Final Project- UMIKO; Child of the sea

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After the experimentation I was still very drawn to the dynamic motion of waves, the ombre colours and ridges. Hence I was thinking of how to incorporate the texture and translate it into motion—–> how to make waves move for you. I ended up making a wave inspired ruffled skirt with an asymmetrical ruffle and a side slit. The garment is structured so that when you move, the slit widens and shows some skin and the ruffles will sway and this can add more movement when the person is dancing or moving about in it.

This tutorial is very similar to what I did in making this skirt!

 

Coming up with the overall design:

Chosen design (1) and template of pieces needed:

Using an old skirt as a template gauge and adding 1cm seam allowance to all pieces to be cut.

Pinning pieces down together and constantly revising the overall fit by trying on and then making alterations.

Final satisfactory fit:

Choosing colours and spraying on spray paint to colour fabric and create ombre effect.

 

Final product and product board:

Final exhibition:

It was tedious to get the measurements right and seam ripping easily took up many hours a day to remove when the measurements were slightly off. The gradation of the colours using spray paint turned out better than dyeing colours as I had better control of the medium. It was my 2nd time sewing apparel hence the slow progress and the whole process took 1.5 weeks to complete, was tedious but fulfilling. Thankful to have learnt many techniques in surface design class and brush up on tailoring skills.

Final Project Experimentation- WAVES

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I was inspired by the marbled colours, the crashing waves texture/motion and the irregular layers.

MOODBOARD:

 

EXPLORATION/EXPERIMENTATION OF SAMPLES:

  1. PLASTIC FUSING   I was able to make a nice marbled plastic fused piece and my final plastic fusing samples are a wave inspired clutch and replica of waves Clutch (2 hexagon boxes) were modelled using Rhino (software) and then 3D printed out. Marbled plastic fusing piece is die cut and stuck onto the clutch and the sides and empty spaces of the casing of the clutch were spray painted to achieve an ombre effect and also to blend the colours together (continuation from plastic fusing piece) Metal hardware was later fixed and glued onto the case and small beads were added to the plastic fusing centre piece to give it more texture and match the hardware.

2. SPRAY PAINT + MANIPULATING PLASTIC

I crunched up plastic to replicate irregular wave like creases then spray painted it at a 70 degree angle. After which, super glue was dotted on certain points on the plastic and pinched together to make deeper creases or higher peaks on the surface 

3. THERMOPLASTICS

I sandwiched organza in between 2 pieces of baking paper and use clips on one end to stop the organza from slipping. Then proceeded to fold horizontal lines in alternating directions throughout (same method of folding a paper fan), used a hot iron and pressed onto the baking paper for up to 1 min on high heat, continuously checking and making sure not to burn organza. Then i let it cool for a few minutes and slowly unwrapped the baking paper. I twisted and sewed down on specific areas of organza to make the textured ridges look wavy.

4. APPLIQUE

Switch to desired stitch settings and thread colour on sewing machine then mark out the pattern to stitch on. I used various coloured thread and zig zag stitching on white felt as the base and sewed on a wavy pattern.

5. MANIPULATING FABRIC

This idea sparked sporadically as i had scrap fabric after making my final project: Umiko, the waves inspired skirt. I layered the textured white fabric on top of each other to the desired thickness, then sewed all the pieces down on one side after which i trimmed the dangly side to create a curvaceous wave like volume and spray painted it with some blue spray paint (only the curvaceous tip).

6. FABRIC OF THREAD

I layered and glued on leftover threads in a meandering wave pattern and left some trails to dangle put of the frame

7. LATEX

There wasn’t sufficient hardener for latex mixture when I went back to try to recreate bumpy splashy wave like motion with latex hence I ended up using the first one I made during class. Mix 100g latex : 4g harder with wooden stick, pour it onto a smooth flat surface. While it is curing/hardening on the flat surface keep mixing and creating peaks using wooden stick, at the same time gradually add and mix in blur acrylic paint. Keep mixing until satisfied

8. SMOCKING

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-46YwO3sbQ

I followed a Canadian smocking tutorial to recreate wave ridge like textures.

 

APPLICATIONS OF SAMPLES:

12 Resin & Latex

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RESIN: Resin casting involves the use of epoxy/synthetic resin, a viscous organic polymer that solidifies into a tough, solid form to encapsulate objects.

LATEX: milky white liquid composed of rubber particles dispersed in water and when cast into moulds, solidifies into soft flexible rubber.

MATERIALS:

  • Mould (premade or made with vacuum forming PVC)
  • Resin epoxy
  • Liquid latex
  • Mould release conditioner
  • Hardener
  • Paint & inks for adding colour
  • Objects to be encapsulated
  • Weighing scale
  • Ice cream sticks and cup for mixing

HOW: 

APPLICATIONS:

RESIN: Jewellery, furniture, coasters, dividers

Erin LaRocque | resin jewelry | nature-inspired jewelry | wood jewelry | spring accessoriesLive edge river coffee table with glowing resinResin and alcohol ink coasters. Free tutorialWe love the way that this amber cracked resin slab, captures the light. Arisinal cracked resin is a major pull in 2017. Try it in your Rising Barn. Risingbarn.com #cracked #resin #divider #room #interior #2017 #material #design #trending #amber #brown #light #stairs #home

LATEX: ProstheticsFemale Mermaid/Reptilian sculpt in clay.

 

REFLECTION: Resin has alot of potential uses for bigger industrial projects and varying its colour and opacity using encapsulation of objects can create different moods/environments for a setting when light is shined through it. Eg. tinted light blue divider with mild wavy textured surface placed in an open room can set a calm mood when light hits and casts a shadow on it. I also observed my friends using acrylic paints to colour resin and that made their samples murky, losing the clear quality of resin. The use of special resin dyes/mica powder or alcoholic inks helped colour the resin with greater results. Latex was super fun, the overall texture of all samples were simply delightful to squish due to the rubbery springy texture. However, I found that if latex is spread too thin while it is curing, its weakest links- thinnest parts tend to tear off easily when tampered with.

11 Field Trip to STPI

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STPI is a dynamic creative workshop and contemporary art gallery based in Singapore. Established in 2002, STPI is a not-for-profit organisation committed to promoting artistic experimentation in the mediums of print and paper and has become one of the most cutting-edge destinations for contemporary art in Asia. STPI sits alongside National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum as part of the national Visual Arts Cluster of leading institutions in the region.

When we went for the site visit, Aaron Curry’s works were exhibited.

Los Angeles-based artist Aaron Curry’s practice oscillates between the mediums of painting and sculpture. Constantly incorporating qualities of one medium into the other, his works challenge the divisions that isolate one medium from another to reveal a richness in the middle ground. His signature totemic sculptures resemble sculptural collages of flat, organically cut shapes. They possess a distinctive 2-dimensional quality and reference a wide range of artistic styles; from the bright colours of Pop and the distorted planes of Cubism, to the biomorphism of Surrealism, they display a bold and intensely saturated visual language that is distinctively his own.

We also learnt that the workshops were in the basement and the people there used various technique to create interesting prints and incorporating mixed media into paper.

 

 

10 Knitting

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KNITTING: method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile or fabric, often used in many types of garments. Knitting creates multiple loops of yarn, called stitches, in a line or tube. Knitting has multiple active stitches on the needle at one time.

MATERIALS: 

  • Knitting needles
  • Yarn/wool any type of string

HOW: 

Learning to knit can be completely overwhelming but our list of 18 easy knitting stitches you can use for any project will have you knitting up a storm. Soon you’ll be able to take on more complex patterns and alternate stitches to create a variety of beautiful items.
Outcomes:
First attempt
Second attempt; getting better!
knitting with metal wire:
APPLICATION: clothing, sponges, netting to hold items
Free knitting patterns for afghan sampler squares 2009 AfghanFree Knitting Pattern for 4 Row Repeat Little Dove Baby Blanket - Little Dove is knit using a simple 9 stitch 4 row pattern repeat that is framed by rows of seed stitch. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Anat Rodan. Pictured project by MaggieLouxRavelry: Super Simple Dishcloth pattern by The Knit Guru
Shurhold Bug & Tar Remover Sponge [282]Making a Net Produce Bag - Say YesSay Yes

REFLECTION: there are so many variations of knitting stitches which extend beyond to crochet, you might even possibly invent your own stitch or mix and match stitches to make a whole new patterned textile. This technique is repetitive and yet I still tend to get lost and mix up the stitches and it makes a kink/dent in the overall textile ):

9 Fiber Etching and Bleaching

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FIBRE ETCHING: Fibre etching (or Devore )  is done using a fibre removing gel that removes plant fibres (like cotton, linen, rayon and paper).  It can be used on fabric blends, paper and wood; works best on fabric blends with: cellulose + non cellulose. The chemical works eats away cellulosic fibre (plant fiber), leaving the non cellulose areas intact on the fabric.

MATERIALS:

Screen with design ready for silkscreen use
Squeegee
Velvet (80% rayon, 20% silk)
Fibre remover

HOW: 

 thermochromic ink painted onto the velvet bumps left behind by the fibre etch process.

 

BLEACHING: it strips off the colour of the fabric to achieve the original colour or the raw colour of the textile.

MATERIALS: 

  • Dark colour fabrics
  • Bleach
  • Mask, gloves & googles
  • Spray bottle or brush
  • Optional: rubber band, tapes etc.

HOW: 

APPLICATIONS: 

FIBER ETCH: scarfs, curtains, bedsheets, cut out lace  Using Fiber-Etch to create cutwork...Hmmm...I don't know about this...From Threads - iron for 3 minutes.

BLEACHING: patterned fabrics for all sorts of uses, blankets, clothing etc. Jeans

DIY Bleach Tie-Dye Swaddle Blanket - Say Yes to Hoboken..Carolina Herrera Fall 2013 RTW Collection - Fashion on TheCut

 

REFLECTION: etching process continues on until fabric cellulose is eaten up, which means the textile is continuously changing and the initially etched design will be destroyed/lost. It is quite a pity if a design you like gets morphed. Bleaching process is also uncontrollable and if a applied on a large fabric for a certain desired pattern, process has to be done quickly since the longer bleach is left on material, the lighter the colour it will leave and the overall colour of the huge pattern will be inconsistent unless its desired in the design.

The reverse of bleaching is dyeing- adding colour to plain light coloured fabrics. Some examples below

DIY Shibori Dyeing Tutorial from Honestly WTF.This was Honestly WTF’s first DIY on their blog in 2010. It’s still one of the best tutorials out their for Shibori dyeing techniques. Last year I posted so many excellent tie dye and bleach dye...

8 Printing with Thermochromic inks

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THERMOCHROMIC INK: temperature sensitive ink/dye compounds, developed in the 1970s, that temporarily change colour with exposure to heat. They come in two forms, liquid crystals and powder leuco dyes. The colours of thermochromics inks will disappear when heat is applied and quickly revert colours when heat is taken away.

MATERIALS:
Screen with design ready for silkscreen use
Squeegee
BETA TC Mani
Thermochromic ink/powder
Plastic cups and ice-cream sticks for mixing
Mask (to prevent inhaling powder)
Fabric you want to silkscreen on

HOW: 

APPLICATIONS: mood rings, nail art, mugs, utensils

Image result for mood ringsRelated imageImage result for thermochromic pigment in useImage result for thermochromic pigment in use

 

REFLECTION: thermochromic inks can be used to add interactive elements to design since acrylic colours can be mixed in- while thermochromic inks disappear, the acrylic colour mixed in will appear

eg. thermochromic pigment used is blue and acrylic colour added is yellow, the colour reflected is green when cool. When heat is applied, blue pigment will disappear, and colour yellow will be reflected.

6 Manipulating Fabric Plastic Leather Paper

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SMOCKING: Smocking is an embroidery technique used to gather fabric so that it can stretch. Before elastic, smocking was commonly used in cuffs, bodices, and necklines in garments where buttons were undesirable.

ELASTIC THREADS: Used for creating creases and gathers patterns on the materials to make flexible stretchy textiles.

MATERIALS: 

  • Fabric
  • Paper
  • Plastic
  • Leather
  • Elastic tread
  • Flat elastic
  • Hand sewing needle
  • Sewing machine

HOW: 

 

FOR ELASTICS: Pull as you sew fabric and elastic together so that it can gather fabric when released.

gathering fabric using elastic threads; a scrunchie hair tie

gathering fabric using thicker elastic bands.

APPLICATIONS: Elastic bands in clothing; waistbands and smocked tops. It makes clothing fitted and can be used to replace buttons or zippers

ASTR The Label Lilian Smocked Top - Mauve Polka Dot – Calico

REFLECTIONS: Elastics were hard to execute as the elastic thread tends to get caught up in the sewing machine. The thick bands were easier to sew onto fabric with the zigzag stitch. Overall, I needed alot more practice as I was unable to machine sew neatly with elastics as they recoiled/gathered weirdly when they were released.

Smocking was very enjoyable, transforming a single flat and boring piece of fabric into a textured textile with repetitive indents and shapes from different smocking patterns. Makes people really drawn to feel the texture of the indents.

 

other interesting smocking patterns:

Smocking Techniques

5 Felting and Applique

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FELTING: consolidation of certain fibrous materials by the application of heat, moisture, and mechanical action, causing the interlocking, or matting, of fibres possessing felting properties. Such fibres include wool, fur, and certain hair fibres that mat together under appropriate conditions because of their peculiar structure and high degree of crimp (waviness). Wool can produce felting even when mixed with other fibres. Unlike bonded fabrics, felts do not require an adhesive substance for their production. We learnt and used 3 types of felting, wet felting, needle felting and nuno felting.

 

MATERIALS:

  • Wet felting: wools of different colours, soap/detergent (helps with binding), hot water
  • Needle felting: wools, felting needle, sponge/foam block
  • Nuno felting: wools, other fabric, felting needle, sponge/foam block

 

HOW:

Nuno felting: Repeat needle felting but on another fabric to interlock wool fibres into existing textile.

 

APPLIQUE: Appliqué is ornamental needlework in which pieces of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern.

 

Simply gather any fabric/material/textile, align them in your desired pattern and sew them onto each other or use nuno felting. I used the zig zag stitch on the sewing machine with different coloured threads to create a pattern on scrap felt.

APPLICATIONS:

FELTING: embroidered pieces, ornaments, bunting, scarfs, jewelry

Colourful handmade original wet felt & embroidery vibrant flower picture 4" wooden hoop. MoreFat and Happy Wool Cats - Beginner Felt Poke DIY Kit (with or without tools)Felt House ornaments to hang. Four models.129100+ εκπληκτικά κοσμήματα απο τσόχα! | Φτιάξτο μόνος σου - Κατασκευές DIY - Do it yourself

 

APPLIQUE: wearables, jewelry, cushions/quilts

Sparkly A-Line Lace Appliques Beading Cap Sleeves Tulle Homecoming Dresses, HD0418**SOLD** #beadwork #beadedearrings #native #nativeamerican #nativebeadwork #handmade #earrings #jewelry #swarovski #etsySour Candy Cushion

 

REFLECTION: felting is therapeutic, due to continuous repetitive motion of poking to interlock fibres. Wet felting was superb for creating gradients/ombre textiles and needle felting can be further used to create 3D textiles from plain formless fibres.

Applique is a great way to reuse leftover materials. With careful planning on matching materials and colours, a wholesome new textile with interesting textures can be formed.

Exploring techniques, materials & textures