Ever had a creative spark for your wardrobe that vanished before you could pin it down? Think of this episode as your personal guide to planning your next collection, just like a high-fashion designer. From mood boards and quick sketches to apps that organize your stash, we’ll cover techniques to capture and store inspiration in a way that keeps it fresh and accessible. We’ll walk you through tools for fashion drawing—whether you’re using croquis or trying out the latest sketching apps—and share tips on organizing your ideas with the precision of a couture studio. Plus, dive into the visual world of fashion illustrators, apps that track sewing plans, and films that offer pure design inspiration. Whether you’re plotting your next project or organizing your entire collection, we’ll help you turn fleeting thoughts into wardrobe staples.
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“One of the fears of a creative person is that some brilliant idea will get lost because you didn’t write it down and put it in a safe place.”
– Twyla Tharpe, The Creative Habit
Getting Started with Fashion Drawing
Exploring Croquis Techniques and Fashion Drawing Resources: For beginners, using pre-made croquis can make designing less daunting. Fashionary sketchbooks and their Pose Box offer simple starter options. MyBodyModel allows custom measurements for personalized croquis, and Brooks Ann Camper’s DIY croquis tutorial explains how to trace from a full-body photo.
Further Reading: “Fashion Drawing: Fashion Drawing (Basics Fashion Design series) – a compact 180-page guide covering fashion drawing essentials, from basics to editorial design.
Handy Apps for Organizing Your Sewing Stash & Project Plans
If you’re like us and always looking for ways to get your sewing life a bit more organized, there are a couple of sewing-specific apps that might just be what you need:
- StashHub: This is a purpose-built sewing organizer app that helps you track your fabrics, patterns, and plans all in one place.
- ThreadLoop: Think of it as a ‘Ravelry for sewing.’ This free web app is all about managing and sharing your sewing stash and projects online.
We haven’t gotten around to logging our stashes yet (anyone else a bit intimidated by their stash size?). But these could be great for tracking future plans or new fabric hauls! If you give them a try, let us know how it goes!
Further Watching
We recently stumbled upon the visually stunning documentary, A Sense of Beauty, which follows the creation of an Oscar de la Renta collection. This film is a feast for the eyes, capturing the design journey of creative directors Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia as they develop prints, explore fabrics, and refine silhouettes.
A standout moment? Watching them digitally overlay flat pattern pieces onto fabric to test placement—an inspiring hack we can’t wait to try!
Check out A Sense of Beauty on YouTube: Watch here.
Fashion Illustrators to Inspire Your Sewing Room
In this episode, we’re diving into fashion illustration! After taking a class at the V&A, Tracy curated a collection of inspiring fashion illustrations to add a touch of elegance to her sewing room. Here are some top illustrators and galleries to explore:
- Fashion Illustration Gallery: A wonderful resource with works from talented illustrators.
- David Downton: Known for his sophisticated style.
- René Gruau: Classic illustrations that embody fashion elegance.
- Jacky Blue: Modern, vibrant designs. Follow on Instagram: @jackyblue__
Check out Bil Donovan, a professor at FIT and Dior Beauty’s artist-in-residence since 2009.
- Bil recently illustrated a beautiful edition of *Pride & Prejudice*, offering an accessible way to own his work. Find the edition here.
- For those looking to deepen their illustration skills, Advanced Fashion Drawing by Bil Donovan is a fantastic resource. This practical guide dives into creating fashion illustrations with personality and flair, offering exercises and demonstrations for establishing a unique illustration style—perfect for anyone wanting to go beyond the basics and bring their work into the commercial fashion world.
What’s Next . . .
Next Episode: Got Bias on the Brain? Give Your Holiday Makes a High-Fashion Twist
Our next episode is all about sewing on the bias—just in time for holiday pieces that call for high-fashion flair. We’ll dive into the art of bias sewing, a technique that brings garments to life with beautiful drape, fluid movement, and that perfect ‘cling’ we see in luxury evening wear. You’ll get insights on choosing fabrics like silk, satin, and lightweight crepes, all ideal for highlighting bias lines and achieving a smooth, elegant finish. Plus, we’ll go over techniques for precision handling—think pinning, staystitching, and pressing—to help you master bias sewing without distorting your fabric. Join us for inspiration and tips to elevate your holiday wardrobe with designs that look and feel timeless!
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