and Finally

This Unit was research related to find a palette of colour from a single plant - nettles - and using the outcomes to create dyed images from my observations of water. It was also about ways to develop my practice away from samples and knowledge to working on a larger scale which can be applied to design related specific objects which have business potential.

The critical evaluation is giving me the opportunity to see how successful I have been but I am also looking at associated areas not fully necessary or covered by my research. The information about soil types and their effect on the growth and existence of plant species interests me and I wonder if I need to know more about the taxonomy of a plant and which molecules actually dye the fibre. Does the carbon content of peat affect the colour outcomes? My samples certainly show that the colour from the leaves does change over the seasons of its growth into a mature plant. Is this research file that I have built worthy of collaboration with perhaps a biochemist and could it help to inform fibre samples from archaelogical finds.

The unit has also helped me to consider the potential and success of different fibres and fabrics that are available. For example the Wool Brocalo has a scrumptious texture but can only be use with shibori, the wool delaine is good for pleating and to use wax resist I need a relatively smooth finish for crisp lines but interesting results can be discovered by a freer application with different tools.

I am excited by what could come next. The nettle research will continue as long as new variants are available. I want to use all the resist methods tried so far ie ; wax, shibori, clamping and pleating experiment with combinations eg pleating and then waxing. The scarf idea with clasp making doesn't appear on any of the searches I have done so there are many designs to develop both based on a scarf and based on a 'cape'. The clasps also connect with the work I have done making my Tjanting tools and I have ideas for shapes based on a spring.

Roll on September!! And thank you nettles!

Adendum to New Ideas

The pleated samples shown in the previous Blog have helped me to move on in the area of my practice relating my naturally dyed fabrics into objects. It started with thinking about the scarf that was transformed by pleating and actually became more efficient as a warmer for your neck. So I started to research scarves

Love the idea of 3D layers of fabric.

I can see this shape with pleating on the shoulder.

and experiment ( with the help of daughter and friend!) with the fabrics I had pleated.

I am now thinking about ways to clasp the designs as well as ways to use the natural dyes to give a range of colours and patterns based on the images of water. The clasps could be from junk shops but could also be designed and made in the workshop by yours truly.

New ideas

This is just a blog of images after an afternoon in the workshop using the naturally dyes fabrics
with the pleating machine.

 I used a wool scarf and want to experiment with clasps etc to create neck warmers!

I was thinking about the photos of ripples and reflections.







Then a friend asked me to make a book cover for her daughter so I used the waxed patchwork of mark making and found that the wax residue in the fabric results in a better finish,

I decided to use my digital machine to embroider a personalised border with Laura's name.

 

The weld has been harvested and is drying in the shed ready to make a new dye bath soon.
The nettles are full of flower so I have used them for a dye bath so that I can compare the colour with my other samples.
Think it will soon be time to evaluate!

Social Media

It's been really interesting following links with my research. Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and others have been a great way to make me aware of just how much information is out there and how much there is to learn! This morning a Pinterest board led me to find out about Egtved girl and the clothes they found in her Bronze Age grave.

I find it incredible that they have been so well preserved and how much information archaeologists can extract from the fibres of textiles such as these. It isn't just what fibre, what colour, which dye, which dye plant it's also sociological and economic information about the community in which she lives just from the fibres!.

On Facebook I have joined the Wild Dyery Group 'a celebration of all things wild'!. All using natural dyes and from all over the world but making each other aware of their successes sharing their problems and connecting to interesting research and literature. Also links with some exciting opportunities like - Aboubakar Fofana next year, in Liverpool? I'm having a discussion with him about hosting a workshop so still in the planning stage. 

The Wild Dyery Group is also an opportunity to get my work 'out there'! These samples are the outcomes of dyeing with the leaves of nettles but the top 2 fabrics are Wool Delaine with Alum and the bottom samples are cotton with a copper mordant. The samples on the left were in a dye bath with dried leaves from the Autumn and the samples on the right were in a dye bath with fresh leaves picked in May.

But that is the question that I need to think through - do I want to be 'out there' and if yes in what sense! I get excited about some of the ideas for realising creations from the dyed fabrics and the designs but then I get equally excited about the research and would love to visit some of these archaeological sites or tribal villages still using natural dyes in the same way as their ancestors. Next year and the next unit will need to answer this question. Perhaps I just need to stop doing samples, evaluate and get on with some of those creations!

LIKE THIS AND THIS!!

BUT I ALSO BENEFIT FROM THE MENTAL STIMULATION AND THE EXCITEMENT OF RESEARCH!!

Preparation and designing

The cotton chenille and cotton velvet will give me new fabrics to try but I am really excited about the wool brocolla and at £28 a metre I hope it will deliver. First prepare the cottons by soaking them in dissolved Tannin for 24 hours. I am using rainwater and have to use electricity as it is just too hot to light the range! The wool I will use with the woad vat to explore layers of light and dark blues. Thinking of a waterfall or wave. I have researched fringes but can't find the V&A dress which initially made me consider layered fringes. Not sure where this is going but I am trying to use the research ie a palette of colour to apply to design rather than shapes and symbols which are traditionally used with natural dyes. I like the Cavalli dress which has the layers of colour that I'm thinking about and the columns are interesting.

Cavalli fringed dress                                                                     DNKY skirt

Fringed columns

Design narrative

This weeks tutorial was a challenge mainly because I have been visiting, reading, researching but not doing any sketching designing dyeing etc etc. So I am committed to using my knowledge to develop my Design Narrative - so what exactly have I committed to ?!

'Design narratives are accounts of critical events in a design experiment from a personal, phenomenographic perspective. They focus on design in the sense of problem solving, describing a problem in the chosen domain, the actions taken to resolve it and their unfolding effects. They provide an account of the history and evolution of a design over time, including the research context, the tools and activities designed, and the results of users’ interactions with these. They portray the complete path leading to an educational innovation, not just its final form – including failed attempts and the modifications they espoused.'
 
'Phenomenography is a qualitative research methodology, within the interpretivist paradigm, that investigates the qualitatively different ways in which people experience something or think about something.'

' a paradigm /ˈpærədaɪm/ is a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories, research methods, postulates, and standards for what constitutes legitimate contributions to a field

 'Empirical evidence, data, or knowledge, also known as sense experience, is a collective term for the knowledge or source of knowledge acquired by means of the senses, particularly by observation and experimentation.'

OK so now that I have looked at the definitions to understand 'design narrative' I can see what I am and am not doing.
I have a theory ie: that nettles will produce different colours within a range of greens which is affected by the soil conditions, part of the plant, season or stage of growth, climate.
So my Qualitative research is to test this theory by collecting specimens from different areas, times of the year and plant parts. They will be coded, logged and the samples compared over a range of fabrics and fabric conditions.
I will use this empirical evidence to solve the problem in design where natural dyes are used with resist methods but a number of colours/colour tones are needed.
The history and evolution of the design is an area I have neglected so I need to
DO IT

Selvedge and Margate

A train delayed by an hour was a god send as I could read my 2 copies of Selvedge , bought at ND and found some really useful articles and contacts.
There were a lot of references to the importance of 'designers tapping into their heritage' and learning the traditional skills of their country. The writing mainly centred on Japan. Tokyo based german Jurgen Lehl produces household textiles for the Babaghuri label ' High quality materials, natural ingredients and attention to detail are hallmarks of the brand. Babaghuri line of products, including pottery, glassware, towels and basketware are handcrafted by artisans in Japan and abroad.' He created individuality through dyeing, resist, stitching and other processes. But he had an unfortunate accident in 2014 and died - this Toronto designer wrote
'I have been diving deeper into the Jurgen Lehl rabbit hole in the weeks before his passing, reading his books. Researching for the interview next year, and of course bringing in a much larger collection of his fabrics and designs than we have ever carried in the past.

A very inspiring man, who will be remembered for much more than his clothing.' I must research him further to see exactly how he used traditional methods.

This Issue of Selvedge had an interesting article about Slow textiles ans how the 'middle market ... is set for global growth .. and demand for clothing with credentials that celebrate craftmanship'. Another area I need to research Slow textiles - a visit to see Aviva would help!
A trip to Margate to rest for a couple of days was rewarded with a brilliant visit to Turner Contemporary and the Provincial Punk exhibition of Grayson Perry. His work is stunning and I'm so pleased there was a video of the processes behind his beautiful ceramics. People do not realise just how much knowledge and how much creativity never mind the processes of underglaze, slips, overglaze etc etc, goes into one of his 'pots'. He is a tuly inspiring 'man' and the Channel 4 programme, also available to watch showed his humanity. I particularly like his 3 large ladies modelled in clay and how he connected and understood 'who they are'. Must get to the Portrait gallery - just hope the portraits are still on show.

I sat and studied the tapestries for a long time before reading the cataloguing and was impressed with how many brands he had included in his depiction of Consumerism. But I wasn't impressed with the house at Wrabness!!