Lace Cape: Stardoll Version

Hello Everyone ♥
For you lovely Dolls, this is the Stardoll version of the Lace Cape.
I tried to make it a posed item also, so it works with the traditional Stardoll Pose :)

Below is a recording of the creation of the graphic but sadly the first 25 minutes (of real-time recording) of it became corrupted :c

So, I did my best to salvage what's left, speed it up and put it into the video below:

Sorry about the missing parts, I really should update my recorder.

♥

So, what do you think? :)

While I am currently working on another garment, once it is released there probably won't be another one until April... or even August! I'm sorry, it's mainly because the projects I am planning on doing are working under secrecy (following education conduct, event rules etc.). So while I will be working very hard, I can't show any actual garments for a while.

It's senior year for me at school, and probably the last year the hiatus will be a problem. The year will be full of opportunities and changes, of which I hope will open up possibilities for more designing in the future.

But, there will still be plenty of content for the blogs, there are fashion tutorials being made and I have been working on uploading extra content such as photoshoot outtakes and vlogs. So, even though there will be no garments for a while, there should be fashion sketches and things which still relate and should be just as interesting c:

Please let me know what you would like to see from me throughout the year either in the comments or on my Stardoll Page. Your opinion helps and I really appreciate it!

Lace Cape: Design and Construction Notes

Hello Everyone ♥
Today I will briefly talk about the processes that went in behind making the Lace Cape. This is defiently not one of my bigger projects so there is less to talk about the inspiration and the work that went into the final product but I hope that this is still interesting and helps provide a perspective to what anyone can do to practice techniques and get better at designing/sewing. :)

As this was more of a personal project, I did not do as much design development as I would normally do before having a finalized design. But for any design one wants to make, the best thing to do is to write down your ideas. Even if you are completely sure of what you want to do, things can change once it is put onto paper, and it is mostly for the better. Plus, forgetting your idea is the worst thing you can do, and if you don't write it down that will happen. Sadly I know it from experience.

Here are my brief notes and ideas written down before the design was finalized. It is very rough as all design development should be, because it is about expressing your ideas instead of having to worry about the overall presentation.

It's probably a bit hard to read, but my main idea was to make a cape that linked to my Spring Cardigan garment with the materials used but to have a more bold shape (silhouette) to it.

Relating to what I said before about writing down your ideas; I originally intended to have a geometric design on the back, but when looking at it in a sketch, I realized that this design would clash with the flow of the circular cut of the cape. Instead, I chose on vertical panelling, which is when you put different types fabric next to each other, like stripes.

Below is the final design. Just a quick watercolour and pen sketch to help get a better idea on what I am going to make.

When the time came to make the garment, I did not make or use a pattern! This pretty much means that this is a one-of-a-kind piece which I cannot make just like the original. It also means that I working practically blind, so i'm making it up as I go along! If you're new to sewing or want to have something perfectly made, I do not recommend doing this. I already know the techniques that were needed to make the cape so I was confident in how it would turn out. I only work without patterns when i'm doing small projects so it isn't the norm for me.

I started with cutting a 1/4 of a circle for the back of the cape, measuring out from the neckline. With the leftovers (as this was a scrap of material from an earlier project - recycling, yay!), I cut two scalene triangles which match the sides of the circle. The front was intended to be longer than the front but should match up together at the seam. The lace overlay was cut to watch the triangles and then stitched (basted) together.

The lining was also cut at the same time in a white satin.

'Baste' Definition: Temporarily joining fabric together by sewing. It is used to hold the fabric in place.

A panel of lace was cut to fit the back and then basted to place. On top of the stitching and the, reflective tape was pinned and stitched on top.

(Do you like my pin cushion buy the way? Cupcakes~)

This is when I attached the circle to the funny-looking triangles and did the same to the lining. This brings both the front and the back together so the armholes can be fitted. The armholes are halfway down the seam so I just left a gap in both the lining and outer piece and attached the spaces together. It sounds a little weird, but hear me out, it worked just fine xD

Then sequins were attached on the shoulders and back cape in-between the lining (so it cannot be seen). Afterwards the welt pockets were pinned and sewn into place.

To match the white satin of the pockets, I used white trimming for the neckband. On top of it the button and fastener was sewn on. Then the lining was sewn into the top layer of fabric and voilà! It is done~

You can also see the reflective tape in action. So shiny~ :)

So, I hope that this shows what went into making this garment. It's pretty casual in construction and there is more that can be done to make the piece work better to intentions, but doing smaller projects really helps to practice sewing and desgning. There is also a feeling of fulfillment when your own original design can actually be touched and worn in real life. Don't sit there wondering how your design will look, just make it. Even if you don't know how, just experiment! It's the only way ♥

Lace Cape

Hello everyone,
So, here is another piece that has been made over summer break. As it is not linked to any big projects I am able to share it with you as soon as it's finished :)
The photos are very recent, as in, taken this very day. Today was beautiful and not too hot. Christchurch Central is full of colour and murals with the rebuild so it provided a lovely collection of backgrounds to work with,

Thank you to Sam for being so patient with me, I can be difficult to work with when taking photos haha ^^;

This cape is pretty different to what I usually design. It was intended to be slightly avant-garde but is still useful for day to day wear. The design is linked to my Spring Cardigan and is mostly made from the same materials so the two garments work well as a duo.

While it is not for everyone's taste, it is very comfortable to wear and has a lot of detail on both the front and back.

Like the Cardigan, the lace is recycled, but instead of it being attached without a lining, there is a black underlay to further define the design. The black base material is satin which has a nice level of shine without it being too overpowering.

The loose welt-pockets on the front panels link to the design of the neckline, which is a white satin. The fastener for the cape is a small vintage button.

Sequins are scattered over the black panels which reflect in the light. Black tape is lined between each panel, which is also reflective and is visible under artificial light.

Tomorrow I will upload the design drawings and some parts of the construction process. On Thursday the Stardoll-versions of the garment will be up, so watch this space! :)

Next Release: hints!

Hello everyone,
I hope that 2015 began well for you all. I didn't have the best start with catching a nasty illness which kept me away from designing for at least a week. I'm better now but because of the weird hiatus and the circumstances, the garment (preview) I have shown you in the previous post will actually be released after the one I am about to present.
Even you most of you will only see one garment at a time, I am usually working on multiple projects and sometimes commissions which do mess up schedules and as such.

My apologies for any confusion, both of these garments will be released, but later than originally intended.

So, here are some new previews of the latest garment you will see in a few days. :)

A Stardoll Preview:

and a Garment preview: (sewing on sequins)

Any sequins on my garments are hand-sewn. I personally don't like machining on strips of sequins because it seems restrictive. Even though doing it by hand takes more time, it provides more creative freedom and is oddly relaxing~

I'm getting the photoshoot done tomorrow. It's been 30+ degrees (celsius) over the past few days here so it is going to be very hot dressed in dark clothing. Wish me luck ;)