the last week.

has been an independent study week. we had the initial task to complete and to experiment.

i worked my way through the manipulation list and created a file of my samples. i figured that if i sampled a number of different manipulation techniques it will be easier for my to extend this way of working later on (working on larger bits of fabric etc) and it will be easier for me to push ideas further.
i am happy with what i've produced in a week, i've actually made my work look quite professional! which is new for me. it's normally quite scruffy in terms of presentation. but i have mounted my samples on nice thick paper, labeled them and placed them in a file. having these samples for reference will always be useful so it's best to make them look good the first time around.
i have mainly been experimenting with old fabrics and a dress i brought a few weeks ago and regretted it. so i've cut it up :) it is a netty fabric with printed horses on it.

best bargain EVER.

today i brought a £30 book off amazon for...

wowoowowow!

it's such an awesome book about how fashion influences interiors. 

 

 here's an example from missoni. the company i'm studying for my market report.

 

here are a few more photos from the book, i really like the mood/inspiration boards they have in there. it's such a good book for inspiration and reference.

reduce.reuse.recycle.

reduce.reuse.recycle.

i try and use a lot of second hand fabrics and objects in my work. i spend a lot of my time in charity shops, at car boots, and rummaging through flea markets.

i enjoy making things out of things people don't want anymore; saving it from going to waste and to make it into something useful and lovely again.

this automatically creates a vintage, nostalgic and charming vibe to whatever i'm making.

  last year i requested to volunteer at Brightons' TRAIDremade shop;

'TRAIDremade is an environmentally conscious fashion label launched in 2002 by clothes recycling TRAID. TRAIDremade design and produce gorgeous clothing for women and men using second hand textiles that would otherwise be thrown away. 
Buying TRAIDremade helps to protect the environment by reducing landfill and the profits raised from every garment sold, support international development projects to fight poverty.'

http://www.traid.org.uk/remade.html

unfortunately, after the first reply from head office, the Brighton shop never replied to me so i never got the chance to volunteer. However, what they're doing is great, and everyone should learn how to customise and re-style their clothes.

initial manipulation task.

Re-cycling and Re-invention Task

The starting point for previous tasks has been the use observational drawing.

The starting point for this task will be INVESTIGATION through experimental sampling and material manipulation etc alongside drawing.

 Your task is to:

·         Fill a bin liner with unwanted clothes, accessories, tablecloths, shoes, belts …. etc. You need to consider carefully the nature of your collection and the potential possibilities that it holds for material experimentation. Consider carefully the properties of the materials you are collecting,   and question for example could they be melted, bonded, de-constructed easily, woven into, printed over and dyed  etc

·         Work your way through the collection, de-constructing, re-constructing, fraying, un-picking, tearing, cutting, slashing etc BE CREATIVE BE INVENTIVE!!! (There is a list of words on the VLE that you have put together to remind yourselves about  what you know already)

·         Reflect on and select the workshops you have most enjoyed over the past two terms for example printing, stitching, knitting, weaving etc build on and develop your skills in these practices during this project.

·         Consider paying attention to the detail of your collection explore pockets, buttons, zippers, seams, etc  and begin to make drawings that explore your collection in creative and experimental ways. Build on the knowledge you have acquired over the past projects.

As you experiment you should also consider how you could begin to refine some of the methods and processes you are using.

Here is an example of how you could approach this task:

You could consider making at least 5 samples from your ‘unwanted’ collection. Then from these 5 samples choose 3 samples to move forward through further manipulation and experimentation considering how you could further REFINE the techniques and processes you are using  to make your samples more beautiful and increasingly contemporary.

You should consider colour, combinations of weights of cloth, transparency, opaqueness, elasticity, structure of the cloth etc.