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In the next four classes, I'm going to add a zipper to the side of my top, add lace to the bottom, and add some final touches if I want. On the first day, I'll probably going to have to cut up the side to sew the zip in. I don't think this will take long, and hopefully I'll finish it in one class. The next day, I'll plan out where I want to place the lace, preferably at the bottom of the top, and then I'll sew it on. This leaves around 1-2 free class periods, and I'll use this time either to study or add some extra details. I don't think I'll need extra time at all.

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Today I had to redo my bottom half of the top. I did start it on the day that Ms. Aura was absent, but I made a lot of mistakes regarding string color and overall technique. This resulted in me having to cut all the threads, re-sew them together on the side, and then hand-stitch the base stitch to create the ruffles. However, after stitching the front, I realized that if I did the same for the back it'd be too smal to fit in at all, so I had to improvise and cut some elastic to sew on next class.

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Today I sewed the middle part of my bow-top on the front side of my piece. Then, I sewed the front and back together so that I could finally assemble the top half and bottom half. Skills that came more easily were stitching the two sides together, as I was only stitching a line down the side.

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On a scale of 1-10, I think I'm at a 6 or 7 for my progress/completion of the project. I believe that the straps could've used a higher level of attention to detail, since if I had paid attention at the beginning, I wouldn't have had to waste time adjusting them, and changing my idea to improvise.

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I wanted to make adjustable shoulder straps, but eventually just stuck to normal ones since I could measure my own shoulders. Though the idea of adjustable straps are cool, there were a lot of problems in the process, especially with the straps being too big to fit into the plastic pieces, and I would need to re-do everything. However, if I just measured my shoulders, I could just cut one of my premade straps and make another one, and that's what I did. Although I would still like adjustable straps, it would take a lot more time and they just weren't necessary, so I dropped the idea in general.

(Sorry I didn't take photos for these days since I always went into overtime with my working and didn't think to take photos).

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The photo isn't that nice, I apologize for that.

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I learnt how to create ruffles for this project. Both the top and the bottom of my piece needed a basting stitch in order for the string to be pulled and creating the effect of ruffles. In the beginning, I tried to search online for how to do it with the sewing machine. However, it didn't work out, and it'd just be very difficult to pull, or not be able to pull at all. Fortunately, Molly and I inquired to Ms. Aura it, and we could've just done it by hand since we'd learned how to do it during the embroidery unit. At the end, it worked out and we could do it successfully.

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The first piece that I began working on was the strap. Since I wanted a strap that had clean sides and edges without the cutting ridges sticking out, I had to go through a process of ironing it down, folding it again, pinning it, re-ironing it, and then sewing it to get a nice strap. Additionally, I initially wanted to make an adjustable shoulder strap, so it took me some time to make adjustments; however, I realized later on that I was just wasting my time, and I could just measure my shoulder since it was a customized piece either way. I also chose to start with the strap since I can't assemble the bottom without the top being fully assembled, and the top couldn't be sewn together without the strap sewn inside first.

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I didn't find any challenges with cutting out my pattern, since my design was fairly easy. Initially, I was going to cut it out piece by piece, but Ms. Aura gave me a tip and reminded me I could just fold the fabric over, and pin it down, so for pieces where I need 2x of it, I could just do that. For the size adjustment, I wasn't exactly sure whether I was a size S or an XS, but I cut it for an S at the end of the day since I'd rather the top be loose than too tight. Also I cut out a 1cm cap for the seam allowance, and trimmed the bottom of the top since it was a bit too long for my liking.

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I decided to use a black satin-like fabric since I don't have any tops with this material yet. I like how it looks; it was already there in the box to choose from, and it's in a color I don't usually wear. I've learnt how to align the pattern paper, choose my sizes, cut slightly larger than the actual size I want, and also what the extra notations (like dots and lines) mean. I haven't made any adjustments yet, but I plan on changing the straps to a different/more functional type and also cutting down the length of the top (bottom part).

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I plan to personalize my pajama pants by adding numbers on them, specifically my birth date. I've been seeing a lot of sweatpants with two numbers stuck on the side where the pockets normally are to add detail to the piece, and I wanted to do that, but make it my own. The skills I'll need to use to add these embellishments are measuring and cutting proportional numbers with the right amount of extra space for the fold, ironing (to flatten for sewing), and lastly, sewing itself.

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I'm sorry there aren't much photos, I forgot to make my reflections/take photos for a few days and I apologize for that.

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I'm sorry there aren't much photos, I forgot to make my reflections/take photos for a few days and I apologize for that.

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Today in class, I sewed the top of the pants by measuring the elastic band, cutting it, and then sewing it together, leaving me with properly fitted pants. After this, I just need to sew the hem on the bottom of my sweatpants/pajama pants. I learnt & tried a lot of new skills and steps today. Firstly, I got to practice sewing a straight line. It was a bit difficult since the pants folded/curved at random spots, but I still pulled through. A new skill I learnt was making the top of the pants, since I never knew how it worked, but I learned how to use the mini-tongs, measure elastic, sand ew it all together, and get a nice, finished product.

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If I were to give myself feedback on my craftsmanship today, it would tell me to follow instructions more properly. I was pinning my pants so I could sew the upper part where the elastic goes in, but I didn't pin any of it all the way, and so I have to re-pin it. I think I work pretty quickly and efficiently, but sometimes I finish tasks quickly without following the instructions properly, relying instead on my memory.

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The step of my pajama pant construction that required the most focus was definitely sewing the inseam of the pants. I ensured quality craftsmanship by keeping a close eye on the distance between the side of my fabric and the presser-foot, making sure it was the same distance throughout.

Today's work helped me better understand the connection between design planning and the outcome, as everything started to fall together very nicely. I went from a full piece of fabric to two sewn pant legs in one class. You need to trust the process, and when you do, the outcome will be exactly how you imagined it to me. It's meticulous and overall precise.

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October 3rd (Make-up for October 1st absence)

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October 3rd (Make-up for October 1st absence)

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Today's machine set-up felt easier since it was already looped/set-up beforehand. It's still challenging to control the machine and get it to stay straight because materials can bend/move.

I accidentally ripped a mini-hole in the paper while I was sewing, since something got tangled/stuck. I solved the problem by just ignoring it and patching it up slightly by stitching backwards (so it would strengthen the stitching there).

I think if they were either pin-straight or very symmetrical, it would look professional. Also if it looked like it took time and effort to be perfected, almost machine-like.

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The embroidery technique I felt most confident using was the back-stitch, while the most challenging was the French knot. Back-stitching was one of the first stitches I was taught, as it is a basic and reliable technique that is easy to execute. French knots, on the other hand, were very time-consuming. I needed to remember which side I was wrapping the string around, how many wraps, and I had to be extra careful when handling the needle, as I had been pricked a bit too many times. On top of that, my strings knotted randomly and would twist with each other, giving me a very difficult time.

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A person who keeps traditional techniques alive in my community is, without a doubt, my grandmother. We live together, and our household itself feels like a small, close-knit community where traditions are passed down through everyday life. She works side by side with my mom, handling much of the housework with care and dedication. However, one thing she always does alone is cook. In the kitchen, she brings our traditions to life, using methods and recipes that have been in our family for generations. Every meal she prepares, from the way she selects ingredients to how she seasons and presents the dishes, reflects the traditions of our culture. Through her cooking, she preserves not just flavors, but also the stories, values, and memories that connect us to our roots.

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I intend to select my technique in a way that brings my embroidery to life. In my design, there are little details, specific colors, or just embroidery stitches that symbolize very specific things regarding my message and my subject. For example, I used the dragon scales (feather stitching) to demonstrate Vietnamese food as one of the many cuisines that can be spun off/eaten with rice. Also, something else I did was the use of hot pink for my rice, because not only did I want it to stand out, but it's my grandma's rice, and her favorite color is pink, so it made sense to me.

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Through this project, I learned not to rush my embroidery by making various mistakes and taking the time to learn from each one. For example, I accidentally poked myself multiple times (I bled 3 times), and I often had to restart or undo parts of my work when the threads got tangled. There were many small errors along the way, but each one taught me something important about focus and patience. Over time, I realized that quality was more important than speed. From this experience, I learned to slow down, stay calm even when things go wrong, and handle every stitch carefully and intentionally.

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1. What was the most challenging part of threading the sewing machine?

The most challenging part of threading the sewing machine for me was completing step 4. You had to hook something on the inside, and I just couldn't get it through. However, it just ended up being because it wasn't lifted enough to hook inside.

2. When steering along a straight or curved line, what strategies helped you stay on track?

I just stared at it intently. I liked to sew right next to the line so I'd get a clear view of it. Also, I kept my hand very steady, and I never lost focus, and if I did, I'd just shut it off.

3. What is one personal goal you have for yourself when using the sewing machine in future projects?

I hope I can do it at a medium pace and still make intricate designs with unique shapes.

4. What is something that you want to remind yourself of next time you're using the sewing machine?

I'd try to remind myself to identify a pattern. My brain kind of works like a machine, so I based my timings on memory and patterns I'd observe instead of eyeballing everything.

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My goal was to make a going-out top that I knew I could wear often, so I went on an extensive internet search trying to find a sewing pattern for a babydoll top. Eventually, I found a pdf link in a YouTube vide,o and I downloaded and printed it. There's a full sheet that I printed out along with my sewing pattern that helps me measure my size, but generally for these types of tops I switch between XS and S.

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Through this project, I learned not to rush my embroidery by making various mistakes and taking the time to learn from each one. For example, I accidentally poked myself multiple times (I bled 3 times), and I often had to restart or undo parts of my work when the threads got tangled. There were many small errors along the way, but each one taught me something important about focus and patience. Over time, I realized that quality was more important than speed. From this experience, I learned to slow down, stay calm even when things go wrong, and handle every stitch carefully and intentionally.

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I intend to select my technique in a way that brings my embroidery to life. In my design, there are little details, specific colors, or just embroidery stitches that symbolize very specific things regarding my message and my subject. For example, i used the dragon scales (feather stitching) to demonstrate Vietnamese food as one of the many cuisines that can be spun off/eaten with rice. Also, something else I did was the use of hot pink for my rice, because not only did I want it to stand out, but it's my grandma's rice, and her favorite color is pink, so it made sense to me.

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I intend to use many different colors, preferably vibrant colors that contrast with the blue of the cyanotype. For techniques, I chose a variety that I felt could express the message I was going for. For example, I'm planning to make the rice bright pink and pop out, just to highlight it as the main subject. Then, coming out of the rice cooker is steam, but it represents the diversity of rice and the many dishes my grandma can cook up using that one food. This helps me tell a story of dedication, tradition, and creativity in the kitchen.

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I intend to use many different colors, preferably vibrant colors that contrast with the blue of the cyanotype. For techniques, I chose a variety that I felt could express the message I was going for. For example, I'm planning to make the rice bright pink and pop out, just to highlight it as the main subject. Then, coming out of the rice cooker is steam, but it represents the diversity of rice and the many dishes my grandma can cook up using that one food. This helps me tell a story of dedication, tradition, and creativity in the kitchen.

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The biggest challenge for me when printing cyanotype was firstly choosing the right amount of shadows/highlights in the original photo, and controlling how big each area is on my print (as in how big each time-marking is, like the intensity). To finalize my cyanotype, I might need to reprint my photo using pure black ink and check my test print to see how much time I want to plug in.

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A person who keeps traditional techniques alive in my community is, without a doubt, my grandmother. We live together, and our household itself feels like a small, close-knit community where traditions are passed down through everyday life. She works side by side with my mom, handling much of the housework with care and dedication. However, one thing she always does alone is cook. In the kitchen, she brings our traditions to life, using methods and recipes that have been in our family for generations. Every meal she prepares, from the way she selects ingredients to how she seasons and presents the dishes, reflects the traditions of our culture. Through her cooking, she preserves not just flavors, but also the stories, values, and memories that connect us to our roots.

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So far, my blanket stitch is coming along all right. I didn't actually mark anything down, and I was trying to eyeball all my proportions, so it ended up being quite wonky. Additionally, for some reason, I chose a spot on the tote that had a bump on it, which altered my stitching even more, which I will not be doing again. Aside from that, I'm not sure where I could incorporate this stitch yet, as I don't see where it would fit in with my current birds. However, maybe I could use it for details in the backgrounds, such as a sun, to make it look more well-crafted.

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At the moment, I would probably give myself either a developing or a meeting. This is because I have not yet reached the point where I've met all the stitching standards (including all the different types of stitches). However, I do think that my effort and craftsmanship could still get me close to a meeting, as I've been extra careful with my embroidery. I would tell myself to watch out for the strings folding and getting stuck because that did happen once, and I ended up taking out a lot of my time to fix it.

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Today, we began sketching and embroidering our tote bag. I started and finished my sketching of 3 cranes and embroidered their legs. It wasn't that difficult, but it was quite time-consuming trying to get their legs almost completely straight. Next class, I will try to get the big parts of the feather done, sticking to one string color at a time to maximize my productivity.

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In today's class, we finished off our cross stitch from the other day and learnt how to do a whip stitch. While I still struggle with trying to keep everything nice and even while still being able to keep up with everyone, I did improve from last time in terms of knowing when I needed to slow down. At times, whenever I pulled the string through and saw that it was a bit too uneven, I'd simply re-do it and slow my pace down a bit, simply to get myself back on track. Next time, I think a more vivid guideline would help me stitch better, so I'll make sure to start stronger. I'm excited to learn about all the additional stitches we have to learn and add to our totes.

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I would like to make a top that I could wear, preferably something off-shoulder, a tank top, or a peplum top. The links for the tops I'd potentially like to pick from are: https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/the-coral-bell-slip-dress-free-sewing-pattern/

https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/ortigia-peplum-blouse-free-sewing-pattern/

https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/marbella-foldover-top-free-sewing-pattern/

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The Coral Bell Slip Dress - Free Sewing Pattern

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It’s 2022 and we are slipping into something jaw-dropping, especially since Valentine’s Day is around the corner! Check out Mood’s newest pattern: the Coral

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On our very first day of embroidery, we learned the basics, which include the running stitch, baste stitch, back stitch, and the (in-progress) cross stitch. As someone who doesn't handle strings or needles often, it was a bit more difficult for me to make quality stitches, since my strength lies more in the speed at which I embroider. However, I overcame this by slowing down at times when I see that I've made a mistake, or did something too hastily, so that it has become messy looking, and generally just being more careful with my process.

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August 15th - Future Fashion Trend Predictions (with Molly)

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August 15th - Future Fashion Trend Predictions (with Molly)

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Today, Molly and I presented the prediction that we had been working on together since the last class. We thought that some fashion trends within the Regency Era would make a comeback, specifically in Japan, due to its appeal to the fashion niches there. During our process, while we initially struggled with picking out the exact trends we thought would make a return, we finally were successful, choosing the empire waistline, poofy sleeves, and elegant embroideries as our focus through thoroughly analyzing past and current trend patterns.

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Kumo

First, the fabric was folded over and back multiple times, similar to the kiko shiburi. However, after that's done, I pinched it and pulled it up like the miru, then used small rubber bands to tie it tightly and create the negative space.

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Nui Shibori Dyeing

The process for prepping for Nui Shibori Dyeing is taking a piece of fabric, an embroidery string, making a running stitch, and lastly tying the two loose ends together to create folds. I placed this in the dye back for 6 minutes. I attempted to do a gradient on this one, with a 1 minute interval between each color. However, it isn't noticable at all.

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Kanoko Shibori

The prepping involved small beads and a lot of rubber bands. First, I used fabric chalk to mark where I wanted each bead to be. Next, a bead is placed where a dot is marked. After that, I hold the bead from behind, and while the fabric is wrapped over the bead, I secure it with rubber bands. After dying, it creates many little circular patterns throughout. I dyed this one and was in the process of drying it, but I lost it.

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Miura

First, I had to pinch the fabric to create a peak where I could create a knot. After a knot is tied, I wrapped the embroidery string along the piece of fabric until the desired length (where I wanted to stop). Lastly, a second/last knot is made at the bottom to keep it together. I placed this in the dye bath for 8 minutes. In my opinion, it looks like a spiderweb, or a complex wheel of some sort.

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Kikko Shibori

This piece was prepped by first folding the fabric into multiple sections (as if it were a brochure), then a corner is folded to the sides and you keep folding them over and over again until you form a stacked triangle. Next, 2 triangular pieces of wood sandwich the piece of fabric, then a clamp (or rubber bands) is used to secure it in place and put pressure down on the fabric. I made a mistake in the dying process, however, as I forgot to soak the fabric before putting it in the dye back, making the colors slightly faded and uneven. This was in the dye bath for 5 minutes.

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Itajime

The process for prepping itajime is slightly similar to the kiko shiburi. It begins with the same type of folds (folding over, then under, like a brochure). After this, instead of the triangular diagonal folds, I folded it similarly to how the initial folds were made to create even rectangles/squares. It is then sandwiched between two rectangular wooden slabs and secured with clamps, clips, and/or rubber bands.

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Arashi

I prepped a cloth by first wrapping it around a tube, then using the string to wrap it around it. Not only does this hold it in place, but it also creates the negative space/white spots on the dye itself. This dye technique reminded me of tiger stripes, and I think it looks very unique since most of the other techniques involved creating more circular patterns. This was in the dye bath for 6 minutes.

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This was the first wax resist piece I did. I think this one had a lot cleaner and finer lines than my koi fish one; however, I think the other one has a lot more life and is more abstract. The process is the exact same, except that this one, I had less wax in the tubes since drawing with hot wax was very scary. This was dyed for around 4 minutes.

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I started by sketching a koi fish on my fabric. The actual wax process has a lot of errors for me, with a lot of the wax spreading too much, spilling, or even accidentally covering parts I wanted to leave blank (like the marks on koi fish). I believe this happened because I wasn't using the newspaper/scrap paper to my advantage by testing how much wax dripped out at a time. The dying took around 6 minutes.

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The theme that I had chosen for this tapestry was: Personal Identity; Design a piece that reflects your personal identity, or journey. I came up with the idea for this while I was in class, since I was reminded that the first part of my name, Quynh, is purposefully named after the Vietnamese name of the Night-blooming Cereus. I wanted to add a hand reaching out to it as if it were me finding the connection and acceptance for who I am, beginning with my weird name that people have been mispronouncing for years. I didn't have any inspiration for my work; all the ideas just came rushing to me. However, I do have reference photos that I had to use to base my sketch, and I'm also planning to add little tattoo details on the hand (things like roman numerals, but it's actually my birthday) just for the sake of having easter eggs and creating depth.

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In this class, I finished drawing the final sketch on the actual piece of fabric. I color coded each shade of indigo, white is no dye, yellow is 1 layer, green is 2, pink is 3, and blue is 4. I had to take a piece of wet cloth after to lighten the chalk a bit so the colors wouldn't mix with the indigo dye.

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I feel confident enough with my kanoko shibori that I could teach it to someone else. I've only made this type of pattern twice but I find it to be very simple, and I'm able to complete it under a short amount of time efficiently. Additionally, the process itself isn't hard to teach, and I find it to be quite fun.

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I am actively assessing my own work by looking for any mistakes and looking out for it next time. For example, the hand was the first part that I did, and a lot of the waxing I did was quite patchy. This led to color bleeding through. To fix it for next time, I made sure there weren't any empty spaces, and I made sure the wax was thicker and laid out more evenly. I also try to judge it by the aesthetics, and how much it matches up with my original vision.

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The concept of this piece was to show parts of my personal identity in it. I think one of the main aspects that I'd like to highlight is the fact that although on the surface it looks a bit overstimulating, it's also how I work and operate as a person, and this is how I feel expressed (keen eye for detail/perfection, and yet there is still chaos). The hand reaching out to the flower symbolizes a journey I've had from birth to the present, accepting and being able to love the name my mother had given me, as my actual Vietnamese name had always been something I was insecure about due to the many mispronunciations of it (to the point that I changed it to just 'Q.A'). The details in the background all signify something in my life or to do with my personal identity. The 'tiger stripes' represent my birth year, the web-like design shows my phobia of spiders, while the 24 dots of kanoko shibori is a numeral representation of my birthdate (24th of August). All and all, these details in combination create a piece that fully visualizes who I am as a person, and how I perceive the things that make me who I am.

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The plan for my project is to create a foldover corset top with a satin top and an embroidered bottom. For this top, I'll need a main layer (embroidery and sation), and a lining layer (thick layer on the inside for structure). I've purchased the satin fabric, now I need to get a zipper, embroidery string, and linen for the main fabric layer. The proposed total/budget is 320,000.

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Something interesting from the episode was that the woman being interviewed, a TV show stylist who's worked on shows like Sex and the City, Devil Wears Prada 2, and more, said that the best way to learn to style and get inspiration is through observation. She said she gets a lot of her ideas just from the streets of New York, and I think it's cool how professional designers take inspiration from regular people to create their outfits. A question I have is whether the place in which she worked (not in New York) could have made a drastic difference to her stylistic choices? A connection I made is that I, too, take a lot of inspiration from the way I want to display myself from others, mostly people who I observe in real life.

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This is the sequin floral mini dress I was referencing to.

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My design connects to Alberta Ferretti’s sequin floral mini dress through the use of her sequined floral patterns and a focus on intentional placements to create a seamless look. What stood out to me about her work is how she makes something simple, like a mini dress, feel luxurious and detailed through careful sequin placement. She pushes her materials by using sequins not just for shine, but to form soft, flowing floral shapes that add depth and movement. Her work will influence my project by encouraging me to use embellishments more intentionally to create something personal and visually aesthetic while still keeping the overall design balanced.

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My goal was to get started on my project with the fabric I already had (satin). I successfully cut out the 2 top pieces I needed and sewed them together. However, this did not exceed what I had set out to accomplish, since I realized the fabric was quite see-through and flimsy, so I trimmed the inner seam allowance and cut a piece of interfacing to add structure. I ensured quality craftsmanship by overlining the shape of the actual top piece, so I knew where to sew and didn't free-hand everything and end up having it be too big/small.

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My experience was very fun and insightful. I encountered a lot of different shopkeepers (who were all very friendly) and a lot of items that I wouldn't have thought I would find in markets. This included random things like gibblits, stalls full of sparkly fabric, embroidery hoops...etc. It surprised me how vacant the market was. Aside from the shopkeepers themselves, there weren't many customers in the area. As I purchased my fabrics, I realized how much more expensive these large rolls of fabric were compared to Shoppee (which might be of worse quality), and that you can also get their business cards for contacting and ordering. This will impact my future projects as by providing me with a source for me to go and see first-hand all the colors and materials to more carefully craft whatever piece of clothing I'm making.

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During class, I prepped my linen fabric and ironed on the interfacings for my top piece. I'm not sure if there were any specific skills I was working on, but it's part of the process of making a piece of clothing before getting to cutting and sewing. Ironing the interfacing took much longer than I'd presumed.

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I'm sorry the table's a bit messy. The chest part has a curve to it in the photo.

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A new term I learned in class today is "ironing board's nose." I had no idea what this was, but apparently, it's the tip of the ironing board used to iron out parts of a piece of clothing that's curved (like the chest area of a top). Initially, I was planning to just iron it the normal way and flatten the chest area, but it turned out that there was a way for the curve to keep its shape, and still be nice and ironed.

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This is an exhibition of some of his work, the dress on the left somewhat resembles the vision I have for my top at the moment.

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He isn't necessarily a designer who works on social media, but a designer I've discovered is Oscar de la Renta. After looking at his designs on social media, I learned that embroidery is carefully placed to enhance the structure of the garment rather than just decorate it. He often uses floral embroidery and beadwork in a balanced way, combining detailed sections with simpler areas to keep the design elegant and not overwhelming. I could apply this by planning where my embroidery will stand out most and keeping a strong balance between detail and simplicity.

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I had to use a hanger since the width was too small for any mannequin.

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For this project, I wanted to create a functional going-out top that is both stylish and practical. I focused on using a sleek black satin fabric to give the piece an elegant and classy appearance while still making it comfortable to wear. The gathered details and flared shape were designed to create movement and make the top feel more unique, flattering, and eye-catching. I also wanted the design to feel versatile, so it could be dressed up for special occasions or styled more casually. Overall, this piece reflects my interest in creating wearable, yet still cute pieces that I can actually utilize in my daily life.

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This photo was taken after I already started stitching. The chalk was very light so it was hard to take a clear, close photo without any shadows.

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For this class, I just sketched on my piece of fabric. The drawing is quite intricate, so it took me a lot of time, and so I didn't get the opportunity to begin embroidering during this block. However, after bringing it home, I made a lot of progress during my free time. I don't plan on including this in the Dragon Made show since it's far from being finished. I hope that I'll be able to finish embroidering soon so I can assemble the last few parts, remeasure to see if it's too small/big, and make final adjustments, sew the bottom & top layer, and add the zipper.

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When I arrived, everyone was already seated, which made it a lot easier for the station to operate. First, I introduced them to what batik was, the process, and I demonstrated how to handle the batik, how to manage it so that it doesn't spill, and what to be cautious of. While the students did make mistakes at times, they openly asked for help, and I managed everything well. Overall, everyone enjoyed having the freedom to draw whatever they wanted, and it wasn't difficult to manage at all.

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Today was just another slow class. I've just been embroidering my flowers, and the progress is visible, but very slow. However, I am content with the way that it has been looking so far.

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The only revision I've made is the addition of the interfacing when I realized by top piece was too flimsy. It added a lot more structure, and I'm happy with the way it came out. I plan on resizing it later, too, after I finish my embroidery, since I checked the fit of the corset after doing my inner layer and realized it was way too big. I'll do so by trimming down the 2 pieces that get sewn to the zipper. I'll have to try it on myself first before I make any cuts.

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Today, I focused mostly on how to keep my embroidery threads as neat as possible, while not using too much thread that it weighs down the piece. An issue that I constantly notice with embroidery is that sometimes, when the embroidery is too thick, it creates a lump on a piece of clothing, and I fear that it might mess with the form. Because of this, I had to improvise and experiment with a technique that I came up on the spot to ensure that all the embroidery was on the top, and it was still tight enough that there aren't much gaps showing through the petals.