TOILING MY INVISIBLE PANTS...

My second to last toile, I have completed was my Invisible Pants, which are a pair of trousers with curved panels down the side seams. I found these one of the most easiest toile's yet, so I don't know whether they are easy, or it's because I have had much practise in getting these right. Surprisingly, I didn't have any problems with the main trouser panels and attaching them together, the only difficulty I had was creating the waistband and remembering all the little things you need to do to get a success. I have to remember when doing my final garment, not to press my seams open, as I realised this when my curved lines weren't as smooth as they should have been. On the toile there is an unwanted dart in the back, which I have now removed, so for the final garment it won't be there, which will make it look neater in the back.

TOILING MY MOTIONLESS JUMPSUIT (BODICE)...

I have begun to toile my Motionless Jumpsuit starting with the bodice and focusing on getting the fit perfect for the final garment. I have found that I have had to slice off some of the excess in the fit of panel 1 and 4 to make it lie right at the bust point. I have practised different ways to approach sewing the panels together as they meet at a right angled point. I have discovered that it is better to start with bigger piece of fabric at the top and keep the needle in to the snip into the fabric to allow it to twist around. I have felt that the back of the toile has come out perfect whereas, the front is slightly big at the shoulder and armholes but I will create the trousers before amending them imperfections. I feel I have learnt a new skill today and feel more confident with the final garment and sewing it all together.

TOILING MY DESERTING DRESS...

I have completed two toiles now and onto the third. I have started to pattern and toile my Deserting Dress which is next on my list of garments I have to make for my final collection. I started off my adapting the dress block pattern by creating two panels as the patterns didn't lie flat when I wanted to add extra flare. Then I traced off the new patterns for front and back and made up the basic shape. I then adjusted where the fabric gaped and amended the original patterns to make it fit the mannequin. The next step was to then draw on the design lines and used notches to show where the next piece fitted. I then sewed all the pieces of the front together and should attempt the back tomorrow.

STARTING MY TOILE...

In the end I went with a flesh coloured Lycra from www.fabricland.co.uk
which was £5-99 a metre so was ideal to use for a Toile and the final leggings. I first started off by testing all the over lockers that were available to me to see which was the easiest to work with Lycra and the winner was in the Foundation Degree room. I then started by sewing the seams on the inner leg 1cm seam allowance up to the crotch area making sure all notches matched.Then I went onto sewing the crotch areas together matching them at the central notches with a 1cm seam allowance. Then I took it over to the mannequin and measured the waist to the stands size and realised it was about 2.5cm to big on both front and back so pinned it and took it in about 2cm from the front and back so it fitted. It still could do with a little bit more taken off but for now it's not such a big deal. That's all I managed to achieve from yesterday's lesson but I was working with stretch fabric so it took longer than expected.

LYCRA SAMPLES...

At first I found it quite difficult to find Lycra samples but then I started to come across companies that specialise in Lycra production and requested a sample. They all range in price but the ones I like are the most expensive so I will have to purchase a cheaper Lycra to Toile my garment in. The best company was Borovick fabrics as they sent me a selection of different widths so I had a varied choice. Most of them were in a flesh colour so it is visible up close but far way it's barely noticeable.


Which one do you think I should choose?

PUTTING MY WAIST BAND ON MY 70S STYLED TROUSERS...

After completing the construction of my stripey trousers it was time for the waist band to finally go on the trousers. I thought I would insert piping into the top layer of it to maintain the theme of highlighting seam lines and it surprisingly worked effectively. I then had to hand sew a hook and eye onto the opening of the trousers and hem the trouser legs making sure they were level. Now I can safely say I have completed my own trousers that I have designed myself!
They are now ready to be photographed.