Fashion construction - Hand in

I finally handed in my first module for this year today! Before this fashion construction module I had attended two pattern cutting sessions in Yr 0 (my foundation year), but I didn't have a lot of confidence in my abilities in pattern cutting and construction. However, fashion construction is a skill that I am really keen to master, and so I made every effort to attend 100% of the studio sessions, so as not to fall behind.

One really important thing that I have learnt, is that whilst I am learning new skills, it helps to document each step I make in the studio with note taking and photos, which I then type up at home. Although this slows me down initially, it provides me with a reminder of how I did a particular step, as construction can be complicated and can turn out wrong if done in the wrong order. Not only can I refer back to my own notes and instructions at a later date, but the process of note taking and then re-typing helps me to commit the stages to memory, therefore benefitting my independent learning.

Having a young child I find it difficult to manage my study time at home, so my attendance during the studio sessions is really important to me. If I missed one, I know I would quickly fall behind and struggle to catch up. Also because I attended all of the studio sessions, I was able to explore and record all the techniques and processes taught on this module which I will be able to refer to throughout my course.

I really enjoy the neatness of pattern cutting and construction. I prefer to be slower, accurate and methodical, and get it right first time. When I rush things I quite often make mistakes which take more time to go back and fix. I think my finished shift dress toile reflects the time and effort I took over it.

One of my favourite parts of this module was researching historical designers and some of the beautiful garments that they designed and created. I am particularly enthused in how design elements such as interesting pockets, collars, cuffs and fastenings can make a garment look really special. I have been a bit of a Pinterest addict for a while know, but now I have boards for these specific construction details which I will continue to add to after this module is finished. Combining and adapting these design elements will provide a wealth of inspiration for my own designs throughout this course. I think that owing to the research I did on these design elements, I was able to design a shift dress that was relatively simple to make, but included some interesting construction details.

 pleated and piped collar

pleated piped peplum with pockets into waist seam 

*EDIT*  25/1/13:  I received a grade of 70% overall for this module which is classed as a 1st!