Thursday, January 24, 2008

Class Project



I realize that it has been a long time since I completed the class in New Mexico. However, with continuing computer and camera problems I have been very challenged. ( I still don't have my own computer.....buming off my husband whenever it is free)

I had a great time learning from Kathleen Fasanella in her New Mexico shop. It was 4 days of very intense learning, which I loved every minute. Here is the break down of my class, I used some of the following information from Kathleens site.


Day one:
The first day, we copied the pattern that Kathleen had worked so hard to correct, from one of my patterns that I had sent her before the class started. I wasn't the only student, Jane was the other person, and she is opening up the market for designer motor cycle chaps and jackets. We spent all day tracing, then measuring, marking, and cutting out our new perfect patterns. Do you all realize how important ONE SINGLE PENCIL MARK WIDTH is during the pattern drafting phase. It is amazing how it will continue to cause ALOT of problems along the way. The pattern making process is soo interersting because did you know you can "walk a pattern" Yeah they work much better with a little exercise....... There is a wonderful concept that is used for pattern making, color coding... every little pattern piece depending on what it is used for has a "standard" issued color. True pattern paper is great stuff (oak tag, Manila type heavy paper), I didn't even know that the crappy tissue stuff really isn't standard.




Day Two:


We designed our own jacket, using the new pattern as a guide and jazzed them up a bit. Jazzing my jacket up a bit was a real pain when it came to sewing. All of the curves and points, everything was sewn turned and then top stitched to the jacket. So think about turning all of the little swirls with all their little points......During this process of drafting out new pattern that compliments our first patterns, I realized that pattern makers should like for sure,,,,for sure,,,,, get way more credit. IT IS REALLY HARD STUFF.




Day Three:
The following information is directly from kathleens site....




"We spent Saturday cutting. First was learning the proper way to lay out a pattern on leather and suedes which necessitated a description of nap directions on leather. Then we cut linings, fusibles and contrasts. It was during cutting that they fell in love with the pattern paper. Jane had already decided she liked it and ordered some online the night before but the cutting process is what really convinced them. The ease and facility of using oak tag to trace the pieces, mark and cut them just doesn't compare to tissue or flimsy paper. Poster board won't work either; the edges are too thick and they rumple without a hard edge. Actually, it was about day three when they decided they really liked the tools. Nice tools just make the job so much easier. Continuing on, once cut, the pieces were fused, marked and bundled into sewing order. This entailed a description of sewing order processes. I don't think they believed me at the time but I've always considered a jacket to be mostly completed by the time it's cut, fused, marked and sorted. The sewing part is all down hill."


Day Four:

Sunday we spent sewing. Remember the pencil lines I was talking about earlier. well lines not being cut away were a constant problem as the job progressed. Time after time the concept was reiterated as seams were off a pencil width (or two for duplicates). I realize many of you don't consider that an issue but exact precision is required or those yokes aren't going to line up. If everyone in the process didn't cut the lines away, you'd be off by a lot more than 1/32nd of an inch. Try an 1/8th or 1/4"! You may even think the latter two aren't bad but as an example, there's no way your welt pockets are going to come out right or your yokes to match across the fronts (see below).




Anyway here is some picture of me during the class, and with my jacket almost completely finished.