After a much needed rest during the winter when I go to meet my father-in-law, his wife and the snow in Colorado, here I am back to work, eager to learn. I know it’s already late in the semester, but hey, at least I’ve got some awesome things to show for already.
I am now taking Fashion Draping, Pattern Making (again, and thank God, again…), Italian and Ballet.
Fashion Draping is dragging. It’s a 6+ hour class and I tell you it’s not exactly easy.
Here are just a couple images of what I’ve done correctly:
Front Bodice Drape 2-dart
Back Bodice Drape.
Pattern Making class – we’ve done way far more than what had been done by this point in last semester class. (I like this version of a professor much better.) We’ve gone through one-dart series, two-dart series, balancing blocks, shirt collars, button/buttonhole extension, different necklines, asymmetrical darts, peter pan collars, capes, and most recently, sleeve, besides the fact that this whole time we’ve been already working on out final project. My sketch for the final project is almost all complete. The professor said that we might want to change somethings as we learn more and more and geeeee, she is right.
The most amazing thing is how perfect she is for me. Also a costume designer, I am thrilled to have her teach me the basics. Next week we’ll have a little talk about my future as I’m about to transfer soon. 
Could not ask for more. Everyday I feel more and more grateful.
Two-Dart Series muslin sample.
Asymmetrical darts.
Asymmetrical darts.
Sailor Collar notes and muslin sample.
Sailor Collar notes and muslin sample.
Ballet is turning out to be a very interesting personal journey.
I decided to take ballet because I came across a situation where I would have to work with fabric that has some stretch to it, did some research and… you know the internet… one article here, one video there and somehow, after a couple hours in front of the computer I saw myself watching ballet videos on youtube. And… as a consequence to that, my mind went off into the world of creativity, expression, how to show my feelings, “I want to create a performance, but I don’t know how to dance…”, “How can I make clothes that will represent what I want and allow room for lots of movements…” and on and on and on…. And that’s just my brain when I’m almost asleep.
SO…. going back to the ballet, I signed up. I’m stiff as hell, but I have to tell you, when I walked into that room and that woman with those funny looking clothes and braided hair started to tell to feel the floor, to feel our bodies, to feel each bone and each muscle stretching up to the sky…. Oh… I was in love. Ballet has brought me such joy. It is painful at times, but to be able to sit up straight and stretch my body after hours hunched over a sewing table is absolutely priceless. Of course it helps much to have an instructor that shares a vision very similar to mine. Ballet has become my meditative moment. After that hot shower, before I go to bed, a couple plies and some port de corps, cambre and grand battement are just freaking great.
Now, as for the Italian class… I’m in love, I’m happy with it and I can’t wait to go to Italy to practice it because no one around me knows how to speak Italian. Dang! And my nonno hasn’t been with us for almost 20 years now.
Soon I will post some images of the latest opera production I worked on with LAM Opera.
Much love to all.
