Fashion Construction II
Course Description
Students taking Fashion Construction II will develop more advanced knowledge and application of sewing skills, use more advanced garment construction techniques and basic pattern making/draping, and expand their application of textile knowledge. Several garments and skills examples will be constructed during the semester. Students will build on basic skills, learn new techniques, and have an opportunity to work with interesting fabrics, linings, and special seam finishes. Students must provide their own materials for this class and are expected to have them early in the semester.
Grade Level(s): 9th-12th grades
Related Standards (State &/or National): National Standards for Family Consumer Sciences Education
Priority Standards include:
- Evaluate quality of textiles, fashion, and apparel construction and fit.
- Explain the ways in which fiber, fabric, texture, pattern, and finish can affect visual appearance.
- Utilize elements and principles of design in designing, constructing, and/or altering textiles, fashion, and apparel.
- Use appropriate industry products and materials for cleaning, pressing, and finishing textiles, fashion, and apparel.
- Analyze current technology, trends, and innovations that facilitate design and production of textiles, fashion, and apparel.
- Demonstrate basic skills for production, alteration, repair and recycling of textiles, fashion, and apparel.
Essential Questions
- Which tailoring skills are best to use to achieve a specific design outcome?
- What characteristics of textiles are most important to consider in the design, construction, alteration, and repair of products?
- What professional skills and innovative equipment are necessary to alter, repair, or construct apparel?
- What tailoring skills are necessary to produce, alter, or repair textiles and apparel?
- What factors should be considered when choosing a fabric for a specific design?
- Which tailoring techniques are most necessary in the design and creation of a specific finished garment?
- Which draping technique and fabric is best suited for a specific garment?
- How do I use a sloper to create a unique design?
- Which fabric design technique(s) will produce the outcome planned?
Enduring Understandings/Big Ideas
As a result of their coursework and experiences in the Fashion Construction II course, students will be able to:
- Explain how, when a garment is recycled/upcycled, fashion becomes more sustainable.
- Select appropriate fabric based upon design plans.
- Use different fabric construction tools and machines for a variety of tailoring purposes.
- Discern which type of fabric is best suited for a specific purpose.
- Evaluate tailoring techniques and choose the most appropriate technique(s) to meet their specific tailoring needs.
- Demonstrate appropriate fabric selection and proper draping techniques to produce a well-fitted garment.
- Create, then alter, a basic sloper pattern (top, bottom, dress) to fit their body measurements and to demonstrate their design ideas.
- Create their own fabric designs, using one or more different design techniques, and use the fabric to create a garment.
Course-Level Scope & Sequence (Units &/or Skills)
Unit 1: Recycle/Upcycle
In this unit, students will use recycled materials/garments to create a new, modern-trend garment(s). Students will use their tailoring knowledge to choose appropriate skills to restyle the new garment from an existing garment or repurposed materials.
- Students will evaluate current apparel trends to guide their redesign of an upcycled garment.
- Students will select appropriate fabric based upon design plans.
- Students will utilize appropriate equipment and techniques to achieve their redesign plans.
Unit 2: Advanced Tailoring
In this unit, students will research fashion trends and develop advanced tailoring skills to sew more advanced garments. These techniques can also be used to change an existing garment, allowing students to upcycle previously worn garments, extending their learning from Unit 1 if so desired.
- Students will research current fashion trends and use them to create and inspire innovative design decisions.
- Students will design, construct, alter, or repair products using appropriate techniques (i.e. - choosing the proper seam finishes and the proper machine to complete those finishes).
- Students will evaluate equipment types and choose the best machines according to their specific tailoring needs.
- Students will demonstrate high quality tailoring skills when producing, altering, repairing, or constructing garments.
Unit 3: Fabric Selections
In this unit, students will identify fabric types and analyze performance characteristics and how they play a role in fabric selection for a garment/project and the subsequent use and care of those fabrics. Students will also analyze the different equipment needed to effectively sew different fabrics (EX: different needles are needed when sewing knits vs woven fabrics, what type of heat is needed to press different fabrics, dry clean vs wash and wear fabrics).
- Students will choose appropriate textiles for the garment design and body type.
- Students will identify the appropriate equipment needed to effectively sew different fabrics.
- Students will evaluate performance characteristics of textiles.
Unit 4: Student Final Project
Project Description: End-of-Project requirement is a tailored garment using a difficult fabric (ie: lined blazer, using tailoring finishes). Students must use specific tailoring techniques to make this finished garment. Difficult fabric selection will be determined by garment type, style or wear of the fabric, drapability, season of the year, etc. (ie: chiffon shirt in the summer, linen pants in the spring, gabardine skirt in the fall, wool coat with silk lining in the winter).
Project Process: Students select and work independently on their garment and their learning is self-directed. They will have weekly check-ins to monitor their progress. Students may choose the direction they want to go, based upon previous projects and skills learned, and determine how to advance their experience and sewing skills.
- Students will construct a simple bag of choice using techniques learned in previous units.
- Students will evaluate and self-monitor their process to make alterations based upon the outcome.
- Students will apply responsible organizational, project, problem-solving, and time management principles to the tote project.
Unit 5: Final Student Project - Pattern Selection, Layout, & Cutting
In this unit, students learn how to take accurate body measurements using a flexible measuring tape and how to use those measurements to decide what size they wear according to a pattern envelope (since sewing patterns are sized differently than ready to wear garments). Students then choose a garment pattern and cut the appropriate size, choose and prepare their fabric and notions, and accurately sew it to fit their body measurements.
Embedded skills include but are not limited to:
- Draping
- Students will evaluate draping techniques for different garments and fabric choices.
- Students will consider how a fabric will be affected by draping.
- Students will demonstrate how to pin, mark, cut, and transfer a draped pattern to the construction phase.
- Slopers
- Students will make a sloper to fit their body measurements.
- Students will create a unique design that fits their body using their personalized sloper.
- Students will make a sloper to fit their body measurements.
- Fabric Designs
- Students will choose one of four fabric design options/techniques (fabric printer, tie-dye or reverse tie-dye, batiking fabrics, or quilting/patchwork) and be expected to utilize that technique in the creation of a garment using the fabric. Once students select the desired fabric design technique, they research how to apply the necessary techniques appropriately for their desired outcome.
Course Resources & Materials: TBD
Date Last Revised/Approved: 2022