Trashion, ReFashion

So, for a few months now I've been playing with the idea, working on the idea and sometimes getting somewhere with it. I planned this piece out last semester actually and then did a couple of thing's wrong. Anyway, the idea was to use a great deal of the trash yarn/cord that I have. Unfortunately I spaced out on that when I was setting up for this project. However, all things considered it turned out fairly well. ;)

The above are some images of the top modeled by my friend Clara. ;) The top is made out of cotton and wool, the pleats down the front are plastic (the same plastic that's used for the skirt bellow). The top is all of one piece at the moment, depending on who's going to model it for the show, I might have to make it a bit smaller. We'll see. ;) So that was all done end of the semester last year. Over the break I started working on the monstrosity bellow.

The skirt is made out of trash plastic and was going to be all one layer. However, the single layer was not poofy enough for what I wanted. So I ended up fashioning a fathered under-layer. You can see the under-layer as modeled by myself at the end of the collage. The lamp shade model is wearing the entirety of the thing as it is right now. I plan on fashioning an adjustable waist band of some sort today. Vanishes.

What?

I've been trying to figure out the last few days, why certain images appeal to me. Why do I find one more evocative then the other? What is the element that hooks me and draws me in? I'm not sure what it is, but usually it's because I read an emotional content into it. An emotional content that feels truly expressed in some way. Though, in truth I'm not rightly sure how to show that or to put it into words in other ways.

The reason for attempting to do this, is linked to another problem. I have not posted images of this work, but I've been working in hanging garment forms in my textiles work of late. In creating narratives between these disembodies garments that become representation of people, stories and lives. So in trying to figure out what appeals to me in an image, I'm hoping to try and better express that feeling or thought in the scenes that I create with these garment forms.

I'm also working with pairing specific garments with silhouettes on the walls. Where in this gets a little harder because you have less and more to work with. The trick now is figuring out what the relationship between the silhouette and the garment is. Does it change based on objects and arrangement? Does it always contain some of the same inherent properties? What is the story, image, or emotion that I wish to convey?

To give you some examples, here are a few images of some of the pieces that I worked on last semester. Though the locations are not exactly ideal for displaying these garments without background interference, it is what it is. :)

For some reason I'm having a hard time figuring this out. I was hoping that writing this might help but I still have no answers. Hahhaa. Alright enough wasting time on the computer. Cheers. vanishes

Slide Show Project

Alright, so a bit late but so it goes. I spent last Thursday finishing up the piece for the 'Slide Show Project'. Here are a few of the work in progress images. I'll post some images from the event later or tomorrow. ;)

So this project has rather been in the pipe all semester, though of course everyone is just now putting things together for it. I guess that's the way things go. *chuckles*

Anyway, it started with the fact that the local university is scanning and decommissioning all of their slides, which they were then putting out on the free table. During the course of a number of conversations we decided it would be interesting to do something with all of these slides. As things progressed we ended up working with the Sculpture department in it as well, so it became a joint show between the textiles department and the sculpture department. :)

As you can see the event actually took place last Friday. ;) All things  considered the event went well. For being the end of the semester, the last day of finals.

Woven World

There is something beautiful about the weaving process, often I find the actual work more appealing then the finished product. This is a project that I warped out actually a number of months ago but finally put it on the loom.

This is a photo series on the weaving process and progress of one woven piece.

WIP Shots

Alright so I know these images suck, the lighting is bad at home and not much I can do about it but I wanted to post them. Having issues sewing on the inside of the arms because they're too small to fit well with the sewing machine. I think I'm going to have to put the last bits on by hand, but still a pain to sew in the sleave.

Anyway, it was decided that even the LilyPad components are probably going to snag on the fabric and rip it or at least create problems with. So I've been thinking of various ways to cover them. I like having the component's visible--though I have not fully figured out why that is, I think it has something to do with enjoying the ability to see how things work. Which at this point I can go either way on. I also decided to back the components on the inside of the shirt because some of the little bits on the back were poking threw and were a little sharp.

We also got the hangers up yesterday in the space. Inbetween holding things and passing tools, I took a few quick snap shots.

Alright that's it for now. Other things to do and finish and yeah. At least it hasn't snowed again so far. *disappears*