FINAL EVALUATION

Throughout this unit I have thoroughly challenged myself exploring processes and building upon new skills to effectively construct samples towards a successful final outcome.  Developing my own structure to working and producing varied outcomes through the restrictions within my research enabled me to find a process in which I work best. Firstly this included sampling and then later visualisations and designs of samples through drawings, becoming inspired by my own work.

Starting the Practice unit with inspiration from my Summer project and influences from my placement at Cabbages & Nettles I was aiming towards a body of work that concentrated on surface embroidery, using stitch techniques to materialise layering of thread through the use of a domestic Bernina.
Initially researching tree bark with the concept of 'un-appreciated beauty' meant my colour palette wasn't very clean and contemporary.

Searching for new research I became inspired by Michael Kidner and the colourful compositions within his work. This further inspired me to participate in the live brief for this unit. Resulting in a heavy influence on my self-initiated project, simultaneously producing work for both project briefs enhanced the creativeness of effective samples.

Researching graffiti as ‘ugliness’ I extracted colours and refined a limited colour palette, processing this through structural designs inspired by Michael Kidner. The result of this was a restricted colour palette focusing on Optical art and embellishment to create fabrics for a varied target audience and a multiple of contexts.

Using the multihead (ETHOS) machine to explore a more digitally based development of sampling was effective, as I had to plan in advance the outcomes of each week. Experimenting with this machine changed my initial approach to this unit, celebrating an all over pattern onto an array of surfaces. With a limit of twelve colours on this machine I explored colour and grayscale, carefully constructing an order to colour and shape.

Using set stitches on the Pfaff machine also enabled a structure to embellishment design on different surfaces as the repeat was exact, increasing the effectiveness of optical conclusions.

This unit allowed me to understand that limitations allow a wider more diverse breadth of outcomes and successful creativity within embroidery.

Mainly aiming within this unit to produce a body of work to fit all contexts was harder than refining my context. However after researching designers such as; Margo Selby, Wallace & Sewell and Paul Smith I enjoyed the idea of creating a repeat embellished design on various materials to create on large fabric to be sold by the metre to existing companies for use within a fashion and interior context.

Continuing with restrictions through colours and techniques, I will further limit myself in the next unit to persist with the same body of work, developing and finding new research to produce samples as effective for the degree show through the use of embellishments as a wider technique, refining contexts and realisation of audiences.

REVERSIBLE SAMPLES

Creating samples with a woven effect whilst using the ETHOS software and the Pfaff machine was easy as by changing the tension on the top thread and keeping the bobbin thread the same colour throughout the sample, allowed a speck of top colour to seep through underneath stitching optically on both sides.

ETHOS Embroidery onto Denim stripe | Back

ETHOS Embroidery onto Denim stripe | Front

 Exploring the ETHOS machine to widen my technical skills was successful as during this unit I have been signed off on the machine. This was a result of enlarging the scale of my design. The sample above is created by a block of eight by eight circles (obi stitch, pitch 0.75), and stitched onto a coated striped denim fabric. It was stitched out in the larger sash frame - this meant that for the scale of fabric that I was stitching on it had to be precisely measured centrally to created a layered optical effect without flaws.

BRADFORD PRESENTATION: FEEDBACK

Feedback from the Bradford presentation was crucial to help me with the developments of my practice work and research.

After displaying my samples and explaining my concpet of 'Ideals of Beauty', and creating a surface with personlity and movement using stitch techniques, it was suggested to me that I explore construct techniques. With connotations of Knit and Weave, my samples consist of linear structures and exploration of colour through yarn wrappings. I will aim to develop colour mixing through the use of print and threads, experminenting with printing techniques and successful layering of embroidery. 
Another technique to consider is 'Floating', this is a more dense technique for colour mixing threads.

Missoni | Rosita Missoni: designer | Husky 100 plaid throw | Wool | Deflected double weave | Italy | 2013

 

Anne Wilson 'Walk the Warp' was suggested to me to explore "...referencing hand-woven West African cloth and commercially woven French beach stripes.". Taking inspiration from this, aspiring to combine weave processes to create embroidery samples; creating a warp with threads that won't work on the domestic Bernina and colour mixing on a hank, making it easier to lay threads down creating a surface that connotes yarn wrappings.

Anne Wilson 'Walk the Warp', Houston, 2010

 

FINAL SAMPLES

After realising that my most accomplished samples were those that refelcted my yarn wrappings, I started to finalise my ideas for the Bradford brief by focusing on colour. Thinking of ways to tanslate my yarn wrappings into samples, with embroidery techniques that create 'beautiful, movement'.

To visualise yarn wrappings as material - Firstly, I experimented with scale by photocopying the wrappings.
Using transfer printing to translate the photocopies onto fabric. I chose White PVC (represents the ticket card background on yarn wrappings, and sheen of photocopies); this only needed to be under the heat press for six seconds, and when you look carefully there is a slight ribbed pattern to the PVC which created an unexpected 'knitted' texture. Due to the PVC being a thin material, it is supple, which communicates 'movement' and can create 'beautiful' effects when stitched onto.

PVC Transfer Print; Using Yarn Wrapping - Ribbed Effect.

I used Hairpinning, to continue extracting colours, as some of the threads that were included in my yarn wrappings aren't suitable for the domestic Bernina. This was a successful technique, as the loose threads create movement, and shadows. This will be my final sample for the Bradford brief because I can visualise development- drawing from loose threads and trying to understand constructive techniques that I can use to embroider onto dissolvable, with further contextual research as to where I visualise my work.

Final Sample.

INITIAL SAMPLING

Using the keywords, 'beautiful' and 'movement', I produced a sample inspired by my summer placement at Cabbages & Nettles - this consisted of thread covering a dissolvable surface. The sample technique was successful as it created a flimsy structure, movement and personality.
However I would choose next time to take colour inspiration from my yarn wrappings and stitch/couch threads in a linear composition - as steering away from tree bark, and trying not to replicate the colour compositions will allow progression.

First Sample: Free Stitch onto Dissolvable

The digital prints that I produced (inspired by Marit Fujiwara) needed to be broken up to conform a constructive surface. After understanding my photographs and trying to translate them into stitch I decided to cut my prints into thin strips (connoting yarn wraps), I trapped these vertically leaving small gaps between each, inbetween two pieces of dissolvable material before stitching constructive embroidery across to hold the material in place (this was influenced by patterns found in knit and weave techniques).

Using construct patterns I used my colour mixing skills on a domestic sewing machine to produce a sample with movement.

To make this more effective, I will colour mix threads more specifically to eliminate a definate transition between colours (this will include changing tensions, and spool colours)  - the digitally printed material strips will have to be thinner to allow a more delicate movement.

DRAWING DEVELOPMENT

Initially inspired by Ashley Goldberg and Jackson Pollock, meant that I produced textured drawings using layers of acrylic paint onto pre prepared surfaces. The drawings didn't contain enough depth, it would be more effective to produce 'beautiful' collages, to represent the decay and broken colours. To do this I deconstructed and rearranged drawings, to influence embroidery techniques.  

Collage from previous drawings.

During tutorial it was discussed that my practice, is representative of constructive embroidery. Due to this my research developed into fabric manipulation and working with dissolvable materials to create my own fabric. I explored the artist Marit Fujiwara, she uses threads to draw onto materials, creating interesting surfaces with movement that develop their own personality.
Understanding that drawings should come after sampling for me has been a massive development this week, discovering that I can use fabrics and threads to draw with. Drawings should be of samples to help reproduce ideas.

Marit Fujiwara - Wedding Dress

SUMMER REFLECTION

Reflecting on Summer work I realised choosing a context is better decided at the end of a project - this has taken me away from Children's clothing, which was restrictive. I am now forcing myself to read my own research to professionalise and contextualise my textiles samples.

Retracing back through my research of un-appreciated beauty, to my photographs of tree bark, and noticing the decay and colours. I decided to spend the week producing various yarn wrappings from carefully selected threads to extract the colours and textures.

 

Tree Bark & Yarn Wrap (Colour/Texture exploration)

Late this week I visited the Jackson Pollock exhibition, at the TATE Liverpool, to help influence my drawings. This was a real insight into colour combinations and how texture can be created through layers of paint. I began to understand how painting can bond a relationship with the viewer, and that beauty is everywhere - lost or found. 

Number 13, 1952:  Oil on Canvas