Experimenting with embroidery and in creating a lace pattern of a rose. The embroidery sample is stitched onto fine 100% silk and tulle. Experimenting with ascent colours of various colored creams threads and beading. I am pleased with how the sample has turned out as well as the color combintation in which I wasn't quite sure of at the start of the experimentation.

I have realised that stitching is something that comes naturally to me and I tend to use stitching as a mean to create an idea or sample. Embroidering/stitching is highly important to me because I use it as a tool to create and design textures and details in replacement of a pencil or paint brush to help me break away from that fear of filling a blank page.

I am so happy that I have accomplished part of the challenge of having to design 50 fashion illustrations for Indigo project which is due this Thursday. It's been cold and gloomy so I spent the whole of my day in the comfort of my home with no other mechanical noise to distract me or people blabbing, the only noise was the plumber in the background trying to fix the toilet.

Designing 50 garments is not an easy task, there's a lot of thinking involved and you have to be incredibuly relaxed and full of inspiration to achieve this in 2 weeks. However, I am pleased to say that I have laboured for 4 hours today sketching out 26 fashoin illustrations......this is very rare of me to do....all these years of being on the course and this is the only time I have managed to achieve so many designs in one day is brilliant! LOL! It must be because I am full of adrenaline from thinking and getting excited that this is the final year of university and studying!!

Sample #3

Crochet/couching method.....in the process of design a pattern for this sample.

Sample #2

Secound sample started: working in white and creams.


My colour palette started with white, and is now going to remain white and different shades of white ranging to different shades of creams. I love working in white because it expresses the purity and beauty of the fabric, application process and intricate details.












Completed sample of floral shape.

Crochet outline of floral shape appliqued onto silk chiffon, with silk dupion appliqued in between petals with hand emboridery and beading embellishments.

First Fabric Sample!

New projects, new page in a sketchbook always brings an element of overwhelment and for some it brings frustration as to what to put on the first page of a brand new sketchbook. I have to admit starting a new page is a bit scary! For me I either don't have enough inspiration to make my first mark or I am overwhelmed with inspiration and excitement but go completely blank because I am over thinking things and am to scared to make a mistake.
This year's project we are to take inspiration from our summer holidays and in portraying it through our sketchbook and for final fabric sample pieces for Indigo, Paris.
My inspiration so far derives from the beauty of nature such as flowers and anything with interesting, intricate details. With nature as my main inspiration I will also be exploring the use of textile embellishments and embroidery and in combining the two elements together to see how far I can push myself to create beautiful textile sufaces/pieces.
The image here is my first piece worked in white. It is a floral shape using a crochet/crouching technique appliqued to silk chiffon with hand embroidery techniques. I did not know how to start my sketchbook so I decided to work in white and explore crochet and lace-making in 3-D inspired by Victorian lace, embellishment and embroidery.

Clergy Bib

This is an image of a black Clergy bib designed for women Vicars worn for under their blouses and shirts as optional to the whole Vicar/Clergy uniform. 







The image of the baby blue crop top is what I have just finished commissioning and making. I was asked to design this for a friend who has just been ordained to be a Vicar and she will be going to Africa as part of her training in about 2 weeks time. She asked me to design her a clergy bib stock which I thought would be so uncomfortable to wear under blouses and shirts because the original design as you can see of the black bib stock hasn't got anything to make it stay still against the body. So I thought designing a crop top made of cotton jersery would work better because it then gives her a better option to wear any form of t-shirts and blouses over it without having to buy boring clerical blouses all the time. As well the crop top is designed and made to fit the body and won't bunch up under a t-shirt or blouse.

This has been a good challenge for me in trying to work out the fit and measure of the top for my friend. Fitting and measuring is something I feel I still lack confidence in and it's something I need hands on practical help with which I hope to gain and learn from someone who specialises in tailoring throughout this year.