Poncho a little bit closer...

Now having re-done the front pocket, making it neater, and wider so the pocket edges will fit into te side seems. 

I like this pocket design much better than the previouse. It gives a sportier feel and a speaker finish. 

I am going to make the hood one layer (for now) and see how it looks. I quite like the sheer look of the licra, but it may be more practical to have two layers for warmth. 

The front panel pocket took a lot of tweaking to get into the right position, as I had cut the panel so it wants completely  sametrical. On the future I need to be more accurate when cutting elastic fabrics!

3D paper experiments

I think all of these experiments are all successful. I have learnt that keeping the shapes and designs simple work most effectively. 

I firstly tried scoring detailed curves and using small shape, but the designs looked to crafty and didn't have the speak professional finish I was looking for.

I really loved these layered designs. I think both the smooth curves and pointe. Triangles have worked well on creating a simple but elegant design.

I tried many designs, using smaller shapes and adding detail but didn't look right. This layered square pattern, is using one repeated shape so really the design still simple but portrays a more complex feel. I think this design in a white  plastic would look better futuristic. 

This design looks great, but was very time consuming. If I desided to use this shape I would be best choosing a material that could be laser cut, as this would make the process more efficient.

The design above is my favourite design. The long curves of each band, create a sporty feel. I could imagine these should designs apart of American football should pad design. Leading into a chest piece, make out of a smooth plastic or metal. 

I love this moulded shape surface. Although I don't think it fits well on the should pad, maybe it would work better in the Chet piece? 

sketch book pages - sports poncho design

For my research I have found both M&S's new sportswear line and urban outfitters active wear as well as Nike very helpful to look at shapes and futures.

After analysing many garments of current sports wear I have added and adapted the item I am designing.

I have found much of the outerwear for sale currently is grey, black, and navy. I will use this colour scheme in my final product, as these tones so with many others, so you will be able to wear the poncho with every outfit.

Cyanotype images

I found it challenging to get a crisp, strong image Cyanotype printing.

I started painting think layers of the solution on the paper, thinking this would produce a more powerful image but this only gave it a dull yellow tinge.

When I started painting quick, thin layers onto the page, it started to look closer to the outcome I was hoping for. I also found the length of time you transfer the image makes a huge difference the clarity of the image. 123 was the perfect measure.

Choosing the five I was most happy with, I started adding a light blur cotton and free machining on top of the material and into the images. 

This turned out to be a very successful process. Following the lines of buildings in filling in missing area, it really makes the image grab your attention. I will diffidently use this process again. To develop this idea, it would be ace to print more of these small tile images and stitch a number of them together, to make a panel of memories all interlinked together.    

Poncho - pocket and hood design

I think the tunnel hood works well with this loose fitting poncho. It will look great when being used as a hood and when the fabric is hanging around the neck. 

I think I like the smallest pocket shape. I think it will be the most flattering design for a women's figure. The lower pockets would also be more useful, as it would be more accessible for your hands. 

Following a pattern - gillet

As a whole the gillet is make ok. The quality of the stitching, seems and the pockets coul have been better (but as the first garment I have made from a pattern, I have learned a lot). 

First of all, I sewed larger seem allowances than the pattern had allowed, this meant the pockets didn't actually got inside the lining so I had to make them smaller ( to an extent that you have to have very small hands to use te pockets).

The lineing if around the sleeves turned out to be quite messy as there was to much fabric the sew, this meant the edge was loosely stitched. 

The seems arond the larger panels look neat, as it was more simple to get a good quality stitch on these long straight edges. 

The quality of the of the collar is good. It is only at the points of the collar that the pattern wasn't cut to the right size, so the matetial bunch a little. 

Styling photography with added material

After this photo shoot was so successful, I want to carry on and develop this image.

Adding this piece of material has put more of an emphasis on the clothing, which is important as it started as a styling project.

I think this would work extremely well in a magazine. If  you used the specific material of the garment with less volume, the readers could feel the textures of the clothing you are trying to sell to them. Although this would be very expensive, the future customers would not forget this image easily as you are taking it in through two senses (sight and feel). 

I now want to carry on just using the free machine to add more detail in the photograph through the thread.

Stitching around the figure in adding to the clothing would really bring the image alive.

Glam fashion combined with sportswear

For my fashion photography brief I have selected four photographs as a series, from my photo shoot today. After trying two previous location this morning that were not as successful as I had hoped them to be, I set up my final location this afternoon. I had learned from the previous two locations, good combinations for clothing style, composition and lighting.

From today, I have learned that when shooting out side of the studio, it is still just as important to get the lighting right. I shot many photographs today, with good composition but the lighting was either to dark or bright; as controlling this aspect outside is much more difficult. So in the future I will bring the lighting with me, so I am not reliant on the weather.

Design ideas - Jackets, T-shirts, and tops.

   

All these designs are inspired by current trends.

In these designs I have experimented by using different collars, sleeves, fastening, pockets and pannels.

All of these features I can use again in future designs, from this sheet I can see what works well together and what doesn't and combinations that are still waiting to be created. 

These designs I had originally coloured in using pro-markers, this looked great for my sketch book and portfolio pieces, but when it came to sending a digital portfolio I found colouring the clothing on photoshop worked more successful to achieve brighter, stronger colours.

Exploring material

Although I loved learning about wool - tweed, finding the qualities and properties of it through experimentation. I realised I can not use it for any sportswear designs. 

Thai robust material, is coarse textured. Tweed is light in weight, but when I thought about it materials like licra are breathable and moveable. 

The qualities of this fabric would make a lovely structure jacket or dress though.

Clothing for fell running

Running my first fell race today, I was able to analyse the clothing I wore.

Already having used my innovate trail running trainers much before I knew they would be comfortable.

Ronhill aspiration contour tights, were successful with temperature regulation and good support. 

Lightweight Rab waterproof jacket, fitted well and kept the wind out with out sweating to much.

Although the innovate trainers were comfortable, they did not have enough grip to stop me sliding in the more boggy areas. I have ordered a more suited pair for my next race, so we will see how much better they perform..... 

The back zip pock in the leggings proved to be a good place to keep the competitors card in, as it was easily accessible. So this will defiantly be a feature in any future designs and will be own again.

The hood on this jacket is well designed, the draw string around the edge allowed me to pull it tight around my face, on top of the mountains this is important to ensure the wind did not blow my hood off, keeping me warm.