Lab Stories
Margaret Hamilton, Gordon Burnett, Mary Thomson and Stephanie Tristam
 


Why?
Challenging traditional approach to developing a garment by designing a product around a seam which traditionally has been unexplored as a feature.

What?
Margaret, Mary, Stephanie and Gordon had a collective interest in exploring ‘seams and joints’
because of their importance to every garment and under development creatively. We worked collaboratively on Sunday afternoon trying to be inventive and expansive using machine sewing to create seam and joint samples mixing paper, fabric and nylon netting.

Steph’s orange machine stitched piece in the wooden frame, Mary’s wool and copper jewellery.
Woollen cord woven sample and the knitted and printed pleated cloth sample (6 images in total)

On Monday we puzzled over their potential for translation, an approach emerged identifying a mix of wool with man made fibre for their different qualities explored using machine knitting with its relevance to batch production. However we encouraged Stephanie’s wish to pursue her interest in combining machine sewing and crochet techniques with nylon fibre and luminous thread. Meanwhile we were provided with samples of the Shetland 2000 wool range from Jamieson’s the local Wool Broker, and found complementary man made fibres from within the college. Equitable enthusiastic discussion was followed by individual knitting experiments combining wool and wire, wool and elastic etc to test structure, texture and tactile qualities. Mary was able to extend her intriguing copper wire and wool samples into a pair of wearable bracelets, their use by arthritis sufferers is an exciting possibility. We also tried combining pleated cloth and knitting but this was less successful. Margaret has a specialist machine that rapidly produces knitted cord. Following some tests to weave this intriguing material Margaret used an over locking machine to trim and
stitch the edges to create usable samples to combine with the knitting. This activity took three energetic days characterised by skill sharing, discussion and laughter during the collective making progress.

This over locking technique, used extensively in production, was the primary means of joining the samples. There was great concern and discussion around creating complementary combinations regarding colour, texture, structure and feel, this included the important impact of washing and drying the samples so we completed two samples using the kitted cord. After overnight evaluation Margaret in particular thought a curved seam should be attempted in response to a pattern also to be different and attempt a more ambitious solution. Material tests rapidly followed to create a flexible structure capable of bending without distortion an iridescent fibre provided the appropriate contrast with the wool. Margaret’s skill with the uncompromising over locking machine created a very successful sample. Inevitably this prompted questions about how this visual effect could be translated for production – this was to be tackled later with Walter’s assistance. We completed the set of four samples with a slightly more conventional final sample, its main attraction being how the fibre combination reacted with washing and drying to create a rich visual and tactile surface.

How does this project revalue and/or extend the traditional skills of Shetland?
The Lab has provided the focus and space for genuine interactive collaboration acting as a catalyst for the translation of free-flowing initial ideas into samples using production methods by rethinking the creative possibilities of seaming and joining. This investigation, using production techniques, is particularly relevant to male and female garments and jewellery.

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