Tag Archives: fabric manipulation

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:

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