Many of you out there have been making the newly released pattern, Square Gusset Shirt.  I have enjoyed seeing your designer versions. 

 

Design revloves alot around the details in a garment.  When you reproduce this pattern to your own taste, don’t dilute the details too much.  

Although recreating this shirt in all one color is fine, you will tend to loose a lot of what makes it interesting.  For instance, the gussets under the arm are for contrast.  They give that detail under the arm, which makes sense of the drape in the back.  If you choose not to add this accent in another fabric choice, you will most likely loose the intended effect. 

(Again this is just an observation and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.)

Another place to leave contrasting fabric out if you choose.. would be the neckline.  This is easily changed without loosing real design.  This could also be done along the hem.

 

Some of you may find the first garments you make with “style” designed into them, can make you feel awkward.  It can be intimidating to wear Garments that are trendy, stylish, and designed, when you haven’t done so before.  Find out what styles work for you and tweak your projects to fit your own unique self.

 

I hope you find some of these suggestions helpful.

Until next time, Keep designing,

Bob Martin

Tired of your stabilizers unrolling? Are you always trying to guess which kind you have in your hand?

 
Stabilizer Wrap is a good solution to this problem sewing room or design studio problem. The wrap snaps right into place around the stabilizer and prevents it from unwinding. The wraps automatically adjust to rolls 2.5" to 4.5".

This is good for keeping all of your stabilizers neat and organized. Each wrap is labeled to identify the roll as a Cut-Away, Tear-Away, Fusible, Topping, Adhesive Backed, or Wash Away.

A second label allows you to write the specific type or style number of the particular backing. These packs usually contain 6 wraps and a "Guide to Selecting Correct Stabilizers - Backings -Toppings - Interfacings".

 

Keep Designing,

Bob Martin

Here is a tip about basting and pinning.  I heard about a product called Wash Away Wonder Tape.  Just adhere and you're ready to sew!

It is a double-sided transparent tape that can be stitched through, will not gum up your needle and completely disappears in first washing.  The next time you go to pin something, you will find yourself asking "Can I just tape it?"

Wash Away Wonder Tape also works well with trims, hems, when layering, etc. This does seem to do best when used on shorter pieces of fabric rather than with long seams.  Give it a try and see what you think.

Keep Designing,

Bob Martin

The Aug/Sept issue of the popular sewing magazine Sew News, lists "How To Fashion Design with Bob Martin" in their top 10 “Cool Tools”! 

Get your copy today at a local retail chains near you, and don't forget to check out their website online at sewnews.com.

 

Bob Martin

July has been a very inspiring month for some of you designers out there.  Thanks for sharing your inspirations with me.

I took a few of the ideas you've shared and added words that come to mind. 

 

Sometimes the first thing that inspires you can be developed by using words. Take a word that first comes to mind as you think of that specific object, place, memory…etc..... and then develop research based on the word. 

I completed a brief like this in college using the word “sour”. I developed an in depth portfolio based on this just this one word.  I found this way of doing research very interesting as well as productive.  This may be the path of inspriation for you, so give it a try!

 

Here is a portion of the list:

 

Fireworks…massive, fountains, color, contrast,

Dry weather…brittle, curling, scorched, thirsty

Oil….putrid, suffocating, invasive, repulsive

Garden…vigorous, bounty, pollination, rabbits…had to add that one lol

Thunderstorms…raging, encompassing, authority, transform

 

I hope you will use this idea with things that inspire you, and take your designs to the next level!

Until next time,

Bob Martin

I would like to personally congratulate KKC Enterprise Staff for their dedicated work and success. 

We proudly accepted a 2010 Telly Award. for the production of our online promotional video for "How To Fashion Design with Bob Martin". 

We look forward to continuing to produce Award winning video for years to come!

Fashion Designer Bob Martin

I received a question about sewing machine maintenance and thought I would post a couple tips.

How often does one oil their sewing machine?

If you have a front load bobbin machine, most recommend putting a drop of oil in the hook race after every 8 hours of sewing.  one tip is to be sure to only use a one or two drops. If you use too much, it will darken your thread and it also can make your thread tension look unappealing, because your thread becomes goopy and discolored.

Some machines have an oil light that will come on every 250,000 stitches or so. This is the minimum amount of stitches, and then you should oil the machine.  First oil the machine and then press the clear button to reset the oil light.

If you have a drop in bobbin style machine  - oil is not so important on a plastic bobbin case. It is however, more important to keep the lint cleaned out of the bobbin area.  Do this by taking the needle plate off, remove the bobbin case, and vacuum out the lint. You also could use an air duster.  When you put your bobbin case back in make sure it is setting in the proper place so when you tighten the needle plate the bobbin case is not damaged.
 
What about machine servicing?

All manufactures recommend getting your machine serviced at a shop once a year. It's like changing the oil in your car every 3,000 miles, it adds more years to the life of your machine, and prevents any unwanted malfunctions or frustrations.  This will keep both you and your machine happy as you create your new projects.

Hey everybody! I hope your enjoying my posts and video blogs.

I wanted to share with you a little behind the scenes of my last video. While preparing to make that post, I was printing the moth out for my collages and to save on paper and time, I duplicated the image of the moth and arranged it in such a way that I could fit as many as possible onto one page, yet easily cut around them for my collages. That way I would get the most out of each page of paper.

As I was scaling the moths to different sizes and arranging them on the page, I noticed that it created a sort of “pattern” especially when I made them smaller. 

 

The point I want to try to drive home here is that all the while I was preparing for one experimental design exercise; another one was being created by chance! I could have very easily looked over this though…

 

When you design you want to be aware of everything you are doing. Take time to talk to yourself… I know it sounds crazy but it helps to dialogue with your mind. Ask yourself questions, “What do I Like about this?” What is causing it not to work? … So is there something I can do to help it?” “Why is it working so well?” “How can I make it better?” What if I turn it upside down? What if I fold it?.... The list of questions you can ask is infinite.

 

So back to my accidental pattern… It turned out that it looked like a neat print that could possibly be used on fabric. I quickly put the pattern into Photoshop and added a perspective view to it, which gave me the image you see here… I saved the file and printed a page to place in my sketchbook so that I remember it and I can use it if I decide to take it further. If not for this particular project I am working on, perhaps I can come back to it for another project down the road. Now if I chose too I could continue to develop this print.  I may ask myself. “What other image could I use besides this moth?” What would other colors look like? What if the focus of the print became the negative space between the moths, instead of the moths themselves, and how could I accomplish this?

 

Many times good ideas can be missed. It’s easy to do. So be careful. Remember train yourself to notice everything!

 

Until next time! Bob Martin

Researching for your design project may be a confusing and difficult task for a lot of people. Often times we make it harder than what it is. When researching here is a few tips that I like to do.

·         No mistakes- There is no right or wrong research. I repeat “no right or wrong” as in you can’t make a mistake. When you are this early in your research stage, it is impossible really to gather the “wrong” research. The Editing process and deciding what to keep and disregard will happen later so soak it all in and don’t be afraid to explore!

 

·         Hoard It! - If something catches your eye keep it… take a picture, draw it, or buy it. It caught your attention for a reason. Later you will have time to think about why it did. But for now you must record it! Someway, somehow, collect it all!

 

·         “Do you love it?”- We all have a specific taste or style. When doing your research be honest with yourself and ask “do you love it?” If you answer yes than there is a good chance it will be a good decision.  Use this question when choosing fabrics and finishes, looking at research, or during your experimentation process. If you are unsure about something and your answer is along the lines of “you kind of like it but not sure you love it…” you may want leave it alone. This tip is helpful if you are indecisive.

Side note: being indecisive will not only cost you time but causes a lot of aggravation. In fashion time is of the essence and aggravation will find you enough as it is without you creating it. New designers often struggle with being indecisive.

 

·         Be equipped- sometimes you go after the research and sometimes research finds you. Always carry a camera and a sketchbook with you at all times. You may be inspired or find some really great research when you least expect it. When this happens you will be ready to document it. Which leads me to the next tip

·         Use your 5 senses - Any great designer or artist are often sponges to everything around them. They are constantly on the lookout. When you are completely aware of what’s around you, finding research will become easier and easier. Use all your senses! Sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch

 

I find it almost unbelievable sometimes the amount of inspiration and research that can be found by just spending the afternoon walking around town. If its texture you see... make a pencil rubbing of it, if its fabric you touch… get a sample,  if it’s a building you like …go inside, if it’s a taste you love… describe  it in words, if its music you hear… find out who wrote it and where it’s from. As you become a designer you need to start training yourself to be open to all that is around you. It may be difficult at first, but in time it will become a habit and a new way of life.

You can learn more about design process, as well as drawing, and sewing fashion, in my DVD lessons “How to Fashion Design with Bob Martin”.  Click on the DVD program tab and get yours today!

 

 

 

 

 

If you attend a design university, enter a competition, or are working on a project for a certain client or company, you are often given a “brief” to follow.  The brief is designed to inspire you and outline the objectives and aims of the project. In a brief you may find the following parameters, constraints and conditions.

 

·         Target Market or Customer- usually a brief will tell you who you are designing for. This may be a single person , a group, or a specific market sector. A designer needs to consider, the age, size, gender, culture, lifestyle, income, or even the use of the garment (for instance will they be performing a certain task  or is there safety issues that need to be addressed)

·         Season - A brief usually sets a season to design for and this will determine the type of garments needed.( For example Autumn/Winter  will need to include outerwear) This will also help you determine what fabrics and colors to use in your designs.

·         Costing - Here you will need to consider the cost of the garment and design it in a way that will allow you to stay within budget. This particular constraint is very important in the fashion industry.

·         Material or Fabric- Some briefs  will ask you to use a certain fabric …. for instance a Highstreet store may ask you to design a range of tops all made of only jersey.

·         A Practical Outcome - This is simply what is expected to be produced. This could be a single garment, illustrations alone, or a whole cohesive collection

 

 In my DVD lessons “How to Fashion Design”, I set a project for the students so they can follow along with me…

 

In cases like this you are given something to be inspired by.  For example your professor may take you to a museum and have you choose from 1 of 3 paintings to be inspired from. Often time projects like these are used in design universities, and though the constraints of a project brief maybe both intimidating and frustrating, they can also be of great help.  What these constraints do is force you into a direction. Many new designers are often somewhat dumbfounded with the idea of sketchbook full of empty pages, and deciding where to begin with the design process. They often struggle with being able to “Focus in” on a certain area of inspiration. Having a brief that points you to a certain direction for inspiration helps you out. 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re new to designing, make a project brief up. You can start by choosing something to be inspired by. Use this subject as the focus of your research. You may want to include some guidelines as I spoke about above and see how easy it is to follow…

 

Great examples of this in real life is Aitor Throup redesign of England’s football team’s uniforms or Julien Macdonald’s redesign of British Airways Uniform’s you can bet that the brief of this projects had some very specific guidelines and constraints.

Last time I posted, I talked about how as designers we sometimes start creating or designing way too early.  Don’t get me wrong … I am all for getting a pattern or downloading one from my free patterns page, or one here on BurdaStyle, buying some fabric you love, and just sewing it together. I also encourage projects like randomly taking some embellishments, and or thread, and stitching them on your old Converse Chuck Taylors to give them some “pizzazz “. There is something relaxing and worry free about jumping right into a creative project like these without any preconceived ideas, or expectations…what can result is something amazing or something that is absolutely horrid… one or the other it almost always looks spontaneous and you almost always walk away having learned something new.

 

This “experimentation” type design has its place in the design process, as you will see in future blogs … but it is often at the earlier stages of design rather than the end and final product, which is way to often seen in young designers these days.

 

 To seriously pursue design and to find your own distinct style, one must establish his or her own creative process.

This is the typical sequence for a process such as this. I say typical because there are always exceptions but for the most part these are the phases that designers go through.

A Generic typical Design Process path is as follows

I will explain in detail later but let’s just bullet point them for now.

·         A question - This could be an assignment…. aka brief, a job, a problem, or just a curiosity, or an area of interest of the designer. 

·        Inspiration – the dictionary defines inspiration as “something that moves the intellect or emotions or prompts action or invention for example…. Aitor Throup has his miniature sculptures which prompt him to explore and examine.

·        Research- is the investigation of your inspiration the key word here is “investigate”… like a detective!  Looking for and discovering all that you can about the area of inspiration. Again …more to come in future posts.

·        Experimentation- somewhere along the process your research stage turns into an experimenting stage. I like to call it “dissecting” your research.  For example: if your research has lead you to a certain  photograph,  you may want to paint over it , transfer it to fabric, cut it into pieces and collage it on a fashion figure or even reassemble it in a distorted sequence. At this stage you may be designing by accident or experimenting with no expectations, like I talked about In my previous post.

·        Development- Here is where you use what you have learned from your research and experimentation. In this stage a designer usually chooses from his research what they like, what they learned, or what works well and they refine it. And develop it into a design.

·        Executing- this is the process of making a design. It usually develops further in this stage but often times developing is minimal and deals more with technical aspects such as pattern cutting or “tweeking” a design to perfection. This stage may also include presentation planning, which may include final illustrations, styling, accessories, gallery installation backdrops, or show models.

·        Finished product- Finally this is the result of the whole process and if done well should result in both a well developed and coherent design.

 

The design process is one of the areas I teach in my “How To Fashion Design” DVD lesson. Check it out here!

The Design Process is a “Personal System” that a designer uses to take an idea… or rather a notion, and turn it into a well thought out design.  Have you ever seen a design and wondered “how did they come up with that”?  Many people often believe that great design just happens and that the designer is just “blessed”. 

 People tend to think that everything a good designer touches turns into something amazing.  This is not true for any designer.  There is a good chance that all great designs are created by designers who have developed and refined their own personal design process. They have found the method of developing their inspiration, ideas, and talents towards great design.

One of my personal favorite designers is Aitor Throup.   He is a great designer, to demonstrate a unique design process. His fascination with form, Bodies in Motion, and make believe characters, inspire him. His design process is both unique and effective for him. 

 

“The ‘tops’ (shirts, jackets, coats etc. ) I create are all cut from a pattern/block developed from my own sculptural pattern cutting process.   First, I design a character in a specific pose; then, I create a miniature sculpture of the character, which I then cover in fabric, allowing the darts and seams to be dictated by the structure itself. So, all my shirts, jackets etc. look like generic garments at first, but on closer inspection, their construction lines are all equally distorted and seemingly misplaced.” – Aitor Throup

 

Many designers take fabric and start draping on a  dress form or take a basic pattern block and begin changing and adding to the basic garment shape.  We all have to admit that this a common practice and often produces pieces that we all have see in one form or another. I believe often times what hasn’t been done prior to this draping and patternmaking is the research and design development beforehand, often which has absolutely nothing to do with a Garment or even fashion sometimes.

For instance if you look at Aitor’s work… where is the fashion in imagining characters, making playdoh sculptures,  folding paper people, or simply drawing  the shape and movement of bodies? There is none …at least not in the beginning… only in the end can the fashion be found.  So many times in or own creativity we start at the end and not the beginning…

More to come!!!

Meanwhile check out How to Fashion Design, and Google Aitor Throup, Aitor’s Design Process, it is so innovative and it gives him a distinct and original look to his designs.

Have a look at his work… and projects

www.AitorThroup.com

I am a featured guest blogger for BurdaStyle for the next 2 weeks.  I will be posting video blogs as well as written ones, on the design process.  I also will be demonstrating a collage and talking about how collage influences garments and inspries collections.  Follow along here or on BurdaStyle!