LOCATING: Intentions / Research

To kick off the Locating unit we underwent a trip to Rochdale custom archive to gather visual inspiration and generate initial ideas. I found the archive quite bland and uninspiring, but as an 'out-ward facing' approach was important for this unit I used the research gathered in Rochdale as a starting point for further exploration of costume details and textiles.

floral embroidery on dress, Rochdale archive, 2015


section taken from door frame, collage of influential figures, inspiration for jarred narratives and 'collaging' storylines, Rochdale 2015

To kick off the Locating unit we underwent a trip to Rochdale custom archive to gather visual inspiration and generate initial ideas. I found the archive quite bland and uninspiring, but as an 'out-ward facing' approach was important for this unit I used the research gathered in Rochdale as a starting point for further exploration of costume details and textiles. Following this I went about my own research in the beautiful Platt Hall archive where I became fascinated with a green, velvet gentlesmans' jacket from the 18th century. The Rococo style floral embroidery is obviously visually interesting, but the parallel velvet pile was what really interested me; the contrast in texture from the green velvet to the mustard and purple weave revealed below, and the fragility of the worn away areas of the jacket really inspired me. I'm very interested in the stories the jacket has to tell, and as narrative was a key aspect of my practice underpinned in the last unit, I'm key to build on my 'retelling' and 'appropriating' of narratives in this unit. This experience has highlighted the benefit of dealing with archives and objects in further developing my practice.

key point of interest - Rococo floral embroidery on green velvet jacket, Platt Hall, 2015

Intentions: Evaluation

The Intentions unit has been an insightful project for me. On the whole I personally found the open-ended nature of the project quite foreign as we have become so used to working towards a very prescribed brief set for us. I struggled a lot in the first few weeks as I was very unsure about what direction I wanted to take my work in, I was unsure about what to research and what to translate into sampled work; I then realised the one of the purposes of the project is that there is no definite end product we have to define. By playing and taking risks we start to develop a language as artists and designers, and I feel in my last few weeks I finally began to embrace the element of play, and immersed myself in a variety of techniques, building my skill set as a designer.

possible sleeve cuff detail

I am relatively happy with the elements I have explore din my work, although I feel much of it could have been developed further given more time, or perhaps better time-management. A lot of my time in the first few weeks was spent worrying about what to do instead of just throwing myself into the work and letting the concept find me. The elements of 3D explored through embroidery have perhaps paved the way for development in future projects, as I enjoyed engaging in play with use of wire and pintuck.

wave like structure adding depth to print and laser cut pieces

My digital skills in the Ethos programme have gained a great deal of confidence of the past few weeks and I feel my illustrative work is well translated in this medium. I would like to continue working on my knowledge of the programme over the next few projects and although I took risks using the water soluble fabric I am curious to see where I can push the multi-head stitch, particularly in incorporating both illustrative Ethos with my structural explorations.

My context has been a bit confused over this project, as I began with the Intentions of possibly installations for a gallery/festival context, but after conversations with tutors it started to shift to a more fashion lead context. I am interested to possibly pursue the grey area between clothing and space, in a more art-lead design of textiles for the body. I think had I researched more of a context for my work to apply to, I may have been able to propel my work further on in development for this unit but this is definitly something for me to consider over the next few weeks and to begin to cement in the Locating Unit.

possible accessory idea

I feel the body of work I have produced for Intentions is evidence of risk-taking and play and I fell as a designer this project has given me the chance to explore a style and aesthetic personal to me.

Week 8

In the last stretch of the project I feel I am truly experimenting and taking risks within my materials. Following the exploration of ethos on water soluble last week I pushed to produce a larger scale version; unfortunately I lost the original water soluble face sample as it has gone missing from my pin up wall, and to add insult to injury I have misplaced my memory stick holding the ethos design. As annoying as this may be I can only look at it as a slight bump in the road and a learning experience to ensure my work is backed up, and that any important samples are not left alone over night. The larger version of the face has a lot of impact and my improved Ethos design gives additional sturdiness to the stitch, whilst keeping the ghostly feel of the previous sample.

Ethos design on water soluble, larger scale

Ethos on water soluble; I am very much interested in exploring the stitch as an entity/object in its own right

My examination of structure properties using fabric lead me to creating more faggoting pieces in hessian but also combining embellishment details previously explored to add colour and texture and feed back to the festa vibe I was hoping to achieve. The boring brown tubes are adorned with copper foiling, hair pin fringing of various yarns and threads, and some thick tufting. They took quite a while to complete due to the variety of techniques involved, and I was not entirely happy with the outcome as I believe them to be hideous pieces, I’m just unsure if they are ‘hideous good’, or ‘hideous bad’. I feel it is important to appreciate the ‘ugly’ in my work, and although they are not pretty I feel they raise questions about form and texture that can further inform future projects. The tuft elements I was not happy with as it became quite a dominant line, but I no to attempt a smaller stitch in the future.

tube-like forms, although unpolished have a lot of character 

Returning to play with the idea of hairpin stitch and tubular structure, I went back to the early drawing of the parallel lines as my ground. Using pin tuck and wire I have created an interesting texture and movement, and although it was near impossible to stitch across parallel to the horizontal lines on the slippery scuba, the messy, non-uniformed style of the lines created a whole other wave like quality which I feel is ultimately more interesting. Applique of the laser cut pieces added another layer to the print, but in future I would cut smaller pieces, yet this is all informative for future explorations in the material.

playing with elements of print, laser cut shards, and structure using wire and stitch

and wire I have created an interesting texture and movement, and although it was near impossible to stitch across parallel to the horizontal lines on the slippery scuba, the messy, ununiformed style of the lines created a whole other wave like quality which I feel is ultimately more interesting. Applique of the laser cut pieces added another layer to the print, but in future I would cut smaller pieces, yet this is all informative for future explorations in the material.

Week 7

My work this week saw me explore the idea of a tubular structure further, but this time much less of a direct representation of the firecracker. Using sublimation print on polyester felt I experimented the possibilities of parallel pintuck stitch to create structure, whilst also playing with embellishment ideas on top the print in replicating the movement and composition of the fragment pieces in one of my earlier drawings. Hair pin stitch was something I though was quite naff in our lesson with Nigel a few weeks ago, but after playing with how with yarn densities and qualities, and creating depth with varying lengths, the outcome became something quite Catalonian inspired and I’m excited by the depth it gives to the piece.

hairpin embellishment adds to the 'explosive' aesthetic

pin tuck stitch got me thinking about a ribbed sleeve, and a possible context for these tubular forms

Continuing on with my flirtation of the Ethos machine, I feel like I have full immersed myself in risk taking on this machine by stitching the lady’s face design on to water soluble fabric. The time it takes in altering a digital design plus the set-up and stitch-out time and effort, it was a gamble as I wasn’t sure how my figurative marker would hold up once the fabric was washed away. I’m pleased with the result of the face, as my bold, blocky ethos design has now gained an eerie, ghostly quality similar to a lace design. Straight in satin stitch do not hold with out supporting stitch around it, and some of the elements of the design bulked and warped which, although did not work to plan, still are interesting in the shapes they have no become. Mark has suggested I play on a bigger scale with the Ethos on water soluble.

Ethos design on water soluble (before I lost the sample) 

This week, due to a friend unable to make a laser cutter session I took their place, which I used as an opportunity to play with the fragment elements in my earlier drawings and produced a collection of ‘shard’ pieces with holes which allow me play with them and hand stitch applique. I am unsure if I will use all of these pieces in my work, but it was good to refresh my skills in CAD and in the laser room, whilst opening possible ideas for the future mixing laser cut pieces and stitch.

Week 6

This week has been a busy one, and I feel like I am pushing through whatever block I have had and immersing in the play element of the project. Following an extensive day of embroidery techniques from Nigel, I have experimented with the insertion stitch on the faggoting machine in an attempt to add an interesting quality to my play with structure. I took a risk using some hessian jute with brown paper backing (hoping this stiff, difficult material will add support to the form of my samples) on the faggoting machine; the open weave of the hessian is unconventional on the machine as it needs a clean edge to stitch on to. Persistence saw it through and I am quite happy with how the insertion stitch can be using to break up the space within the tube like structure.

Hessian strips connected using insertion stitch on faggotting machine

interested in the possibilities of structure with this technique; easy to manipulate whilst retaining stiffness

hessian faggoting could be a folded form

re-arranged drawings and samples to evaluate my direction and aesthetic

I can feel my project slowly come together and after a rearrangement of my wall I am seeing the ‘festival feel’ returning to the surface.

Week 5

Following Julie’s advice last week I began to translate drawn line qualities in my work whilst also exploring structure. Using some dark blue felt as a representation of the flat, bulky marks in some of my drawings and playing with the pintuck stitch to trap copper wire I am developing ideas of how thread can help build shape and structure in a sample. My satin stitch could have been refined in this sample, but I am interested in the 3-D qualities I have achieved in it, and how it may interact with the relationship between the body and space.

I have also began to explore sublimation print, interested in how I can add a 3-d element to a flat print. I feel like I am beginning to build a language I can utilise as a designer/artist. This felt piece is pushing on ideas of structure whilst incorporating print.