Work Placement - Primark

After speaking with my tutor, I have decided to also use

my part time job outside of college as my work placement

as there seems to be a lack of work using just

the fashion show event planning.

For this, I will look back over my weeks of working at

Primark and keep a weekly diary of the work I do

during my shifts. I will also produce evidence of the company,

the work I am involved in and my position and contribution to the company.

Week 1

·        Had introductory day - at federation brewery - 9-5 - got paid - talked about company, worked in groups learning about each other’s interests, what the perfect employee looks like - clothing etc.

·        Got trained on how to use the clock in machine - done by hand

·        Talked through staff handbook

·        Got given contract – 8 hours over the weekend – 4 hours per day

·        Told where and when to arrive to start job

·        Made new friends - enjoyed the day

·        Nervous to start!

Week 2

·        Trained on how to use the tills - found it really difficult - had to go through manual by self to learn how to use it - difficult to remember everything

·        Managers and people really nice

·        Worked with managers to put stock out - sweets around the till banks

·        Got tour of the building

·        Got introduction on fitting rooms - how to work on them - procedures

·        How to use telephones etc.

·        Worked with supervisor on the underwear department to create a display unit – helped choose the underwear to be displayed and was asked to choose accessories to match it with – really enjoyed doing it! – got to use fashion side as part of it

Week 3

·        Started job properly! - store opened

·        Was put straight onto a till - serving customers - impressed with how well I managed to remember how to use the tills after a few weeks

·        Helping others to bag pack behind the tills when there was a lack of customers

·        Helped on department 8 – womenswear – had to work with colleague to tidy the vest rails – put in right size order, make sure it looks neat and tidy, all hangers facing the right way, pick up the stock lying on the floor – very time consuming

·        Agreed to do overtime until Christmas – only on Saturdays – working an extra hour until 8pm.

People Into Enterprise..

As part of my college course, we have been introduced to

Jane Shaw from People into Enterprise,

where we have carried out sessions with her regarding

creating a business for our work placement module.

During one of the sessions, we were split into groups after discussing what

sort of business we would like to create.

As part of my group, we decided upon creating a pop up shop in

Newcastle town centre, where we would create and sell our own garments.

After deciding upon this we created a list of things neccessary to carry it out.

• Event on Facebook (free advertising)
• Business proposal on Facebook
• Promote within college - help - connections
• Get local businesses involved
• Show other students work from college
• Hand leaflets out - get graphics students to make
• Contact Newcastle Council
• Photos - photograhy students
• Create a lookbook
• Live window
• Till, venue, float, shop fittings, bags etc
• Invite teachers from universities
• Polls - find target market
• Budget
• Create a blog
• Hold during Newcastle Fashion Week for publicity

During another session with Jane, we were asked to

work as part of a team and create a drawing of what an enterprising

person should be.

This is what my team came up with:

Just another productive day!

Overall, I have found the sessions with Jane really interesting

as it has allowed me to assess my own enterprising skills, and

gave great knowledge on what it takes and skills neccessary to create such an

event/business in the industry.

Heres to hoping the pop up shop will soon be up and running!

Dress Making Continued..

After having spent 5 weeks on the Little Black Dress Manufacture project,

I have almost completed the dress, with only the hem left to do!

Over the past week I had added binding onto the neckline and cuffs of the

lace top, ironing the binding in half, placing the lace between the layers and sewing

with a top stitch, to give a neat end result and see what effect I would achieve.

I encountered some difficulties when sewing the skirt onto the corset,

which resulted in many moments of using the unpicker..

When pinning, I matched the seams up perfectly, yet still

managed to create small tucks, lining that hadn't been sewn down

and seams that didn't line up.

After resolving the problems, I placed the garment onto a tailors dummy

and was really impressed with what I had managed to create.

I decided to add a small stitch into either side of the middle of the neckline

to create a more squared effect so that the neck piece would glide over successfully.

After adding the zip into the dress along with the rest, I pinned and sewed 

the beads onto the lace top, trying to create the shape of the flowers, but

not quite convinced that it looks effective.

Now only a hem left to sew!

Binding

Sewing skirt and corset

                                                                     Pinning for beads

Dress front

Dress back



Work Placement Theme

As my work placement, I have joined forces with a member from an event company,

and will help to create my year's final fashion show!

We have already viewed last years fashion show, discussed the key factors, what could have been

improved/what worked well, began talking about the location where we will

view a room in Blandford Square, near college and have decided on

a 'white' theme, where everything in the venue will be white and hopefully

even the guests clothes!

After the session, we luckily stepped into a construction site which will be turned

into a nightclub/restaurant by the end of the month and have been offered to

have an afterparty/actual event at the place for free!

After researching into the white theme, I gained many ideas for the venue

such as, having pillars/walls covered in white origami pieces,

white birdcages with candles in, white chandeliers, white roses, bright white

spotlights, a 'white' red carpet, white rose petals on the catwalk,

white seating, white goodie bags, hanging vases with flowers in and white origami invites.

After gaining many ideas, I am extremely excited to start organising the event!

I gained some ideas from Chanels Spring 2009 Couture show

which you can view below:

AD202, CAAD Work

After having already done 3 weeks of CAAD work, I 
am pleased with how quick I have managed to pick up the skills again.
For this project, I am asked to create 8 A4 spec sheets of designs,
and in the past week, we have started the first sheet!
To begin, I drew around the outline of half of the dress with the pen tool
and reflected half. I learnt how to profile lines, turning the
gathered lines into triangles to fade them off so they become less harsh,
I drew the rest of the details onto the dress and after what seemed like hours
of attempting to draw in the zip, I found a brush tool which creates the same effect.
I also learnt how to do hem lines, using the brush stroke and adding dashes in it,
using double lines for hems.
I find the lessons really successful and quickly getting to grips with illustrator again!

AD208 Dress Making

After just 2 days of having started making my final dress

I have managed to amaze myself at how quick it seems to be coming on, with

only a few things left to sew together!

I began the sewing process by heat pressing interlining

on the corset panels, sewing them together and adding boning which proved

to be quite difficult, as it was tricky to get them in the right place and make them stay there.

Next, I sewed and overlocked the skirt panels and gathered side parts, adding a top stitch

the hold the lining and cotton together securely whilst gathering. I had some

difficult when sewing the neck panels as it kept twisting when trying to turn it out,

so even as frustrating as it is, I unpicked, unravelled and re-sewed again.

I managed to sew the darts in the lace top which was a challenge in itself

as lace is not clear to see tailors chalk at all, and after much practice on scrap material,

I sewed the panels together on an industry machine which sews and overlocks

the panels at the same time.

When gathering the side panels, I had to use a normal sewing machine,

pushing gathers through with a pair of scissors as the gathering machine decided not to work.

To make sure they were the right length, I pinned on the skirt where the ends should go

and made sure the panels met at the pins.

After a lucky lunch break, I realised I hadn't sewn the neck panels onto the corset

as I was just about to sew the lining onto the cotton, so I pinned and sewed,

placed the corset top on the stand, and am very pleased with the outcome!

Adding boning to the corset lining

Joined skirt panels

Gathering, hanging side panels

Darted lace top

Corset top with neckpiece

Sewing lining onto corset

Final Dress Toile!

After having discussions with tutors, I began altering certain pattern pieces after placing the toile

on a stand and seeing what could be improved.

I decided to take the corset darts in a bit at the top as it had too much fullness,

add more ease to the sleeve, taper the skirt in at the bottom to look more like a pencil skirt,

take 1cm off the back skirt panel, as it was too long and didn't match up

to the front when sewn and make the lace top middle part into a square

so the neck piece can go over the lace easily.

Before beginning the final dress, I decided to cut the new corset bodice pieces

out in calico fabric, re-sewed them and placed it on the stand to see if

it was more successful.

After doing this, i arrived at my final pattern pieces, ready to create my final dress!

Beginning of toile making

Corset alteration

Lace top alteration

New corset piece

Final Toile Front & Back