Kari C
© Kari C

Blouse project

Pattern Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2016

Front View

Back View

Side View

Production Sketch

The blouse is made by light weight and medium weight fabrics.  The combination of two shades of blue colour is used to highlight special parts (collar and cuffs) and make the blouse trendier.  The lengths of the blouse in front and back are sharply different (front length is shorter and around the waist; back length is around the hip).  And this blouse is Size 10.


Mandarin collar

Epaulette yoke and gathers under front yoke

Fly front: Hide the buttons

Open cuff

Heart panel line

Pleat (middle: inverted pleat & two sides: knife pleat)

Comments on the fitting & Recommendations on Pattern Alterations


Problem 1

The mandarin collar is not stiff enough to present the stand effect because of the soft fabric and light interlining.


Remedy

- Replace the original interlining by a thicker one.

- Add a button on the collar for holding a prettier shape and fitter for neck when it is wearing.

Problem 2

The arc of back bottom part is sharp and a little short, thus it looks unnatural in general.


Remedy

Widen the arc (each side widen about 2 cm) and extend the centre back

length (extend about 8cm).

Problem 3

The width of sleeves is narrow. The upper arm is a little bit tight and not really fit the dummy.


Remedy

Extend the width of sleeves (extend about 1.5 cm in circumference)

Problem 4

Puckering was appeared in the heart panel line because it is difficult

to sew a high camber.


Remedy

Modify the curve to become flatter. (the height of the curve reduces

about 3 cm)

Problem 5

Because of this slippery fabric, it is hard to bound the hem line by only 1 cm seam allowance and it is unsightly appearance and low quality for hemming the bottom by over locking.


Remedy

Extend the seam allowance (extend around 1 cm)

Recommendations on Design Alterations

Recommendation 1

Reduce the width of front of the blouse


Result

Smarter and slimmer, suitable for girls who dislike loose cutting

Recommendation 2

Replace the open cuffs by ruffle cuffs


Result

Similar fly effect and highlight the movement of hand

Lady’s Close Fitting Evening Gown

Pattern Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2017

Front View

Side View

Back View

Design Inspiration

The design is inspired from Dior 2017 Spring-Summer Haute Couture Show.  The stage setting is a garden with a striking quantity of boxwood hedging, shrubs and bushes came together to make a modern maze.  It provided the moss-covered route as well.

The evening gown is made by light weight and medium weight fabrics.  The combination of two different weight fabric is used to highlight the movement of the puffy decoration while walking as well as the drapability of the skirt. And this gown is Size 10.


Bustier top

Chiffon puffy shell with some fake petals

Front darts


Back darts

Trumpet shape with sweep train

Production Sketch

1/5 scale sample pattern drafting:

Shell

1/5 scale sample pattern drafting:

Back (left), Left Side Panel

1/5 scale sample pattern drafting:

Front, Back (right), Right Side Panel, Front Skirt

1/5 scale sample pattern drafting:

Back Skirt

Production Experience


Experience 1

Because of the limitation of seam allowance in the paper pattern, there was not enough fabric for sewing the invisible zipper. 


Hence, the immediate solution taken is adding additional fabric to enlarge the area of seam allowance. Also, adding few hand stitching make the opening become more durable.


Experience 2

There is a difficulty on hemming the skirt with a same colour sewing thread. Loose stitches were appeared since the tensions of the tread and fabric are not matched. 


Therefore, the sewing thread was changed from hunter green to black with another material. It resulted easier to sew the bottom with prettier stitches. However, there may be having an appearance problem which the hemming stitch is obvious because of the black colour.


Comments & Recommendation on the finished garment

Problem 1

Zipper line is inclined.  It should be vertical and undermine the appearance.  The causes are the deviation of zipper location cutting and sewing problem.


Remedy

- Hold the slippery fabric by some heavy metals while cutting the pieces in a larger table

- Improve sewing skill

Problem 2

Seam puckering is appeared at two side seams because of the uneven thread tension and spreading problem when cutting the fabric in different tension.


Remedy

- Sew with minimum sewing tension to get a balanced stitch

- Make sure proper machine set up

- Hold the slippery fabric by some heavy metals while cutting the pieces in a larger table

Problem 3

The zipper opening is incompletely closed, due to the wrong selection of overlarge pull tab.


Remedy

Alter another proper zipper with smaller pull tab

Problem 4

Because of this thick and slippery fabric, 1 cm seam allowance is not enough to bound the hem line and it is unsightly appearance and low quality for hemming the bottom by over locking.


Remedy

Enlarge the seam allowance by considering the fabric characteristic like thickness

Problem 5

The drapability of black chiffon is unnatural and vertical downward is a prettier way so the puffy effect is not obvious.


Remedy

- Improve sewing skill

- Widen the pattern of shell in bottom part

Problem 6

One of disadvantages of bustier top is slipping down easily when any body movement.  It is inconvenient for acting.


Remedy

Add a thin tape into the seam allowance at the top part for holding the gown fix to body while moving


Ladies' Jacket Development

Pattern Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2017

This designed jacket is based on some requirement.

1. Opening with button fastening.

2. Panel pieces at the under arm.

3. Collar and pocket in any categories.

4. 2-pieces sleeve

5. Lining in full and basic interlining.


Description of the jacket

This ladies’ jacket is designed in waist-length which called as cropped jacket. There are princess line in both front and back and having a notched portrait collar. Button opening is used in centre front. Those princess line used can better shape out ladies’ silhouette and give a slimmer illusion to other.


This jacket is mainly using white and navy blue woven fabric as bodice. While translucent printing chiffon is used to perform the long exaggerated bishop sleeves. The main bodice part look ​concise while the ink pattern on sleeve is eye catching to give a graceful and elegant feeling.

Production Sketch

List of pattern

Pattern pieces

Pattern Development process

To develop the pattern for the design, first trace out the front and back ladies’ jacket block in size 12. Then put it on to the dummy to draw out style line before develop the collar and sleeve.


After cut off the style line designed, we are having front, back and side panel piece without dart. Then start to use the front and back pieces to develop our collar and lapel.


Collar


First, we need to do pattern plot. We marked 5cm from shoulder and label as A. Then draw the back neck which ending 2cm down from centre back.

Back to the front piece, measure neckline plus 0.3cm

and record for collar development.

Also, mark centre front depth x cm which will become the point

where lapel overlap.

For collar stand, we draw it 2.5cm from C.

And for button stand, we draw a parallel line 3cm from centre front.

Finally, we draw a straight line from C through B and button stand line.

The passing point is D.

Then, we fold paper along roll line and trace new neckline and A-C line.

Next, we unfold paper, following the curve of the traced neckline

and extend curve 7.6cm into frame of jacket.

Label E and mark for notch. E-F is 5cm

and we connect F with D in slightly curve line.

Then, refold paper along roll line, tracing complete outline of lapel.

And cross mark E-D (notch placement).

Unfold again and we can trace the front out.

After the above manipulation, we can start for our collar development.

In the above, we marked A to G is 0.6cm

and 7cm from G to H as a width of collar.

Also, we draw a line to find back neck measurement on ruler

and place at point G with ruler touching mid-neckline fromG to I.

Then, marked G to J equal to one half of G to I. I to K is 1.3cm.

Draw a line from J to K equal to J to I.

We marked K to L is 7 cm, squared from K toJ line. Square a short line from L. Blend back neckline at J.

Draw collar edge from L to H and parallel with back neckline.

Also marked E to M is 5cm ending approximately 2cm from lapel.

Completed the collar shape.

Finally, transferred collar from draft.

To modify collar, refer to basic notch instructions.

Back

Trace the back jacket pattern with size12 basic board.

Mark 5 cm from shoulder or neck.

After that, draw back neck ending 2cm down from centre back.

Draw a line from the shoulder lines to the hem joining the darts

and separate the pattern piece with side panel.


Side panel

Draw two lines from the shoulder lines to the waist line joining the darts on both front and back sides of the body.

Then, further extended the lines and draw the bottom

based on a size 12 basic dress board and it is darts.

After that, cut the piece out and add seam allowances for sewing,

and draw 5 cm hemming according to the above shape

by folding up the pattern piece at the bottom line.

Sleeve

Change the pattern of sleeve based on a size 12 basic sleeve board.

First, traced out the basic bishop sleeve, and set quarter-sections by drawing slash lines, dividing each quarter-section in half into eight equal panels.

Secondary, not thoroughly, cutting the line from hem to sleeve cap.

Then, spreaded it and drawed new pattern outlines.

Also, curving the hemline 2.5cm below the original length,

tapering to under seam.

After that, drawed slit 2 cm long, 0.2cm wide and cross bar with notches. Finally, divide the sleeve into upper and lower sleeves by drawing two lines, and match the 2 piece of lower sleeves together.

Draw grainline, seam allowances and pattern pieces of 1.5cm width

for elastic cover, cut and mark notches.

Facing

To add facings at front pieces and along neckline, we firstly copied the wanted shape from the shell, and delete the unwanted areas. Make sured the width of front facings match with the neckline facing. After that, added seam allowances to the facings so that they could be sewn with the linings.



Interlining

Interlinings were add to parts of our jacket.

The semi-lined parts we added are top and under collars,

neckline facing and front facings.

Mark the facing pattern piece from the shell pieces,

without adding any seam allowances as they are fusible interlinings.

Lining

There are having full lining in this jacket which can cover all construction and interlining of our jacket. The neckline at the back were moved downward for joining the neckline facing.

For the bottom hemming of lining, the fold lines were moved upward for 1cm, and the width of hemming is 1cm shorter than the shell (2cm reduced in total).


Last but not least we trace all the piece out to get a set of production pattern.

Sewing Development process

Pressing the interlining parts

1.Facing interling

2.Upper collar interling

3.Under collar interling

(sew up right and left parts first)

Sewing the front bodice

1.Sew up the upper and under collar(set aside)

2.Sew up the front left part

3.Sew up the front parts and side panel parts

4.Mark two notches

5.Sew the lines to retain a hole

Sewing the back bodice

1.Sew up the side panels and back parts

2.Insert the collar part into the hole of jointing part

(collar, facing and back’s jointing part)

3.Sew up the collar with 1cm seam allowance

Sewing the sleeve parts

1.Sew up one side of upper arm part

2.Sew the elastic cover

3.Sew up the under sleeve

4.Insert and fixed the elastic band

5.Sew up another side of upper arm part

6.Set in sleeve

7.Armhole binding

Finishing parts

1.Pressing the hemming part

2.Stitching pocket bag

3.Button-holing

4.Pressing the front lapel part

Front View

Back View

Side View

Buttons at centre front

Pockets in the front princess lines

Long exaggerated bishop sleeves

Notched portrait collar

Comments & Recommendation on the finished garment

Fraying edges at armholes

Armhole binging

Problem 1: Fraying edges at armholes

Because of the transparent printed fabric used on the sleeve, the fraying edges at the seam allowance would undermine the appearance and produce the jacket in a lower quality.


Remedy

  • -  Sewing an additional armhole binding which is bias cutting in 45 degrees since it would be more elastic to sew in a curve line and the bindings can help to form a better shoulder shape
  • -  Baby-locking before sewing to prevent fraying edges

Increased width of neckline facing

Problem 2: Difference between neckline facing and front facing

Due to the facing measurement problems, the neckline facing was only developed in 5 cm width based on the theory. Hence, these 2 facing are not matching at the shoulder line and hinder lining development.


Remedy

- Increase the width of neckline facing to match the front facing

- Develop the pattern pieces based on the theory and different scenarios in the meanwhile

Increased width of front facing

Problem 3: Inappropriate width of front facing

Originally, the front facing was only developed in 6 cm width based on the theory as well. However, it is too narrow for this jacket and hinder lining development. For notched collar jacket, the front facing is affected by the lapel folding. If the facing is narrower the lapel, it is easy to expose the lining.


Remedy

- Increase the width of front facing until exactly same with the front shell

Problem 4: Inappropriate location of pocket bag

These seam pocket bags were sewn at the true bust point, thus, the points are blow up and undermine the appearance.


Remedy

  • -  Place the bags below the true bust point
  • -  Reduce the pocket opening

Problem 5: Over-large pocket bags

Because of the imperfect consideration, the seam pocket bag and the button holes are overlapped at the button stand. It causes to hinder sewing the button holes and make the pockets be impractical.


Remedy

  • -  Measure the paper pattern for a draft before production
  • -  Fold the bags to a proper size
  • -  Reduce the pocket width
  • -  Move the front princess lines to 2 sides more and leave more space for sewing a larger
  • size pocket bags

Problem 5: Over-large pocket bags

Because of the imperfect consideration, the seam pocket bag and the button holes are overlapped at the button stand. It causes to hinder sewing the button holes and make the pockets be impractical.


Remedy

  • -  Measure the paper pattern for a draft before production
  • -  Fold the bags to a proper size
  • -  Reduce the pocket width
  • -  Move the front princess lines to 2 sides more and leave more space for sewing a larger
  • size pocket bags