working samples on the mannequin

 Working with my samples on the mannequin has helped in giving me more of an idea of the proportion of my knits to the body. It has made me realise that in unit x I would like to create much larger pieces (mostly of wovens) so that I have more fabric to shape and srape around the body.

However, I feel that working on the mannequin is quite static and not really fitting with my theme. I am going to look back into photography and try and capture my fabrics more naturally.

dip dye technique.

 Looking back at dip dye and chromatography at the beginning of this year, I feel this will work really well in my knit samples as the give an inky quality as well as giving the perfect blended line that I can use in the join between my knit and fabrics.

Latests samples - fabric and knit combinations (and artist research).

These samples are the most successful so far. I think that linking knit with the chiffon has worked really well and looks very effective. I think to improve I now need to make them less pretty by using a variation of thicknesses in fabrics and perhaps trying a more limited colour palette. I also need to make the samples look less linked together and the fabric and knit to blend together, I am going to try using dip dye which is a technique I began using at the beginning of the year. I'm also going to use felt and try stitching and embellishing to give a less obvious join.

art research - fabric shape and manipulations.

dagmar renee

berta fischer

I have been looking back at shape and dyeing of fabrics for more inspiration in my samples. The garment by Dagmar Renee uses dip dye in a fresh and modern way, using it to sculpt the body and blend the join between top and skirt. This is an idea that I could use in my samples, using dye to create a subtle link between knit and wovens.

With the Berta Fischer and Iris Van Herpen pieces, I am inspired by the shape and folds within the translucency of the pieces. I can use this idea possibly with the wovens as well as the knits. Monofilament and fine cotton will give the transparency within the knits and silk chiffon will work really well for the woven areas.

Iris Van Herpen

Fabrics.

I have decided to combine fabrics and my knits together. I want to manipulate my fabrics in some way before linking them to the knit. I feel this will give a individual quality and is something I've not really seen done before. A lot of my images and photographs have a inky quality to them and I fell using dye in my fabrics and knits will be important in passing this quality through.

In these piece I used silk chiffon, dipped in wax and then dye. I think that the shapes and subtle colours work really well. I feel that i still need to push the shape and colours more though and am going to look back at fashion designers for inspitation.

Colour

I have selected a few photos and made a colour board from these to knit from. I feel all the colours work well together and give a fresh modern feel. I won't use all the colours in each sample but will be selective, thinking about colour proportions within each carefully.

Fabric manipulation.

 From my recent sampling I've realise that I need to focus more on shape as well as colour.
To help with this I have modelled different fabrics on a mannequin to help give me some more ideas. This has worked really well as it shows a good contrast between contrasts in shapes of thicker fabrics and the more delicate silk chiffon.

Initial samples

Some of my initial samples where I have looked at creating the contrast in solidity and transparency. Using monofilament with inlay to create areas of transparency, this also gave structure. I also created monofilament pockets and filled with yarns which works well with my idea of capture. I need to focus now more on colours I am using and yarn qualities. I want to steer away from using monofilament too much as I feel I have done this a lot before and want to try something new and unique.

Form continued...

Maxim Valesko.

I've started to look at shape more as it is very important in my designs. I need to think of unique and individual shapes and have been looking at shapes that are formed naturally to inspire me. I now need to keep in mind the body and how I want my samples to fit on the body as I am designing for women's wear. 


Heewon Park.



Form.

Sruli Recht.

Emily Crane.

Here I have been looking at transparency and form through photography of grease proof paper. I think that this is really effective, the forms and creases are interesting and I want to investigate the idea of translucency in different forms further.

I know need to focus more on form and how it works on the body as my ideal aim is to create fabrics for the body.

Capturing Motion.

 I have been capturing the motion of fabric falling through photography. By having a longer shutter speed on the camera it leaves a blurred image. I find the shapes and variations of transparency really interesting and want to continue exploring this idea.

Filippo Minelli's work links well with my project as he captures the shapes and tones created from coloured gas. It also shows the effects of nature (wind) on the gas and the shapes that this creates.

Filippo Minelli - Zoom magazine.

Starting Point

Fabric photography from last year.

 I have decided to think back to my strongest unit which was the idea of 'Freezing', and develop this into my concept of capturing moment. This is a subject that I am excited to carry on throughout this year and feel is a good place to start inspirational research.

Louis Greenfield.

Ben Hall.

First Tutorial

The first tutorial has made me realise that I need a stronger concept behind my work as this will help me to produce a higher standard of work and more original ideas for knit wear. Rather than looking first at techniques and the idea of order and flow, I need to work on my concept. I have decided this will be about movement and energy and I will work on recording visual inspiration for this over the next few days through artist research, photography and drawing. This will then help me to produce a more unique collection of ideas and knit samples.

Summer work

Over summer I decided to do work around the concept of order and flow as a starting point for my final year work. I have been looking at shape, fold and drape and kept in mind the importance of colour. I have found three areas the most inspirational, see images below:

Alberto Seveso

Chromatography - control within dyeing - applied to knit.

Transparency and shape - 'pinterest'