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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