Kathleen Sykes' Fashion Portfolio

Sewing Projects From This Term

2010-01-10T19:26:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a lot of time this term to work on personal sewing projects but I did make some cool stuff in my sewing class. This term we were supposed to make a tailored men's dress shirt (I chose to make one with french cuffs for my brother) and make and fit a pair of pants (I chose to make jeans).

The shirt took me forever but at least I learned some good techniques. My brother just recently wore it on a trip he took to Baltimore and said that a lot of people commented on how good it looked. I was very happy to hear this because the entire semester I heard horror stories from people who took the class over again about how their shirt looked homemade or looked like a 'Walmart shirt'. I apologize that the picture isn't too good and the shirt isn't pressed, but take my word for it, it looked great!

As long as I have been sewing, I have always heard people say how difficult it was to make a pair of jeans so when my teacher had told us that we needed to make a pair I freaked out. I didn't seem to believe that it was humanly possible to make a pair of jeans, in my mind you just put denim in one side of the machine and on the other side a pair of perfect jeans came out.

I actually found that Jeans are really easy to make and fit. The only really difficult part is putting in the fly zipper. I don't have any pictures of my jeans finished because I broke the zipper. I tried them on after I got all of the rivets in and the zipper split because it was situated right on a curve and so I had to take a pair of pliers to get myself out of them. So I now officially need a shorter zipper.

Even though I can't show you the jeans I will show you the top stitching on the back pockets. They are strands of DNA if you can't tell. (Get it?! Genes=Jeans! At least I got a kick out of this)

HOLY COW!

2010-01-09T16:38:00.000-08:00

It has been forever since I have updated this thing. Someone had just emailed me and reminded me that I actually had a blog! (Thanks unnamed source!)

So to start things off, I have my fall pattern making final. It was supposed to start out being a wedding dress but transformed into more of a garden party dress. I would attribute most of that to my choice of fabric and it's length. (By the way, if it looks out of proportion that would be because it is a quarter size dress form).

This was my initial sketch. I apologize that the dress looks almost nothing like the sketch, but I put off making the pattern until the last minute. Back in the day when it was going to be a wedding dress I was going to do sort of horizontal princess seams and alternate using a satin faced organza and a plain weave organza to create some interest.

There will me more to come from this semester in the coming days. (Hopefully!)

Fashion Illustration Final

2009-08-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

I finally got done with my summer semester at SLCC (Salt Lake Community College). I received A's in most of my classes but the one that I am most proud of was the A that I got on my final in Fashion Illustration I. We were supposed to come up with a total of five garments on four croquis (don't ask what that means or how to say it, it is just a fancy word for 'fashion figure'). Flat pictures of the garments also had to be included. They all had to be along a continuous theme and they all had to go together. I did five croquis and thirteen garments and I am proud of each one of them!

I did a small collection of cocktail evening wear with a Samurai and Butterfly theme for Fall 2010. When I was designing this collection I was thinking of designing for a customer who was definitely not a wall-flower. She is smart, young, single, out of college, and successful in her chosen profession.

Enjoy my collection!

This was a pair of what I initially thought would be black leather pants, but then I had decided that maybe black denim would probably be more comfortable and practical. Iridescent chiffon flounces are sewn onto the side seams and a geometric black beaded embellishment is in-between the two flounces. The jacket is a silk brocade with a green crepe de chine lining. The tank top has a flared bottom and is made from silk jersey.

This is probably one of my favorite looks in the collection. It begins with a peridot green blouse made from silk charmeuse and organza with a ruched merry widow style bodice. The sleeves are a dolman style variation on a bishop sleeve. I also initially thought that the skirt would be leather but I think that a satin would be better suited for it. It has iridescent ruched inserts on the hip and the same beaded trim and flounces as the previous pants.

This is a kimono style jacket with a matching dress underneath. It uses the same brocade as the first piece and has ruching on the sleeves and the beaded trim all around it with grosgrain ribbon as a trim for the neckline. It is made from a sapphire blue dupioni silk and the jacket is lined with a sea foam blue silk velvet.

Yet again, I think that denim is more in store for the pants. The side parts are ruched iridescent chiffon with the beaded trim. There is another silk jersey tank top with a georgette overlay; both are flared at the bottom. A yellow dupioni vest with and obi belt and an asymmetrical button placket. There is also an empire waisted blouson top to go over the tank top.

This is a ruched cocktail dress with a high neckline in the front and a deep vee neck in the back. it has the same beading that all of the other looks have. It also has an iridescent chiffon cape that hooks on the inside with hooks and eyes so you could be a little more covered up and dramatic upon your entrance to a party but you may take it off and dance when you take it off.

Fashion Illustration!

2009-07-20T18:01:00.001-07:00

So, I'm sure you have been wondering what I have been up to. Well, this summer I was taking a full load of classes from Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) and one of the classes I have been taking is fashion illustration. Here are some of the things I have been drawing! :D

Fabric Freakout!

2009-06-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

I had to geek out about one of my favorite places to buy fabric! Recently my favorite fabric store -- fashion affair -- went out of business. One of the former employees had opened up shop in half of where the store used to be; it's called Yellow Bird Fabrics.

Amy, the owner has some great stuff there. She has some wonderful cottons, silks, lace, you name it. The type of stuff you can't find anywhere else in Utah. I took some pictures so you could see some of the neat stuff she has. (And to give her the business that she deserves) :)

Store Front

She crocheted all of the trim on the shirt and skirt out
of a bamboo viscose knit (It is really soft, the thing
you would want to make t-shirts out of) One of the many
things you can buy there.

The bottom piece of silk is probably one of my favorite things
in the store right now. She is selling it by the panel, I think it would
make a great scarf.

Senior Ball

2009-05-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit it, I have been extremely lazy when it comes to updating this thing. However, I have been harassed lately by a few of you to see what my dress looked like for senior ball. I do not have my dance pictures yet, but here is the conceptual drawing that I made for it. It was a big hit at the dance, people commented that I looked like a movie star, and I must agree. :)

P.S. I made this dress if you were curious

Internship!

2009-02-23T16:42:00.000-08:00

I just got an internship with the Ballet West costume shop for school credit. Ballet West is a local ballet company; I used to dance in their school.

Today was my first day so they got me acquainted with using an industrial sewing machine and showed me how they wanted hooks, eyes and snaps sewn on to their costumes.

I probably will not do much more than sew beads onto costumes and make bodice linings, however, I feel extremely grateful that I have this opportunity to learn and be a part of this process. I expect to get a lot out of this internship.

Fashion Sketches

2009-01-30T18:46:00.001-08:00

A few recent fasion sketches of mine, swatches are attached to peices that I have fabric for. There are also a few notes and details written on the sides.

Sewing Skills

2009-01-30T18:19:00.000-08:00

This is a basic pattern block I made for my friend Zoe.
This was an experiment that I did with draping. I liked the fabric so much that I just started to play with it when I got home and this is what became of it.

This red dress is one of the first things I designed, I also designed the pattern from a pattern making kit.

This bolero was the first thing I had designed. I had made the pattern incorrectly, however, it is still a fun piece to wear.

I did not use a pattern for this, I just used my dress form to help me make it.

I made this form a vintage Butterick pattern. It is fully lined. The workmanship is so well done inside and out that people often ask me where I bought it.

I adapted a Vogue pattern to make this. The covered button at the top is appliqued on, there is topstitching detail all over the skirt, french seams, and the band on the bottom and sides was my idea. This is another one which people ask me where I bought it.

Misc. Art

2009-01-30T18:05:00.000-08:00

This is part of a charcoal drawing that I did.

These are the left over Parsons Challenge images that were also very strong.

I was a ballet dancer for 13 years. This is me as a page in Ballet West's Nutcracker.

Pinhole camera negative and positive.

Documentary photographs

Experimenting with direct light.

Still life oil painting.

Study on hands.