Pattern Puzzle: Sunny Fong

Today’s pattern puzzle challenge comes courtesy of Danielle -who has a fun little project in the works herself, namely a paper doll collection. It’s cute!

Danielle’s submission is this dress from Canadian designer Sunny Fong. Wow! Maybe it’s simpler than it looks but I’m not so sure. It appears there are two circular insets, nested inside each other. Forget drafting it, would you want to sew it? Actually, now that I think of it, sewing it is likely the easy part. Here’s a larger view of it.

Information about Sunny Fong appears to be limited but I did find her Facebook page. Oops, glancing over comments there, I find Sunny Fong is well known. Very well known. In fact, it would appear she won Project Runway Canada. Even more oops, this page says she is a he! Gee, I really need to get out more in keeping with my “fashion guru” image -as one sadly mistaken individual described me just this morning. Boy, I feel stupid, I really should watch TV sometimes. Seriously, would you prefer I faked it? You know I don’t keep up with designers. The only ones I can pretend to keep track of are those who stay put and aren’t twitching anymore. Like I always say, it’s a happy coincidence if my socks match. Each other. The additional expectation of them matching my outfit is too heady to contemplate.

Okay, so is anyone game for this challenge? Contrive your sketches and link to them in comments or email them to me for posting. Let the ribald speculation and outright conjecture begin!

Amended: Danielle provides a better link for MR. Fong.

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11 comments

  1. Lisa Shoemaker says:

    Actually “he is a she” should be “she is a he”. Although, you could just change the gender pronouns to fit, but that wouldn’t show how “out of the loop” you are. He doesn’t even have a wikipedia page, so he must not be too big yet.

  2. Lisa Shoemaker says:

    Hah, I’m watching videos on Finland, since I’m planning on hosting a Finn and it says the pronouns for he and she are the same.

  3. kathleen says:

    Thanks Lisa, Danielle mentioned it was awkward but I was in the midst of my late afternoon freak and didn’t process what she was trying to tell me. Once the site refreshes itself (every half hour or so) it should display correctly (on the front page).

    And, I’m glad to know that at least in Finland, I wouldn’t be an idiot -when it came to pronouns :).

  4. Betsy Johnson says:

    I would love to be able to see more pictures from different angles.

    In addition to other things, I was wondering where the zipper was located. After watching a couple videos on the web, I couldn’t see too much, but was able to determine that the zipper is located at the back left dart, not in the more common center back or left side location.

    I’ll think about this a bit more.

  5. Donna S says:

    I figured it out but not sure how to upload my drawing.
    1. Cut two each concentric circles.
    2. Cut in half
    3. Sew 2 circles together to make a big floppy thing.
    4. Sew angled pleats from center out until it lies flat again.
    5. Draft as usual.

  6. Dennis says:

    OT: The Finnish language is neat in that there is no gender attached to article ownership. Grew up in the states with a Finnish mom. Instead of dad and his wallet, this would be dad and its wallet. Sounds wierd but not to a Finn.

  7. I am moreso on the beginner/intermediate level when it comes to patternmaking, but I would just like to say that dress is absolutely stunning. I have never heard of Sunny Fong myself, but I will be sure to keep my eye on him and any upcoming work.

    I think I will visit this site more often to hear about pattern making more because that is a weak point I would like to strengthen. Does anyone have any tips or advice on how to go about sharpening patternmaking skills in general? I have gained so much respect for the professionals in that field after my first patternmaking course, needless to say I enjoy draping much more, but I know patternmaking is the industry standard.

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  8. Sunny Fong says:

    Well the dress was inspired by a nautilus shell, it is actually a spiral that is off centered, as I referred to the image of a nautilus shell, I drew out the lines of the shell and hid the dart lines within the ridges (seams) of the shell. each piece and ridges (bias cut panels creating the ridges) was actually inset within each seam. there were quite a few pieces. the back also has the same spiral seam minus the ridges, it met at an off centered (left) zipper.

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