Pattern Making and Garment Making (DST63504)

 WEEK 14 

As Week 14 unfolded, the pressure was undeniable. With the garment presentation only days away, I shifted my focus to constructing the actual garments, even though I hadn’t fully completed the test fits. Time constraints forced me to take a leap of faith, and I dove right into cutting and sewing the real pieces.

I started working on the actual garments after completing about half of the test fits. The limited time left me no choice but to trust my pattern adjustments and press on.

Cutting the actual fabric felt like a significant milestone. I worked from home, carefully laying out the fabric to ensure precision. Once the pieces were cut, I used the overlock machine in the university studio to finish the edges. This step gave the garments a professional finish, ensuring clean seams and durability.

With limited access to the university studio’s equipment, I turned to my aunt’s sewing machine to assemble the garments. Her house became my temporary studio for several days, and I worked tirelessly to bring everything together. While the space wasn’t as well-equipped as the university studio, it provided a quieter, more focused environment.

I don't know how to feel about the sleeve, after working on the test fit and actually sewing on fabric it started to look more like a bishop sleeve than the intended sleeve I had in mind, but inspecting it further I feel like it goes well the the shirt as it gives a dramatic flare nonetheless The oversized bishop sleeves still posed a particular challenge. Their size required me to cut each sleeve separately, and the gathering on both sides added extra time and complexity to the process.

Sewing the waistband for Look 1 proved tricky due to the placement of the jacket’s zipper. Aligning the fabric and zipper without creating puckers took several attempts, adding to the mounting pressure.

The intricate embroidery on the collar for Look 1 was another delicate task that required precision and patience. Though it was time-consuming, the final result added a unique, polished touch to the garment.

For Look 2, I miscalculated the elastic waistband measurements, which ate into my precious time and added further stress as the presentation deadline loomed.

In the chaos, I unfortunately forgot to document much of my progress for the blog. While disappointing, it’s a reminder of how overwhelming the process can be in these final stages.

With just three days left before the presentation, I made the decision to buy my own sewing machine. Having the machine at home allowed me to work late into the night without interruptions, giving me the flexibility I desperately needed to finish both garments on time.