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New collection and piece soon to come!!! Keep a look out

Lace It Up!

Today I went to Brixton to buy some lace fabric to make the vest top and short sleeve t-shirt. I only managed to get the black lace fabric (for the vest top), as I couldn't find the right colour. So I have to keep on searching for the right colour.
I like this flower lace, as I still wanted to have some flowers some where in my collection with out being too obvious, as flowers are really big in the Caribbean especially in the home as i have read from my research..

On a good note, the MA craft student I am collaborating with on the hat emailed me today with the final image of the finished hat and I love it! it looks interesting and different. I am glad we decided to make the hat black instead of using a bright colour as the black will go with my garments better. 

I showed the picture to my dad and my little sister and they love it, they think it looks unique and very interesting!!

Slowly I am getting things together.

Last Day II

Today I had to go up to Nottingham to get some last minute things done, before the university closes for the holiday.

When I got to uni, Karen was back from her holiday so luckily I managed to get the button holes done for my waist coat and knitted sweater/shirt. I was really excited as that meant less work for me to do when I get back in September and I can have these garments finished for the photo-shoot.

I bought some buttons for my waist coat but once I served them on, I didn't like them, I thought they were too shiny and the yellow was a bit too much on the lemon side.(insert pic). I also brought buttons for the red shirt which I love; they are a maroon/black clear colour but as I look at them, I think they might be too big.

Also today I met up with Ruth the tailor who was sewing my men’s trousers to collect them. Hopefully they fit really well.

I came home to try them on my model and the blue ones fit well but I think I might have to stitch the back pockets are open when they are on. I am not sure if I like them but maybe with time they might grow on me.

I love the colour of the fabric in this picture!

Next was the high waist red trouser, they looked really good and I loved the fabric but my model could not get foot in as the cuff was too small. The model and I struggled for about 10 minutes to get the trousers over one foot then another 20 minutes to get it off the same foot. I tried it on another model but had the same problem.

I know I have to make some adjustments before the photo-shoot or the EXPO. I was really disappointed because I paid money for the trousers to be made so I expected them to come out right, duhhh that’s what I paid for.

Another setback or should I say disappointment was with the MA craft student who I am collaborating with to make a big brim hat for my collection. I think she started it the night before and because the weather has changed (no more sun), the resin did not set over night which meant the hat was still fragile. So I couldn't take it with me back home.

                                                          

This is an image she sent me

I love it so far, I think it will look really cool and interesting when it is done. Hopefully I can have it ready for the shoot.

I managed to knit two sandwich trims for the green jumper but didn't manage to link them to the garment. Hopefully I can link it on the holidays or mend it back in September but for now I might try to mend it or tack it for the photo-shoot.

Overall I still have a lot of work to do to be ready for the EXPO. It’s only God that can help me so I have to get on and cracking.

Trial and Errors

On Friday, I collected the trouser toile off the tailor to do a fitting with my model back in London, since he was not available to come down to Nottingham.

On Saturday morning the model tried on both pairs and they both fit quite well but they needed a few adjustments here and there.

The low waist trousers which will be made in the blue fabric didn't need much adjustments, just the back pocket needed to be dropped 4 cm and some belt loops needed to be added on.

With the high waist ones, I thought the bottom of the trousers needed to be tapered slightly and the trousers needed to be a bit bigger. But overall they were both good. I liked them.

I also made my model try on the other garments that I had finished and they fit well but when trying on the green maggot jumper I heard a rip (heart attack). I then found out that my sandwich trim (which took me forever to master, sadly) had started to come off.

So hopefully I can make new trims on Wednesday when I go in and link them back on.

Its a wrap!!

Today is the last day for me to finish off my work. I have one more garment to finish off. Surprisingly I knew that I will get everything done. Yesterday was so frustrating; the whole day was dedicated to the shirt collar. I finally managed to get the sample right but once I tried to start my actually piece, the machine kept messing up on me. Yesterday I was telling Lin about how the machine kept messing up on me,so Lin being the genius that she is tried the machine but once she saw it wasn't working, she changed machines and WHALA It worked. I managed to get my collar done to the perfect size. By 3 pm I was done!! Whoop Whoop!!

Now all that is left is for me to make one lace vest top and one lace t-shirt over the holidays

The work is not finished yet.

Keep pushing even when Frustrated!

Today has been so frustrating. I dedicated the whole day to my red knitted garment (which I’m not really sure I like). I have never knitted a collar before even a sandwich trim; this whole experience being on the MA has taught me a lot knit wise and personal. Things that I have never done before, I found myself in a position where I had no choice but to learn very quickly. Which has been so frustrating but I still did them which I am very happy with. I'm not happy with some of my garments (I am always hard on myself, I know!). I started on the 7 gauge machine but once I knitted the collar I realised that it was too loose so I moved onto a 10 gauge and that was perfect for the collar. But the knitting kept falling off so I gave up and decided I will try it tomorrow.

I have furthered my knowledge in Knitwear, which I'm really happy about as this is the whole point of doing an MA. Even though the MA hasn't been the most enjoyable at times but I can say at the end I have learned a lot.

Things did not go to plan for me today but throughout this course I've learnt that nothing ever goes to plan so I always have to pray, stay calm and be patient. That has become my motto throughout this year.

Today was a Good day!

I am so excited!! When I started this course I was really nervous about sing the dubied machines because at my old university we were not allowed to use the machine because there was only two of them so the technician use to do any trims for us. The only time I did my own ribs was when I did my ribs for my final collection. So I have basic knowledge of the machine but I am not that confident on them. But today I managed to get my trims done for my green jumper, under pressure you learn quickly. Finally I finished off my green jumper, (happy dance). I also managed to link on my strapping to the yellow waist coat.

Today has been a productive day.