Category: Field Year 1

Overall I think that our bag was really successful, the end product turned out how we envisioned with only a few slight hiccups. I think that the size of the bag works perfectly for the context of use. We wanted it to be light weight and to fit to the body as it would be used during skateboarding. Having the adjustable straps also allows the bag to be adjusted to anyone’s body type.

We also added the elasticated hoops to hold skate tools on the side of the bag. The bag has a roll top which is good for keeping water out and keeping everything secure inside as its hard for it to come open.

The colours of the bag wasn’t the exact colours that we wanted as the fabric didn’t take to the dye as much as we wanted. However I think the colours that we ended up with work really well together. I am really pleased of how the pattern turned out there where a few marks that if we had more time I would of liked to have cleaned up.

Over the last couple of days Lizzy and I  have been dying and printing the fabric to get it ready for the actual construction of the bag.

Friday was a tricky day as we were fairly new to the dye lab. In the morning I was by myself trying to get the correct colour for the fabric that was going to be used for the strap. However the cotton wasn’t taking to the dye and it was taking forever to make it dark blue. In the end we had to take it out as there wasn’t going to be enough time to dye the fabric for the main body of the bag.

We had planned to have dark blue straps and a middle tone of grey for the bag however reaching these colours was really difficult and time consuming so we had to settle with lighter colours. We kept adding more and more dye and leaving it for ages and it was taking to the fabric. If we were to do this again and had more time then maybe leaving the fabric over night to soak would allow it to get to the right colour that we were trying to achieve.

After the dying the fabric we then got the pieces cut out and began to print on the bag. This also took longer than expect as the print studio was so busy, meaning that everyone was sharing equipment so you were always waiting. We got the majority of the printing and the re-dying of the fabric done meaning that Monday morning would be using the heat press to foil the straps.

The foiling took me no time at all meaning that I could then hand over the fabric to Priya to start making.

For the rest of the day we started to think about what we were going to talk about in our presentation and in what order. I wrote down everything that we could possible talk about and some of the problems that we overcame as a group. I then also finished the mood board off that we did as a group to show in our presentation. It consists of a lots of pictures, photocopies of drawings and fabric sample to sum up our journey.

Whilst doing all of this we would pop in to see how the bag was coming along and if we could do anything. Even though I am a textiles student I haven’t any experience in making a bag or how to use the fashions sewing machines so I felt a bit useless.

 

Today I spoke in front of our textiles group explaining my progress so far and what I have been looking at theses last couple of weeks. we paired up so we could write each others feed back when the other person was presenting.

This is the feedback that I received,

– Good flow when talking and explained my points well.

–  I used lots of processes and tried out some new things which was noticed by others as I had mixed techniques.

–    I explained in my presentation that I had trouble with the metallic threads but when I got my feedback others told me that I needed to use a metallic needle so it would stop the thread snapping.

– I also explained that my project may take me in the direction of looking at space, when feeding back they said that they could see the links and that it could be a good direction to go in.

– They thought that my colour pallet linked with the theme well even though I was unsure about it and may have made it lighter they reassured me that it all linked well and looked good.

– Impressed with how well my dissolvable piece came out as sometimes they can be hard to look good and get right.

– They then proposed the question of how would i use the dissolvable in clothes ? I replied that it could maybe be scales down as used as a logo or possible a panel feature.

– On one of the techniques I had tired I was unsure of the process but I soon found out that I had used smoking threads to make my fabric shrink.

– Someone asked what whould I have done if I had more time? if I had more time I would have planned out my designs differently and taken some of the newer designs I had made in to the workshop. I also felt that some of my fabrics looked messy so I would have taken my time more.

– One of my fabrics was talked about and said that it maybe would apply to a younger audience such as children which I completely agree with so for next time I need to work to sticking to my target market better rather than doing what I like.

I felt that my overall feedback was very positive and has helped me realise that if I am a little bit more organised and do all my research at the beginning then I may have a better idea of what to then make motifs and pattern ideas about. I have learnt lots of new techniques and that also working in a team isn’t as easy as it sounds.

So I’ve been adding more to my sketchbook looking at collating some of the motifs that I had created and trying to come up with new ways to create patterns. Sticking to the theme of cellular structures and also looking at dragonfly wings as they are similar. Cellular structures also lead me to looking at the surfaces of planets. Here are all my most recents creations.

Today was the last day to use the workshop so I was feeling under pressure as I hadn’t yet created any samples. Despite this I managed to create 8 samples which I am rather pleased with as I believe they portray my project rather well.

I made my first dye sample today which was exciting however I didn’t get to do the measuring and setting up of the dye baths so I am still unsure on the full process. However the actual leaving it in the colour and checking it to see how dark you want the colour is exciting, I like the uncertainty of it. After I dyed my fabric I then used the Devore, I think this sample is one of my favourite.Here is the sample that I created with just one of my cellular patterns on I photographed it on two different backgrounds so you could see through it clearly.

For some of the other samples I used printing and then foiled on top. I also used heat transfer for a background. Here are the photos.

The other samples are just layered screen prints of my different designs. One of them I hand sewed into with yarn and another I used this special thread that you put in to the sewing machine and then after you have created your pattern you then hover the iron over it and the fabric shrinks to create texture.

My last sample was done using the disposable material and sewing a circular pattern into it using a couple of different shapes of purple thread. I am thinking of seeing it on top of one of my samples to create layers and texture but I’m unsure on this idea yet. Like the Devore sample I photographed this sample on different backgrounds.

Today we were shown how to create a repeat pattern through drawing and then dividing the page in four and moving what was the inside to the outside.

I found it mind blowing how easy and simple it was. It’s such a good way of seeing how the composition of your drawings work as a repeat.

I then took my repeat pattern in to the workshop to print to see if it worked well on fabric. Here are some photos of my repeat pattern drawings and prints.

The first picture is my first initial drawing ready to be repeated. I then used the photocopier to copy my pattern to see if it work as a repeat but due to the size of the paper and the printer size the edges didn’t quit match. I then did the same pattern smaller and it worked.this is what I took in to the workshop.

This technic of creating a repeat pattern worked so well in the workshop, I’m looking forward to creating more patterns to try out. If I was to try more I would like to dye the fabric first or heat transfer to create some background colours To then print onto.

Here is my final repeat print. I’m really happy with the result as you can hardly see where the pattern edges all meet up. It was difficult lining them up perfect but I found that the more patient you are the better the results .

The lecture that we had from Peta was shocking, the photos and information that the lady spoke about was so horrific that there were points when you just didn’t want to listen as you felt guilty to the fact that you may have supported the industry in abusing animals for there skins.

The lecture was so informative, for starters I had no idea that cats and dogs were being abused and kept in horrible conditions and then killed for there skin to be turned in to leather. This is heart breaking as dogs and cats are the closest animal to us there are probably the most common pets in the UK so finding out this was just horrific. What makes it worse is that there skins are miss sold so people are thinking that they are wearing Cow Leather (which is no better) but actually it is a cat or a dog.

In this industry you also have to worry about the workers. In some places such as China, South Africa NS Vietnam there are children as young as 13 treating and working on the skins to then form them into leather. It has been proven that it is very rare for these workers to live over the age of 50 as the chemical are just so dangerous and are very harmful to the body.

What is even worse to find out is that the cows for instant that they rear aren’t even used for meat as well. They are mistreated and are basically just skin and bones there is nothing to them. They do not lead a healthy life at all. I know that this is a justification for what they are doing but if they were raised properly and fed then they could be more sustainable and use the meat and skin. Cow leather in fact Is the most polluting material to create.

I could go on for days about each animal as there is an endless list. Here are just a few that we abuse.

• The Silk Spider – we kill a huge amount of these daily to produce silk and I bet half of the people who buy and wear silk don’t even realise that it comes from a spider.
• Sheep – you wouldn’t think that we are cruel to the sheep in the UK but in fact many farmers will kick and hit the sheep if they feel they are misbehaving. They are also quick and aggressive when shaving them and often nip the sheep and just leave them to bleed.
• Goat – We use goats to make Mohair. This is most common in South Africa where they mistreat the goats and kill the alive.
• Rabbits – Angora is rabbit fur, its found in factories in China as they dot have any animal protection laws in place. The process is that they keep the rabbits is small cages to they cant move around and ruin there fur. When the fur is long enough the tie the animal down and rip the fur off them whilst they are still alive and with no pain relief.

Half of the fur in the world come from China. 100 million animals are killed for there fur worldwide. This number is shocking.

Despite all this cruelty there are changes beginning made slowly and alternatives ways of making leather are already starting to make an appearance in high street fashion. It is honestly incredible what they are using to make vegan leather. Here is a list of different alternatives.

• Eco Pel – They are making fabric fur out of recycled plastic bottles.
• Tencel
• Hemp – hemp is biodegradable which means we are reducing the amount of clothes that get dumped in land fill and never decompose.
• Soybeans

There are also other leather replacements such as

• Pineapple leaf – they have made shoes and bags out of this
• Cork – they take the cork off the tree without cutting it down. They cork will then grow back so we aren’t harming nature in this process
• Apple leather
• Mushroom leather
• Kombucha
• Vegea wine
• Recycled fibres
• Biofabricated Leather – this is leather that is still made from the animals but it is created in a lad so no animals were actually involved.

I really hope that we can start to introduce these new vegan leathers into high street fashion and make people more aware of what is happening to the animals in order to create there snake skin boots or fur bag. I for one know that after learning about the culture I will never set hand on such a thing as I don’t ever wish for any animal to go through that amount of pain.