Here are my illustrations of the final selection of outfits without colour or embroidery as I will add this later on Photoshop. I will take the embroidery directly from my samples to really showcase the visuals.
Monday, 20 November 2017
Sketchbook Pages; 98 - 113 Final Design Ideas with Embroidery Positions
Having decided which designs I really liked, I took them forward and added different embroidery positions onto each design. This helped me see which designs worked best with the embroidery and which didn't work. I am only making 4 outfits and I knew from the beginning I wanted to make 2 skirts and 2 trousers so I then had to edit my designs down to the final 2 skirts, 2 trousers and 4 jackets, and make sure they would work together as outfits but also as a cohesive collection.
Sketchbook Pages; 96 - 97 Possible Design Adaptions
Here I scanned in my designs and printed them out a lot smaller so I could see if there were any developments I wanted to make such as adding pocket, changing lapels etc
Sketchbook Pages; 92 - 95 Final Colour Ways
Not wanting to deviate from my original colour ideas too much, I decided to do some more samples to enhance the visuals of the green and red samples (because I reaaaaally want to use these colours!). I did 2 more green samples and I'm sure you'll agree that the first of the two is stronger. The colour transition flows nicely and there's enough difference between darkest shade and the lightest shade so it will stand out.
For the red sample I combined the red and rust samples, and created a really gorgeous, autumnal orange / rust sample. This will work so well with my concept since you could easily pair some red accessorises to bring out the red, but equally orange accessories would work so well too, and of course any shade in between.
I also decided it would be really cool to have the collar melton in one of the colours picked out from the embroidery, just as a little cute extra that you would only see if you popped your collar up. For those who don't know what melton is, it's what goes under the collar so when you flip your collar up it's that bit at the back. I ordered some samples from Hainsworth fabrics and they are divine! Such rich colours, so I sewed them together with a blanket stitch and put them in my sketchbook with my final colour samples. There is a dark green and a rust colour that are ideal for my final looks.
Sketchbook Pages; 91 Jacket Sample with Embroidery / Colour Ways
I made a sleeve up and did a sample of the purple embroidery colour transitioning down the sleeve. I like the size of the crosses, but not how crammed together they are, so they need to be more spread out on my next sample. I think if they are more spread out the colour will transition better too.
So following the sleeve sample, I made another jacket sample, this time trying out my favourite colour samples on an actual jacket. I used the red, turquoise, dark green, bright green, purple and orange. Visually the red isn't as strong as I'd like because the colours don't change enough. The orange is really nice because it's a very distinct transition yet still looks really aesthetically pleasing. The dark green isn't as strong as the bright green. the turquoise is really nice but possibly too subtle. The purple looks good and has a good level of subtlety.
The crosses are a little big here I think so I need to find a balance between what I did on the sleeve vs what I did on the jacket. I think they should also be ever so slightly closer together as well, especially if I make them smaller.
The way I am going to do the embroidery on the final garments will be by drawing out the pattern pieces individually on thin paper and drawing out the cross stitch placements, ensuring that the cross stitch flows from one piece to the next when the jacket is constructed. Then I will baste the paper pattern piece to the cloth pattern piece and carry out the embroidery. Once the embroidery is done, I will tear away the paper. I found when using embroidery canvas, it was very stiff and tended to damage the stitches when being removed. This was also an extremely time consuming process (like the actual embroidery isn't time consuming enough!) so using paper will reduce time considerably as it will just tear away. If I can find something thinner than paper in the mean time I'll likely use that instead. If anyone does actually read my blog and has any suggestions I'd welcome them!
P.S. the jacket doesn't fit the mannequin very well (even though they're both size 12??) so that's why the back of the jacket doesn't sit very well.
Sketchbook Pages; 75 - 90 Embroidery Colour Samples
So here I did various samples in different colours and paired them with coloured fabric swatches that I ordered from companies like Bateman Ogden, Holland and Sherry, Scabal etc.
I really like these samples, I think they are very aesthetic, especially against the coloured fabric.
Blue
Aqua / Blue
Turquoise
Yellow / Gold
Pale Yellow
Oranges
Rust
Light Red
Pink
Red
Purple
Dark Purple
Forest Green
Bright Green
Dark Green
Black Samples
I was planning on using the sample at the bottom, from Bateman Ogden, Royal Gaberdine in black. Though having spoken to my technical tutor, she suggested maybe not since it can be very unforgiving, especially with my embroidery. if I make any mistakes it will be very obvious. And similarly with the top right sample, from Holland and Sherry, a Gaberdine again. I suggested using the top left sample, which is a Fox Brothers Flannel (and feels gorgeous) and she agreed it would be much more forgiving. It will hold my embroidery better but still drapes nicely, overall an ideal fabric for me! But flannel isn't exactly a fabric for spring / summer so I would need to change my season to autumn / winter.
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