Couture Design

My student Y is taking a course on Couture Design, as the final construction course before she starts her year-long senior project as a Fashion Design major. We've been having so much fun, all the hand-sewing, and with 14 yards of silk draped across us... I've been taking pictures of course, as it's been such a treat.


Here's the general idea for the skirt. This is merely pinned onto the mannequin, I think we'll actually sew it to the waistband today.


Lookit all the pretty fabric! We were handstitching the second hem, encasing the horsehair braid (one side has 6" braid, the other has 3" braid -- and it's all invisibly handsewn).

A closeup shot of the stitching for the hem. It winds up going pretty fast, for all that it seems to take forever!


And this is the top that accompanies it. We finished it yesterday (although the hem needs adjustment. It was finicky and some of the bones are a little too long). This is the second top design, and it's roughly based off of a dress that Y's mother made for a client. The initial top design was going to use a tshirt with the cover art of Le Petit Prince that had been embellished by embroidery and beading.


Comme ça. This particular stitch is whipped back stitch, in silver metallic thread.

Embroidery Lessons

So I was doing the planning for my embroidery student's first lesson next week. I started looking up beginner projects (hella boring) and beginner tutorials. I found things like lists of the top 10 beginner stitches and 16 ways to embroider leaves!

I'm changing it up a little. The stitches that will be involved in my student's first project are:
- running stitch
- back stitch
- split stitch
- stem stitch
- satin stitch
- chain stitch
- lazy daisy
- colonial knots
- woven wheel


This'll be embroidered on some plain muslin or a hankie. The name is backstitch (and either cursive or script). Border is running stitch and chain stitch. Corner in split stitch with lazy daisy and colonial knots. Woven wheel under initial. Small flower in stem stitch, lazy daisy, and colonial knots. Medium flower in stem stitch and colonial knots. Tall flower in stem stitch, satin stitch and colonial knots.

I'm using colonial knots over French knots as I have never had good luck with French knots and colonial knots seem fool-proof.

The first lesson will probably be doing the backstitch for the name. I'll also sketch out all of the details, so that the running stitch could be done in the week between lessons. But this should be fun! I'm looking forward to this.

Well

I apparently have a new embroidery student! This is exciting. I have never had one -- I'll have to figure out how to structure those lessons.

Sigh

I love my studio teacher dearly, don't get me wrong, but he should not have agreed to cover my mentor's class while on sabbatical. My studio teacher rarely, if ever, teaches full classrooms, and he is having so many problems with a) the workload of grading b) the language used in the textbook, not being a native speaker c) differences in notational systems between his usage and what is being taught d) some personality problems with students.

I am helping him grade. I am fielding one or two phone calls DAILY about this class. They should have just fucking asked ME to teach this course, for all that I don't have the degree. And I know my studio prof could use the money. He just doesn't need the stress load.

He had 18 attacks yesterday. Attacks of what? He said it's never been that many or that bad. At one point, while at the park with his grandson, he almost lost consciousness. He's going to either finish this course or die. ... I suppose I should stop bitching and be more supportive, since his health is in such a fragile state right now. It's just hard because I know I could teach this class and teach it well. ... And I know my prof feels they are underpaying him for the amount of work he's having to do. He didn't say the number, but he thought it really loudly in comparison with the salary of a tenured faculty member, as opposed to his lowly adjunct status.

Music Studio Update

I finally contacted a leader of a music education organization that I'm a part of, to see if they were interested in my group lesson idea. It looks like it might be possible! :-D I'm one step closer to have a small ensemble coaching business with Liz!