Scary....4th year...how did I end up here??????

Soooo, I'm in 4th year now, how did I end up here? It's scary, the summer flew and despite best intentions to keep my blog up I didn't. Now I'm swamped with work and should be working on my Persil entry, if indeed it actually ends up as an entry.

I got a knitting machine , it's fab, but it's very vintage indeed (1950s is the guess) so I had a few problems figuring it out. I kinda did figure it out now though, so that'll be great fun. I also stumbled over across a few great knitting blogs and sites, including knitting-graffiti/yarnstorming/yarnbombing ones :)

It looks great fun, I just wish I had more time on my hands!

Anyways, gotta post a few pictures on here soon!

Once I sort out the PErsil etc.!


xxxxxxturbok(n)ittyxxxxxxxx

End of year fashion show

So you might have noticed that in preparation to the fashion show I haven't really had time to write. Well the show went great and my dress was worn by none other than Ireland's current favourite covergirl Jude Nabney. Mr Model said she wasn't too happy with the tights, but that was so the dresser's fault, because she was supposed to put on the black pair and then the red pair but instead of doing them seperately i suspect she put them on simultaneously. God that woman has a walk to die for!!!I tried filming it on my camera but it didn't come out well...Gotta wait for the DVD!

Anyhow, here's a photo of her from last year's fashion show launch...




What is totally funny is, that at last year's show I said to Ailisha that I really wanted her for the 3rd year collection. Obviously we don't have a choice, but hey, got lucky I suppose.

Everybody's collections looked amazing and it was a fantastic atmosphere!!!

I can't wait for next year's show......

A little money goes a long way.....

So having the actual garments nearly finished my main concern is now styling. At progress reviews my tutors suggested styling outfit 2 (the knitdress ) very sexy and rockchicky.... they also mentioned putting a pair of Doc Martens with it, and since the menswear outfit is styled with a pair of them it seemed like a good idea. Only problem is that purchasing the amazingly printed fabric cost a little fortune and spending around 80€ on a pair of shoes for the show REALLY isn't an option.

So off I went to Penneys in search of a red bra( which they didn't have....boooooooooohhhhhh) and some footwear to customize. I got a pair of rip off converse for 6 euros. One hell of a price difference!

At home I started customizing them with fabric and beads and don't they look fab? I think they even look better than the Iron Maiden Vans! I'd love to be able to wear them but unfortunately the biggest size Penneys had was a 40. I'm a size 42.......ah well, at least I didn't have to spend another 80 quit just on the shoes!

If you do read my blog/follow it/ like it etc. feel free to leave me comments and praise my work :) I think I can be very proud of it!

Photoshoot today!!!!!

Had the Photoshoot for our collection catalogue today and Mr. Model did a terrific job! This is the image I picked to appear in the catalogue. I wanted a back view with profile of the head because I think the print deserves being shown off in all its glory. I love how the little bits of red just pop!I'm really really happy out!

We got assessments/progress reviews tomorrow and I have both outfits nearly done! the knit looks fantastic, too. I yet have to resolve my neckpiece and styling but for now I'm gonna concentrate on having some sort of a sketchbook.

Another collection update

Soooooooooooooo......

Deadline is Wednesday for both outfit. I'm calm because I have outfit 1 nearly finished (only hems, a collar and a waistband and zip left to do......) and outfit 2 is on its way ( I got the bodice and sleeves knitted and linked)

Photoshoot will be on Tuesday. I'm planning on putting the menswear one in. It looks deadly! I had to match up the print in the front (at the buttonstand) and I have a weltseam on my sleeve so I had to match that one up ,too. but it couldn't be matched up any more perfect and I'm really really happy! My shirt turned a bit more into a really cool jacket and I absolutely love it! I applied some of my print onto the backpockets of the jeans as well because I thought that that would just connect the two garments. The only problem is....HOW AM I GONNA CONNECT THE TWO OUTFITS????????

My tutor was suggesting making a small bag out of the print mixed with some knit. I like that idea. Also I'm thinking of knitting up a long long scarf in the laddered knit to style the menswear outfit. That would connect the two I suppose.......

Well I also took a few pictures, let me know what you think folks!

my knitdress bodice

back of the jeans

back of the jacket

front of the jacket

Shaping up

just to let ye all know the collection is shaping up and I have the shirt/Jacket pretty much done and it looks f%$@ing sweet!!!!!! So much better than I imagined. I will put up pictures tomorrow, hopefully!

just a week to go...

...and I'm soooo not ready...AAAARRRGGGHHHH

tried to get some eco handwash wool detergent to felt my mohair, didn't succeed because supermarkets SUCK! now I'll have to use normal detergent and wear stupid gloves as to not burn the skin of my hands...boooh

I am so not in the mood for doing anything but Iknow I have to get the knitdress done today, because tomorrow I have to cut my menswear and the stupid stocktake in work is on. Technically I have the week booked off as holidays but I'm a soineless pushover and agreed to do it.
I'm an idiot.
Plus I'll spend all of Paddy's day making my toiles...fun times

Oh yeah did I mention Mr.Grumpy is going to be Mr. Model?

It arrived!

today my fabric arrived from Glasgow! I'm like a little kid at christmas! and look how well it is going with my other fabrics!

I'm nearly done knitting the big pieces for the underdress, bar the neck and sleeves.

Hopefully I'll have it all done by tomorrow!

This is turning out to be a good day handed in my literaturer review as well this morning.

YAY

Good times....

So after having a bit of a lie in this morning (pssssst) I rang Glasgow for my fabric and I should have it by the end of the week! YAY!!!

I then went into college and after making a good bit of progress on my knit yesterday I spent the day working away knitting the actual pieces for the underdress. The machine didn't give me much hassle today for a change (phew thank lord) and I now have the bodice front and back and the underlayer of the bottom front and back knitted. The overdress will be made out of small swatch-sized pieces sewn together. As promised I have a few pictures of my toille (aka prototype) only thing is that's just bits pinned onto a mannequin....

Once I have the fabric all knitted I can stitch the sequins onto it and sew all the bits together....fun times!

Also, I'm relieved that it looks like I won't have to dye my kid-mohair now. One thing less to do.

So here a few photos of my knit-piece toille:

I also just stumble d over 2 lovely photos from Paris! one of the Eiffeltower at night, the other one of Ailisha and me in front of the Arc de Triomph....note that I'm not wearing a scrap of makeup and I still manage to look stunning :)

Anyhow, I yet have to write/finish my stupid literature review. It's due tomorrow AAAAARRRGGHHH Panic!

Going to stay in the library until they kick me out at 9 and then *I'm going to Mr. Grumpy's to hopefully watch some Dexter......(I am sooooo addicted at the moment!)

Im knitting away my sanity.....

seriously at the end of the project I will HATE knit!

Have been knitting all day and made great progress on the design though. It's gonna look absolutely amazing once it's done! I will post pictures of it tomorrow maybe. I don't have my camera with me today.

Another good thing: My printed fabric should be here very soon.....costly enough, it's gonna cost me 170 euros....for 3.2m....ouch

A very annoying day

Despite the fact that I promised to moan less I am very much in the mood to give out at the moment, for a number of reasons.

The first being that my literature review for the Thesis is due next week and I haven't really done much for it. the plan was to do at least half of it today, but unfortunately I really had to sort out my fabric printing dilemma ASAP!

As to why it is a dilemma read the following:

The image I want printed is way to complex for the print department to do as a screen print. Hence I have to get it printed in Glasgow. So I ordered fabric of Whaleys that is pre-treated for printing. As it turns out digitally printing requires another special treatment in the form of a photoreactive solution, which my fabric doesn't have.GREAT! So instead of saving money I wasted it. I now have to order the fabric of the printers as well. My image won't upload on my gmail so I will have to post a CD. Overall I am running out of time. I'm angry and upset and I really wanna throw in the towel today. F..in F F. God only knows what the whole "fun" of getting the fabric done is gonna cost me...

Here the image I'm getting done:

On a more positve note I seem to really be getting there with my knit and am hoping to start on my calculations for the dress tomorrow, which means I'll be able to make it soon! YAY

skipped lunch over the whole printing situation though and had 2 KITKATs instead....I'm hungry...and don't have time to eat :(.

And of course I'm working tonight :(:(

PDK -Public Display of Knitting

So dear readers and friends, lately I've noticed something very interesting happening to me, whenever I pass the time on the bus or in the airport knitting.

It first occurred last december when I flew home to see my baby nephew and I was working on a "Skull-isle" patterned double knitted scarf for Mr. Grumpy. It is red and black and if I ever finish it I might post the results here. Anyhow, there I was in Dublin airport at around 6am (my flight was at 7...) knitting away on the scarf (I also had Mr. Grumpy's hoody with me but I was doing sleeve decreases and didn't think I could concentrate on almost no sleep, ok I had a snooze on the bus, but that doesn't really qualify)...so I was knitting away and all these women looked at me funnily....come to think of it I got funny looks and commented on when I was knitting Mr. Grumpy's hoody in Cork airport 2 months previous.

A woman comes up to me (this is Dublin now) and asks me how I got my knitting through security. She herself was an enthusiastic knitter and she was absolutely thrilled to hear of the Denise Needle kit. Since all the parts are detachable and the needles are plastic and not much longer than a biro they easily pass security.

On my way back my flight was approx 3 hrs delayed which really sucked. Out comes my knitting again and an elderly woman commented on it wondering how I worked the pattern.

I also knit a lot on the bus. Traffic in Limerick is so horrendous that it is a good passtime. When I was finishing up Mr. Grumpy's hoody I was just knitting away on the sleeve in the really beautiful Kureyon that I got and an older woman was asking me what I was knitting. Since the hoody is done in one big circular piece (thank god no blocking!!!) I had the rest of it stuffed into my bag.

Last monday I took the bus out to Mr.Grumpy's house. Since it took the bus at leats 10 minutes to take off from the moment I got on it and at least another 20 minutes to get to the end of line
(from there it's ionly a 10-15 minute walk to Mr. Grumpy's....wahey) I had a good 30 minutes to kill.Valuable knitting time! On the bus was a woman with her two daughters(around 8years old) and since I am currently working on a Kimono cardi for myself in a really bright green/blue-ish Mohair I was bound to attract some attention:). I heard one of the little girls asking her mum what it was that I was doing and she kept looking at me and my knitting. She was so fascinated that she asked her mum how knitting worked, but I don't think the mother was a knitting type of person. If that little girl now tries to learn how to knit and has as much fun as I always did, knitting up random leftover balls of my mum's wool, that's at least one little Limerick girl "saved":)

Oh and when I went home in summer I got to rummage through my mum's yarns and take whatever, so she could throw the rest out (sadly she doesn't have the time/patience/eyesight to knit anymore but is always helpful with expert tips). The othe weekend we went to Mr. Grumpy's home home (not a spelling mistake, but an irishism, home home = your parents' house) and in the hall was a massive refuse sack with all sortsa wool and novelty yarns. I was like a little kid rummaging through them for a whole hour at least and I went home with some brilliant stuff!!!

So next time your mum asks you to de-clutter the attic remember: You might find some useful yarns!

On a different note:

It was snowing last night, and by that I mean proper "covering all the grass and no green is peeking out " snow. Spent the night at Mr. Grumpy's (Actually out of seven nights I might spend one or two in my place...) and when we got up the kids across the road had proper big snowmen built on the green!

A new Blog a new Diary

With this blog I'm marking the start of a new, more positive diary. I deleted my last blog, I felt it was so full of moaning and way too negative. Instead I think this blog should focus on a more positive attitude towards my work and reflect on it.

I am a 3rd year fashion design student and am currently working on my third year collection. I will have to go on an internship this summer and I have to write a thesis. This blog will be a creative and reflective diary of my progress in all 3 fields.

As I will be very busy working on my collection in the next 4 weeks I might not necessarily have much time to write, but I'll try and keep this blog up to date :)

RIIIIIGGGHHHHHT

So here it goes:

MY COLLECTION:

My 3rd year collection will consist of two outfits. One of them is going to be menswear. The theme is Iron Maiden's Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. I am looking at the arrogance of man and the consequences. The first outfit of the collection is the menswear one. It reflects the arrogance and violence of the Mariner. Since these are very dominantly male traits this is the menswear outfit. It will consist of: trousers, shirt, knitted jumper and an overcoat. It will be very straightforward and tailored but through fabric manipulation I will try and have the "Mariner" unravel at the edges.....

The second outfit is going to be a very fragile and frayed knitdress. It's mainly inspired by the torn and ragged sails of a ghostship. It represents the vulnerabilty that the mariner encounters while he is suffering the consequences of killing the albatross. It's very frail but yet there is gonna be a proud and strong element to it. I am currently working on my knit and trying to play with the right textures that make it cutting edge.

INTERNSHIP:

I got of the phone with a lovely kidswear designer in Munich today. She does customized kidswear and does price her work very reasonably. She is a lovely person and we were chatting for a while. She can offer me a place from mid June onwards and I'd be sooooo happy to take it. I'll keep you updated on the progress

THESIS:

I am doing my Thesis on Fetishism and Fashion. now I've only started researching books and doing a bit of reading. I am currently reading through a book called Beauty and Mysogyny- harmful cultural practices in the west by Sheila Jeffreys. That woman has very extreme views and I can't believe some of the things she has been writing in it. At one stage she says (about shaving your legs): "The suggestion that women will not acquire male partners wihout shaving resembles the reasons given for the carrying out of harmful beauty practices in other cultures, such as female genital mutilation"

Now that's a bit harsh isn't it? She's very one sided as well. Talking about misogyny, that woman herself comes across as a proper misandrist. 

Now I don't care what sexual orientation that woman has, but she comes across as a very angry, man-hating lesbian (which she is) and her views are very 1968, despite the fact that the book was published in 2005.

I do recommend the book to anybody though, because despite the fact that she's very biased and extremist with her views she touches on a few interesting points.

My next read will be Valerie Steele's  Fetish- Fashion, Sex and Power can't wait for that one, it has the torso of a leather-clad woman on the cover....promising :)