Pattern Cutting and Toiles

The last week or so has been devoted to learning how to cut the basic skirt pattern and applying the method to our individual skirt patterns. Initially I found it quite difficult, but of course with a bit of practice I was able to plan and construct the pattern for my toile. I made my toile out of skirt lining, which I thought was similar in weight to my actual fabric. After much trial and error, I was happy with my final toile. I didn't make the whole three parts to the skirt (as this would have been unnecessarily time demanding) but focused on the part of the skirt that would be around the waist, perfecting darts etc.

Today I begun, for the first time, working on the stand. I took my swatches and placed them strategically on the lower half of the mannequin. From doing this I formed a better understanding of how well the swatches worked. I also took pictures from multiple angles and pull the shapes from these images to apply to the croquis.

Fairy-Stitching

This was by far my favorite swatch! For it, I made little cherry blossoms out of the light-weight material, then ironed them. I ironed them to make different flattened formations and then loosely stitched them together - like fairies stitching flower petals together! I'm going to use this swatch for the majority of my skirt as I think it keeps in with my subject and theme very well.

The Cottingley Fairies

These are the beautiful images taken by Frances (16) and Elsie (10) of each other with the Cottingley fairies. The girls would return every day to watch the little fairies flutter by the little brook at the end of their garden., and eventually decided to photograph the stunning creatures . I'm using the images that Frances and Elsie took as a basis for my inspiration for this project. There's an endless amount of swatch inspiration that I can source already  - the girls' hair, the flowers, the fairies' skirts, the trees..... 

When I think of 'Ethereal', i think of haunting beauty. I think of beautiful, mystical forests of pink cherry blossom trees billowing in the wind. The soft petals being caught on a breeze and flying through the air...

I'm going to use the cherry blossom tree as my main research point. I intend to do so by recreating the blossoms through various fabric manipulations and also by allowing images (including my own) of blossoms to inspire my work on the stand and in my sketchbook.

e·the·re·al  (-thîr-l)

adj.

1. Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; intangible.

2. Highly refined; delicate. See Synonyms at airy.

3.

a. Of the celestial spheres; heavenly.

b. Not of this world; spiritual.

4. Chemistry Of or relating to ether.