Drape Patternmaking: Lesson 1 How To

Tutor Couture gives you your first lesson in draping a bodice. Draping is the more intuitive way to make patterns. For a perfect fit drape it right on your client's body rather than on the dress form.

Menswear Design

Emil Fusaro, Candadian tailor most generously shares his suit design process with us on YouTube. This is a series of 10 videos.  If you watch from this blog the videos will run one after the other in order without you having to do anything.  Otherwise you can see the video playlist by clicking on the link.

Suit Design with Emil

Entry Level Jobs in the Fashion Industry

See section Fashion Careers on this blog.

Designing clothing is only one of many careers in fashion.

One thing I´ve observed about the fashion industry is that there are really no "rules" to getting in.  Obviously going to fashion school is one place to start and will offer opportunities for getting a foot in.  Marketing and social sciences such as sociology, anthropology and psychology are excellent base courses and are actually required courses in the serious design schools. A basic grasp of Euclidean and of projective geometry is of great assistance for transferring design ideas into clothing through patternmaking. You can also get some insight into the fashion industry from reality shows like "Project Runway," "Running In Heels," "America´s Next Top Model". "The Devil Wears Prada" is a must-see movie as is Isaac Mizrahi's 1995 movie "Unzipped." In fact, a look into Mr. Mizrahi's career over the past 20 years or so is something to be admired.  Not because he chooses to pander to an often cruel and supercilious industry but because he chooses to "take it or leave it" and does so with such dignity.

Backstage at a fashion runway show.

Here are some tips:

• Before deciding on any school, fashion or otherwise, make sure it is accredited by an agency recognized by U.S. Department of Education (ED).  Also do a search on the internet for how to avoid post-secondary school scams, university scams and online school scams.  There are a LOT of scams, especially now that the internet has made it so easy. Just because a school claims to be accredited means absolutely nothing unless the accrediting agency is recognized by ED.  If the school is in a country other than the U.S.A. do your research. There must be similar agencies to the ED there as well.
•  Try to work at a clothing store, a big department store is best.  Entry level jobs are usually as a sales attendant. The pay is low, perhaps commission-based; and the hours can be grueling.  You may also have to deal with demanding, sometimes downright rude, customers.  (Remain professional, this is a taste of what is to come in a "dog-eat-dog" industry). But this is a great job for someone who wants to see a bit of everything.  Fashion merchandising, marketing, publicity, trends.  If you are able to stick it out you might eventually get promoted to managerial or buyer´s position. 
• Check out websites of various designers and fashion magazines, many have an "Apply for Internship" link. Requirements to be accepted into an internship program vary but most ask that you either have a college degree or be currently enrolled in a college or university. 
• Many clothing or department stores hire extra sales help before Thanksgiving on temporary contracts to work through the high sales season.  Nice way to try it out and see if you would eventually be interested in long term work.
• No matter what job in fashion you end up in, knowing the basics of patternmaking, sewing, knitting, crochet, weaving, how textiles are produced and all those other "crafty" things will make you better at your job.  To write a fashion column for example, you should know what goes into making a garment. Then you will know how "good" or "bad" it truly is.
• Take a few classes in sewing or fashion design at a local community center or college before diving head first into a big investment.  If you are still in high school this is the perfect way to see if it is just a passing interest or if you will be in for the long haul.  People are sometimes disillusioned when they enroll in an expensive fashion school and then realize it is a lot different than they thought it would be.
• See more information on Clothing Design, Fashion School and Fashion Careers for links and resources about the fashion industry.

Join Rue La La! By Invitation Only
Exclusive Designer fashions at 80% off retail.

Photos:
Fashion Model Fitting Clothes by Professional Designer Woman; istockphoto.com/CandyBoxPhoto

Model Taking a Break; istockphoto.com/Dr Bubbles

The Importance of Darts

Now that we have learned a bit about darts and the slash and spread method of transfering them from one place to another. You can begin experimenting and rotating them around on your own! There will be future videos on Fettuccinetube with tutorials on dart transfers; but don´t wait for me to get around to uploading them. Forge ahead on your own if you feel like!  There is wonderful free information on the internet on this topic.  Here is a series of short explanations on the different dart configurations that give some great insight.  Fashion Dart Variations by Laurel Armstrong. 

The main concept in creating dart variations is to transfer or convert them. What you remove from one part of the garment needs to be made up for in another part. You can divide one dart into two little ones for example or you can lump two darts together into one, convert a dart into a seam etc... Newspaper is my favorite paper to use for experimenting and creating new designs.

Rue La La Fashion - By Invitation Only.

I LOVE Rue La La! Not only for the wonderful name brand clothing and accessories available for a fraction of the price they would ordinarily be sold for.  It is also a source of exposure to designers I may not have ever heard of and for new design ideas.  While I don´t encourage copying other´s designs I do encourage that aspiring designers "know what´s out there."  Taking inspiration from others is actually a big part of what trends are about.   Rue La La is a wonderful site for this.  It is by invitation only to join and as a member you will get a 10 dollar credit for anyone you invite who makes a purchase. Click here to join.  Or copy and paste the following link:  http://www.ruelala.com/invite/fabi

Clothing:
The French Connection
The French Connection Men´s
Via Spiga
Style. I Do!  (Wedding Fashions and Gift Registry)

Footwear:
Cole Haan Shoes

Accessories:
Right On Time Watches

Other:
Half Moon Rose Hall (Jamaica Get Away)
Vineyard 7 & 8 (Wine)
Le Creuset (Top Chef Quality Cookware)

Here is a description I copied and pasted directly from the Rue La La website. 

"Rue La La is... an exclusive, invitation-only online destination where Members discover premier-brand, private sale Boutiques, each open for just a brief window of time. Our focus is a well-edited collection of sought-after offerings from the best brand names in the world - combined with helpful service.


Membership is free. It's also invitation-only. Members shape the community by inviting new Members - and getting a $10 Rue La La Credit when each new friend places their first order.

The discovery of something unexpected, something that imbues the day-to-day with a little magic - these are the "ooh la la moments" we long for. And you'll find them here."

Basic Bodice

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"Clik" para Español  See the Written Instructions and accompanying Video "How to Make a Basic Bodice".   As usual, I will conduct the lesson using the metric system.  If you do not have access to a metric tape measure please order one from the Petit Poix shop.   
See  "how-to" videos:

  Draft a Basic Bodice,  Convert Bodice into Blouse,  Transfer a Shoulder Dart

The bodice is the most basic pattern for any top, and converting a bodice pattern into anything else; be it a t-shirt, a blouse, even a dress; entails some simple letting out or rotation of the darts.  More about this will be explained in the video.  In the meantime here is the accompanying information if one cares to review it beforehand.  Another suggestion, get familiar with How to Take Measurements and if  you are so inclined write up a list of your measurements, this will be necessary when you draft your basic bodice pattern.

Written Instructions

Video

History of Fashion

To be a clothing designer it is VERY useful to understand the history of fashion and how new trends and styles develop.  Here is a link to the BBC archives to see videos of how fashions developed from the  . Watch these videos to gain insight and understanding on how to predict what will be "in" and what will be "out".  Fashion, is a sign of the times, often reflected in what is going on politically, and esthetically in the culture.  Only occasionally is a new style developed based on what a particular celebrity although many times they are the first to use a new style. 

"This unusual collection of programmes reveals what it took to be stylish through over 250 years of British history as it explores fashion from 1720 to 1982."  View Videos

Knitting Lesson 4 Uploaded and more Sewing Tutorials Planned for August!

I have just uploaded my Knitting Tutorial 4 for beginner knitters.    "How to Knit a Cozy Wrap Sweater".  The video starts out with step by step instructions but by around 5 minutes in I realized it needed some excitment!  So I added some!  Let me know what you think!  I also must  finish Part 2 of "How to Make a Basic Skirt" which is way overdue.  Then I will do 2 advanced beginner videos "How to Make a T-Shirt"  (The "REAL" way) and How to make Pants (The "REAL" way).  These will be more in-depth explanations about patternmaking.  While the beginner lessons are useful for making "wearable" clothes, I feel I owe it to my viewers, at this point; to challenge their patternmaking skills and take them to the "next level".

I have decided to leave my studies at the University Siglo 21. However I encourage any of my viewers or followers to contact me or to go directly to the Siglo 21 website to inquire about the degree in Clothing and Textile Design offered there.  I am in my 40s and have a big family to care for.  I find that the demands of finishing my degree are too much.  I feel that the courses I took there have helped me enormously, especially the marketing and consumer behavior classes.  The Siglo 21 prepares the designer for the real world, the market that they will eventually be competing in, how to find their target market and decide which area of the fashion industry they are interested in  pursuing.  Be it a fashion editor, a fashion buyer, a designer for a big name or starting your own line, a wardrobe manager for a movie set and so many other possibilities.  I fully recommend the school and the curriculum.  You must be able to speak Spanish fluently of course, since the school is in Cordoba Argentina.  However you would be getting a University degree at a fraction of the cost of what it costs in the U.S.A. or Europe.

Draft a Basic Skirt Pattern

See  other "how-to" videos:

  Draft a Basic Bodice,  Convert Bodice into Blouse,  Rotate a Shoulder Dart

Video      Written Instructions

 See the written instructions and diagram on how to draw a basic skirt pattern. From this one pattern you can make the modifications to make practically any other type of skirt and adjusted to perfectly fit your own unique bumps and curves. See my Skirt Pattern Tutorial Video on Fettuccinetube .