hi I'm updating the sewing  section here is a temporary list of loliable patterns

( blouses / shirtsCollapse )

( SkirtsCollapse )

( CostumesCollapse )

( Ops and JSKsCollapse )

( otherCollapse )

hi the site going to be down for a short while. I'm switching to a Linux server which should give me more tools to work with like wordpress and Drupal

hi

Apologies if you've seen this more than once. I'm hosting a Sew/Draft along over on sew_loli Starting 5th May if you'd like to learn to sew or draft patterns please join in

http://sew-loli.livejournal.com/1695111.html

Thanks
Charlotte

HELLO,

I know long time no see or hear. How are you my dear Lolitas? How has life been treating you since my last post / site update?  Its hard to believe its three years since avantgauche.co.uk was last updated.

For me its been three years of hard work and even harder study working towards a BA  Degree  in Costume for Theatre.  Now that's all over I want to return to my first fashion love Lolita. I want to return  the site but I want to do more than just update the dead links.

This time i want to combine the experience I've gained in dressmaking, tailoring, corsetry & pattern cutting along with the my new passions for the history of dress, fashion and writing, and bring it to a new (ish) lolita related web project.

thats where you come in. I'd like to know what you think. Is there need for the site anymore? What would you like from a lolita site?


Thank you
Avant Gauche

I've been thinking about this for quite some time, I regularly watch the sew loli comm and naming no names some of the garments arent what they could or sholud be too many makers are making simple mistakes. An email I recived from a concerned newbie lolita and a recent message on ask_a_lolita   prompted me to write a little guide for new seamstresses/new lolitas who cant afford brand. I thought I'd post it hear as well to see what you ladies think. Is this the basis of a good article would it be helpful If i expanded it?

Firstly:  if your too broke to afford brand invest your money in some really nice blouses/cutnsews from somewhere like Anna House. A really nice blouse is hard to make and a good one goes along way it will also cover up a multitude of handmade sins.

Secondly when making your first lolita skirt keep it really simple you can create quite a nice basic elasticated skirt using a pattern like

http://www.antipope.org/feorag/gosurori/skirt-pattern.pdf
or
http://community.livejournal.com/egl/8977850.html
or
the BSSB pattern in Gothic & Lolita Bible vol.4 119 pg

Invest in the best fabric and trimmings you can afford. Avoid nursery and childrens prints and prints with too many bold colors in because they generally look really cheap and will be considered ita. Try to buy from a store like

http://www.shabbyfabrics.com/

who sell really nice print that look like they've come out of an victorian maiden catalogue.

Thirdly when looking for inspiratation think victorian maiden/innocent world and Mary Madelene and some of the simpler BabySSB styles rather than the oh so popular Angelic Pretty.

The angelic pretty style with its neon/pastel prints, exhuberant frills and clashing colours is hard to pull off even for the most consumate seamstress.

Fourthly ask your fellow lolita for honest advice and consructive crit in lolita sewing communities like sew_loli rather than in general comms like daily_lolita or egl because they will be less judgemental and more able to give you advice on how to improve.

Fifthly learn to coordinate. The rules of a good coordinate are suprisingly simple. Choose one foundation garment (ie your new skirt or dress) and match all your accessories to that. If your wearing a print pick one of the prints primary or secondary colours in that print to match the rest of your outfit to. Although this rule isnt hard and fast its a pretty good rule to follow  and is used my many areas of design such as interior design.

And Finally invest in a good sewing book like the readers digest book which is invaluable even to a semi professional maker like myself.
 

sorry about the tiny photo its the only one I can find

TITLE: Gothic & Lolita Bible Vol. 34
JAPANESE TITLE:ゴシック&ロリータバイブル 34
RELEASED: 24th August 2009
ISBN-10: 4757334486
ISBN-13: 978-4757334489
PUBLISHER:Index communications

THEME: Dolls
Chateau de Luna x alice auaa
Super Dollfie x ATELIER BOZ
Pullip x Innocent World
Pullip x CHOCOCHIP COOKIE
DAL x Mille Fleurs

Bonjour Paris - Midori and Misako's travel stories
Gothic&Lolita conference of Spanish Lolita vs Japan

Well what can I say other than I'm disappointed.

Gosu Loli has been running out of steam lately and this is doing nothing to change that trend. Most of the designs are unoriginal. There is one interesting design Scalloped-topped high-waist skirt and bolero and another nice if a little plain 18th Century inspired dress. other than that its much of a muchness and I'm sure I've seen some of the garments before in previous editions.

Another problem I have is the amount of Punku/Hellcatpunk style clothing there is which isnt gothic or lolita and if you wore it to a meet you here the word Ita quite a lot.

the only other interesting pieces in the mook are a some iffy sleepwear and a set of three eco bags(S,M,L) which fold up into a small purse but they are plain and some ideas on how to loli the up a bit would have been nice.

Anyway you Can take a look for yourself I've uploaded Scans to the gallery

We are back online

http://www.avantgauche.co.uk

Avant Gauche is going to be down for a while but hopefully its going to come back stronger than ever as I'll be devoting most of my summer to it.

( My true love sent to meCollapse )