FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
The Fox
(click images to to enlarge)
Other Credits
Photographer: Lenka Pešáková https://www.instagram.com/lencis.cz/
Outline the story …
One October morning, a fox went for a walk in a foggy forest.
I decided to make an autumn-inspired outfit.
Autumn, that's when I feel the happiest.
For the pants I chose linen fabric in the colour of oak and beech leaves.
For the embroidery design of the suspenders, I got inspired by different colours of oak leaves and acorns.
My head has always reminded me of a horse chestnut so I decided to decorate it with a peel-shaped headpiece. I love freshly opened chestnuts.
The blouse made of sheer fabric and lace represents the autumn fog. It was a "nice to have" part of the project so I wanted to work with what I already had without buying any extra materials.
The goal was to try as many new things as possible, different kinds of material, techniques, textures, and tools. Have fun exploring. Take a walk into the forest of creativity.
I wanted to make garments I could wear on a daily basis or a wearable toile (the blouse) I could use for other garments later.
Taking autumn-themed photos in February was a bit of a challenge. On the morning of the photoshoot it started snowing. We decided to give it a go and use the lovely white background before the snow started melting. It is a spring/autumn outfit and the blouse is meant to be worn over a sleeveless top. However, I had to wear a warm top with long sleeves underneath for the photoshoot.
Outline the construction…
The fox was supposed to be an embroidered applique for a different project but it came out all wrong for that purpose. So I made it into a brooch.
The pants were my first pair ever. I made two toiles to learn how to set in the zip and pockets and how to make the pants fit properly.
To better hold the pants in place, I decided to make a pair of embroidered suspenders (which I had wanted to make for a long time). Although they seem the smallest part of the project, the suspenders turned out to be the most expensive, time-consuming and complex one. It was the first time I used the satin stitch. It was necessary to really plan ahead since the embroidery took a long time. I had to re-stitch the first couple of leaves and acorns because I had made them too small (see the construction photo). I also got to experiment with scraps of leather.
For the blouse I used a toile for a dress I had made earlier, changing the neckline and sleeves. It was my first time making bishop sleeves and using the French seams.
I decided to use felt for the headpiece because it holds shape very well. I had fun moulding the pattern from paper on my head. I used two layers of green felt and one beige for the lining. I made the spikes using triangular pieces of felt, pulled them through pre-cut holes and sewed them in.
This is such a cute outfit!! The subtlety of the embroidery makes it such a nice outfit for daily wear as well!
Thank you 🙂
Jitka this is incredible! It’s such a joy to see your finished design and all your hard work. I’m so impressed with your embroidery too. A very big “well done” 🙂
Thank you : )
This is such a charming ensemble! I love how versatile all the pieces are, and you can wear and love them for years to come! And the embroidery is so perfect – congratulations!
Thank you : )