JAA Week 9: All The Little Things

Let the Countdown Commence

 

 

 



As you can imagine, with hand in fast approaching next week, this has been a busy week. I have spent at least a days woth of time making the wedding cake (which was accounted for in my work plan) and also the actual wedding itself (although I made the decision not to drink, to drive home after the wedding breakfast and continue to work) hurrah for me and my steadfast tenacity.

As much as I did not need the hastle and time sucking black hole that was a two layer hand crafted wedding cake (sponge and a fruit cake) it was nice to get my practical creative flow going with the hand crafted decorations, a change is as good as a rest as they say.

Anyway, moving on...



This week, as the main body of the dress is complete I am moving on to the dreaded hem and the decorations, lace frills pleats, cuffs etc.
I had a very helpful session with two of my tutors and got some good advice on how to finish the very large and gently curving hemline of the dress. Its good to point out here that without their help and advice/experience the hem would not have turned out so well. Sometimes, especially as I have been working so independantly, it is easy to get carried away and think that I know best and that I can do it all myself without any help.
This is not the case, and although it is really important that at this stage I am making a lot of decisions, it is still sensible to refer back to those who have more knowledge than myself, even if it is just to say "this is how I think it should be done, what is your opinion?"

Fake It?

 

 



This week has also been pivotal in terms of authenticity. I have been very careful throughout the whole project to try and stay as true to the original as possible. this means using all natural materials where I can, I have been using cotton thread throughout the whole garment, even though it is a nightmare to work with as it brakes a lot, especially when hand sewing. I have waxed my thread as well. Everything, including all the linings, interlinings lace etc. match as close as possible to the original, and I have painstakingly and meticulously tried to construct the details of the garment to the same specifications.

It would have been much easier to take short cuts, I probably would have saved myself a lot of time (and have fingers that do not resemble a pin cushion to boot). No one would really know unless they had the original next to my copy, and from what I hear from my tutors, when they judge the competition, if, that is, you reach the shortlist and they physically look at yur costume; that they don't really look over all the fine details. So what is the point?

Of course the answer is, that I know. I know myself just how hard I have tried to make a true interpretation, it is after all for my benefit that I try and get it right, my learning journey, my specialist practice.

Copying all the historical techniques, such as hand overcasting seams, handsewing nearly everything and all the beautiful details and decorations, has given me a really good introduction to what I really love doing. I needed to tackle a large historical dress, from the inside out, and to do it properly.

I think I have very sound construction and interpretation skills and the challange has been doing it to a professional standard and producing a piece of work that is bettar than my last piece, so I can see my progress as a practitioner. Knowing myself that I have done everything possible to get that original feeling out of my newly made copy, and I think I am well on my way to achieving that.

More of the Pretties

 

 

Aside with the in depth self analysis for a moment as I do have some more progress photos:

 

 



I think it is coming together very well. I'm not sure how much I will have done before assessment on Monday, but it should be enough to get a goos idea of the final outcome.