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Dec 17, 2016

Draping II @ FIT: My Final Project!


Friends, my current draping class at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), which began at the end of August, ended this morning -- in a snowstorm.  It's been a long semester!

The class was dedicated to draping soft silhouettes -- dolman sleeves, pegged skirts, cowls, etc.  At the beginning we draped in muslin, and then moved on to knit jersey and woven crepe.  For our final project, we were required to drape a two-piece ensemble with a resort feel -- think cruise ship.   One of the pieces needed to include a cowl -- either front neck, back neck, or underarm on the top, or a cowl on the pant (which I don't think anyone opted to do).

I had draped a top with an underarm cowl earlier in the class, but in a heavy wool crepe (below).  For my final project (aka term garment) I'd planned to use a cream-colored crepe, but that too ended up being too heavy.


I love this creamy crepe but it doesn't have a resort feel -- it's too heavy.
So back to the fabric store (Mood) I went, where I found a much lighter weight wool crepe in a striking daffodil yellow.  Why wool crepe?  It's not cheap, but it drapes beautifully and is lovely to work with.


The pant I designed is full, with two front pleats, left and right, no side seams, with an invisible zipper in back and 1 1/2" waistband.  It came together nicely.




My top, a simple front-buttoned blouse, has an underarm cowl draped on the bias.   (The CF and CB edges are on the straight grain and cross grain respectively).   The blouse is draped with just two square pieces, left and right, folded in half diagonally.   The bias edge forms the cowl.  The fabric is slung under the arm and the cowl is formed by creating deep folds at the shoulder, held in place in the shoulder seam.   The CB seam connects left and right sides.  My center front seam includes extensions and facings for buttonholes and buttons.



Here's the finished garment.  The simple jewel neckline is finished with bias piping. 

My designs often have a vintage feel.  I could see Katherine Hepburn wearing this in the 1940s.




Here she is among a group of her shinier peers.


I am relieved to be done with this class, though I enjoyed it a great deal.  I'm resting for the balance of the day, and tomorrow and Monday will complete my tailored ladies jacket for my Ladies Tailoring class, which ends on Tuesday.  Then comes a much-needed break till the end of January.

Hope you're all sewing up a storm -- any wool crepe?

Have a great day, everybody!

You can see some of my classmates' work here.

29 comments:

  1. MHO, your outfit is by far the nicest of the bunch. Also, it is quite nice, over & above being the best in the lineup. Congratulations. Will we see Cathy modeling it when the weather warms up?

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  2. Great work Peter! I could definitely see Ms Hepburn wearing it! It has a casual throwaway elegance......love it!

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  3. A charming ray of sunshine on this dreary December day. Remind to me to come to you for all my cruisewear needs!

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  4. Did you win a prize or get an "A" or something?

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  5. Beautifully draped! Cruise in first class all the way!

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  6. Of course you got an 'A'. Beautiful work as usual, Peter.

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  7. That is stunning. I agree. It is the most beautiful garment in the line up.

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  8. Bravo! I am fascinated because I don't know that I have ever seen a pair of pants without a side seam -- with the exception of leggings. It seems very couture.

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  9. Truly lovely! And the yellow makes it even more special.

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  10. Really beautiful! Love the armhole drape, never seen that before. I particularly love the deep drape with your first heavy wool crepe, was that the same technique as your yellow crepe? It looks more like CF and CB are both straight grain, or is the edge under the cowl just cut straight? Absolutely gorgeous either way! Agree, very 1940s and much classier in a matt crepe than in those shiny satins...

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  11. Very beautiful, classy and timeless design. The wool crepe drapes well and your design is so appropriate for the fabric. Please post your tailoring projects also. You are so lucky to be able to take advantage of the courses at FIT. I wish I lived closer.

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  12. Gorgeous. Truly, I could see it on a red carpet. Did everyone happen to go for solids, or was it a requirement?

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    1. It wasn't required, but I think most of those satiny and crepe-y fabrics tend to be solid.

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  13. Just beautiful! I think you have found your calling!!!!

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  14. I love the ensemble (especially the yellow, a very under-rated color imho.), but I have a question about washing care. Did you line it? Last time I worked with wool crepe I found that hand washing in temporarily shrinks the crepe (but not the lining) until you press it back into shape. It goes back into shape nicely, but it is a bit of a pain so I rarely wear that dress. I see resort wear and imagine a warm and possibly sweaty climate and worry about the under arms of the top.

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  15. I truly love the work you've done in these classes and this tops the list.It is so lovely, and I can read the model of the dress form through the fabric. I've had this problem before with that weight of wool crepe, and a hanging knee-length liner in the pants fixes it beautifully.

    As for cowl draped pants, I believe Mr Hammer addresses that in his late 80s work.

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  16. add espadrilles and a beautiful wide brimmed straw hat and off to the tropics. i really love this project.

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  17. This is so glamorous and understated at the same time. It would be perfect on a June evening at a party on a terrace.

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  18. It is a statement outfit.

    I see it in a Technicolor film noir, with an anything but sunny on the inside Gene Tierney working it to the undoing of Tyrone Power (never mind what she had done in the first reel to Betty Fields and Ann Todd - spoiler alert: just don't look to deeply into the cowl folds).

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  19. Glorious. Would love to see this without the cheapy buttons leaving the wearer to accessorise.

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  20. I give you an A on this ensemble. Gorgeous. I would definitely wear that!

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  21. Your ensemble is clearly the best of them all. Beautiful!

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  22. This is beautiful, Peter! Perfect fabric choice, and lovely design.

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