Category: Main Workshop

Fashion Research copy

Using some of my experimental samples and the draping drawings, I created my four final designs. To display them, I placed each one into their own frame and mounted onto the wall.

This is where the change of my colour palette came into play with the photoshop images, however I believe I prefer this colour palette of deeper reds and pinks with the various shades of blue instead of the lighter pink.

In the few weeks following after, I decided to create some draping samples to take pictures of and draw to further decide on the designs I wanted to create for my project.

I had focused more on the technique of crocheting, but wanted to giving a try on the sewing machine. I first created this freehand squiggle patterns that looks similar to those of microorganism patterns.

Then I created these odd shapes on the back of a velvet fabric sample, stuffing the shapes to make an interesting contrast between textures and colours.

I used a simple running stitch with the sewing machine to create a sort of ruffle looking sample, along with a bunched sample that would later be used with draping drawings to create a design.

The first idea I had that did not follow through was an installation project where I projected one of the microorganism photos onto the wall and crocheted a lace like pattern over the line to create the visual. While I thought this was a good idea and had started it, I did not give myself enough time to complete some part of it and had to let the idea go. If I could give this a go again, I would absolutely dedicate the time for the idea.

The second idea I tried was these felt samples. I had tried felt making in previous years and wanted to give the technique a go again, however, I couldn’t think of ways to incorporate it further into my project that I liked, so I decided to leave them as they are and continued with crocheting and machine work as my main focus alongside with design illustration later on.

The next few weeks were spent making a few samples of crocheting and machine stitching. Since I enjoyed the big knit last time, I decided to try it with a crochet hook and thick rope. The results were nice and gave an interesting visual that linked perfectly with the patterns of microorganisms.

Our second challenge was to create a bag of some sort, and I decide to take my skills in crocheting and try producing a bag. I chose the style of a drawstring backpack and selected two shades of pink to match the original colour scheme.

When I finished the bag, I thought it was missing something and I had been suggested to trying crochet lace. Giving it a go, I pinned the finished square on the top flap of the bag and I think it helped to finalise the design of the bag as well as connecting it to my topic of patterns from microorganisms.

I created a few small samples to just try different stitches with each other. The first was a circle started in single crochet stitches, increasing each round in 6. Then in the last two rounds of the circle, I switched to double crochet stitches to see how that would affect the visual of the sample. I think this worked well, however there isn’t enough rounds in the double crochet stitches to properly assess how the two stitches work together.

The second crochet sample I tried was this odd shaped cocoon in red wool. I wanted to try adding red into the color scheme, however the red I first chose did not work with the pinks and blues, unlike the reddish pink colours I later decided on. I started this sample in a ring of single crochet stitches before switching to double crochet stitches. Between each stitch, I chain 3 stitches to create this arch that eventually led to the pattern from the finished sample.

After this, I found bobbled string and wanted to try crocheting with it. At first I thought the results weren’t good, but after some time passed now I looked back at this sample, I have actually changed my mind and it looks interesting.

The next sample I made was with the pearl bead material crocheting with it was quite difficult, however, it turned out so well and the possibility of using it for future experiments and designs. I later decided to use a similar method with the pearl beads for handles of a bag sample.

The last sample I made for crocheting was this rectangle piece with these small flowers bursting within the stitches. The lace is called starburst.

The last few crochet pieces I made were these lace flowers that could have been used in future designs and project ideas. The idea I originally had for the lace flowers was to create a collar, necklace or cuff like bracelets.

After the two workshops, I decided to continue into TADF and further my project that I had started in the two weeks. Since I had looked at the human side of biometrics, I made the choice to change my focus onto nature and the lines found within it which is considered as nature’s biometrics.

I kept the moon the same, however along the way, my color palette changed from the shades of blue and pink I was working with to more shades of red instead near the end.

I was suggested to look further into close ups on microorganisms as the shapes and lines from their patterns could be in sterling to work with. These are just some examples of the photos I’ve referenced in my early work for this workshop.

In the first couple weeks creating a mixed drawing media sketchbook with the use of gouache, pen, markers, pencils and chalks.