From Sketches to Reality

Thesis Print Development

2012-06-15T11:30:00.000-04:00

Throughout my time at DAAP I have used prints frequently and I wanted to include them in my final collection as well. The print that I have developed is based off of the sediment patterns present in the marble caves and will be used throughout each look in the collection. I kept the colors cool and neutral with bright pops of orange and teal as is seen in the sediment patterns. I think this print will help the collection to pop on the runway and in critiques and will really add an additional layer of interest to it. I started off hand painting and dip-dying different types of fabrics to create a repeat and look that I was happy with. I soon realized that even though these swatches were turning out interesting, it would not be practical for me to hand paint the fabrics for my final with the amount of yardage I will need. The way the reflections, colors and repeats turned out however were something that I wanted to include in the final print when I created it on the computer.

I decided to create the print using Adobe Illustrator and some of the brushes that I have installed in that program. To start, I created one portion of the print that I liked based off of some of my favorite pictures of the sediment patterns in the caves. Once I had one section of the pattern done in a way that I was happy with, I copied and reflected that piece to form a complete segment of the final print. I went through probably about 5 or 6 different prints before I found one that I was happiest with.

I sent this final off to spoonflower and got it printed on different types of fabrics to see which fabric I liked the best for my final collection. I had to color match the print with a color palette swatch from spoonflower themselves to make sure the colors I wanted would translate when it was printed onto fabric. My friend Mallory reminded me of this and said that since she has gotten a ton of fabric printed through them, she knows first hand just how much the color can change from your computer screen or even printed on paper to when it is being printed on fabric.The swatches came in a few days ago and I have decided on a final fabric for the print that I could not be more excited about! I will post about that in the coming week, once I scan the fabrics. As always, thanks for reading!

xoxo Hillary C.

Senior Thesis

2012-06-13T15:22:00.003-04:00

I have started to concept and loosely sketch for my senior thesis which is a slow process, but one I am really excited about! This is going to be my main goal this summer and I hope to have all of the final pieces for my collection sketched out and ready to be turned into muslin mock-ups and final fabric designs. We have the option to do 4-6 looks for our thesis collections and I am aiming to complete 5 designs and possibly 6 as long as each look individually is strong and unique. I will be scanning pages from my sketchbook to post on here every week so you can see how I work and how the collection is evolving and coming together.

The inspiration for my senior thesis are the Marble Caves found in Patagonia, South America on Genral Carrera Lake, which is shared by Argentina and Chile. The lake is fed by the melting ice of glaciers. The water in the lake carved out these caves and formed caverns and passageways with rich sediment streaking and coloring. Marble is also slightly soluble in water so when the lake reached its current level, the marble started to dissolve. Throughout the year, the lights and colors in the caves change from low water and natural-looking color in the spring to higher water levels in the summer and eerie blue colors. I am taking inspiration not only from the coloring, but also the play of the hard marble vs. the fluid water and the way the caves taper to a point and reflect on the surface of the water. Overall, I want my collection to have fluidity in shapes, smooth transitions, and be something that is easy to look at, similar to how the water has eroded the cave out over time to form these soft lines and fluid shapes. I love the way the cavern walls and patterns reflect into the water and I want to mirror looks across the body to mimic this element in each of my designs. The symmetry and design elements that this will create will not only provide smooth transitions and balance within the designs, but also intrigue when done with patterns or other design details. I also want to develop my own print based off sediment and mineral patterns on walls of caverns which will be used throughout the collection and provide visual interest and movement. I loved the colors of the sediments present in the pictures I have found so I want to blend the best colors found both in the spring and in the summer to make one large print. I will then use spoonflower.com to turn this print into a fabric to use in my designs.

The silhouettes I want to create will have cut outs, overlays and layering to add depth similar to how the cut outs and erosion of the cave provides “peep” holes showing elements farther back in the cave. I also want to design both tailored pieces as well as softer pieces representing the hard stone architecture of the cave and the smooth, fluid water that lies in it. Mixing fabrics will also help me to achieve this look. I am hoping to use matte fabrics (possibly suede or chiffon), chunky knit elements, self-designed silk prints, and heavier wools throughout the collection. I want to experiment with design details such as keyholes, layering, draping, cutouts, and ways to add structure so I can include some of these into my designs. When it comes to details, I want to find something that is fresh, not overworked, seamless and fluid.

Its a ton of work, but I am so excited to begin sketching and finding fabrics that will work with this collection. Make sure to check back in the next week or so for some updates about the print that I have been working on to go with my collection as one of the key features.

xoxo Hillary C.

Knitwear Final Project!

2012-06-05T12:11:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! I know that I have been absolutely horrible at posting this quarter but things have been so crazy with school and work! I want to give you all a recap of this quarter and what has been keeping me so busy recently.

As I posted about earlier, my main studio this quarter was knitwear and it was a ton of work but I feel like I learned so much more than I ever expected to from it. We not only had our final project to work on, but a swatch book full of different knit techniques and a sketchbook with mock project research and final project research and swatching. Here are some pictures from my sketchbook. The mock research and swatching that we had to do was about mushrooms and we had to repeat that research project for our final project as well.

I took inspiration from desert sand dunes and the patterns and rippling that wind forms in them. I wanted to design a garment that was wearable and showed the contrast of light and shadow as well as the contrast of the smooth areas of sand and the rippled textured areas adjacent to them. I kept my color palette neutral and found this amazingly soft mohair marbled colored yarn to use as the darker color. I instantly fell in love with this color because it had cool blue tones in it as well as beige and sienna browns. I chose to use s fuzzy white wool/acrylic blend as the contrasting bright tone.

I did a ton of sketching and swatching to get to my final design. The look is a all in one dress/shawl combo with a low cut back on the dress and a high-low back on the shawl and is connected through princess seams in the front. I used ruching technique on the main dress that involved picking up floats to add texture that was seen in the ripples of the sand. This technique not only took up a ton of time, but a ton of yarn as well. The look fit my model perfectly and looked better than I could have hoped for.

With the crazyness of this quarter over I am turning my full attention to my senior thesis collection. Look for a post on that coming in the next week or so! As always, thanks for reading!!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Knit Wear Research- Designers I Love

2012-04-10T10:58:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! So I am getting back into the grind of school and I am really excited about the research that I have been doing for my Knitwear Class. We are 2 weeks in at this point and already crazy busy making swatches and learning new techniques which is just making me think even more about what I want my final project to be! I have come across a few designers that I love and that I think I am going to use as inspiration to my own personal knitwear style so I thought I would share them with you!

Mark Fast is my favorite knitwear designer at this point. He is a 30 year old Canadian knitwear designer who studies at Central Saint Martins. He designs his knits by hand and forms them onto the body as he knits. His designs highlight the body and provide intriguing volume, shape and cut outs that add interest to each design. He is able to incorporate all of these elements as well as layering all while providing symmetry which makes each piece look clean and not overworked.

Another designer that I found during my research is Louise Goldin. The thing that I love the most about these looks are the volume, structure and layering that is present in each piece.

Dennis Basso is yet another knitwear designer whose looks look flawless and easy. I love all of the different techniques that he is able to incorporate into each garment and still make it look cohesive.

Moving forward with my knitwear designs I think I am going to take a large amount of inspiration from Mark Fast with details from the other two designers. I love details and that is one thing that always comes through with my designs so I am sure there will be lots of techniques and details in my final look. Within the next few weeks I will begin to nail down a final concept and begin sketching so make sure to check back! Thanks for reading!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Final Collection Pictures

2012-04-02T11:08:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Sorry it has been longer than usual without a post, but I am finally moved back to Cincinnati, unpacked and a week into classes. I am really excited because I was able to meet up with my model this weekend and take the pictures of her in the garments and I have to say the pictures turned out pretty awesome! Not to mention the fact that all of the garments fit her pretty well (there of course was some tailoring that could have been done to make them fit better since this was the first time she tried them on) but all in all no major pinning was done during the shoot! Check out the pictures!

It is still a little unbelievable for me to be seeing all 10 of these looks and accessories on a model and finished, but it is a pretty amazing feeling. I am really happy with how the entire collection turned out overall and I think it definitely fits my original inspiration images which are on the left.

I am going to keep this blog going now that I am back in school with projects that I am working on in each of my classes. I am taking a knitwear class which I am really excited about and I am sure will be a ton of work and I am also taking a portfolio class that I will be beginning to sketch for my senior thesis collection in a few weeks. There is a ton going on and I hope you keep reading and see what I am up to!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Aspen Collection FINISHED!

2012-03-22T22:45:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! I cannot believe that I am writing this post but I am finally done with my Aspen Collection! The 10th look was completed today and I decided to go with one of my original sketches instead of switching designs as I had previously wanted to do. This look is a cape/shawl top with a high-waisted straight leg pant. I used this cozy brown knit for the top and a brown suiting material for the bottom. Both pieces also have the teal suede-like fabric as the quilted details. I am in love with the way that the teal and the brown went together! It looks so rich to me and is a color combination that I can honestly say that I have never worked with before. I photographed the pants on a table because as before, they just don't look right on the dress form and I also took pictures of the top so here they are!

These past few months have absolutely flown by and looking back I still cannot believe that I have managed to design, pattern, illustrate, flat sketch and construct 10 complete looks and 9 different accessories. I am so excited to go back to Cincinnati and photograph them all on my model! I still have an accessory or two in my mind that I might make up quick, but those will only add to the collection at this point. I know I originally wanted to use gold heat sealed studs as accents on the quilted details of each look, but now that the pieces are done I am really happy that I didn't. I think that they would have been distracting and hard to place so that they made sense with each piece. Being being a designer means coming up with a ton of ideas and knowing how and when to edit them down into something that really works and I think I really was able to accomplish that with this collection.

I will be packing like mad and traveling the next few days back to Cincinnati but within the next week or two, once I am able to fit and tailor the looks to my model, I will be photographing them and putting them up on here so make sure you check them out! As always, thanks for reading!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Final Illustrations Done and Updated Technical Flats!

2012-03-21T22:32:00.001-04:00

As promised, I have finished the final marker illustrations of all 10 looks. These are the best way to show what the completed collection will look like when it is shot on a model so I thought it would be a good idea to show you them all together. I have edited these sketches to include any changes that I have made to the original sketched designs when I constructed them. I decided not to include any of the accessories in these illustrations because I want to mix and match them and see how they look with each look so I'm not yet sure exactly which accessories will go with each look yet. So here are the sketches!

I have also finished the final technical flats of each look. These flats include seams, stitch lines, normal folds that appear in the garments, zippers and quilted details. I've been slowly updating these flats from the originals that I posted in the beginning of my co-op as I have completed the looks. I still have one look in the process of being made, but I was able to get the flat done as well. I was really excited because with these flats I played a lot with making prints and patterns and turning them into swatches that I then used with live paint for the quilted details as well as using brushes in illustrator for the trims and details. My flats have definitely come a long way from a year ago and i am really happy with them overall.

Something that I wanted to try and learn was how to do technical flats of accessories and this was the perfect time for that. I was lucky enough to have a set of fashion brushes with trims for illustrator which came in handy when it came to the chain details. I was also able to play with making beads and fringe and shading on bracelets and I came up with a style that not only goes with my garment flats, but that is also detailed enough and interesting to look at.

Within the next day I will be finishing up the final shawl/cape look and I will try to get the photos and info uploaded as soon as its done, however I am also in the process of packing everything up to move back to Cincinnati so if I am not able to get them up by Friday, look for them that following Monday. Wish me luck! Time for me to put my head down and finish up this whole process! Thanks for reading!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Look #9!

2012-03-19T19:20:00.000-04:00

Hey, so it has been a little longer than usual since my last post but I have been working on a little bit of everything this past few days. I am almost done revising all of my flat sketches for both the clothes and the accessories that I have made and I have one more to go on my final sketches. I also finished the 9th look as well!

I'm pretty excited about how I am so close to being done! The look I just finished is a cigarette pant and a long sleeve paneled and quilted top. I decided to use the suede-like beige material for the pant because it has a really nice weight to it and it adds a pop of texture to this look. The top is made from white jersey and quilted light brown textured stretch material. As before, the pants didn't photograph that well on my dress form so I took pictures of them flat on the table. This look is a simple silhouette but the details in it really make it pop. The pieces in this look can be mixed and matched with other pieces in the collection which was something that I really wanted overall. I think the ability to combine pieces from different looks to create a whole new look makes that collection that much more wearable and marketable as a whole. Here are some pictures!

With this look done I am in the home stretch with 1 look left to complete and a handful of things to finish up! This next week should be a good one so make sure you come back and check it out! As always, thanks for reading!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Eight Looks Done, Two to Go!

2012-03-12T21:19:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! I have managed to keep on track and focused on my collection (which has been hard since I only have a few weeks left until classes start up again) and I have managed to get another look done. That brings the grand total to 8 finished looks with only 2 left to make! Needless to say I am pretty excited about that! The look I just finished is a cowl-neck top with a wide leg pant. As always, I took some quick pictures of the finished pieces. I tried to get a good picture of the full look, but since my dress form has no legs, the pants look weird so I also took a picture of the pants flat on the table. Here they are!

I used an off-white jersey knit for the top with the suede like material that I quilted for shoulder accents and the waistband of the pants. I love how this top turned out and I cannot wait to see how it looks on my model when I get back to Cincinnati! As far as accessories go with this look, I think that I will keep it simple and use some of the bracelets layered up with it. I think it will be just enough and let me bring a pop of the teal color into the look as well.

Up next, I am going to work on the next pant look and after that the final look! I have changed the last look from another capelet to a comfy top with quilted panel leggings. I can't wait to start working on that, but I am going to save it for last so I end on something that will keep my interest. I have also decided that if I have time left once I get all of the looks done that I am going to make a braided belt to go with the collection. There's still a lot more to do so make sure you check back later this week to see it all happen! Thanks for reading!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Another Look Done, 3 Left to Make

2012-03-08T18:37:00.001-05:00

So I am really excited to say that I have finished yet another look which makes a grand total of 7 completed looks. This one was one that I had originally sketched and stayed pretty true to it. I used the white wool as the majority of the look and then the teal suede as the quilted area. The dress is princess seamed and knee length and I decided to add a full metal zipper the entire way down the back for some extra pop. Check it out!

I also wanted to see what this dress would look like with one of the accessories that I made so I added the two-tone fringe necklace to the look and took a picture of it to show all of you. I really liked the way the necklace overlapped the quilted pieces of the dress and the way that all the colors worked together. I definitely think that when I take the final pictures of this look I will use this necklace with it.

I am in the process of sketching everything out and I have a few done but I've decided to not show you them until I have finished all of them. That way you will be able to see the collection completely illustrated as a whole. I will be getting that to you all in the near future and will also be starting the next look, a pant look with a cowl neck top, tomorrow if all goes well! As always, thanks for reading!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Done With All of The Accessories!

2012-03-08T01:14:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! I am so happy to say that as of tonight I have finished all of the accessories to go with my line! Pretty pumped about that I must say, and knowing myself I will probably keep coming up with more and more but me making them will depend on time! I have less than a month left before I head back to Cincinnati for classes and meet with my co-op advisor to show her everything I have been working on these past few months so this is definitely crunch time for me. With the main accessories completed, I have 4 looks left to complete so fingers crossed, I should be able to get it all done!

As always I have taken pictures of the most recent accessories that I have finished. I am really lucky to have a family that has been sewing and doing all sorts of crafty things for as long as I can remember because I have access to endless amounts of trims, cording, and other fun things from it. It seems like everyday I find something new that works perfectly with what I am making and a lot of these finds went straight into the accessories for my collection.

First I figured I would show you all the fringe necklace that I started a few weeks ago. When I finished the first part, I thought that I would dye the fringe to give it an ombre effect. However, pnce I began experimenting with ways to get that look, I found out that the fringe I was using would stiffen up once i began to color it which made the end result look heavy and just not appealing haha. I was able to find a black fringe that I instead applied to the necklace to give it the two tone look I was originally wanting. I really love this piece as a statement necklace and cannot wait to see what it looks like with the garments!

I also finished the second purse that I have been working on for a few days now. I originally thought of making it a tote bag, but once I got the body of the bag put together, I just really wasn't liking how it looked, so I changed it up! Originally I was going to have a flap closure, but I instead used these huge grommets all around the bag and then wove a cording that I braided through the grommets. I then secured the braid together with this big wooden button I found in my mothers stash haha. This gives it a pull closure and makes the bag feel fresher. This turned out to be one of my favorite accessories and I hope you like it!

I knew from the start of this whole process that I wanted to make a ton of bracelets that I could layer and just have fun with so the final two accessories that I made were bracelets. The first is this awesome gold loop trim my mom actually found in the stash that I hand-stitched on to a piece of the white vinyl that I used on other accessories. I then beaded the length of the bracelet. This is a double wrap bracelet with snap closures.

The second bracelet I made came from the same cording that I used on the white and brown purse. I loved how the braid turned out on the strap of the purse so I wanted to use it in an accessories and decided to make another double wrap bracelet. This one is thinner than the other double wrap and can be layered with even more pieces.

With the accessories done for now I have made 2 purses, 2 necklaces, 1 pair of earrings, and 4 bracelets that can all be mixed and matched together with any piece in the collection. I am really happy that I was able to get them all done and even more excited to get refocused on the clothing and finish up these final looks! I am going to finish up the last dress within the next day or so and then start on the final pant looks so make sure you check back and see how I am doing!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Another Dress Done

2012-03-05T19:01:00.001-05:00

Hi guys! I have gotten another dress done and I could not be more excited! This is one of the new sketches I had talked about last week. When my collection was really coming together I just didn't think one of the original dresses would work anymore so I changed it up. I wanted something that was a little fuller on the bottom but kept the interest and some of the details that ties it into the rest of the collection.

I choose to make this dress with a gathered skirt bottom with a quilted waistband and zipper down the back. The bodice of this dress is fitted through the front with an open back and a snap closure at the top. I wanted to bring the quilted element into the sleeves of this look as well so I quilted the top portion of them in a contrast color. This look is all neutral colors of brown, black and white which I plan to pop with a teal accessory, possibly a necklace or a purse. Here are some pictures of the finished look! My model does not have as broad of shoulders as my dress form so once I get the final pictures done in Cincinnati it wont look so tight across the top.

With this look completed I have 6 done and more than three-quarters of the accessories complete as well. I am going to work on the final dress of the collection next and then begin on the pant looks. As promised I am also slowly working on the final sketches too so there is a lot going on as always haha! Wish me luck!

-xoxo Hillary C.

The Accessories Are Coming Together!

2012-03-04T23:56:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! These past few days I have really focused on the accessories for my collection and have made a lot of progress on them so I figured I would share with you where I am at with them. I have narrowed down all of the final accessories and have sorted out the millions of ideas going on in my head at this point haha! I have also finished a few so this post will have lots of pictures to show you them all! A few weeks ago I told you all that I had decided to turn away from my original thought of doing all knit accessories and instead make more polished and mixed material accessories and after finishing a few I am really happy that I went with my gut and made that decision. When all is said and done the accessories will have elements of fringe, gold chain, floss and metallic thread and leathers and vinyls. These materials all not only compliment and enhance my finished collection, but they also work really well together. I stayed within the same color pallet as my collection as well which I think helps to tie everything together and not distract from the collection.

Up first are two of the bracelets I have finished. The first is made from the same leather and vinyl that is used both in the collection and in some of the purses I am making as well. I found this really awesome technique of braiding the materials without cutting through the ends of them, sounds a little confusing I know, but once I figured it out, it really helped to give a polished finish to the bracelet. I then wove through different colors of the same material and stitched it onto a wider piece of the vinyl that I backed with black jersey. It has a double snap closure which not only helps to secure it easily to the wrist, but also allows it to fit on multiple different wrist sizes comfortably.

The next bracelet uses different sizes of gold chain joined with a jump loop at either end and a spring ring clasp closure with multiple loops for sizing as well. I wanted to include some of the vinyl in this piece as well for some interest and decided to use the teal for a pop of color so I wove it through one of the larger chain pieces and secured it with a hand-stitched tack.

I really like how both of these pieces turned out individually and am even happier with how well they go together when they are worn at the same time.

I have also finished one of the necklaces that I had been working on. I have been seeing the bib-style necklaces everywhere it feels like these past few months and they have really interested me, but I hate things that are tight around my neck and most that I have seen have been just that, so I decided that for this collection I wanted to do a bib inspired necklace but put my own spin on it. This necklace has the gold chain base which I hand stitched a bib piece that I sewed individual beads to. I wanted to create a herringbone effect with the gold and black beads and broke it up with a vertical line of brown beads. I kept it longer and added an additional drape of chain on top of the beaded piece for added interest.

Once I finished that necklace, I wanted to keep in the same color scheme with the gold and black so I made a pair of drop earrings. These were super simple to make but the overall effect turned out awesome. I found this cording in the jewelry section of Jo Ann Fabrics that was heavier and had a thin wire running through the middle which really helps it hold whatever shape I put it into. I put this cording onto a loop and attached it to the earring.

The final piece that I am really excited to show you is an across the body, fold over purse. Last summer on co-op in NYC a few of my friends had these awesome fold over purses. They are really cool because they look like a smaller purse, but they can hold a lot. I knew immediately that I wanted to do one of these purses for my collection. I decided to do this out of the teal vinyl and line it with a black stretch material. I brought the gold quilted detail in from the clothes in the collection and did this technique on the bottom portion of the purse. There is a simple magnetic snap closure on the inside of the bag and a gold chain with a black leather trim woven through it as the strap. This is probably one of my favorite accessories that I have made up to this point.

I still have a few more accessories in the works. The fringe necklace that I wrote about earlier still needs to be completed as well as another bag and possibly some more earrings and things. I am going to switch back to clothing this week, but the accessories should be completed very soon! I hope you all enjoyed the pictures and like the accessories! I will be posting in the next day or so about some more garments so make sure to check back. As always, thanks for reading!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Halfway Done!

2012-02-29T17:26:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! As promised I worked on the pencil skirt and jacket look these past few days. I really was motivated and excited to get these two pieces made so the process went pretty quickly. I choose to make this look in neutral tones and add a pop of color in the accessory that I am going to make to go with it later. The skirt was done in beige with black quilted side panels and the jacket was made black with black quilted pieces. This look ended up being different than the original in that I decided to add a jacket to it and eliminate the original shirt. As always, here are some pics of the finished pieces and outfit.

I really wanted the jacket to be something eye catching and unique which is why I decided to do an asymmetric zipper and to have the font be longer and come to a point. This jacket turned out exactly how I had imagined it in my head and compliments the body to a T. The skirt is a basic high-waisted, self-faced pencil skirt that highlights a silhouette with the black quilting on the side.

The plan is to get this look and a few more illustrated in marker soon. I have also been sketching new dresses for the line that I hope will make the overall line even more versatile. Once I pick out the ones I like best I will get that illustrated as well and then begin to work on it. I also have some accessories in my mind that hopefully I will be able to get the supplies for and get started on in the next week too. There is so much happening all at once with this collection and within the next couple weeks it should all come together!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Finished With the Fourth Look

2012-02-27T21:33:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! I have had a very productive past few days! I was able to get the next look done as well as marker sketch the four looks that I have completed up to this point. Okay so first things first. Here are the four illustrations with all of the new modifications that I have done to the looks. The first sketch is the exact same as the rough sketch I started with. On the second look, I decided to shorten the sleeves to make them more comfortable to wear. The third look went from being a wide leg pant to a fitted dress that works better with the proportions of the capelet. The last illustration was modified from being a wide kimono-like sleeve to being a more traditional sleeve that is gathered into a cuff. Check them out :)

Original Illustrations

The look I just finished making is the last illustration above. It is a fully lined teal suede-like jacket with quilted white wool side panels and a heavy gold zipper with white trim. Like the cape I completed earlier, I have lined the collar with the faux fur for extra warmth. This jacket went together relatively quick once the pieces were cut out. Most of my time was spent matching up the panels and lining the entire jacket. The second piece to go with this look is a pair of jersey leggings with quilted white wool side panels down each leg. It was hard to get a good picture of the leggings on my dress form so I laid them out flat on a table so you can get the idea of what they look like. Once I take the final pictures on the model they will look much better. Here are some pics of the pieces for the look!

I already have the next look in progress, the plan is to have it done by the end of this week at the latest. I am working on pencil skirt look. After looking at my entire collection, I have decided that I am really excited about my outerwear pieces and that I want them to be the focus and key elements of the collection. Because of this, I am adding a quilted motorcycle jacket to the skirt look. It's definitely a lot of extra work, but in the end it will help to make the entire collection more cohesive and special. Plus, I am used to adding more work to my already full plate haha! I am going to do the final sketch for this look sometime this week too so make sure that you check back to see how it looks! Thanks for reading!

-xoxo Hillary C.

First Accessory Preview!

2012-02-23T18:24:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! So on my last post I talked about how I was going to begin to focus on the accessories that go with my collection and true to my word, the first piece is in progress. I am really excited about how this is turning out so I wanted to show you all. It's a gold fringe necklace on a gold chain. Here are some pics of where the necklace is at right now.

I think I am going to make a couple versions of this one in different lengths, layers and colors. On this necklace in particular, I want to dip dye the bottom on the fringe in black to create an ombre look. I am also playing with the idea of adding small beads to the top of the fringe. There is a lot that I can do to this necklace base but I think this is a good start and look really good on the garments that have simpler necklines, especially the coats and jackets that have simple tops beneath them.

Throughout this process, as I create more pieces, I have adjusted the looks and sketches to fit better with the overall collection. Because of this, within the next few weeks I will post new sketches (full color if all goes well) as well as new flat sketches. As far as the next item for me to work on, I am going to turn my attention back to the clothing and work on cutting out and completing a full coat and legging outfit. I'll be posting soon!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Third Look Done!

2012-02-21T18:00:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, as promised I have completed another look for my collection. I was able to sit down and really think about what I wanted to put with the quilted white capelet that I had already made and came up with something that I was really excited about. After playing with the skirt that I had previously made and decided that I didn't like on my dress form, I came up with a solution. I decided to make the skirt into a dress.... I know it sounds a little weird but it really worked out! I wanted to add a cut out on the front of the dress and quilt that as well as the sleeves. I also slightly gathered the back into the back of the original skirt. When the changes are written down, they don't sound like they would not work at all, so instead of just telling you what I did, I am going to show you as well. Here are some pictures to make sense out of what I just described.

I used a textured, light brown jersey that I quilted with the metallic thread for the upper portion and sleeves of the dress and then a solid dark brown jersey for the body. I am really excited about how this dress turned out and when I put it together with the capelet it looks complete. Accessory wise for this look, I am thinking of making and mixing layered bracelets with mixed materials.

I am going to begin turning my attention to some of the accessories at this point and start creating them as well because the more I think about them, the more excited I get to make them. I will still be working on the outfits as well. Make sure you check back to see what I am up to!

-xoxo Hillary C.

A Long Awaited Update & One More Look Done!

2012-02-19T20:01:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! I know it's been a month since my last post, but things have been crazy to say the least! I got a new car and have had lots of other things going on as well. I have been working and progressing with my collection too though I promise! Once I started trying to think up and create the second piece to go with the capelet I had already made I hit a slight bump in the road. I made a skirt to go with it, but once I put the two pieces together I just was not happy with the outcome and final look. So I decided to move on to another look to clear my head until I could figure out what I wanted to do.

The look I moved on to was the draped bodice dress. I used the sheer turquoise to create the top, the beige material that I used on the first look for the quilted waistband and then a black jersey for the skirt. I wish the pictures showed the drape better. It didn't seem to make much of a difference if I took the picture with the flash or without it, the drape just wouldn't show up. Hopefully when I get back to Cincinnati and take the final pictures it will show better, but for now, these give you the general idea. In the back, I used a heavy metal exposed zipper for a little more interest. If I get time I also want to make a halter-like black jersey top to go under the bodice so its not completely see through. Here are some of the pictures of the entire dress as well as a close up of the draping (which still needs to be steamed so excuse the wrinkles).

These past few weeks have also helped me to solidify what accessories I want to make to go along with this collection. At this point, I have decided to not do knit accessories as originally planned, but instead to make detailed quilted purses and totes as well as statement necklaces and bracelets. I just think this type of accessories will go with the fabrics better and give a richer, more polished finish. With the particular look I just completed, I am going to make a over-sized quilted tote, but that will come a little later.

I have a few more things in the works that I promise will be up within the next day or so! Make sure to check back to see not only the coming looks but the accessories I will be posting about in the next week. Thanks for reading!

-xoxo Hillary C.

Quilted White Capelet Complete

2012-01-19T23:43:00.000-05:00

These past two days I decided to work on the white capelet for my second look. Its been snowing outside and crazy cold so it just made sense for me to work on something big and warm to me. It took just about 2 days to get all the pieces cut, the quilting done and the shearling details applied. This capelet is made out of wool, is fully quilted, lined and has shearling details hand sewn into the arm slits as well as the collar. It is closed with a big, chunky, exposed gold zipper that I found at JoAnn fabrics in the size that I needed. It was in a new line of specialty zippers they have. For all my fashion divas out there and anyone that wants or needs zippers that have some edge and details, you know how big this is that they finally have a line in stores, that do not have to be ordered from halfway across the country! Needless to say I was pretty excited about this find! Here are some pictures of the finished capelet and some detail shots of the shearling.

Capelet Front Capelet Back

Inside Shearling Detail Arm Slit Shearling Detail

This look originally was going to be the capelet paired with wide leg trousers, but after seeing how the capelet turned out, I have shifted the design of the second piece that will go with it. Now I am going to make a high-waisted pencil skirt with quilted details for this look. I just feel that overall it will look more successful and more cohesive with the overall line. The thing that worried me and made me rethink doing the wide leg pant was that this capelet has so much volume and detail to it that putting it with another garment with a lot of volume would make a heavy overall look and would not compliment the proportions of a figure. So my plan for tomorrow to end off the week will be to figure out the colors and final design for the pencil skirt as well as begin (and hopefully finish) the construction of it as well. Here's to hoping I can stay motivated tomorrow haha! Well that's all I have for now. If I don't get a new post up by late tomorrow night there will be a new one up my Monday! Thanks for reading! :)

xoxo Hillary C.

Sketch #1 Came to Life!

2012-01-17T19:58:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I am very excited to say that I am DONE with my first outfit!! This outfit took a little longer than the remaining ones should but that is because I had to spend extra time figuring out the patterns for it as well as all of the quilting and other techniques that I used on it. I decided to use a pleather-like material for the sleeve caps. It gives it a nice shine that contrasts with the rest of the matte fabrics in the look as well as gives more depth to the look. I am very happy with the overall result. It still needs to be pressed really well, but I think I am going to wait until I get back to Cincinnati in the spring to do so. I don't want to press it and have it look perfect just to throw it in a box or suitcase for me to move it! I will also be taking final pictures of each garment on a model in Cincinnati with whatever accessories I produce. Just to show you what it looks like now that it is completed though,

here are some pictures!

Final Sketch & Completed Quilted Dress

Quilted Jacket Side Detail

Completed Look: Bolero Jacket with Sleeveless Dress

Finishing this first look has made me very excited to start on the next. I am not completely sure which look I will choose to work on, but as of now I am thinking of maybe doing one of the dresses or one of the caped looks. Now that I have all of the patterns completed and I know that they all work together, I can really dive

into any look I want.

I am also slowly beginning to change my mind from doing all knit accessories to go with the collection to doing mixed accessories from statement necklaces to clutches and purses to belts. I know it sounds like a complete 180 from where I began but I really like to go off of fabrics and materials that I find and use them to shape my looks and I have found some awesome things that are steering me away from knits at this point. Only time will tell! I want to get a lot more done on the actual garments before I begin the accessories and any embellishment details so we'll see what happens! Hopefully by the end of the week i'll have progress pictures up of my next look so make sure to check back!!

xoxo Hillary C.

First Outfit Progress

2012-01-10T23:23:00.001-05:00

As promised here is a much better picture of the first dress of my collection. The color is much truer to reality than the last picture I posted and the details are clearer as well. I also posted a few pictures of the pant and blouse slopers, they are pretty simple but they are key to getting the fit of each and every garment that I am going to make correct. At this point I am basically done with the sloper patterns and I only have the sleeve left to do. I am hoping to get that done tomorrow or the following day (fingers crossed!)

Dress #1 Progress Finished Blouse and Pant Slopers

I was feeling really motivated today, so I decided to conquer the bolero jacket that goes with the dress for the first look in my collection. This jacket is made mainly from the suede-like material that I used for the quilting on the dress and is completely quilted....which again took a long time, just as expected. I was able to get a lot done on it and completely machine quilted the front pieces, the back piece and the collar as well as assembled all of those them together.

Bolero Jacket Progress Full Outfit Progress

In the next day or so once I get the sleeve sloper completed, I will quilt and construct the sleeve for it as well as finish hand-stitching the hem on the jacket and put the final touches on both the jacket and the dress. I do eventually want to put the gold studs on the quilting but I still have to find the right head sealed studs that I want. Ultimately, I don't want them to be flashy and bright yellow gold because I think that will take away from each look, instead I am going to try to find a more tarnished gold-like color that will add detail and interest without being distracting. That will come much later however, and most likely will even be the last

thing to go on each and every garment.

I am hoping to have this outfit completely finished by my birthday on Thursday so I can take a day off and not feel guilty about it haha. That just means I will have to try to get it all done tomorrow before I go to AE Spa to give a presentation on trends and colors for winter for their 20th year celebration. Wish me luck! I'll be posting soon!

xoxo Hillary C.

First Dress Almost Done!

2012-01-09T23:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know last post I said I was going to make the leggings for my collection first, but when I sat down to begin making the final patterns for them so I could then cut the fabric out I just was not in the mindset to do leggings. This happens a lot when I sew, if I'm just not in the mood to sew something then I won't. Haha I know it kind of sounds childish in a way, but for me personally I know that if my mind is not fully 100% into something then it will not get done as quickly, as successfully or as smoothly as it otherwise would if I was into it. This is exactly what happened when I went to start the leggings, however I did find myself inspired by this awesome suede-like material that I bought, so I decided to make a piece that used that fabric instead.

The piece I chose was the dress portion of the bolero jacket look. I used a black jersey to give me the drape I was looking for in the upper portion of the dress and the suede-like material for the bottom, quilted part which gave me the weight that was needed to hold the quilting. I bought a metallic gold thread to do the quilting in. I thought it would give a nice modern pop to the stitching without being too distracting. The quilting I knew would take a lot of time, and it definitely did not disappoint in that aspect, but the final result in the dress is exactly what I was looking for, which makes the time spent well worth it for me.

Close-up of quilted detail w/metallic thread

Here's a sneak peek of the dress, I know it's not the best picture in the world, but it will get the point across for now! Its not finished yet (I still have the neckline and armholes to finish off as well as do a final stitch on the elastic waistline and steam press it) but overall I am really happy with where it is at this point. I think the proportions turned out really well and I cannot wait to see the completed look with the bolero jacket.

Tomorrow's project I am hoping will be to work on the bolero jacket for this look. It is going to be a ton of quilting again and quite a bit of pattern work as well so no promises on me being in the mood to tackle all of that, but I will definitely be looking on something haha. Make sure to check back tomorrow and I will post about the progress I make on whatever I end up working on as well as a better picture of the dress haha!

xoxo Hillary C.

Collection Update

2012-01-04T19:02:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday and new year, I know I did. It was not as productive for myself as I had hoped, but at the same time I didn't completely expect it to be either. I think it is time to let you all know what I have managed to get done since the last post and where I am at with the line currently.

I have managed to figure out what fabrics are going to be in which looks and I am working on the final, full color and detailed illustrations of them. This was one of the last steps that I needed to complete before I could start figuring out fabric amounts and actually cutting the fabric. I realized that I needed to get some additional yardage of the stretch legging fabric and luckily I found not only the black I needed, but a brown as well that works perfectly with my color scheme and will help to add a little more variation and depth between all the looks in the collection.

Additional Fabric for the Leggings

I have also started (or at least tried to start) draping the bodice pattern slopers out of muslin. These slopers will be used to create all of the other final pattern pieces for each garment. Using the sloper as a starting template will allow each garment and look to fit perfectly, as well as identically on a model without having to start from scratch on every single piece. Here is where the "or at least tried to start" comes in. I was using an old dress form that my mother has had for years to drape the blouse sloper this morning and everything went well, until I took the draped pieces off the form to true them. When I laid the patterns flat on the table I quickly realized that the dress form shape was slightly off, which is often the case with older dress forms that were made with different body standards and ideal shapes. In the case of my mother's dress form, the back and shoulders slope forward slightly, which isn't a huge problem when you are just fitting a garment on it, but is a big pain when trying to create slopers off of it. The back of the sloper I made ended up being about 2 inches longer than the front. After seeing this, I decided to go and buy a new dress form to create the collection off of so all my seams, patterns and garments will fit properly. When you look at the old form next to my new one, you can definitely see the difference in shape.

This purchase was definitely a good one. I got a pretty good deal at JoAnn Fabrics on it, and with a coupon my mom had it was drastically discounted. I know that it will definitely be put to use and will be well worth the money. This small sized form is my second dress form, I have a medium sized adjustable one in Cincinnati as well, and having the two different sizes will allow me to work with models of different sizes which is always a plus. The new dress form is also adjustable which is perfect for me because this will allow me to shape the form to be the exact measurements of my model's body. With this form I can now go back and re-drape the blouse sloper for hopefully the final time. I also am planning on finishing up the pant and skirt slopers within the next day. From there I will alter these slopers for each look and cut the fabric to begin sewing.

Everything can not go completely smooth or else people would get bored so I was expecting some delays, but I definitely did not expect it this soon haha! Well, moving forward within the next week I am hoping to have the first garments of my collection COMPLETED! I am pretty excited about this and will definitely post pictures of not only the completed garments, but of all of the completed slopers as well! Lots of new posts and progress to come, so make sure you check back!

xoxo Hillary C.

Flat Sketches

2011-12-21T20:07:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! I know it has been a longer time than usual without a post but these flat sketches kicked my butt just like I thought they would! It also did not help that Christmas is right around the corner and I got a little sidetracked with shopping for presents, baking christmas cookies, decorating and wrapping presents, but they are finally now done and here they are!

With these sketches I can get to work creating patterns and draping all of the muslin prototypes and final looks, which I am pretty excited about. Everything is now in place to get started once the holidays are done, or sooner if i get any free time (probably not, but trying to think positively haha). All-in-all, the collection will have 20 individual garments which will make up 10 final complete looks.

I have also recently decided to add a little more work to my plate (which anyone that knows me well, knows I always tend to do) and add a little more detail. I want to put heat sealed flat gold studs at the cross sections of some of the quilted areas. These studs will be in key areas like the shoulders, cuffs and waistbands of particular garments and will help to add visual interest and to update that quilted pattern, without being too over-the-top. I've done my research and they are actually pretty cheap and easy to find, which is definitely a good thing for me since I am working within a short deadline. I will be experimenting with these very soon to see just how they will look on the final pieces.

Well, I think that is all for now, I will most likely be in holiday mode for the next week or so but ill definitely post shortly after that to keep you all updated on the patterning work! I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday and a happy New Years as well!

xoxo Hillary C.

Fabric Options

2011-12-15T08:40:00.000-05:00

I am pretty excited about the fabrics I have found for my collection from my stash that I brought home from school as well as from my mom's awesome stash (more like mountains) of fabric in her sewing room! I found the neutral colors that i was looking for as well as a pop of sheer turquoise. All the fabrics are unique and I was able to find some interesting textures and techniques that I think will make the look and feel of my collection richer and warmer. So without further adieu here they are!

From Left to Right: Sheer turquoise, shearling, white wool, dot-textured woven, corduroy, wool blend suiting, suede-like mid-weight, brown textured knit, brown suiting, black peach skin, black spandex mix

At first glance its a lot of fabrics I know, but when I start designing a look, or a collection for that matter, I always gather more fabric choices than I know I will ultimately end up using. This way, when it comes time to pick out the final fabrics for each garment I have extra that I know will work with my vision just incase I change my mind. I wanted to include a mix of knit and woven fabrics, as well as different weights of fabrics in my selection. Ultimately they will add depth and well as interest in the line. I also wanted to make sure that they are fully functional so I chose fabrics that would allow movement and would provide warmth to the person wearing the garments (since the collection was designed for a colder climate and season).

Now that I have the fabrics selected, I will be staring at my computer for days creating the technical flat sketches for each garment in every look. It sounds tedious, and often times it is, but I find that when I create these flat sketches before I sew that they often help with the pattern making and draping process. Ill have those posted in a few days so make sure to check back :)!

xoxo Hillary C.