by Jessica Rose on June 10, 2010
Simple designs always seem to take the longest- Everything has to be perfect- because the structure of the design becomes the detail. I’ll be making a few minor improvements on this before putting it into production, but here it is! The first cardigan in my collection, and I love it :) To keep it smooth along the hips, I’ve decided to omit pockets- plus it keeps the price down, which is always a good thing!
For some reason, it’s really difficult to find a nice fitting black cardigan- especially without too many details! So, here is my version of a long, v-neck cardigan- romantic, yet minimalist enough to wear to the office! I think I will still make another shorter version with a higher neckline to offer another choice- actually, I’ll commit to it, and make that my next project!
by Jessica Rose on June 9, 2010
It’s so hard to tell sometimes how a sketch will translate into a sewn garment- something may look amazing sketched, but just not look nearly as nice in the finished product. Take this neckband for example- great in the sketch, but on the actual cardigan (the left image) it just doesn’t wow me at all- a bit too librarian looking.
After spending far too much time ripping the first sample apart, and fixing little things like fit and a gaping neckband (tip- don’t fuse knit neckbands with non stretchy fusing!), I decided to change the cut.
My first idea was to raise the neckline, and just as I was adjusting my patterns and figuring out placement, I folded under the front bands a bit, and discovered a beautiful shape for the neckline! (see the image on the right) So, the higher neckline will be saved for another cardigan some other time, and for now I have exactly the riding coat-esque cardigan I was envisioning :)
Tomorrow I finish another sample, and decide on whether or not I should add pockets. . .
by Jessica Rose on June 7, 2010
by Jessica Rose on June 6, 2010
In terms of design, this week has been huge! It all started with a meeting Tuesday morning between myself, Susan Langdon (the Executive Director of the Toronto Fashion Incubator), and Elaine Stadnyk (TFI’s new Business Development Manager, and experienced retail buyer).
Reviewing my collections for Fall 2010, and Sumer 2011- the question came up- ‘these are really great cuts- flattering, ageless, perfect for travel, and always in style! Why not offer them without the trims, and patterns, and make them truly versatile?’
So, there it was, the beginnings of a new collection for a Resurrection of Romance! I’ve been spending the week taking my best cuts in jersey, and recreating them in true minimalist fashion- totally clean, incredibly versatile, and absolutely stunning :)
The new collection will be available year round in addition to my regular collections, and includes 5 dresses- and my new flared cardigan with a few design changes- covered buttons in place of pewter clasps and a raised waistline for more versatility- I can’t wait to finish it, and see everything together!
Romantic minimalism- who would have thought it could work so well?
by Jessica Rose on June 1, 2010
This week, I will work on a light flared jersey jacket to wear over my dresses. Liking the shape of the Luncheon Dress so much, I’ve decided to keep this the same, but a touch longer so it will pair together perfectly! Assuming there is room- I’ll add inseam pockets, and for the closure- some beautiful Norweigan pewter clasps I have that are begging to be used for a piece like this!
by Jessica Rose on June 1, 2010
2 Weeks later, and here it is- the final version of the Luncheon Dress! It feels so good to have this finished. What I thought would be an easy design, actually turned out to be really challenging to wrap my head around. The beautiful liberty floral printed fabric was a challenge to work in- and in the end, using it to create a vertical line down the front turned out perfectly!
I didn’t want to mention it before- but the last version- with the V insert, and separate skirt just reminded me too much of a cheerleader-type dress! So, in the end, I went to princess lines for shaping- because they really are just so flattering when cut right, and have become my favourite type of shaping.
Two details that I really ended up spending a good amount of time on in this piece were the insert, and the lining (and deciding the best method to attach the insert to the lining!). Wanting a clean line at the neckline, I had originally planned to cut the insert as a diamond, sew it into the lining and outer shell, and fold it (see upper left image)- but this was just a few too many unnecessary steps.
Then voila! I had an amazing discovery (so simple, I know, but these things get me excited!) I could cut the top of the insert as a curve, and create the opposite of the curve in the lining pattern to create a straight line when folding down the floral print. Easier to sew, and so tidy looking! That seems confusing- but trust me, it’s exciting- see the upper right photo :)
Because this dress is made in a light fabric, I also had the challenge of making the skirt opaque- so lining was necessary! To avoid bulk (as this jersey is a bit on the heavier side) I coverstitched (a stretchy type of stitching you see on t-shirt hems and things like that) the skirt onto the lining at the waist rather than create a seam. It’s a bit more challenging to sew, but keeps the dress smooth at the waist.
So, sometimes a ‘simple’ dress can actually be somewhat complicated, and take more hours than I really want to admit- but this is why I’ve started my collection early! I’m breathing a sigh of relief!
