Because I often find the stories behind the clothes more interesting than the final looks, I thought we could look at my progress so far and get the backstory on what I’ve made. When I started this project of building a collection for a faculty fashion show, I had no idea where I’d end up. I’m not even sure I know where I am now. But what I have discovered is that creativity is never a set route, and the outcome can be a wild surprise nobody expected. The clothes shown below all need tweaking, finishing, steaming, and fitting. That is my job later, when the models are sorted. Everything still needs buttons sewn on, but it’s crunch time, so sewing on buttons can wait until after the fittings. I’ll have a full week to do that stuff. Something tells me I’ll need it.

High/Low Dress and Lined Jacket

The fabric for this dress is an ’80s glam textile I have had for years and, despite the Lurex in the weave, it was surprisingly easy to sew and press. The hem was initially a challenge, but facing both edges and then creating thread chains to bring them together at the seams worked wonders. The thread chains enable the hems to work independently of each other but still stay in place.

I had just enough corduroy to finish the jacket. It is lined with a vintage printed silk a friend gave me. Overall, I’m content with the shape and silhouette of the look.

Upholstery Coat and Dress

This coat is vintage upholstery fabric. It too contains a Lurex filament and was easy to sew and press. Who knew metallic fabric would be the least of my problems this go-round?

The dress is also…