I told you before about Cal Patch's online garment design course I'm taking...and how fabulous it is. Well, I have a finished product! A dress that I just adore. It is a simple tunic shape with long sleeves and a wide neckline.
Me mugging for the camera!
I could have chosen to make short sleeves, no sleeves, a collar...etc. That is the beauty of creating patterns from scratch. This freedom has rekindled my interest in garment sewing. Being able to make a pattern that is pretty darn close to my actual shape and then refining it even further on a muslin gives me a finished product that fits better than any commercial pattern ever has. It's more work on the front-end, but way less tailoring on the back-end.
My muslin taking shape.
What I love most about this class is that Cal starts with the basics of garment design. I feel as if I've learned the "best practice" way of drafting a pattern and fitting it properly. All without being snooty or too full of details that go over a beginner's head. I feel like I have a basis for doing more complicated designs.
The edging makes this dress.
The quilter in me wanted to use a bias tape edging around the collar as an accent. I made my own bias tape out of a coordinating (in my mind) fabric using this great tutorial. I did finish the edging by hand because I didn't want to see a stitching line on the front. But that was no big thing considering I recently hand stitched a queen-size quilt binding!
You look fabulous in your fabulous new dress. Back when I used to make most of my clothes, I would always start with a commercial pattern...usually Vogue or Butterick, and sometimes mess about with those patterns a little bit.
I never, never would have thought of making my own pattern. That you actually even made a muslin test run of your design is so impressive. Wow!
Thanks for your support Frances! The online course made making your own pattern completely logical. It was actually more foolproof than using a commercial pattern. Go figure?
oh MY! your dress is simply stunning! i am just now seeing this and it brings joy to my heart. thanks so much for your lovely post and please let me know what else you make! this is why i do it ;n)
You look fabulous in your fabulous new dress. Back when I used to make most of my clothes, I would always start with a commercial pattern...usually Vogue or Butterick, and sometimes mess about with those patterns a little bit.
ReplyDeleteI never, never would have thought of making my own pattern. That you actually even made a muslin test run of your design is so impressive. Wow!
xo
Thanks for your support Frances! The online course made making your own pattern completely logical. It was actually more foolproof than using a commercial pattern. Go figure?
Deleteoh MY! your dress is simply stunning! i am just now seeing this and it brings joy to my heart. thanks so much for your lovely post and please let me know what else you make! this is why i do it ;n)
ReplyDelete