Chiodi's Textiles Blog

Digital Matters has been such an interesting project I feel that this project has opened up so many doors in to new techniques and skills and styles of working. A the start of the project I was super apprehensive about it as I feel that I am more of a hands on maker but I went in to it open minded and now can successfully do some many things that I didn’t think would be possible.

To begin with I found learning how to use photoshop such a struggle I just couldn’t get my head round any of it. I now feel that I can do the basics successfully which is such a personal achievement as its something that I tried to avoid previously. I feel that the next step for me would be to keep playing around with things and become more confident in the software. For my project I didn’t need to use illustrator but I know its a very useful skill to have so hopefully I get the chance to have a go at learning that as well.

When I first started Uni I hated everything about stitch, I was new to everything and I just couldn’t understand how any of them worked and how to create something beautiful with them because they just baffled me. In this project feel that I have spent the most time in the stitch room and I really have learnt so much. I tried out so many different machines I learnt how to use all the machines properly, I finally learnt how to whined a bobbin correctly which doesn’t seem like a huge achievement but it did to me. I even feel confident on the digital stitch machines and how to use the software. this projected has made me open my eyes to the stitch room and see it in another light. I am really starting to enjoy spending time in there and experimenting with all the different machines and mixing techniques to create amazing things.

Overall I have really enjoyed this projected and feel so happy that I have learnt so many more skills that I just didn’t ever think I would have.

At first when I found out that we would be creating a lookbook I was a little worried as I wasn’t entirely sure what it was. After I had done some research I then discovered that it is a journey of how we got to our end outcomes and our final patterns on different items. From looking at my research on look books I knew that I wanted it to look slick and simple and well put together. I spent a lot of time trying to get the placement of images and the order correct so that it would flow naturally.

When putting my patterns on to images I found it rewarding when it works so you can actually start to understand what your work looks like and how it would be used. I felt that some of the objects that I put my patterns on just weren’t supposed to be and others worked really well. I really like how some of my patterns look good on lamps and others on pencil cases and mugs.

I feel that when I work I tend to over crowd things and layer lots on to pages which means sometimes certain parts get missed. So I felt that this was my chance to create something simple and minimalistic. I wanted each page to link together and for you to be able to understand my thought process without it having to be explained.

I am really happy with the outcome and think that it rounds the project off well.

I have loved the whole process of creating my cushion, as nervous as I was because I didn’t want to mess it up I have thoroughly enjoyed trying out new things and experimenting.

On the front of my cushion I wanted to add lots of texture as I felt that it would make sense seen as my theme was forest fungi. At first I was really struggling with ideas as I felt I wasn’t knowledgeable in what the sewing machines could do. However after speaking to Maggie and looking and hearing about how the samples on the wall in the stitch room where made I started to envision how my cushion could potentially look.

I spent a long week in the stitch room them creating the front of the cushion. I didn’t want it to be flat looking so I started off by applique. I used this process on some of the mushrooms this allowed me to use one of the larger machines with all the options of different stitches to add depth to them. I also used this same method for the butterfly to add pattern to the wings. For the centre fungi I decided to used the fringe foot to create these loops. I really love this part of the cushion I think that it works so well and brings in the right about of texture that I was looking for. The fringe foot loops also resemble my original drawing so it was cool that I was able to recreate that but adding lots of texture.

Other parts of my cushion where more simple such as the hand stitch around the edges of the leaves. I did this so that they didn’t look so flat to the cushion and that it would give them more definition. I use added French knots to the clouds as I felt that when placed together they looked fluffy and cloud like. I find that when I hand stitch things I get very impatient because I have to take my time and make sure everything is just perfect.

The last method the I used on the front of the cushion was the cording foot. I used this on the stems of the mushrooms. I feel that I chose the colours of the threads well for this part and was pleased with how well it fits in.

Moving on to the back of the cushion, I used the digital stitch machine for this to create the underside of a mushroom. I love the back of the cushion I am so pleased with every aspect of it. The colour thread that I choose really compliments the green background but also ties in really nicely with the front of the cushion. I enjoy how the edges of each individual mushroom over lap slightly as I feel it makes the look of it more all over and not spaced out. I find the digital stitch machines fascinating and I am looking forward to using them more in the future.

The actual putting together of the cushion was really nerve racking as I didn’t want anything to go wrong. When we made the mock up cushions in calico I felt more at easy as it wasn’t the real thing. This was my first time creating a cushion so everything was very new to me and I had to learn and understand how each step would them come together and create a cushion. Putting in the zip was the most difficult part and also overlocking. I found overlocking a little bit difficult as I cant move my left arm smoothly with the fabric to feed it through due to my disability however with some practice I started to figure out how I could do it in a way that works well for me and started to feel more confident about using the machine. Also the overlocking machine is very fast so it was hard to work out how to get the speed of everything right.

Overall I am so happy of the outcome, obviously there a slight imperfections that I can see that I would change for next time for example with the cording I would have made sure I had gone right to the very tops of the stems. However for a first cushion I really did put all my time and energy in to it to make the best it could be and I feel that I have achieved this.

Throughout the Easter holidays my fabrics that I had sent off to Fashion Formula arrived. I was super excited to open them and see how they turned out. I was really pleased with the out come as they were better than I thought they would be, I was pleasantly surprised. However I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t afford the type of fabric that I wanted but I guess this is something to bare in mind for my next project. I now know how much it cost to print fabric and how long it takes to put together a perfect repeat, this has given me an insight in to how much I need to be prepared for future hand ins so I can allow myself room for mistakes.

The first workshop back after Easter was a Photoshop Workshop on how to put your patterns on to objects. I found this a really useful as there was only 2 of us in the lesson meaning that the class was more personal and I could have more 1 on 1 time to ask any questions or queries. The task that we were set was difficult and feel that it is something that needs a lot of time and assistance to make perfect. Hopefully these techniques will all come with practise.

Tuesday we were told about the next couple of task that we had yo complete which was to create a lookbook and an interiors board. At the start I wasn’t sure what this was but I had a crit and all my questions were cleared up quickly. Sian was also supportive of my ideas that I have on sewing into my samples and cushions which then gave me the motivation to start creating.

I went in to the workshop and spent the day using the digital stitch machine to create my first design on to one of the sides of my cushion. I was so pleased with the outcome, there were a couple of small mistakes which were easily fixable which was lucky. I am looking forward to creating the other side of the cushion and seeing the final outcome.

 

To begin my collection I started taking motifs that I had made in my mark making and putting them together to create different layouts for different designs. I began drawing everything in pen and putting together different compositions. I soon realised that this illustrative style wasn’t how I usually work and wouldn’t really stick to my theme as the makes I had made where more abstract and messy.

I then moved on to collaging my motifs out of papers and bark that I had collect from my heat transfer and primary research walk. I found that the colours worked out better with my theme as they were more toned down and not flat. the papers and bark bought texture to my work which is what I wanted.

i quickly decided that this was the style that I wanted to work in. After scanning in my I played around on photoshop, changing the layout and size of motifs and eventually potential patterns were created.