Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Fox so Cunning and Free


Matador shrug
Originally uploaded by I Will Fly design
I've been pretty slow off the mark lately with my design projects. But this week I made one complete project and I am almost finished with another! This little jacket (I know I keep making shrugs but they are so much fun!) was actually a bit of a pain to make. It went through several muslins (or "mock-ups", trial garments made from a cheap fabric to perfect the fit) before I was happy with the pattern I had drafted. After the pattern had been settled on I decided that to make the cuffs soft and comfy to wear meant stitching the lining together almost entirely by hand, even around the set-in puff sleeves!

The fabric for this is a lovely pink, grey, and silver brocade that is bold and textural. I have rarely seen anything like it, the last time I encountered a similar style of fabric it was when I was working on costumes for Hairspray! the musical. I bought the fabric not knowing exactly what I was going to do with it and ended up with so much left over I might even be able to make something else out of it. Maybe a matching corset?
Anyhow, this is going to be my offering for Cyber Monday, as we streak into the holiday shopping season at full tilt. Next week there will be another new listing on Etsy, inspired, as this was, by watching WAY too much Zorro lately.
Happy Holidays!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Auld lang syne


dresses3
Originally uploaded by I Will Fly design
I am almost done with a design project that will be up on Etsy for Cyber Monday, but I've been very slow at my work lately, and easy to distract!
I started an art project recently, using French postcards (early erotica, I mean, grainy black and white images of ladies from the 1890s) and took my inspiration from a paper doll I had made myself when I was a child. She was cut from a magazine and glued to cardstock and her clothes were all made from images in magazines and old calendars. Click through to my Flikr page to see the doll and more of the outfits. The clothes are all pretty indicative of how old I was when I made them (maybe 9-10?) and are pretty retro to look at now (wow, do you remember the fashion of 1990? Because now you will!)
I loved paper dolls as a girl, and have a pretty imposing collection of them as an adult. I have always loved making them. Is it any wonder that I became a fashion designer?