Please visit my Tumblr page to see a retrospective of my previous collection for Spring 2012, with all of the pieces mixed and matched. The retrospective features my wonderful new model, Taryn (who will soon be featured in pieces from my newest collection, Jungle Flora)!
Wow. When I announced this collection in late January, it was with some trepidation. I thought: What am I getting myself into — will I actually be able to finish this? — this is a little bit crazy! But here I am, about a week before my self-imposed deadline of Memorial Day weekend, wearing the final garment, the cocktail dress.
Seven garments over three months wasn’t easy, but it also wasn’t nearly as hard as I’d imagined it would be. My blog, and especially my fans, (family and friends), and my handful of valued followers kept me motivated. If you have been tracking me from the beginning, you may recall that the original inspiration for this collection was Charleston, SC; specifically Rainbow Row, the delightful parade of candy-colored Georgian townhouses. This charming place is my destination for Memorial Day weekend and I have plenty of new things to wear.
Please stop back by after the holiday to see a photo montage of all the Spring 2012 pieces mixed and matched together. In the meantime, I will slowly be revealing plans for my new Spring/Summer collection, which will be a sharp departure from southern charm as I delve into the heat and vibrancy of the lush tropical forest of Costa Rica for my inspiration. Fabric choices and initial design sketches will be revealed soon. I hope you are as excited as I am for a new adventure.
Back:
Detail:
Cheers!
Finally, the day dress is complete! This particular piece was a lot of work, much more than expected. But I think the end result was worth the sweat, because as it turns out, this is a very easy dress to wear — very comfortable, well made, and effortlessly fun. If you saw the last post, you’ve already seen the inside details. Here’s a look at how it all came together, against a Brooklyn-grunge backdrop:
Back:
Front:
Front/side:
Just for fun:
That’s all folks!
Here are the labels for the Spring 2012 mini-collection, which is nearing completion. Look out for photos of the completed day-dress by the weekend. I’ll wrap up the collection with the final garment, the cocktail dress, about one week after that.
When a design doesn’t turn out as planned, really there’s nothing to do but “make it work” as Tim Gunn would say. It’s either that or throw away all that time and energy, not to mention materials, which translates into money. Originally I had planned to make knickers, but the buttons and vent on the lower leg refused to lie correctly. Since I had already sewn the buttonholes, there was no way to turn back. So, I cut off the lower 4 inches of the leg. And what did I end up with but a fairly decent looking pair of knee-length shorts! You know what? They’ll work.
Next up: The first dress for Spring 2012. Don’t go away.
Front view, close up:
Side view:
Back view:
Back, close up:
I have modified the design concept for my Spring 2012 knickers to fit in better with the rest of the collection. This new design is slightly more feminine and now incorporates elements seen in some of the other pieces, namely the subtle arch on the cocktail dress, and the fabric and color juxtaposition of the coat and skirt. Although the first concept was fine on its own, the sailor look wasn’t particularly unique and it had no ties to the rest of the collection, which originally drew inspiration from Rainbow Row in Charleston, SC. This new approach will facilitate the entire collection’s cohesiveness.
I will begin work on the pattern for the knickers this weekend. Stand by for an update!
I am especially excited about the result of this garment, simply because it is the first knitwear project that I have ever designed and sewn. Of all the garments in my spring collection, this was the one that I had the most anxiety about: fear of the unknown, I suppose. But I think it turned out surprisingly well. The lace and sheer layer came together beautifully; the pearl and rhinestone buttons make a charming complement. It looks especially sweet on and fits perfectly. The dress form does not do it justice. I hope to post some more, shall we say, “lively” photos of the sweater and skirt worn together once time allows. For now however, these will have to suffice.
By the way, The next project will be my spring knickers, which I have decided to redesign to incorporate the wool tweed and better complement this sweater, which — if you happen to be paying close attention — turned out much less sporty than the original plan. Look out for a drawing of the new design concept for the knickers later this week.
Here is the third garment in my Spring 2012 collection, the skirt, shown here with the Spring 2012 blouse. This was a fairly easy design to execute: it’s a simple A-line skirt with a waistband and tab button closure, and a version of a box pleat at center front. Overall, I’m pleased with the look, but the real test will be seeing how it wears and how the design, particularly the front pleat, holds its shape. If I reproduce this garment, I’ll probably choose a different fabric for the center panel. Sateen tends to wrinkle rather easily and can start to show flaws if not treated carefully. The wool tweed on the other hand, should perform well without any special attention. Two fabrics that are equally low maintenance will play better together.
Tomorrow I’ll begin to work on the next garment for spring, the “window-pane” sweater. Look out for a progress report this coming week.
Front view:
Front view, in the breezy outdoors:
Back view:
I am really pleased with how this design turned out. There was a point during the process of construction at which I thought I would have to throw the whole thing out. A trip to the fabric store revealed why this particular fabric may have been so difficult to work with: As it turns out, this is not an ordinary silk organza. Usually, organza looks the same on both sides. In other words, it has no right or wrong side. My fabric however is what’s known as a satin side organza, which means that the right side is shinier, and much more slippery than the other side. This explains why it was so difficult to cut and control.
In addition, a burn test revealed that this fabric has some cotton in it. Cotton organdy, the cousin of silk organza, is known to have a crisper hand than organza. The stiffness of the fabric makes it very difficult to fold and press into place. Oddly enough though, once pressed, it holds its shape like it was born that way. Only a thorough steaming or cold water wash will undo a wrinkle once set.
The biggest challenge in pulling off this garment however was the hours of work required to finish the hem, neckline, and sleeves. The neckline and armhole facings were cut on bias and finished by hand. The inner edges of the sleeves as well as the hem were enclosed with silk ribbon to prevent fraying and then hand stitched in place.
Overall, I love this blouse and am excited to wear it. This piece is easy to dress down or up. It looks casual but still dressy with a pair of jeans, as pictured here. With a skirt, it will look more elegant. And it works great with my new spring coat.
Stick around for pictures of my finished skirt in the next few days.
During the course of drafting the pattern for my Spring 2012 blouse, I realized that my sketch was not developed enough, in technical terms, to allow me to easily execute the pattern. I had not really thought about how the sleeve would attach; nor had I taken time to draw a back view. After a couple of attempts at draping the idea I had in mind, I tossed it out. The arch in front was not particularly flattering. Plus, the fabric that I would be using, a relatively crisp silk organza, was not conducive to a flouncy sleeve. I was afraid it would end up looking stiff and wrinkled, especially if worn under my Spring 2012 coat.
What’s more, the organza was not a particularly sheer variety. So ultimately, 
the light, airy effect I was going for in the first two designs would probably not translate well. In the end, I decided to redesign the blouse to be more structured and have only a single layer of fabric throughout since the weight and color of the organza (hot pink) would offer enough opacity for daytime (though I did add shirring around the bust for a little more coverage there).
In keeping with my “window” theme, as described in my post on January 28 discussing the design inspiration, I added cut-outs in the shoulder area as well as in the back. Overall, I am really excited about this design. It is more interesting than before and will ultimately complement my chosen fabric much better than the original concepts.
The skirt design on the other hand, came out exactly as I had anticipated in only one draft. I thought of adding patch pockets to the front, but then thought better of it since I really like how streamlined and simple it looks. Remember the center panel will be a contrasting fabric, which will carry the eye from top to bottom, reinforcing the sleek lines. To replace the patch pockets, I will probably add in-seam pockets, since after all it must be practical. I have always loved having pockets in my skirts.
I hope to have pictures of one or both of these completed garments posted sometime this coming weekend. So, stop back by then.
