I miss designing.
With all the pressure of writing and promoting
The Chic Girl's Guide and recovering from the craziness of meeting my deadline, I haven't had time to execute any designs this spring. My sketchbook is full, but nothing has actually come of them. I got all nostalgic browsing through my designs from last year and thought--
man, I can't wait to create again.
These were some of my fave Kristina J. designs from last summer because 1) I love the fabrics and silhouttes and 2) they've proved to be as versatile and useful for my wardrobe as I hoped a dress could be. It's one thing to design a cool dress and then there's this whole other level on which a piece actually works and these particular design drafts are definitely going into my "trademark" folder for future use.
What about you? What kind of dress are you craving for summer?
I thought it's be cool to show you the process I go through when putting together these mini collections. Obviously, some dresses get cut from the final sample sheets because the silhouettes aren't cohesive or the colors don't jive when you see the final product in a line-up. Neither the
Port Huron or the
Mackinac made it to the final sample sheet (not that I didn't think they were pretty dresses). So while I always aim to have seven finished products, I only ended up with six for the mid-summer collection. That's just how it goes.
With my line sheet and sample sheet I can quickly see just how cohesive all the pieces are and obviously, with a larger collection I would have combined these six fabrics into multiple pieces.
So, that's it...on to the Autumn/Winter 2012 Collection. A girl's always gotta move on to the next new thing, no?
What kind of dresses do you most look for when shopping for your wardrobe?
Which of these six dresses would you be most likely to buy if you could only buy one?
here are some cute sewing projects and free patterns
So, obviously...this dress represents the slightly more complicated city of Sault Ste. Marie, but I went with The Soo since most people I know don't speak French. I was slightly appalled by the thought that girls might go around calling my new design "The Salt Street Marie" dress and that just wouldn't do at all...maybe, if the collection was inspired by great eateries, but even then...no.
The idea behind this dress was to build something that was feminine, but slightly industrial and corporate feeling. I wanted the blue piping and pleating to imitate the impressive canal systems that cut through Sault Ste. Marie. The boundaries of the bodice and pockets are defined by these lines, much like the water locks define the Soo. Beyond that, I wanted this to be a light-weight cotton dress a girl could feel pretty in...funny name aside.
Mission accomplished.
for cute sewing projects
and free patterns
Any dress inspired by a college town would have to include that same unique essence of all things cultural and casual. The Ann Arbor is a strolling dress...constructed of silky jersey knit that is whimsical with a silhouette that is functional, perfect for relaxing at the sidewalk cafe. The ink-line bows of the print are edgy enough to keep a girl from feeling too sugary-sweet, but with a name like Ann Arbor, it's probably meant to be a sweet summery dress anyway, no?
for cute sewing projects
The Traverse City dress is a rich blend of adventure and relaxation--bold graphics, soft design...the sort of dress you can wear to really dig your toes into summer (you know, occasionally, I do like to dress for the weather). HA. Constructed from silky jersey knit, it's both refined and comfortable, and the movement...ah, the movement. I love building clothes that move. A well-cut maxi dress that hangs just so, but flows freely in the breeze seems the most luxurious quality of a summer dress, but hey, what do I know?
Have a most happy Independence Day, mah dears!
Kristina J. Copyright 2014
