Decided Handbags

The past week I have been working on my final designs for three handbags suitable for my degree show.

I have displayed my final ideas onto presentation boards for my hand in on Monday, to show what I will be making. I am in the process of making #design 1, however would rather spend time on them making sure they are perfect for the show, than rush to get them done before hand-in.

Reflectivity

Throughout the project I've been trying to keep a reflective journal. Subconciously, I think most of the time this is done in my head, because I'm constantly analysing my work, thinking what I like about it, - what I don't. In previous projects I've not really found that writing it down as a ''journal" has made much difference to me. But this year, I have found it really helpful! I think that physically writing it down, clarifies my choices more, and enables me to decide what points I should take forward and what points I shouldnt. I think this year it has been more helpful because I've done it throughout my sketchbook, as when its in a 'journal' I don't tend to look at it.

Because of my 'reflective journal', this has made my decision for which prints I shall be using as a final collection much easier.

Back to uni work...

There has been a small change of plan with my uni work. Now that the degree show is drawing closer, I have started to work out what I want from the space.

The space essentially has two walls, so, I have decide for one wall, I shall display some prints from BA7, which were my favourite prints, and I shall be making them into summer skirts. I already have the fabric printed for two of them, so will probably have about four skirts overall. The prints were initially made for Premier Vision in Paris, and were the starting point for this final year of work. They are my favourite prints, and I planned to make them into skirts before anyway, so what better reason than for my degree show!

The second wall will have a display of handbags. Origonally, I began this year aiming towards a final product of a handbag, but my mind changed half way through - and I don't really know why!

I've already got a seperate blog displaying handbags that I make and sell quite successfully so it would only make sense!

(www.hanbags.co.uk & http://han-bags-uk.blogspot.co.uk)

I have stated in my sketchbooks that the prints I have been doing this project havent stood out for me as much, which is why I have been working with manipulation. As I have developed further, I've began to realise that when the prints are manipulated they work really well as a decorative piece. So I've been trying to add them to skirts as a focus point rather than whole design of the skirt, but have now begun to realise that it works SO much better as a decorative piece on handbags!

The next few weeks I have left, I shall be working to investigate which samples work best together with which prints in order to make three final handbags for the degree show!

Big Fat Gypsy Wedding Style.

So as promised, here are some photo's of the Gypsy dresses I have been making! I only have some photo's from the party at the moment, but will get some better ones when I have some spare time.

This was the dress before....
  Clare found it for £20 in a charity shop.

And after:
 - dying it
 - adding a new zip
 - a corset tie back
 - cutting the neck fabric away and adding a more modern strapless touch
 - cutting off the sleeves
 - adding a polyester lining to stop the itching of the net lining
 - making bows from ribbon
 - attaching flowers
 - adding a extra front layer of blue dress net
 - and a 6 hoop petticoat

AND
   - a lot of guilt for cutting up someone's wedding dress....

Here we have it, a big fat gypsy wedding dress.... of sorts.

As well as, gluing 1000 beads to a pink corset, and making a puffy pink fluffy and with hearts skirt...

This was the only picture that shows the dress...I will get more!