ethnobotany knitwear collection

context illustration

e t h n o b o t a n y 2

continuing my development of drawings & photography in photoshop, here are some more CAD samples...

these images and patterns are all based on the contents of some of my jarred remedies. i made a honeysuckle & lavender honey and a sweet pea vinegar. i also made a large tincture of rosemary & lavender.

these were all loosely based on real recipes but my main purpose was to create visually stimulating concoctions which could be translated into colourful designs...

e t h n o b o t a n y

Throughout my time on my course, I have shown a continued interest in natural forms and patterns derived from nature. In my third year rail project I attempted to improve the environment in overcrowded train carriages by creating a pleasant feng-shui atmosphere. I also looked into the idea of ‘vertical gardens’ and ‘living walls’ and considered using herbs and other plants, not only for inspiration for my constructed textiles and patterns but also to change the smell and air quality in an enclosed space.

I returned once again to my interest in nature during my self-motivated project, titled ‘waking up’ in which I explored the moment when life begins again in the garden after winter has past.

My passion for plants and wildlife predominantly stems from working in a garden centre. During my time there my knowledge on the subject has gradually developed and I have become increasingly interested in ethnobotany - the scientific study of the relationships that exist between people and plants.

I intend to explore the subject of ethnobotany, highlighting the importance of plants and their many uses. I am specifically interested in returning to my previous idea of improving the quality of an environment for our senses, such as fragranced textiles, which can contribute to a clean atmosphere.

A garden is a setting of relaxation and escape for many, a place where you can unwind from the chaos of modern life. My intention is to find a way of replicating this notion into a textile collection, imitating feelings of serenity and intertwining mood-enhancing aromas into a knitted structure.

For visual inspiration I will look at people’s interactions with plants. Not just the growing of plants and vegetables but also the environment in which this takes place – greenhouses and allotments and all of the man made structures and forms found juxtaposed next to the vegetation. Interest is also placed upon store cupboards and cabinets where some of the produce is transformed into remedies and medicines - the drying and storing of herbs, jarring preserves, the tools, labels, air-tight jars, bottles and racks.

Colour selection and choice of materials will also be obtained from the notion of human interaction with herbs. Bold turquoise, glittering blues and bottle greens in fine cottons and sheer rayons will reflect the impression of glass whilst deep browns, chestnuts and wines will imitate jars filled with preserved produce. Careful use of dramatic berry red and lime green will give a vital burst of colour to an otherwise sophisticated pallet.

My final outcome will assume a refined country living style, appealing to outdoor lovers. My proposed collection will compliment current fashion trends paying homage to British heritage with waxed jackets, tweed and equestrian jodhpurs.

My structured knitted designs can be used in an interior context with specific interest being placed on a textile that has the ability to improve an environment. However, I would also like to explore the possibility of a garment, which shares similar qualities, allowing a wearer to experience the same traits.

Here are some of my CAD designs which will compliment my knitted samples....

Slumming It

TECHNO-FOLK AUTUMN/WINTER

Dharavi is one of the most densely populated places in the world. One million people are crammed into one square mile of slums in Mumbai, India. It is an extreme urban environment, completely unplanned and homemade.

The appearance of the slums looks almost like patchwork. And despite its poverty, the place has a strong sense of community, high employment and very little crime.

“I strongly believe that the West has much to learn from societies and places which, while sometimes poorer in material terms are infinitely richer in the ways in which they live and organize themselves as communities” Prince Charles.

I am interested in highlighting both the positives and negatives of life in a slum settlement. There is very little space in each slum so space has to be flexible to fit peoples needs.

There is also virtually no privacy.

I am interested in showing the raw beauty of the place through print, knit and stitch.

I started by creating a miniature slum set-up out of cork, wood, leather, scrap materials, corrugated cardboards and papers. I then did a series of drawings and photographs based on the building. From these I developed a colour scheme of deep purple-blues, bold pinks, bright oranges and contrasted them against a variety of neutral shades – concrete pinks, faded stones and dirty greys.

Inspired by my discovery that even the poorest slums often appear to be decorated with religious ornaments and their walls covered in photo frames, garlands and pictures I began to do some line drawings and collage painting.

There is a brilliant contrast of the highly patterned and coloured with the hugely disorganized, decayed and faded. Rusted metals, warped wood, plastics and cracked concrete in blocks and stacks are covered in beautiful fabrics, garlands and picture frames.. Mixing these images with line drawings of the slums I developed my patterns on photoshop and in my sketchbook.

As I took my designs into knit I combined thick lambswools with almost transparent threads to emphasize the lack of privacy and density of the slums. Ribbing and tuck techniques were used to describe the corrugated metals and partial knit and intarsia to create blocks of bold colours.

I printed onto think felts and light cottons and scrap fabrics to emphasize the mix matched unplanned nature of the shanty towns.

For contextual research I looked at designer Michael Van Der Ham whose debut collection of 12 dresses, made in a jigsaw of fabrics are bringing a modern patchwork twist to the catwalk.

Michael Van Der Ham

I also looked at fashion knitwear designer Naomi Barber-Rodgers who uses transparent threads alongside panels of fine-gauge merino to create floating stripes of colour.

I also researched furniture design brothers Fernando and Humberto Campana who are well known for recycling discarded and unused materials into expensive chairs.

My intentions are to combine my pieces of knit with my mixed media and digital print samples to create my own patchwork jigsaw dress, which will emphasise the curious juxtaposed world of the Dharavi slums.

some CAD work:

This project was entered into the annual Society of Dyers & Colourists (SDC) Competition where it came 1st place in the Scottish heat and then 2nd place in the UK final. This involved me going to Aberdeen for the regional final and then down to Nottingham in May for 2 nights for the UK final. It was a great experience for me as a designer and showed me a real insight into the industry in which i hope to soon be working in!

me standing beside my design boards with my 2nd place certificate!

Nottingham, 7th May 2010

waking up

Hibernation & Waking Up:

Spring 2010

To waken up, arise, arouse, recover, rejuvenate, make new again, refresh, breathe new life into,exhilarate, give new life to, reanimate, reclaim, reconstruct, restore, renew, rekindle, stimulate, evolve…

This project intends to explore the moment when life begins again in the garden. Inspired by the coldest winter in over 30 years, I began by looking at the phenomenon of hibernation. Which animals hibernates and why?

My focus gradually moved from the negative aspects of this winter, such as the loss of many beloved animals - the kingfisher, heron, deer and many others who fell victim to the harsh conditions – I began to study the more optimistic event of spring. Precisely the instance when things waken up.

My study took place in the setting of my own garden, photographing it over the course of a month. Starting with almost complete bareness and lack of colour, small shoots began to appear, bursting through the soil and heading up towards the warmth.

I created a range of CAD designs for fashion-wear, oversized utility jackets; thick military styled shirts and combat shorts, but with an optimistic feminine twist.

Capturing the beauty of delicate spring bulbs and exposed shoots, small flickers of colour in amongst earthy browns, tired grays and dried up leaves. Concentrating on the patterns of nature, and the juxtapositions between the old and the new I continued to evolve my project.

Photography was my main tool I then edited and developed my images using Photoshop as well as lots of organic drawing, painting and collages to explore the texture, composition and structure of the garden.

some developmental drawing and collage

I see my designs being taken further into samples, printed onto utilitarian/military styled materials, and eventually worn as women’s early spring daywear - offering warmth and protection whilst keeping feminine and fashionable, on the last few weeks of winter and the first few weeks of spring.

some CAD samples

waking up pansies - brown

snakes head fritillary - green

snakes head fritillary - peach

slow and steady wins the race...

i designed this little snail and had it printed onto a bumper sticker for my little fiat. it will hopefully make the piles of cars stuck behind me smile as i chug along at 40mph :)

my unending love for the labyrinth

i always felt like Sarah was a bit too forgiving of hoggle and all his betrayals throughout the course of her adventure. he really was quite foul! especially when he tried to kill that poor fairy at the start...

after watching the labyrinth i'm always left craving a nice peach :)