Project 10 - A design Project

Stage One - Reviewing your work so far

I laid out my work that I had done this year and I was surprised with the amount that  I had done. I felt that I enjoyed the printing projects and I was surprised that I felt the sewing part was another project that I enjoyed. So I kept this in mind when doing this project.

Stage Two - Focusing on your themed book

I looked through my sketch book and found a number of images that draw my attention so I did 4 large drawing from these images. I tried to experiment with materials and create texture in the drawings.

Stage 3 - Developing your design

I then did some close up of detail from my drawings in my sketch book.

From the work I did above I started to develop some ideas and made some samples to see what would work and what wouldn't.

While doing these samples I started to think about the final design. At first I was going to do a wall hanging. Then I started to think about interiors and that lead to a cushion that would look good in a living room or bedroom. Also a design that could be used on curtains and lampshades.

Stage 4 - Making your textile piece

I finally came up with a design that I liked. It is based on the large Jay feather drawing that I did. The lines in the drawing I thought would look good done in stitch and I liked the colours and I could see it in my bedroom on curtains, lampshades etc...

Here is a close up of the drawing I worked from.

In this photo is the painted fabric using the Jay feather colours. This was my first attempt on poly cotton. I chose this fabric as I wanted a light fabric as feathers are light. But when I tried sewing on it I found that the material puckered and ran a little. So it was not going to hold the amount of stitching that I wanted to do. I ended up using Calico as it took fabric paint well and it was strong enough to take the amount of stitching that was needed for the design.

Here is the sample I did of stitching on the different materials and the painted fabric.

And this is my final finished design made. It has the jay feather pattern on the front and a pleated net fabric on the back that has the printed fabric underneath. I chose to pleat the back as I was thinking of all the lines of the feather and I felt that it gave the cushion a more 3 dimension feel as you have a  front and back to look at. Also I feel that the cushion has a tacktile feel that I always like to get into my work. I am please with the finished piece and have thought of other designs that I could do from the other feathers that I drew.

Front

Detail of front

Back





Project 9 - Woven structures

Stage 1 - Preparation

Setting up the frame

The first time I set up the frame I did it wrong and had to unwind it and do it again. It took a while the first time but I managed it.

Stage 2 - Basic tapestry weaving techniques

Here I have experimented with all the different knots and types of weaves.

Stage 3 experimenting with different materials

In this sample I chose the theme Autumn Leaves. I selected colours that reminded me of autumn leaves and unusual material to weave with that gave the crispness of dried Autumn leaves. I experimented with different techniques.

In this second sample I chose a couple of techniques that I felt worked best and then tried to get the feeling of movement into the sample.

I feel this sample came out well and has a very tactile quality to it. I did make a little mistake with the weave in the bottom half, but I do not think it detracts from what I was trying to achieve.

Stage 4 - Developing design ideas into weaving

Sample 1

I started with a photo of frost on a black bag and did a small sketch trying to get the right colours and feeling of the photo. I then did a couple of windings with the yarns that I had. I practised with different materials and techniques to make sure I got the feel I wanted and the right material.

Here I put together a pattern to work from. The first design worked out to be too complicated and when I started to weave it, it did not flow well. So I redesigned the pattern being a little move freer taking a small area of the drawing and this design worked better.

Here is the finished sample. I feel it worked well and I feel it is a good interpretation of my drawing.

A close up of the an area of my weave.

Sample 2

The second sample, I stared off with a mood board using the word 'Underwater'. I found images that said underwater to me and then looked at my materials and matched colours and textures with the photos. I found that the mood board had to different feels the coral garden and the feelings and blues of being under water. After doing my sample from this mood board I realised that I was not happy with it. It could have been better and if I had more time I would have liked to have done another one that was more blue with movement of the sea and not have put the coral on it. I feel if I had come up with a mood board like that then the sample would have been more successfully.

Workings for sample (a) I took a photo and then took texture and colours and tried to put them together to give the feel of a coral garden under the sea.

Sample (a)

Close up details of Sample (a)

Even though I felt that parts of this weave worked and the colours and the textures put together did give the feeling of a coral garden under the sea, I did not feel that it gave the feeling of the word underwater. I feel that I got a bit distracted with trying to use brighter colours. So I decided that I needed to do another sample.

Here is the workings for sample (b). I had a good think of what underwater meant to me. I have done a lot of snorkling in the past and as a child spent a lot of time down the beach and especially in the sea, under the water swimming around. I feel that it is quiet, peaceful under the water and when you are at the bottom looking up it has a feeling of being in a big cathedral. So I tried to put these elements into the sample. I designed it to be in the shape of a stain glass window to give it that grand church feeling. I put the dark blue at the bottom in a plain weave so to give the feeling of depth and height and I added to the wool a blue sparkly yarn to break it up as I got to the lighter blue, but also to give the feeling of light hitting the dark depths of the sea. then I weaved a patten of moving water that has the light hitting it, to give a bit of movement to it as water is never static. Then over the top of the weave  I added, using a bamboo fibre that has not been woven into a yarn, lines to again break up the flat weave and to give the impression of light shining thought the water and I used beads to add a little more interest and texture. These lines also added to the church stain glass window feel that I wanedt to achieve.

Sample (b)

Detail of the bamboo fibre on the weave. I choose the bamboo fibre because of it shiny quality.

I am happier with sample (b), it has the feeling of underwater that I wanted to achieve. I do feel that I work better from developing an image like I did in sample 1 than I did with the mood board. One thing that I didn't do in sample 2, was to use a different yarn for my warp. I didn't do this as I didn't feel that the designs that I was using needed this, so I quickly did a couple of small weaves on a card frame.

I feel that some samples are stronger than overs but overall assignment 4 went well, I enjoyed it and would definitely like to do some more in the future. 

Part 4 - Textile Structures

Analysing Colour, texture and proportion


Firstly I analysed the colour and texture of 2 images and then did winding from what yarns I had. I found this relaxing and a good way to make a start on developing an idea and really looking at the colours.

Project 8 Yarn



Stage 2 Experimenting with structure


Exercise 1


I did this exercise a while back, but looking back now this is another good way to experiment with an image especially if you get stuck in the development stage of your work.

Exercise 2


Making ropes, I didn't have many different materials to use so I did my best with what I had.

Exercise 3 & 4

I really enjoyed doing this exercise, paying with space and different materials.