Tag: ethical fashion

22 Aug

Clothes Treasure Paradigm

Amelia Hoskins / Bespoke garments, Ethical Fashion / / 0 Comments

A mixing of fabrics to create a NEW LOOK.

'Guinevere' dress modelled at Cockington Court Crafts show.  [sold].  The name is suggested by the medieval style influence of the sleeves.

Rachel really liked this dress and was a perfect model for me as she was so happy trying it on.  'Guinevere' is a good example of a new way of designing clothes: a dress with contrasting fabric types, all held together by the coordinating of colours.  A 'treasure paradigm'.  

Lace knit - viscose - acrylic wool knit - polyester - wool-cotton.

 

I started with the navy lace as top piece, cutting the V shape, then adding the fabric frills to lower waist-hip position.

The khaki brown fabric frill and narrow beige frill echo the colours in the lower skirt pieces.  Polyester beige and khaki had identical prints, very subtle.

Skirt tartan was soft fine wool texture.  Beige 'V' inset to centre back and centre front to give more flare, as the original material was a small size.

Navy lace was cut from the same fabric as the top, to give a lace hem.

 

Its a bit wild in formulation, being an unusual mix of fabric types, but later sold in a shop.

 

 

The peplum is longer at the back, to give an elegance over the rear and to utilise the pleats which existed in the skirt it was taken from.

The skirt pieces are sewn up under the first beige peplum.

However skirt pieces became available, after cutting away from their original garment, I allow them to hang as they are, 'handkerchief style'.  When insets are needed, to create flare, I add a coordinating hem, in this case lace as the top; which hols the whole structure together.

I prefer craft show sales where I meet the buyer; when it creates a relationship between the maker's effort and the end user.  Its always nice to see the buyer in the garment.

09 Aug

Robes First Designs

Amelia Hoskins / Bespoke garments, Dressing Gown, Robe / / 0 Comments

Original robe designs in cotton, linen, viscose, silk.  Large format rectangular patchworks were originally for quilts.

1. ORIENTAL CRUISE  &  2. LINEN CRUISE  -  Sold

3.  LILAC LOTUS  &  4. JADE GARDEN  -  Available.

I had a large quantity of white linen at the time, which inspired the cream/beige coordinations.

Some patches I painted in silk, designed to coordinate with the existing textile prints used in the robes: pale design seen in upper arm above is an enlarged version of a smaller design shown below it.  Black ornate design on right robe side is silk painted replica of smaller print.

Sash belt in linens

2. LINEN CRUISE - Pleat at back allows for full lower width

2.  LINEN CRUISE:

Cream, beige with colour patches, and black highlight.

Paler colours blend with the neutral cream and beiges, and splashes of black and navy are tasteful contrasts.

Robes all had sash belts in style of house coat usage.

Large patch formats were due to original ideas for quilts, subsequently converted to robes or dressing gowns.

3. LILAC LOTUS one of the original robe creations of 2009!

White and lilac patchwork robe, with very warm brushed cotton lining. White embroidery-Anglais detail.

White linen start, with lilac and taupe as contrast. Taupe silk with cheetah print. Taupe cotton with embroidery. Silk patches with lilac flowers.

Modelled by Sybella, and below by musician Judith at the Green Fair, Barnstaple.

Available  £110.00 direct from maker.  (new purchasing coming soon...)

 

LILAC LOTUS

LILAC LOTUS

4.  JADE GARDEN ROBE. see page (Available)

Very warm thick cotton winter robe, dressing gown or summer coat. Large turn back collar all-one.

Cream, beige and green theme.  Midi length. Long on shorter women; modelled by Coral, Falmouth.

Fabrics:  Ornamental shepherdess cotton furnishing, furnishing floral print, beige linen, green taffeta.

Robe inner lining of brown cotton and cream satin.  Cream satin turn-up sleeve lining.

Jade Garden patchworks - beige, green, white, pastels

Jade Garden Robe with print of shepardess french taapestry.

Garden scene - print of french tapestry shepardess

23 May

Exhibition Totnes Costume Museum

Amelia Hoskins / Coat Dress, Dressing Gown, Robe / / 0 Comments

Shamanic Nights exhibition at the Totnes Costume Museum

Curated theme - 'Innovation and Fashion' - 23rd May‭-‭ 14th June‭ ‬2011

Exhibition Curator Hilary Burns I remembered from 1970s Textiles Degree course. She studied weave; myself silk screen printing. Now a basket weaver, she had also moved to Devon.  It was uncanny how she spotted my work at a craft fair and chose for the exhibition.

Totnes Costume Museum Robe Oriental Cruise and Robe Mandarin

LINEN CRUISE 1.

Robe in white linen and viscose prints shows black underside lapel of white linen collar and front edging (cut two collars contrasting) and two patch pockets.  Front has silk painted panels.  Robe is loose T-shaped structure in patches with no traditional tailored 'armhole'.  A diamond gusset is inserted under arm, under the 'T' join. Patchworks are large and long as originally intended for a bed quilt.

'Oriental Cruise' 

Exhibition featured first Robes made: using white, cream and ecru linens with viscose and cotton printed patchwork rectangles.

Upper left sleeve shows silk painted panel. Design was copied from a small scale print on robe, seen below arm, but with enlarged scale, and keeping same colours.

Robe sold.  A very pleasant scheme which may get revisited.

'Mandarin'  (sold)

Modelled by fashion student, at Cockington Court Crafts Fair

Short cotton Kimono Dress (furnishing weight):  deep no-fit sleeves and stand up 'mandarin' Chinese styled collar, sleeve turn-ups and bound edged side pocket.

Patchwork contrasts of white/black toile design and orange poppies/olive leaves.  Black and white striped lining.  Unusual colour contrasts for me, but used up similar heavyweight cottons

See more early original robes at Robes Summer Coats Originals

'Mandarin' - Making

Named for a Mandarin-style collar made with a strip on a curve (cut x 2 on bias): Piped edge in black; also on pockets.  Patchworks of equal 8 inch x 4 inch.  For attractive 'turn-ups', use contrasting fabric.  Sleeves have faux turn-ups by adding black lace layer below last black patch layer, which turns back to be stitched also 2 inches up inside lining, to reveal black/white striped cotton-satin lining.  The seam formed when stitching to lining,  gives a thicker strong line, which will enable a turn-up to sit at the fold-up nicely.

Dress hem is same black lace as end of sleeves. Adding a bottom hem layer 'frames' the garment together; cut double to stitch down inside, encasing the edges of the upper patchwork.   Dress uses same striped fabric for front facing lining for interest.

 

'Bluebird'  (sold)

Dress was also chosen for the Totnes Museum Exhibition.

Features three fabrics: olive silk, royal blue linen, with 'bluebird' printed cotton.

Independent fabric colours were a perfect match for each other, the green silk blending well next to the printed cotton.

Modelled by keen browser in rainy Exeter crafts market.

 

Patchwork robes can be bespoke made to your measurements with your own fabrics. Send me details of your measurements to adjust dummy. If you have an idea of colours, I can show you photos of coordinates in my collection.  Silk painting additional quote on enquiry.

Making fee for standard kimono styled robe with collar extended down front facing.  Style tweaks can be arranged.

Long large patches:   Short to knee - £160,  Ankle length - £200.00

Small patches 8 inch x 4inch:   Short to knee £220,  Ankle length £260.00

Extra materials cost would be lining, as I do not stock new, although I have some thin white cotton in stock.  Robes need lining.  Summer dresses need not, as patches are over laid zig-zagged.
22 May

Design Philosophy

Amelia Hoskins / About, Design Philosophy, Ethical Fashion / / 0 Comments

Harmonisation with Discarded Fabrics

Design inspiration comes from seeing themes evolve between disparate fabric prints and colours, rescued from charity/thrift shops, to be recreated into a new unique garment artwork.

As an artist and textile designer, I have a keen eye for the illustration and patterns in textile prints. I source those which appeal to me, variously of classical floral illustrative, geometric, and astral.  A combination of all these together with coordinating plain colours makes a good patchwork.

Not all prints are of personal favourite by themselves, but depending on their colours, I will see a way they would contrast or blend within a theme.  A dress full of rose bouquets can be cut up to introduce patch areas highlighting the best flowers.  A smaller patchwork piece/area of fabric can become more special than the full repeated print area.

Cotton lace tops (often cotton/acrylic mix) are another good find, as they can be layered over other colours.  Most synthetic lace fabrics also surprisingly take up plant dye to some extent, which removes any stark whiteness, too brilliant for patches amongst colours.

I usually choose a starting point of a print, or a part of a garment. then make a pile with other colours and prints (5 is usually sufficient to start with).  As you do this, one choice may be removed and replaced with another, as the combined effect literally 'shouts' too dark, too light, etc., depending on the theme in mind. The most subtle patchwork is when the overall effect is of fabrics of a similar tone; i.e. nothing too light, nor too dark, on its own.  I often do include black with a strong colour collection, due to its fashion favouritism, but am more careful with lighter tones and darks mixed, when making patch-worked garments using panels larger than traditional patchwork.

Silk Painting Inspirations

Some garments have my hand painted silk panels.  The print designs in each fabric collection may suggest a new design to be developed further, using their elements to create a silk painted panel, or I may simply copy some elements combined with other images of my own.  Colour mixing dyes to match the existing prints is an essential skill.  My silks, Habotai or Ahimsa, are base dyed with natural plants, in pastels and mostly golds.  In 2024 I'm experimenting with clamp dyeing backgrounds and making dye paints from plants and roots to use instead of commercial chemical dyes.

 

22 May

Hopi Bird Silk Designs Dresses

Amelia Hoskins / Dress, Silk Painting / / 0 Comments

Hopi Bird Silk Designs - Three Dresses

Dresses Available

Dresses with silk painting of stylized Hopi birds

Opaline Rose dress has tier of grey silk painting with Hopi birds and embroidered Native American quotations

Red Hopi dress has two front silk panels with stylized Hopi birds - black/red on white, and red/white on black.  Patchworks uses a red linen skirt and black viscose print in long red dress design.  Vogue pattern used: V1234 by Sandra Betzina.

Grey Hopi pinafore has front silk panel of Hopi Birds with feathers and native American sayings combined with grey cotton panels from a Per Una skirt. Winter thickness. Slim fit: (UK size 8 bust, UK size 10 hips)

All dresses modelled by visiting Spanish teacher guest Marian

Grey Hop Pinafore - Design Motifs

Bird designs are 'curved' exactly as the originals on Hopi pottery, but applied to a two dimensional surface of Habotai silk. Feathers were added around the birds together with a selection of embroidered Native American quotations.

Printing Experiment:  Texture of gold on grey is made using cardboard print block.  Dried corn cob leaves which have fine narrow ridges were glued onto a cereal packet cardboard, varnished (acrylic water based) 3 layers.  The maze leaves fibre formation has quite pronounced ridges, which resulted, when printed, in natural looking printed lines.  I used epaissisant thickener with gutta as a printing paste applied to the cardboard printing block, then pressed on to the silk, and dried before adding the grey dye.  The end result after steaming was mostly a blur, but still provides an interesting painterly background texture, which could be developed with different colour overlays, where overlapping lines would create extra colours.

    Native American Quotations embroidered on silk: 

"Walk lightly in the spring: mother Earth is pregnant" ~ Kiowa

"Plants are our brothers and sisters; they talk to us and if we listen we can hear them" ~ Apache

"After dark all cats are leopards" ~ Zumi

"We will be known forever by the tracks we leave ~ 

Red Hopi Bird silk painting

Dress side panels show red/orange/black on white ground, and red/orange/white on black ground.

The vogue pattern facilitated side extended pieces which hang well in silk. Red linen bodice is made from a skirt.  Polyester red/orange print used for upper and center panel.

I've always been intrigued by Native American culture and found images of abstract bird designs of the Hopi Indians applied to pottery. They reached a height of decorative abstraction, adapting bird designs to fit over any curved pottery surface; a brilliant applied design, in natural pigmented black, terracotta and cream colours.

RED HOPI LINEN DRESS side view. Lower contrast pieces are as the Vogue pattern. Dress is shaped wide at lower hips, then tied to fit hip size. Black sleeves are model's own garment.

RED HOPI LINEN DRESS back view. Beige cotton back piece, with black spotted viscose lower panels.

Hopi Bird silk painted design in russets, orange, pinks with embroidered Native American sayings

Autumn colours pinafore.  - Brown, russet and pinks of silk painted stylized Hopi bird sections.

Coordinating with brown fabrics.  Pattern taken from a dress bought in France. (Sold)

Images copyright Amelia Jane Hoskins Please email for use permission.