As of 9am today I officially started working in my internship.It was decided that since I can sew, draft and draw that I will be utilized in the construction and textile making departments. Today was a sewing day, first I put together twal for a new skirt, then I was asked to drape half a skirt to see if it worked with the new fabric that was selected. The majority of the day, however, I was put to work sewing sequins to fabric for future garments. I was also taught how to “bake” fabric witch refers to ironing it to seal in the pigments of printed fabric before you would go about using it.
What I really love that I got to learn today, is the process with how they go about making garments before the printed fabric is actually ready. They have this roll of paper with the print they are using printed on it repeatedly in actual size, from there go about plotting the pattern off of the printed paper with a semi transparent paper so that they can get a better idea of what the final garment will look like. The new print we are working with is a BRILLIANT square with lots of curved lines in one corner, bursting out of the curved lines are lots of flowers
The pattern drafting/sewing studio is very similar to MassArts with one exception, LOTS of garments hanging in one section of it. I asked if I could go through and feel, touch and look at them on my break and I was given the go ahead. Right now there are a lot of Zandra’s older pieces out on the racks because they are being visually archived. I realized fully for the fist time the difference in feeling and touching a garment, vs seeing a picture in a book. Most of the garments I got to see were in fact the ones in my book, and photographs really don’t capture what some of them are made of. During the day I was also shown the lineup for the MassArt show in September, and it is incredibly exciting what is coming to Boston! (I won’t tell you more then that.)
After work (which ends around 5:30pm) I got to move into my new room which is actually a room over from Zandra’s. My new room, surprise surprise, is covered in AWESOME Zandra Rhodes paintings, framed textiles, and art.
After I was all moved in and had a chance to meet my room mate a bit more more, I set out into London to explore! I walked up to London Bridge and and took a left (yesterday I walked to the left to Tower Bridge and back.) Almost immediately I ran into the Swiss House also known as the Swiss Red Zone set up for the Olympics. There was all sorts of things going on there like free concerts, free rock climbing and obstacle course and free chocolate. I was so excited I didn’t know what to do first! Suddenly, there I was, rock climbing in the middle of London! (It was really like scaling a small wall but it still gets a E for EPIC from me!) After doing the rock climb course, getting that free yummy chocolate, and watching the concert for a bit, it was time to set forth once again on my adventure. I continued walking along the Thames River until I came to the Millennium Bridge. It was begging for me to cross it, sitting there with its amazing architecture just calling my name for me to go where it leads, and so what could I do, I have a weak spot for incredible architecture. When walking across the bridge there is a perfect view of Saint Paul's Cathedral which is mind blowing in person! Of course looking around after I had crossed a bridge to an unfamiliar place I was not sure where to go, and although I had a map I really would rather wing it if a place feels safe. In a foreign country I feel like an urban explorer, and a map ruins me finding things by accident. So I am looking around at Saint Paul's, and then I see this sculpture of a little one-eyed monster with its hands up painted like a red London phone booth. (They have these little monster sculptures EVERYWHERE, I believe they are for the Olympics.)Suddenly my question of where to go was answered as this particular monster was TOO awesome to ignore. After that I decided I would follow the monsters through London for a bit seeing as you walk less then a block and there is another one just a little bit further from you. This game led me to some clothing stores along the way and finally to a London super market.
Its at this point I must confess, I LOVE foreign super markets! I love love love LOVE them! I really enjoy seeing food items I have never seen, or an item I see all the time re-packaged in an amazing way (design nerd alert.) I ended up spending a long time in the super market looking at things, taking pictures of new items, and really just being an oddball in a new place.
Once done with food shopping, I had a full tote bag and it was time to head back “home.” Today my room mate let me know we can cook meals in Zadnra’s blue kitchen which I am REALLY excited about doing. I am 99% sure I was told that when I first arrived but I was jet lagged enough that I could not remember exactly what was said in terms of the kitchen other then we could make tea there. All in all it was a WONDERful first day of work and I continue to concur this city one outing at a time!
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