I bought a plain white fabric and the last fabric I purchased was a white fabric with blue swirls and flowers.
I am going to create three dresses. One the dresses will be done with pattern I create. I have already started this partter. I have taken measurements that is needed. I have created the lower protion of the dress pattern. The next step is to create the middle and the top portion of the dress. This process is time consuming. I have to double check everything and reread every step, because if I do one step wrong or if i am off by a 1/4 of an inch then the dress will come together wrong. The next dress that I am going to create is going to from a pattern you can pick up from the store. I want to be able to describe the two different processes. One process that is done by hand with and time consuming and a process that has the help of tecnology. I want to descibe the process and the pros and cons of each process. I want to also find out which process is the easiest.
This week I am planning to start cutting fabric and putting together a dress. I still have not decided which fabric is going for what. I want to finish the pattern first before I decided.

New Ideas

Over the weekend I have had time to rethink what I want to do. I am deciding to go a more creative route rather than useful. Although I still want to keep with the idea that I want to create something that I can use, but now the items that I create will be something I want rather then need. I want this experience to be a fun and exciting and not just another odd in job or work session. I wan to do something that I wont get bored or annoyed with.

After some consideration I have decided that the craft I am going to be making are summer dresses. Spring and Summer are just around the corner and i would be nice to have some new outfits to help enjoy it. Also making the dress will help me get over the fact that it is so cold out. Creating dress are certainly not needed but I really do want some new dresses and this is a way I will better enjoy them, because I would have made them.

This week I am going to research how to make a pattern for dress. It is going to be rather difficult because there are some many elements to take in to consideration. First being the fit and making sure I can get it to my size. Doing it all by hand is a task because you might mess up some where. It is not like taking a pattern and tracing and cutting.

First Blog

I am considering creating a craft that in the long run will help me out. I am focusing on a craft that is function furniture. Like shelves for picture frames or even DvDs, books, or Cds.
Before I will pick what type of item to make I need want to decide what is more important for me. What also could I benefit more in the future.
After I decide what I am going to create. I will focus on how and making plans. I would need to decide what type of style. What materials I will need to help me to create that item.
I have a lot to think about. Picking a project that is fun but functional is rather a hard process. By the next blog I will have a project all settled.