1st May 09

This was my last day at Eternal Spirits. It was very hectic with lots to do. First I helped Sarah with a toile for one of her wedding dress designs, my task was to toile the bow. I then had to go on another trip to the market for a zip. My next task was one I enjoyed greatly I had to choose two bras as a leaving present for myself, this did take me a while.

Myself and Charlotte had to choose 4 corsets and knickers to match to send off for a fashion show, the theme was spring colours, I like tasks like this as I like putting outfits together to suit a theme. These then had to be packaged up.

The last job of the day that all the employees helped with was to add onto a denim corset that would be used in a photo shoot for the charity jeans for genes. This was a big rush as it had been forgotten about and was being picked up at the end of the day. We created denim frills that were stitched on the hem and neck line. This was all hand stitched!

I also got to sit in and watch one of Sarah's fittings. I didn't realise how many questions you have to ask the customer about their garment.

From working at Eternal Spirits I have gained confidence in working with others, working to customer requirementd and time limits, developed my hand sewing skills, gained inspiration for my final collection and made some great friends!

30th April 09

I spent most of the day hand stitching ribbon lace and beads on to cushions making them into ring cushions, I must say I was impressed with the result they looked very vintage.

We went for a farewell dinner after work I felt sad but will also look back on my time at Eternal Spirits fondly.

29th April 09

I am starting to get very sad as I only have 2 days left and have made some really good friends! This morning I just helped to tidy the studio as it was getting a bit chaotic. Then this afternoon I priced up some of the bras and pants that Eternal Spirits buy in and sell in the boutique, I then cut some backs out of leather for the nipple covers.
In just a short amount of time I think I have gained a better understanding of how a small business works and am so glad I have decided what I am doing for my final collection, this experience has given me the inspiration I needed.
Tomorrow night is Laura's leaving do i'm very much looking forward to that! it will be a nice way to say goodbye for a while.

27th and 28th April 09

Well what a busy couple of days, it is now my last week, the month really has flown by. Yesterday I finished Cherry's pink flamingo bra, she promises me pictures of her wearing the bras I have customized for her which I look forward to seeing. I also made some ordering phone calls made trips to the post office etc then I helped make more satin roses and pin them onto one of the wedding dresses. Today I customized some ring cushions with ribbons and bows, sorted receipts and started customizing a pair of pants for Cherry this time with a Marie Antoinette theme.

I have decided from working at Eternal Spirits and working so much with Cherry Deville I want to base my final collection on Burlesque costumes. I can't wait to begin my research!!

23rd and 24th April 09

Yesterday and today have been very busy! I have been helping to tidy clean and set up for the event tonight, as I speak I am squeezed into a waspie ready for the party, a very unusual feeling I have not experienced before!
I have also done more hand sewing on Cherry's bra and have made some satin roses with brooch backs on to go on to a wedding dress, I must say i'm impressed with the result!
I have made trips to John Lewis and someone's house to get a rug to cover the carpet where the artist (whos exhibition it is tonight) has got charcoal on.
Now I am off to serve drinks and enjoy the party!!

22nd April 09

I have been a very busy bee today! I made two trips to the market to buy ribbon, lining, brooch backs and wadding, the second trip wasn't that successful as I couldn't find what I was looking for. I had to make 2 arms out of kalico and stuff them to pin on the mannequin for when garments are made with arms/arm holes. I then spent the rest of the day hand sewing brooch backs on to some fabric flowers and making phone calls to various suppliers to place orders. I had a bit of trouble with this as I had problems trying to order online so gave up and phoned a company.

21st April 09

Today the first thing I did was finish Cherry's bra, all I have to do now is wait for her to try it on tomorrow then sew the popper studs on to the cups and bra itself.

I then had to help prepare for the press day in London tomorrow, I laced up corsets, found knickers to match them, worte out labels and did some other sorting. Tomorrow I will be helping to clean tidy and prepare the boutique for an event friday night to display an artist's work who has been doing some drawings for the boutique.

20th April 09

Today I carried on sewing frills on to Cherry's bra in between though I helped label up more fabric rolls and phoned a chocolate company to find out where an order was. My fingers are now very sore from all the hand sewing! Cherry came in to try the bra on and was happy with it but made a few suggestions, I will carry on with this tomorrow if I get chance but Susi told me tomorrow will be a busy day with preparing for a press day in London on Wednesday. Today i've been told some good fabric and trimmings suppliers, i've also learnt more about types of silks and satins.

17th April 09

Today I got started sewing frills on to Cherry's bra, in between doing this I tidied the boutique ready for a meeting with the bank Susi was having, made tea and coffee for them and created a diagram on excel for the meeting.

16th April 09

Today I spent most of the day designing and sketching ideas fo dresses to go in the boutique. When Cherry visited she had another bra she needed customizing, this time in pink for her flamingo act. This means more hand sewing although I always look forward to seeing the end result.

15th April 09

Well today i have been sketching designs all day! quite enjoyed it until I finally got a mental block. I then made fabric panels for some mini wardrobe doors just the same as the large ones I made for Sarah Davenport to take to Milan as a prototype!

14th April 09

Today the first thing I had to do was carry on looking through magazines for background, makeup, poses etc for the photoshoot coming up for the new collection. The next thing was to save some photos on the computer as different qualities, I enjoyed looking through the photos and am very keen to help with a shoot.
I then had to make some nipple covers/pasties, I loved this it was cutting a round piece of leather, making it into a cone then glueing a string of pearls all the way around it, i'd love to make lots of different pairs!
I then finished the day doing a few design sketches for some evening dresses to go in the boutique.

10th April 09

Today I finally finished Cherry's bra, she came in again to start adding chrystals to it, I wish I could see her perform in it as I spent so long on it. After this I helped Rebecca hand sew some lace on to a wedding dress, more hand sewing! Me and Danni then finished making the chair covers and I used the sewing machine for the first time, they are very similar to the university's. The last thing I did today was look through fashion magazines to find inspiration for a photo shoot coming up which will be very high fashion, I hope i'm still there to help with this!

9th April 09

Today I started hand sewing poppers onto Cherry's bra as she has two pull off round pieces of fabric that when she pulls off reveals flesh coloured fabric to look like skin. When she came in to see how everything was going she tried on the bra and decided it needed another frill on the inside, this meant I had to start repositioning the poppers.
At the end of the day I had to find phone numbers on the net for different company's phone numbers such as harrods, Harvey Nichols etc. I then had to phone these companies and get their women's wear and lingerie buyers names and emails so some event info could be sent to them.

8th April 2009

Today my first task was to change the window displays in the boutique and the bridal room with Danni. Yay a chance to get creative! We changed the wedding dress in the bridal room window and changed the corsets on the mannequins in the boutique window. We selected pastel colours to suit spring time.
I then spent the rest of the day hand sewing yet more frills on Cherry's bra...it's nearly finished. Tomorro I hav a big job to do with Danni for an upcoming photo shoot.

7th April 2009

I think today has been the longest so far all I have done is go to Wilko's for paint and plant pots for the trees outside the door and hand sew more frills on to Cherry's bra, I also made a plaited strap for a dress that looked pretty. So tired!!!

6th April 2009

Monday again! Danni started today, another girl on my course at Derby Uni. We sorted out the ribbon box into colours and sizes, I then took her to show her where Pikes was and bought a zip. We then sorted the lining box, I have sorted a lot of fabric so far I hope they keep it tidy!
We then searched for a fabric sample that Susi wanted for a customer, we couldn't find it anywhere and so rang some companies to check availability on some fabrics. Lastly today we had to choose a fabric to make chair covers for the chairs in the bridal room, we then proceeded to pattern cut the covers, it was quite difficult laying on the patterns making them fit on the fabric. We still need to make the covers though.

3rd April 2009

Today I went to John Lewis with Rebecca to get some bits and bobs, she then showed me where Pikes was in the market where they get some of their trimmings, fastenings etc. I then had to push fabric over some buttons for a waistcoat, this was so hard getting the fabric to stay over the button, tuck under and hook onto the sharp hooks, my fingers were very sore!
Then the models turned up and I helped dress some of them in corsets, this was fun!
Later I started to hand sew some tassels and frills on a bra for Cherry, Cherry is a customer, she is a burlesque dancer, Eternal Spirits make a lot of her costumes.
At the end of the day I mopped the boutique floor with Rebecca, long, long day!

2nd April 2009

For a fitting tomorrow with some models who were going to be wearing corsets to an event I had to learn how to lace up a corset properly, I enjoyed this and found it interesting how the corset changes and improves the shape of the body.
I then with the help of Rebecca had to make up a textile piece that was a picture of a corset, this is to go in mini wardrobe doors for the furniture shop owned by Susi's friend. I enjoyed this and the end result looked lovely.
I then cut out and overlocked around 4 big panels of fabric to go behind the jewellery cabinets to cover what was on the wall behind. I then obseverd Simon pattern cut and cut some myself.

1st April 2009

Did aloooooot of jobs today, first when I arrived I carried on putting eyelets in the wardrobe door panels, this was a pain as the fabric was so thin the eyelets kept getting stuck on the machine. I then had to lace up the panels, sounds easy enough but it was a lot of ribbon and it kept twisting..grr! I had to get these panels done so didn't go to the photo shoot but was assured there would be other photo shoots while I was there. I was sent to John Lewis to get some boning, laced up some corsets that had come back from a shoot, searched for Paisley prints online and learnt how to package items for delivery. Busy busy day!

31st March 2009

Today at Eternal Spirits I met two more of the people that work there: Simon who is very nice and helped me a lot and also Sarah who was a student on my course. I started my sorting more tubs of fabric and organising them, Susi seemed grateful for this. I then was given the task of helping Rebecca who is second in charge with making a textile piece prototype for a wardrobe door, this was for a friend of the company who owns a furniture store. I had to cut out fabric, mark where eyelets go and iron on fusing tape.

I'm finding it a very friendly fun place to work, the atmosphere is relaxed but there is always something to do. I am enjoying it so far and have a photo shoot to help with tomorrow which should be a good experience!

Work Experience at Eternal Spirits 30/03/09

Today I started my five week placement at corsetry and bridal boutique Eternal Spirits. Here they design, make and sell corsets, bridal wear and underwear. Eternal Spirits not only sell to individual customers they also sell to other stores and have made garments for celebrities such as Britney, the Saturdays and Girls Alloud.

I met most of the staff today including Susi the owner of the company, everyone is very friendly and made me feel welcome they also answed any questions I had. Jobs I was given today were sorting through boxes of fabrics and organising them, organising past customers' files and delivering parcels to the post office.

I'm looking forward to helping with a photoshoot on Wednesday and a model fitting on Friday!