Textiles Year One

University Projects, Year One.

When I began Textiles I didn't really know where I wanted to go after my degree, and didn't know what I wanted to do with my work. I did a lot of experimenting in this first year, and discovered many ideas and techniques of fabric manipulation that I had never used. The following photos show where I started and the ideas that have brought me to where I am today.

Project one.

These photos are the first bit of weaving I created, I added chains because I wanted to play with the weight and texture of the weave. I also experimented with plastic bags, net, ribbon and plastic.

 Although I did enjoy weaving I didn't continue with it, as later in my degree I discovered printing, which is where I have found my speciality.

I enjoyed experimenting with different cords, ropes, chains and wools to alter texture, weight and colour. From this I discovered a passion for unusual work, I knew that I didn't like things to be normal and this is why I experimented so much with different inserts. I did also learn however that I like fast results and weaving takes a lot of precision and time and the end pieces take a long time to be able to handle.

Project Two: Testing boundaries.

 

For this project I wanted to test the boundaries of different fabrics. I fryed, hammered, melted, shot at and ran over with a tractor to discover all the possible effects I could create. I loved doing this, it allowed me to spend a lot of time just experimenting which is what I really love. The outcome I found most effective was melting synthetic fabrics. It created a really delicate lace effect that I found most intriguing.

I began by testing on white fabric to see what was actually happening when this fabric was melted. It was so interesting to see the contrast of silky, soft material with the hard plasticity material created where the heat was in contact with the fabric. To me it was beautiful and I wanted to begin to use some coloured fabric to see what this would look like.

After much experimentation I decided on this red polyester as my main fabric, but because I was just sampling I didn't have enough of a piece to create a whole outfit so I pinned the pieces together onto a mannequin to see what they could look like. I really enjoyed this and it fuelled and obsession through the next year of working towards fashion contexts. 

  

 As I was doing this I tried to refine the areas I was melting to get more of a controlled effect, although this proved harder than I expected. I was rather pleased with my results, and it gave me more areas that I could explore in the future. 

This year taught me a lot of skills and also helped me to develop the ones I already had. Mainly though it provoked my love of experimentation, pushing fabrics to their limits to create new effects and textures.