Spots, Dots, Stripes and Checks

In this project we were in groups of 3 and each of us had to create a garment to show in our uni fashion show, which also worked together as a final look. we could choose to design with either spots, dots or stripes and checks. I chose to use spots. I began with collaging various circles of different patterns and colours from textiles

I then edited the individual spots, by increasing the saturation and contrast, creating a sharper and more graphic spot.

I chose the bottom right spot to use predominantly in my final design.

Once the spot was chosen, I decided I would make a circle skirt as my garment, as I felt the shape would fit my design, I also chose to use thin neoprene as my base fabric because I felt that the garment would need to be slightly more structured.

Below is some mockup visualisations of my print placement.

I decided to use the top right placement as I felt that it would bring some  gravity to the garment,

This final garment on my model.

Print

My two weeks of print was split up over the Christmas break.. In my first week we were taught basic digital print skills on Photoshop and Illustrator. Having previously done a Digital Print Course it served as a recap. I went to Kew Gardens to gather research and inspiration for my print collection, focussing on the surfaces and textures of the plants.

Below are a few of my favourite shots.

The colours I found within the plants were very natural and served as inspiration for my colour palette. 
My final 4 digital prints.

After the Christmas break we were printing using newprint stencils (I made templates based on the surfaces plants in Kew Gardens) and acid dyes on silk. I liked the process of making the acid dyes from the powder as it reminded me of my A-level chemistry.
We used a mixture of silkscreen and mono printing to create our final 6 prints, Each stencil only lasted about 3 prints. It was a very stressful day in the print room to finish all 6 samples.

This is my favourite print from the collection

Upon reflection I found it quite amusing that my prints have an African quality about them, as I had just returned from South Africa. I really like the way they work as a collection but are all very different yet have the same almost tribal undertone.

I enjoyed printing I could definitely see myself specialising in print or digital print, as the technique feels very natural.

Weaving

My 2nd technical block was Weaving. I have been exposed to weaving before and I own a mini hand weaving loom which I actually have never used and several weave designers' books. I began this technical block feeling optimistic it seemed very therapeutic methodological.

We started by creating a wind of our 2 chosen base colours, derived from our research from rough guide.

3 days into Weaving I still hadn't begun to make an actual weave! The process threading and setting up your loom took forever. The steps were pretty straight forward, but you had to concentrate constantly or you'd mess up the pattern-it's all very specific. We were in partners so I'd imagine it would be a lot worse doing it alone.

We got given weave pattern sheets with 20 basic examples of the kind of patterns we could use, then we got experimenting. I followed the pattens with ease but the repetitive steps had me "zoning out" and I didn't feel completely engaged in what I was actually doing. Once I began experimenting with colour and exploring the effect colours have on one another I became more absorbed in creating my samples.

Below are my weave samples

This is my particular favourite sample, I love how the use of 2 threads at once completely alter the pattern and allow me to essentially create 2 separate patterns and colour combinations in one go. I tried to contrast the autumn tones found in my box clever with the greens captured from the surfaces of plants in Kew Gardens.

After my 2 weeks of experience I have come to the conclusion that weaving isn't for me. The various patterns and colours can create stunning pieces if given enough time but I feel that the process is too mundane.

Knitting

During our first year we have 4 technical blocks to complete before deciding our specialism.

1. Knit
2. Weave
3. Print
4. Stitch

These are my final samples created during my 2 weeks of knit.

I really enjoyed using the knitting machine. I could definitely see myself specialising in knit.