The first project: Popup
We have four blocks during the autumn term, including stich, print, weave and knit. The skills we learn from the four blocks are as a part of assessment. Through the learning and experience of the blocks we will decide which specilism to choose when we access to the stage 2.
Stitch Block: List of processes, techniques and skills.
Print Block: To design directly onto fabric using a screen. To print with pigmets pastes, and acid dye pastes. To dye cellulose and protein fibres. To manipulate a sreen using a variety of methods: masking, moving, cut paper stencils, ombrey. To steam and finish printed fabrics.
Weave Block: Basic Weave drafts and techniques, Translation of drawing into colour, yarn and texture, Professional presentation of samples for weave.
Knit block: To use a domestic knitting machine and learn its various functions such as lace, tuck, weave, punch-card. To manipulate fabric on the machine including ladders, short rows, cables. To manipulate fabric off the machine including Swiss darning, embroidery, felting, tie dyeing.
Stitch Block
I have just finished the two week experience in the stittch block. In this stitch workshop I have learned various methods and techniques to create beautiful fabric samples and known many differnt materials related to stitching.
In the first week, we have the instroction of the sewing machine and embelisher from our tutor. We also tried to use the machines and experimented with various techniques. In the first day we were required to bing our drawings and self defined colour palette, and the tutor would look around our works one by one. Afterwards she showedt us the particular techniques accoding to diffrent drawings.
In this block we should focus on surface and texture.
Techniques
Technique 1: Over-lay the fabrics and a piece of foam, sewing them togther, cutting down the foam parts, trying different cutting.
Technique 2: Cutting off the foam as a stripe, tie around the foam with a thread, wrap it very tightly. Also can dye it with inks.
Technique 3: Making a over-lay circles with fabric and plastic paper. Put coloured fabrics(like chifon) inside the bubbles from the back so that could see the coloured bubbles inthe front side.
Technique 4: Setting the stitch of sewing machine as zipper stitch, sewing several thic strings together to create a new thread. Then sew it twisty on a fabric, finally take out the fabric.
Technique 5: Using felts (a sort of fabric), over-lay several felts, sewing them together with straght stitch, then cut some layers out from the middle.
Technique 6: Bondaweb. wrap bondawep on a card, then wrap threads on it or tear a stripe fabric to wrap. Iron it with another bondaweb covered it. PVC, can not iron PVC directly, should cover a paper.
Technique 7: Bird one. A sense of rough, sythetic. plastic melt, using embroidery machine. First put various materials on a fabric, use machine to mix them together. hand stitching with plastis, iron them so that the plastc can melt onto the fabric.
Technique 8: Make pom pom, put the pom pom in the middle of two bonaweb to iron(with a piece of polyester), then cut down the middle of pom pom, take out the card.
technique 9: Using British Silk, fix the silk on a embroidery hook, heating the darning needel to make it hot enough, then use the needle to draw on the silk.
Technique 10: How to embroider on stretch fabrics. Tighten the fabric on the hook, put a piece of polyester on the top when sew.
Technique 11: Make holes.
Technique 12: Cutting circles with felts in different sizes. Sewing together.
Technique 13: Fishing target thread. Sewing several, then use a fork to wrap the shape.
Technique 14: Dissolvable. Embroider with the dissolvable on the top, then put it into the water.
Technique 15: Burning technique.
Technique 16: Cutting many fabrics to fragiles, put things on the top of bondaweb, iron.
Two main fabric shops in the Shaphers Bush Market: A1 fabrics and classic fabrics
In the first week, after the tutorial with tutor, I have learned the appropriate technique related to my own drawings and colour palette. I should use the stretch fabrics and should find the right coloured fabrics. Looking my drawings and making the stretching curves.
