Thursday, August 12, 2010

Improv and Variations

Today I hacked into my outfits.

I'm developing a fitted bodice from the linen tunic, and reshaping the satin from the wedding skirt into something from the waist down.


Firstly I experimented with proportion of the linen tunic, and tried out some variations of traditional ways to wear it. It is a simple pattern: circular neckline and armholes, bust and shoulder darts. There is a zip down centre back, which I played around.

I ended up reversing the garment so the back was the front, and rotated to it's left side so that the right armhole became the neckline and the neckline became the left armhole, with the zip going diagonally across the front.

I then unpicked the side seams to try and work out the right armhole. As a result, the only seam that attached the front to the back was the shoulder seam from the neck to the right armhole.

I was left with the front and back sections of the dress and a desire to create a more fitted torso. Inspired by a weaving technique illustrated in the Japanese pattern book Pattern Magic, I began to form strips from the fabric of the linen tunic, waist down, to weave and create texture as well as a more fitted sillhouette. The strips were very clumsily hacked into, I drew an outline in black felt which I should try and either wash out or involve with Louise's concept of drawing on the body. The outcome was weaving to the right side of the garment, which tightened the torso and left a nice cutout shape from the pre-existing left armhole as a cut-out on the left side.















I like how it came together quite quickly and playfully. Now that I think about it, it literally happened later in the day after 3.30 boredom-itis, which relates funnily enough to Louise's work. It is a little clumsy and in early stages of form at the moment, but I am going to continue improvising like that and defining details over the next week or so.








No comments:

Post a Comment