24/09/25 this is the first week of the semester and create a blog for courses that i'm starting the degree on bachelor of fashion design technology. The first week of Introduction to Fashion Design was both overwhelming and exciting because we immediately jumped into the real foundations of garment making. Our main focus was understanding fabric terms and grain lines, which is something I had only heard of before but never studied in detail. We examined a piece of muslin and identified the selvage edges, the lengthwise grain (warp), the crosswise grain (weft), and the true bias at a 45 degree angle. By actually labeling the fabric and handling it in different directions, I could feel how each grain behaves the lengthwise grain is firm, the crosswise grain has a little more give, and the bias is the stretchiest. This hands-on activity really helped me understand why grainlines are critical when cutting patterns so that garments hang correctly.
After that, we practiced basic stitching techniques. We threaded the sewing machines, learned to control the speed, and worked on stitches. At first it felt intimidating because the machine moves quickly, but after a few tries I became more comfortable and proud of the clean lines I produced, eventhough it's not done yet. Learning to keep a consistent seam allowance was a small but satisfying achievement.
01/10/25 this is week 2 of pattern making and garment making class, this week lessons we had a very hands on session. sir fariq guided us on how to use the industrial sewing machine, it is a overlocked stitch. at the very first it felt a little intimidating because the machine was much faster and stronger compared to the home sewing machines but with his step by step guidance we learned how to control the speed, handle the fabric, and sew in a straight
after that ms melina introduced us to different types of seams and hand stitches. she explained their functions and showed us when each one is used in garment construction. we also got introduced with many types of zipper.
toward the end of the class we learned how to take skirt measurements. this was a valuable exercise because it showed me how precision in measuring is the foundation of good garment making. even a small mistake in measurement can affect the fit of the skirt. overall the class gave me more confidence in handling industrial machines and understanding basic sewing techniques. i feel like i'm slowly building the technical skills needed for real garment construction.
08/10/25 this is week 3 of pattern making and garment making class. this week we learned about basic block construction, and honestly it was kinda crazy. ms melina taught us how to make the bodice block and sleeve block, and we started with the bodice first. god that one was so hard. so many measurements so many lines and i had to keep checking everything again and again my ruler was basically my best friend this week. after that, we moved on to the sleeve block and compared to the bodice this one felt way easier. we did it in size 12 and it actually turned out okay! i kinda liked seeing how everything connects like how the sleeve fits perfectly with the bodice armhole.
but of course… there’s homework. we have to do basic bodice (size 12) on mahjong paper, basic pants (size 12) on mahjong paper, basic sleeve (size 12) on mahjong paper. like yeah i’m tired, but at least i’m learning for real. i won’t lie this week was a bit stressful. the bodice part really tested my patience. but after a while i started to understand how each line has its purpose and that made it kinda cool. i realized pattern making isn’t just drawing lines it’s about building a foundation. if the basic block is wrong everything else will be off. it made me appreciate how much detail goes into creating clothes that actually fit. it was tiringbut also kinda fun in a weird way. i think i’m starting to get the hang of it slowly but surely.
15/10/25 This is week 4 of Pattern Drafting class. This week Ms Melina taught us how to draft the Men’s Trouser Block and the Classic Men’s Shirt Block with a short sleeve, which was honestly quite challenging because both required a lot of precision and careful calculation.
We took all the body measurements by ourselves and did every single calculation manually from the waistline, hipline, and crotch length to the knee and hem measurements for the trousers. At first some parts were confusing, especially the crotch curve and how to balance the front and back but after Ms Melina checked and corrected them, i reworked my draft at home to make sure the proportions were accurate. For the men’s shirt block we learned to draft both front and back bodices plus the short sleeve and that part was also quite tricky since the sleeve had to perfectly fit the armhole. Even though it took a lot of focus doing all the calculations myself helped me understand the logic behind men’s pattern drafting better it’s very technical, but once it’s done right it feels really satisfying.
22/20/25 This is week 5 of Pattern Drafting and Garment Making Class. This week in pattern drafting and garment making class with Miss Melina, we focused on tracing her cardboard pattern templates onto our own. The patterns included a skirt with one dart and two darts, a basic sleeve block, men’s and women’s pants, and men’s and women’s bodice blocks. At first it sounded simple, but once I started tracing, I realized how much precision and focus it actually required. Every curve, line, and dart had to match perfectly one small mistake could change the fit completely. Miss Melina showed us how to line up the cardboard properly and trace each pattern piece carefully. I noticed how she emphasized neatness and accuracy, which made me more aware of how technical pattern drafting really is. After tracing, she gave us homework to create different types of darts eight for the front and three for the back. It was quite a lot of work, but I could see how each dart created a different shape and contour on the fabric.
This week was also our submission for Task 1, which was the full set of traced cardboard patterns. Submitting it felt rewarding because it took a lot of time and patience to make sure everything was aligned and clean. Seeing all my traced pieces laid out together made me realize how much progress I’ve made in just a few weeks. Looking back, I’ve started to understand how pattern drafting is the foundation of everything in garment making. It’s not as creative as sketching designs, but it’s just as important. I used to think fashion was all about design ideas and styling, but now I see how much technical skill goes into bringing those ideas to life. Even though it was a tiring week, it felt satisfying to get hands-on experience and learn the structure behind real garments. Next week, I’m hoping to improve my dart accuracy and start understanding how to connect these basic blocks into a full garment pattern.
29/10/25 This is week 6 of Pattern Drafting and Garment Making class. This week Miss Melina told us to bring all the tools and materials she listed before. In. lass we worked on tracing our pattern blovk into the master pattern paper. For this week we only try and traced one dart skirt size 12 front and back.
Before we started, Miss Melina showed us how to do it first she demonstrated everything step by step so we could follow properly. After that, we started tracing our own pattern from the cardboard block to the master paper. Once that was done, we cut out the master pattern. Then using that master pattern we transferred it to calico fabric and cut it out. Basically we were making a skirt out of calico. During that process, I managed to sew the darts and also tried sewing the invisible zipper. It was a lot of tracing, cutting, and sewing, but it was actually fun to see the skirt slowly coming together.
This week felt really productive. It was the first time I fully understood how a pattern turns into an actual garment. I realized it’s not as easy as it looks even tracing needs to be super accurate, or the whole thing can end up off. Sewing the darts and the invisible zipper was a bit tricky at first, but once I got the hang of it, it felt really satisfying. I think I’m starting to feel more confident working with fabric and patterns now.
05/11/25 This is week 7 of Pattern drafting and Garment making class. This week in Miss Melina’s class, we were asked to bring all our tools and materials because we were going to work on tracing the bodice, sleeve, and collar into mahjong paper. At the beginning of the class Miss Melina explained everything step by step she showed us how to trace the pattern correctly and how to mark important parts like the darts and seam allowances.
It was really helpful because she didn’t just tell us what to do but she also demonstrated it clearly so we could see exactly how it should look. After that we started tracing our own patterns in class. However, she didn’t ask us to finish everything right away instead she told us to continue the work at home as our homework. After finishing the demo she asked us to move on and continue working on the skirt. i managed to finish my skirt already and i’m really happy with the result the only thing left to do is add the buttons and then it will be fully complete.
This week’s class was actually really productive and informative. Even though we had to continue the work at home i liked that Miss Melina showed us the correct techniques before we did it ourselves. It made everything much clearer and easier to follow. i also realized that tracing patterns takes a lot of patience and precision. One small mistake can affect the whole garment later on so it’s important to stay focused and careful. i’m proud that i managed to finish most of my work on time, and I feel like I’m improving my skills little by little each week.
12/11/25 This is week 8 of pattern drafting and gament making class and once again we didn't have a regular class for Ms. Melina because it was replaced with an independent class. Ms. Melina also had training, but even though it was an independent session we still came to campus to continue working on our blouse at Mayamode. i tried to make this week as productive as possible. Thankfully i managed to complete my blouse within two days. On the first day i focused entirely on finishing the main construction of the blouse. i worked through each step carefully from assembling the panels, sewing the seams, and finalising the structure to make sure the garment looked clean and well construct.
On the second day i continued with the next stage which is attaching the buttons. i measured the spacing, marked the button placement accurately, and secured each button neatly to ensure the closure was symmetrical and aligned. This step made the blouse feel more complete and functional. even though we didn't have guided classes this week the independent session allowed me to manage my time well and finish the blouse smoothly. It was satisfying to see the final result after two focused days of work.
19/11/25 This is week 9. In Ms. Melina’s class this week, I brought the pattern I made yesterday to consult with her. I originally started with the shirt, but she suggested that I focus on tracing the pants pattern first. She helped me re trace the trousers block and corrected some areas that needed refinement. After her guidance, I understood why starting with the pants was more strategic the proportions and fit need to be consistent before I move forward with the rest of the outfit.
Today reminded me that design isn’t just about jumping to the exciting parts. I tend to rush into the shirt because that was the “main” project in my head, but Ms. Melina’s advice helped me slow down and work in the correct order. Tracing the pants again forced me to be patient and detail oriented. It also made me realize that having a strong foundation is what prevents problems later.
26/11/25 This is week 10 of Pattern drafting and gaent making class. For this week in Miss Melina’s class, I continued working on my final shirt project. Last week, I didn’t manage to finish the calico version, so this week I focused on completing that part first. Once I finally finished the calico, I moved on to planning the fabric manipulation that I want to apply to the actual shirt.
To figure out how it would look, I started sketching the manipulation directly onto the shirt. I tried to draw it as clearly and as detailed as possible where each fold would go, how the texture would form, and which areas of the shirt it would sit on. This really helped me visualize the final outcome before moving on to the real fabric.
Working on the sketch also made me think about how the manipulation will interact with the shape of the shirt, so I can make sure it enhances the design instead of overpowering it. Overall, this week was more about planning and visualizing, but it’s an important step before I start stitching everything onto the final garment.
03/12/25 This is week 11 of Pattern Drafting and Garment making class. This week on Ms Melina’s class focused on completing my pants, and I’m happy to say that I finally finished them. The process was not completely smooth because I had to redo the waistband two to three times due to measurement mistakes. At first, this felt frustrating and exhausting because it took more time than I expected.
Through this experience I learned how important it is to double check measurements before sewing, especially for crucial parts like the waistband. Each time I repeated the process, I became more careful and more aware of my mistakes. Even though I struggled at the beginning, finishing the pants gave me a strong sense of accomplishment. This week helped me understand that mistakes are not failures, but opportunities to improve my skills.
10/12/25 This is week 12 of Pattern Drafting and Garment making class. This week In Ms Melina’s class is the last week before our final presentation. After completing my fabric manipulation, I continued working on the pocket and the lining for my garment. I focused on getting the construction neat and accurate, especially since these details can really affect the overall finishing of the piece.
Completing these components helped me understand how each part of the garment connects and contributes to the final look. It also pushed me to be more careful with stitching, making sure everything is aligned properly. this week was productive and helped me get closer to completing the final outfit with confidence.
17/12/25 This is week 13 and today is the final presentation day, and it was a meaningful conclusion to this module. I felt more confident compared to the beginning of the semester, especially in presenting my work and explaining my design process. Completing this journey made me realize how much I have grown, not only in technical skills but also in self confidence and communication.
During the presentation, I was able to present my final shirt clearly and explain the construction process, details, and overall outcome. Although I felt slightly nervous, I managed to stay calm and focused. Seeing my finished garment and presenting it in front of the class felt rewarding and gave me a strong sense of achievement. Overall this module has helped me develop a better understanding of fashion design fundamentals, garment construction, and time management. The final presentation became a moment that reflected all the effort, practice, and learning throughout the semester, and it motivated me to continue improving my skills in future projects.
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