Refining my design process

Oh look, I finally got around to sewing something for myself! Life has got busy and the first thing to go is sewing for my own enjoyment. I'm trying to be more organised and declutter my wardrobe at the moment, and have somehow stumbled into refining my 'design' process. I say 'design' because I don't have a clue about what I'm doing half the time and just plod along in blissful ignorance, with trial and error being my only faithful teacher.

I bought this Fashionary a few months ago but was so busy (grrr!) that I didn't want to spoil its beautiful pages with an unfocused mind. It's basically a cross between a diary/sketchbook/fashion encyclopaedia with the main purpose being to allow designers to sketch outfits quickly without the hassle of sketching figures beforehand.

Covering my Fashionary was really enjoyable in itself. I have this unstoppable urge to collage or draw over bland, boring surfaces and this black cover was just waiting for some Pritt stick kisses! Everything on the cover is from my Vogue magazines from the past six months (which has been surprisingly uninspiring and I probably won't be renewing my subscription). Comparing it to my previous collages I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out as I changed my method - I usually cut everything out, then arrange it, then glue it, but due to time constraints I simply cut and stuck as I went along. I became utterly absorbed and before I knew it, there were segments of clashing prints and patterns before me, rather than pictures of clothes as I'd intended. Yet another instance of feeling the flow and being happy with the result, even if it is a little different :)

This is a pocket bit at the inside of the back to store loose magazine cuttings (and I've evidently stuck some on the outside too!)

Nevertheless, striking a balance is key. This Fashionary is an oxymoron of sorts - uninhibited creative freedom on the covers concealing the restricted and directed ideas that lie within. (Before you scroll down to look at the pics of my design process just bear in mind that my last art lesson was in Year 8 and I've never done textiles or anything, so don't judge!)

The inspo 
I basically flicked through the Vogues, along with some other magazines from years gone by, cut out whatever took my fancy, and stuck the images in.

The patterns 
These patterns and fabric are all from Fabricland in Kingston, which seems to be the only decent fabric shop in South London. I bought the sewing patterns I needed (four Simplicity Easy-to-Sew ones because speedy sewing = sartorial satisfaction!) After agonising over the patterns for ages, I deliberated over the fabrics for four garments even longer. Buying fabric for four garments in one go that I'd only discovered I'd really wanted to make a few days ago was no easy feat, but I left happy with my fabric choices (and searching in earnest for food and water as fabric shops during a heatwave at lunchtime was almost enough to make me dislike sewing. Almost.)

1355 - I'm trying to work out whether I was sold by the print of the jumpsuit on the model or the actual shape. The shape is a bit simple but I think a good fabric will definitely bring this to life.

1887 - View A looks loooooovely and I can see myself sewing up multiple versions of this in different prints.

8523 - I did pick up another t-shirt pattern but it was out of stock so this was my second choice. View E looks interesting as I don't think I own any V-necked tops.

1108 - This was a guilty impulse buy but kimonos are summer's answer to a cardigan. I'm going to make View B because I like the curved hem and contrast band.

The sketching
I then looked at the illustrations and tried to sketch out some simple pencil versions of them on the figures, whilst glancing at the square sample sizes of fabric I'd cut out and dreaming of what the finished piece would look like...

The pinning/cutting 

I was so eager to get sewing that there arn't many pictures of the pinning/cutting process (plus this is the most boring part of the entire thing and I like to whizz through it as quickly as I can):

The sewing:
And there's even fewer sewing pics...

The finished garments
I really love my Fashionary! It's such a useful tool and definitely helped me to visualise what I wanted to make with ease and clarity.

(I blinked, oops!)

A particular fave because of the bag. (THE BAG!!!)

It has pockets :)

And with all that I'm off to the fabric shop to buy some more. Going to make some more fitted items this week - some basic long sleeved tops and leggings, which means I need to reacquaint myself with my overlocker. Wish me luck...