Teaching Materials
Sister Aloyse Hessburg in classroom with fashion design students
General Directions: Couture Construction manual
As part of the fashion design program, faculty sometimes created their own teaching materials. One popular course, couture construction, was developed and taught by Sister Aloyse Hessburg and Charles Kleibacker. In this class students were exposed to four-ply silk crepe; learned to piece fine lace so that the seams were invisible to the eye; fit a sleeve into a high cut armhole by adding a gusset; and sculpt a uniquely shaped collar using silk gazaar as interfacing. Students spent hours learning to hand roll a hem, to turn the thinnest bias tubing, and to lovingly hand overcast their seams. The manual to the left was compiled by Sister Aloyse and Kleibacker for this course and includes many of their handwritten notes throughout. Garments used in the couture class can be viewed online.
