celiamaryjoy

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Final garment photography

[celiamaryjoy]

part 9

week 5 summary and evaluation

This was definitely my week for design development progression. I began the week with designs that I was pleased with aesthetically but did not fully relate or fit with my concept. 

I made a lot of jumpsuit designs with gathered sections and embroidery. On Tuesday I presented these designs to my peers who gave me feedback on the successes and critiques of my ideas. I then realised that my designs didn't have enough technical foundation and so I went back to my research. 

Solidifying my concept and the ‘why’ of what I am doing was really important at this stage of the process as it then influenced my designs and made them more wholesome. Through my garments I want to create an experience of ecotherapy that can be retained and preserved. I intend to make something to be worn outside, carrying out some form of ecotherapy - such as gardening. Over time, the garment will become worn and stained and will develop visual reminder and memory of the personal experience. I will also look at visible mending and embroidering over stains in order to preserve the memory and celebrate the damage and the stains so that the garment itself reminds the wearer of the experience of positive wellbeing that the ecotherapy brought. 

This is important as ecotherapy is used as a treatment for depression and other mental health issues, and so my garments could be a way to facilitate the ecotherapy and be a visual reminder of the positive experience. 

I decided that I needed to explore workwear and outdoor wear in more depth as garment references. I also referenced mental health institution garments (such as straight jackets and smocks) which informed some of my detailing choices. 

I then made a final design decision and began to toile elements of the design, such as the shirt sleeve, neckline and pleating. I also made a mini-toile of the trousers. 

This week I made important breakthroughs with my concept and design development. I have now worked out what I will make and need to finish making patterns and toiles of the different elements. I then need to construct the final garment so that I have time to wear the garment while carrying out my own ecotherapy, so that it becomes my own and gets stains and marks on it so that I can carry out the visual mending and embroidery aspect of the garment.

[celiamaryjoy]

part 8

week 4 summary and evaluation

This week I began the design development process. I started by making loose drawings in response to my research, these were initial designs focused on texture and silhouette.

 I also made collages with photocopied drawings from my research.  

From these drawings I developed the silhouettes and forms further to include more technical details and also adding more colour. 

I was struggling at this point of the process as my designs weren’t based on technical garment details and were too abstract which meant that I couldn’t get my head round how I would go about making them.

[celiamaryjoy]

VISIBLE MENDING

Similar to the embroidered stains, this technique celebrates the worn areas of a garment, instead of trying to hide them, turning them into a feature.

[celiamaryjoy]

Embroidery over stains.

Using embroidery to celebrate the stains, and to lock in a memory. Using this in an ecotherapy context would be interesting. I want to create a garment that celebrates the memory of the wearer and their experience of the natural environment. For example if they were wearing the garment to do gardening, it would get grass stains or soil marks, and then these areas of staining could be embroidered so as to remind the wearer in a multi sensory way of their experience. The garment would become personally precious to the owner, as each stain would be a reminder of their ecotherapy, and this is heightened by the embroidery. 

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https://www.botanyshop.co.uk/shop-botany/super-green-plant-selection

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https://geo-fleur.com

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https://www.prickldn.com

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https://graceandthorn.com

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https://www.conservatoryarchives.co.uk

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“Gardening can do what medicine only 'tries to mimic' for mental health, Monty Don says”

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[celiamaryjoy]

part 7

week two and three summary and evaluation

The last two weeks have involved a narrowing of focus and deepening of and response to research. 

I have continued my intention of daily eco therapy, which has involved running, walking, sitting, forest bathing, eating, breathing, drawing, painting  damming streams and writing outside. I think the daily fresh air has put me in a better mood, and I have found that being around nature has made me less crabby. 

It is definitely more enjoyable being outside when the weather is warmer and sunnier, and there is more motivation to go outside, but there is also something nice about wrapping up warm when it is chillier.

I have had some very positive conversations (’interviews’) with some of my friends who have experience of ecotherapy, and the effect it has had on their mental wellbeing. One said that the experience of gardening, getting your hands dirty and being physically connected to the earth and nature makes you feel as though you are part of something bigger and help to get yourself out of your own head. 

There is definitely a community aspect to it as well. I have enjoyed the peace of solitude in the outdoors, but also experiencing and working in nature with others. 

Following this train of thought, I have been exploring what fabrics I can grow. I have found a warm spot where I have been growing oyster mushrooms into fabric. The fungi have grown well, but I am not sure of the potential of the fabric to make a garment. 

Kombucha tea ad scobi are also currently being brewed, and I hope to make a dried ‘vegan leather’ fabric from this. However, I am unsure whether it will be feasible to grow enough scobi to have enough in time to make my final garment.

Therefore, I might begin to lean more towards the idea of ‘repair’ and ‘repurposing’ which I discussed early on in my blog. Finding old large sheets and fabric which I can dye with natural dyes, using second hand materials to fabricate this experience of nature that I am interested in. 

I have had both success and failure with my natural dyes. The first one I tried was ground turmeric which was a big success. The calico held the colour really well and I got some pattern from the ties. The tone of mustard that is produced is vibrant and I think portrays the warmth and earthiness of being in nature. 

The beetroot dye was wholly disappointing. I was promised a dusty pink colour, but while the fabric was in the dye bath, it seemed to be an awful beige/cream colour. Upon removing the fabric and rinsing it, all the colour washed out of the fabric (possibly a synthetic which I was unaware of). Even so, the colour it would have created was unpleasant. 

As I write this I am in the process of a second round of turmeric dye, which hopefully will be more successful.

Week 4 is now under way, and I am beginning to respond to my research and start the design development process. I am interested in how I can create this experience of nature for the wearer, the freedom, comfort and power that it brings. 

[celiamaryjoy]

Exploring natural dyes.

So far I have tried turmeric dye, which produced a vibrant mustard yellow hue. I plan to experiment with beetroot and red cabbage, and hopefully liquid chlorphyll to create a dusty green tone. 

Natural dyes (obviously) contain no chemicals so therefore the dying process does not release harmful substances into our waterways. Watching the Stacey Dooley documentary last year on the impact of the fashion industry opened my eyes to the sheer volume of chemicals and harmful waste from textile factories in Asia that are polluting the rivers. Rivers that are a primary source of drinking water for most communities who live around the factories. 

Why is this necessary??

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This is kind of gross, it is embroidery and textiles made from dried squid and pig intestine. I am interested in the dried squid aspect. I wonder how brittle it would be and how the drying process works, could many pieces be joined together to make a larger fabric?

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[celiamaryjoy]

This artist creates textures and pieces using waste materials from the food industry, eg. vegetable peelings

I love the delicacy of these creations and want to explore them on a larger scale perhaps? Would something similar be suitable for a garment? Strong enough? The construction techniques are interesting also, what have the pieces been joined with - is it also compostable? How fragile is this?

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The materiality and texture and tactility of this interests me. What is it made from? How would it feel?

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[celiamaryjoy]

fabric from fungus