First Fitting and Textiles Examples

Research for the Secret Garden

Edwardian & Victorian Patterns:

These are some examples of back for my costume as there isn't a back design on the costume design given.

 I have chosen this picture as although I have looked at edwardian patterns i need to focuse on this costume being a child outfit and how i would adapt my pattern to reflect this. ie, brining the pin tucks on the design high rather than down to the bottom of the bust.

 Here is a photograph of a victorian child which shows a skirt with bloomers underneath which I need to produce.

Also this picture shows rouching on the sleeves and bodice which is similar to what I will be produsing nipped in on the waist with a belt or a waistband in my case. 

 this line drawing taken from Authentic Victorian Fashion Patterns: A Complete Lady's Wardrobe By Kristina Harris.

shows again a good rouching effect but the sleeves are a better volume and and length. there is a high collar here also and cuffs.

This pattern found from the pattern drafting book by Noragh Waugh shows a good pattern of a six panneled skirt which I will be useing for the skirt.

Textiles Ideas:

I would like to place bugs and  creepy crawles from the "garden" onto the garment so i will be making these. And im liking the idea of soft, thin fabrics over wire to create these.

Also 3D bursts of flowers with bursts of colours on the shoulders, sleeves and waists then lookign at textures rather than volume breaking down the contrast with threads again with colour. Finally just texture with no colour as this will blend into the top fabric well.

These are some examples that i have found to inspire me:

 Jodie Gardner (Designer) spoke to me about maybe adding a birds nest onto the hat i thought this image looked really cute and small not overpowering.

These are some examples of bugs I thought I could make mixing wire and beads together.

click on photo to go to web page image is retrived from

 This butterfly is a perfect example of the colours and fine material I would like to use.

 I like the idea of adding moths to the costume as they will go with the colour scheme.

 This is an image I found on the Chelsea flower show website my flowers will have to be alot smaller however I like the 3D effect and I will find this useful reserach when I come to experimenting with flower examples

 This picture is a good example of the texture of flowers on a costume without colour. maybe petals and leaves will need to be made to look like they are falling off the garment.

These are just a few image examples of the research I have found now I will complete the pattern drafting process which is a lot of maths!!!!

I will start to complete textile examples to show Jodie in the fitting.

Firstly I need to complete line draings- these are to show the seams the front back and side views so it will be easier to figure our where openings should be. Also the length of the sleeves and skirt for example.

WeFund | WeFund is a fund-raising platform for creative projects where people offer perks in exchange for pledges

WeFund | WeFund is a fund-raising platform for creative projects where people offer perks in exchange for pledges

The Secret Garden

http://www.angelexit.co.uk/

The link above will take you to the Angel Exit Theatre company webpage. I very much admire the Angel Exit Theatre Company. In my first year I went to see their production of ‘Moon Fleet’ and found the Company to be extremely creative with their costumes, set and props. I especially loved the black birds they made out of old umbrellas.

I will be working on a project for my final year at the arts University College in Bournemouth which will be a touring live production of  "The Secret Garden". 

http://www.angelexit.co.uk/productions/index.html

This link will take you straight to the current production  of  "The Secret Garden" page for "The Angel Exit Company"

I had the first meeting with the Designer Jodie Gardner on the first day back at University.  

This link will take to to Jodie's Blog and show you the development of her work on the production.

http://jodiedesignstheatre.blogspot.com/2011/05/secret-garden-with-angel-exit-theatre.html

The meeting also included 8 makers a set assistant and the supervisor. I will be a maker for this production.

We discussed which costume design we would like to create. I will be making The costume titled "Mary Garden". 

The character Mary will have two different costumes and I will have to work closely with Caroline another maker as she will be making the 1st costume for Mary and they will need to relate to each other.

 Description of the costume:

The costume will be white with flowers that look like they are growing from the dress. The floral print on the underside of the sleeve will need to be on the linning so she can roll them up to show it off during the performance.

Also the petticoat will have flowers on and will rise during the performance to reveal more.

The floral design will need to fall in-line with the set and the other costume prints being created.

This Costume will be need to be changed into quickly so this will be something I will need to consider when thinking about the openings and fastenings for the garment.

Other things I will need to consider:

•   The costume needs to be flexible and appropriate for the movement in the production.
• The hat will be sourced but the will have flowers and maybe wildlife crawling inside e.g. bugs, a birds nest (with eggs and maybe a bird- not a robin) basically things that might be in the garden.
• Once I have completed the construction of the garment I will need to use and improve my textiles skills working within my team to create additional accessories or garments for the performance, supporting members of the making team when necessary. 
  
  

Firstly I will research Edwardian blouses and six panelled skirts - this may need to become one costume for the quick change.

I will then complete line drawings to show where I am the seams should be and the openings on the garment and any major things that will need to be considered in the pattern drafting process. 

Then I will research different patterns  that I can interoperate into the costume with the measurements provided.Also the costume contains a six-panelled skirt with a blouse that may need to become one garment to help the quick change,  

This is a blouse I made for the National Theatre last year I will use my knowledge from this for example the collar opening and the pleats for this project.

My first task will be to research patterns I can use
Also I will create a time plan and a wall plan as I work better visually so one of my walls will be covered with visual inspiration and notes of task I will need to complete.
So my next Blog will contain what I have found and I will reflect on this first process.


I have found a book of The Secret Garden in the library which is from 1929 and has the original illustrations by Charles Robinson:

I want to use the decoration on this page and interperate this into my textiles work on this garment.

I will be using the greens and browns shown in both the picture above and below.

I want to take the colours from these pictures and use them in the textiles work on my costume.

Its good to be able to see how Mary has been interperated in the original illistrations as these would have been created by the immagination that Charles had once he had read through the text of the novel. These pictures would also have been agreed with by Frances the author and that they relect what she would have wanted Mary to look like.

If you look closer at this image there is a painting of a women in a garden.

Self Directed Project : National Theatre Hire Departmet Evaluation

Unfortunately I was working at the National Theatre in the workroom when everyone visited the Hire Department so I was unable to see where the garments would be, however I have met the ladies who work there and they gave a virtual tour of the department so I have general idea. also I am aware of how the garments are used as we had some of these garments for the show I was working on.

After being in the workroom I came back eager and confident to make the shirt and the blouse. I thought the blouse would be harder than the shirt however because of having to change the shirt size this became far more difficult for me and took allot longer than I expected. I found the time frame really difficult and feel that I could have produce better garments if there weren't bank holidays and I was able to take the garments home.

when I returned to the studios for the final term the material I was going to be using was clearly labelled and the patterns were all hung up so I was able to crack on straight away. however there was not enough fabric for the six blouse I would be making so we had to wait for the hire department to get back to us to confirm we could make a smaller size this took half a day where I was unable to work. Also there was not enough Chiffon to complete the collar and the front of the blouse so we had to wait for the order to arrive which took up more time.

I really enjoyed working by my self with the pattern pieces and the shirt and blouse samples and putting everything together properly.

Self Directed Project : National Theatre Hire Departmet

Now I will move onto the Shirt This is made out of a white cotton from the National Theatre. I am going to have to change the pattern as the pattern is a 44 chest and I am making a 42 chest so I will have to down size the pattern. this will be quite challenging as well as the pleats at the front of the shirt will also be quite time consuming so I will be completing these two things first. Again I can use the purple pen to mark as it comes of the shirt material without leaving any marks so this should help me save some time.

here are pictures of the shirt I will be duplicating:

i took this picture so i could see where the shoulder piece is contected and where the top of the sleeve sits.

this picture shows the pleats and the collar.

It is important to know how the pleats sit on the shirt. and also how the front of the shirt opens as there are two pleat patterns, two CF front pieces to be attaches a collar shoulder pieces and a bottom piece on the inside and out of the shirt so this is the most complex part of the shirt.

the bottom of the shirt is pleated so will need to have two running stitches on the seam allowance to be pulled to create this effect.

the same will need to be applied to the top of the sleeve before it is attached to the shoulder

the whole of the bottom of the sleeves will need two running stitches also before the cuff is attached

The seam of the shirt sleeve attaches to the side seam so it runs straight down.

The bottom of the shirt has an opening at both sides.


The first thing I found difficult was the sizes of the pattern pieces, however this was not as hard as the front of the shirt as there are so many different parts to put together some on top of each other some with pleats going in-between two pieces of material. It was like a really confusing jigsaw puzzle it took me two days in total and I couldn't believe this and as I left the shirt until the end of the project (thinking it would be the easiest and quickest to complete) I ended up throwing myself completely of schedule. Also the shirt had a lot of fabric which needed to be gathered in the front (middle section) of the shirt the top and bottom of the sleeves and the back of the collar. It is very difficult to control a massive amount of material through a sewing machine. Marks on this fabric have been a nightmare as well as I came to material there were foot prints on it and as I worked with the material I kept finding marks which I thought I had got rid of this frustrated me a little.
With the shirt being nearly complete now I really like the look of it but it has been a task and a half and I have struggled with every stage I just hope it will be up to scratch for the National!