Week 6: Knitting

Knitting

Method of creating garment by interlocking loops of thread-like material using needles.

Materials:

Yarn
Knitting Needles/ Chopsticks

Instructions

Double 50cm of yarn and tie a slip knot at the end
Poke the needle through the loop of the slipknot and tighten
Form loops using finger and poke it with the needle from left to right until satisfactory length
Use the right needle to poke through one of the loop from back to front. Wrap the other end of the yarn around the right needle and use the needle to drag it back to the front through the initial loop and tighten it onto the right needle.
Release the initial loop off the left needle.
Repeat on all the loops on the left needle.
Once all the loops are transferred to the right needle, move the right needle to the left side and repeat the process on the current loops on the needle.
To change yarn, poke through and use the new yarn to loop through the needle before pulling it through. Tighten and make sure the short end of the new yarn doesn’t unravel.
To combine the ends of the knit, poke through the loops at the end of the knit instead of the ones at the needle.
To end the knit, poke through 2 loops instead of 1 at the needle and pull the yarn through both loops, tightening at the right needle. Then, move this loop back to the left needle and then poke through 2 loops again. Repeat until the end is reached, then cut and secure with a knot.

My Explorations

I do have some experience with knitting at that one workshop I took 9 years ago so I guess I could say I kind of forgot most things haha oops!

So I started with a squishy grey yarn because I thought its thickness will help me save time. At first I was having troubles following the finger looping method, but after I figured out the mechanics of the looping I got the hang of it!

Afterwards, muscle memory took over and I managed to finish my yarn eventually. I would say that the thickness of the yarn really helped me to see which loops I was poking and I was glad I started with this instead of the usual thin yarn.

Then I decided to try my Chenille yarn and hence add it onto the existing piece. I love its soft and fluffy texture!

Eventually, I looped it to the other end to create a tube so it can be used as a cup cosy!

The knit modelled by my water bottle! Overall, I am happy with my knit because I don’t think I have any holes (although I remembered making a mistake every 5 minutes 9 years ago) so I’m glad I improved since then! I think the visibility of the yarn and being able to tell apart the loops help a lot in identifying mistakes.

Next, Meryl and Rannie gave the suggestion of using hair, so I tried plucking one strand..

But I think the strand it too fine and slippery – hard to even poke through the loop as it is too tight or it has a tendency to bounce out afterwards.

So then I tried again using 3 strands of hair this time…

But I’m not sure why the end result just kind of looked like a hair knot, so I gave up haha! I also think my hair is not long enough to do more than one row, so it is quite hard to do any substantial knitting unless I add more strands.

Nonetheless, I think knitting with hair is still possible but perhaps longer and in larger bundles(which I don’t think im ready to sacrifice yet aha).

Moving on, I tried knitting with this very old brass jewelry wire I had, which is undoubtedly painful and broke 🙁 during my second row.

So I went back to the FYP Room and found another bundle of thin wire and I tried again.

I realised the hard part was to poke through the initial loop as the metal is very rigid. It is also tiring to pull the loop from the back through to the front as friction is absent from the slippery wire.

Eventually I realised that the loop from the back must be pulled taut in order for it to be brought to the front easier. Then, it must be loosened on the next needle so that for the next round, it’ll be easier to poke through.

Then, I ended the knit by poking through 2 loops at once and bringing the wire through both of them.

Then, release the 2 loops and then bring back the loop on the right needle to the left and repeat.

My finished wire knit square which took 2 hours and tender fingers as the wire is really painful to handle. I think a thinner, more malleable wire should be used next time.

Nonetheless, the stiffness of the metal wire makes the knit easy to hold its shape and stand on its own, which is useful in sculptures.

Lastly, just out of curiousity, I managed to find a long, flat strip of wood veneer(?) on the FYP shelf so I decided to try knitting with it.

First thing I noticed is that its flatness is very obstructive in the bending of the wood as I can only bend a certain direction. I also dared not to pull too tightly in fear of it breaking.

Finally finished with it although it turned out looking more like a ball than knitted surface. Nonetheless, glad I tried and managed to finish the strip without any splinters!

Overall, I think knitting is an impressive technique that turns a single strand into surface – turning 2D into 3D. When combined with different pattern and materials, will sure have interesting textures and results!

A P P L I C A T I O N S

Create organic or geometric forms.

Make use of its opacity.

Even glass knitting!

Week 5: Smocking & Shirring

Smocking

Method of fabric manipulation through the gathering of a section of the material into tight pleats and holding them together with parallel stitches in an ornamental pattern.

Materials:

Medium weight fabric
Needle and thread

Instructions

Find a pattern online to follow.
Draw out the grid using a ruler and lines to sew (with a different colour).
Start by poking in and out at the first point and in and out at the second, fastening the thread so that the fabric from both points gather together. Do a loop through the fabric and knot them together.
For separate lines drawn, poke in and out at the first point but do not fasten from the previous knot, simply leave it a little loose and do a knot. Alternatively, you can cut the thread from previous work and start anew, but it is much more time consuming.
Follow with patience and complete the piece. Flip over for the pattern to be revealed.

My Explorations

So I found online this ‘cross bones’ design with a pattern that seems pretty simple to follow.

So I drew out the grid, erm looking back I realised for some reason I saw the grids in a diagonal manner instead of the square grid hahaha but I think the end result is similar.

I decided to use the grey chalk for the grid lines and a black erasable pen for the sewing lines, which I think it is quite essential so I won’t get confused later on.

My squares are sized 2cm x 2cm.

However, I do realised that my grid lines are not exactly equal I think as the fabric will move as I draw. Perhaps, next time I will weigh something down on the corners.

Honestly, I think I kind of understood how the gathering of the cloth creates such patterns and as such, did not encounter much issues during the sewing. I think it helps that the lines I have to follow are also obvious in colour.

Despite my fastest efforts, I still took around 3 hours to complete this rectangular piece of size 18cm x 15cm.

I think the shiny texture of the cloth accentuates the curves of the smocking pattern. I realised that using the right weight of cloth is also essential, as if it is too thin(like sheer chiffon/gauze), there will not be enough stiffness to hold the pattern but if it is too thick(Like leather), it will hinder the gathering of material.

The pattern itself will also affect the outcome, the simpler the pattern – the thicker the material can be used.

I kind of like the logic and sense behind smocking techniques, so I decided to try one more pattern – the rose pattern.

The pattern, once again seems simple enough, although the website did mention that afterwards the fabric have to be twisted with tweezers from the front and sewn in place once again.

So I did a quick sketch (kind of impatient oops) and figured out that I just need to poke the middle of each line so I don’t really have to draw them.

And I just started with the squares.

I sewed one square to test it out and I realised that my square might be a little small, but decided to carry on anyway.

I think I took an hour to finish all 12 squares, which is considerably faster than the previous one. So it’s time to twist and sew! I was actually quite excited to try it and see if the end result will be as nice.

At first, I did not have a tweezer with me and tried to use a the needle itself but to no avail as it unravels easily. Thankfully, I managed to borrow a very suitable tweezer which can hold the fabric in place before I sew.

I would say it honestly looks much easier than the actual thing as there is some kind of method to twisting that will make it look like a rose, as other times the it will just look like spiral. Basically the middle part has to turn into itself to look like rose bud.

Also, sewing it into place is another issue, as sometimes it doesn’t quite looks the same when released or that the thread is too obvious in certain places. There was a lot of removing and trying involved.

This took me another 2 hours to complete and although it really doesn’t look like what I expected it to be, I think it actually might if i used larger squares.

Still, I am glad I tried it out.

Overall, Smocking is a really intricate technique which although seems complicated, can be easily replicated by following instructions dutifully.

I really enjoyed the suspense during Smocking, as it is not an instant gratification technique, and requires you to complete at least half to see results. It can be frustrating but the end results is quite satisfying.

A P P L I C A T I O N S

Smocking gives fabric a 3-dimensional aspect, which is great for adding volume to cushions.

Smocking also cinches fabric, which is great for adding waistline to clothes.

Although I think Smocking was mainly used for olden days children dresses, its geometrical form is also reused in contemporary fashion.

Shirring

Method of fabric manipulation through the gathering of a section of the material into tight pleats and holding them together with parallel stitches in an ornamental pattern.

Materials:

Elastic thread
Elastic band
Fabric
Sewing Machine

Instructions

For stiff, thin fabrics, load the elastic thread into the bobbin of the sewing machine.
Sew parallel lines to achieve a cinching effect.
For thicker fabrics like leather, use normal thread to sew.
Cut a piece of elastic band the length you would like the material to shrink to when unstretched.
Stretch it out across the fabric when sewing them both together steadily.

My Explorations

First of all, I learnt how to change the thread on the bobbin and load it into the sewing machine, as well as prepping the sewing machine for use.

I decided to try sewing S-shape curves onto my stiff, thin fabric.

I would say it got jammed a few times which is because the too much fabric was gathered so it is important to stretch it out properly before sewing slowly.

A P P L I C A T I O N S

Shirring is commonly seen in fashion – myself owning one of these shirred tops! Due to their elasticity, they can show off your body shape when worn. They are also commonly used to cinch the waistlines of dresses to give it shape.

I think shirring is a great way to vary the form of the dress (i.e. tight at the top, flowy at the bottom) even though it is made out of only one fabric.

The raised/gathered texture of shirred fabric also gives it a bit of volume.

Week 4: Wet, Needle & Nuno Felting; Applique

Felting

Consolidation of fibrous materials by the application of heat, moisture, and mechanical action, causing the interlocking, or matting, of fibres to form one uniform and complete piece.

Wet Felting

Materials:

Felted wool
DIY Acrylic fibres

Instructions

Arrange & layer felt in thin layers as desired.
Pump some soap onto it.
Pour hot water on it.
Rub felt in circular motions.
If part of it feels like it will peel off when dry, add a thin layer of wool and rub more.

My Explorations

W E T F E L T I N G

Firstly, I couldn’t find felted wool in my desired colours so I tried to make them myself from acrylic yarn.

I bunched up the yarn and then brush them out with a toothbrush, starting from the ends so that they fray. However, they don’t separate enough for it to appear ‘fibrous’, so I used the wooly fibres that were stuck on the toothbrush instead.

So in order to achieve the galaxy look, I arranged the galaxy colours against a backdrop of black felted wool. I added in some organza pieces which will hopefully get entangled with the felt and also some shiny threads and sprinkles.

Then, I added 3 pumps of soap and poured hot water over.

Then, I rubbed in circles to blend everything together.

I am not really satisfied with the end product as I think the acrylic wool did not blend in with the black felt as much as I liked it to. The organza pieces not melding in between like they did in the plastic fusion technique. I’m not sure why there are holes in between the black felt but perhaps I could have patch them up with more wool, although I did not because I kind of like it to be not too dense and completely covered together.

Next time I will experiment using wool felt instead.

N E E D L E F E L T I N G

Materials:

Felted wool
Felting Needle
Sponge block

Instructions

Fold felt several times.
Poke with the felting needle on top of a sponge block until stiff.

Since I have tried needle felting before, and have experienced the pain behind it, I decided to try another way of creating felted planets.

So first, with the aid of a pompom maker, I wrapped the acrylic yarn and cut it to make a pom pom.

Then, I trimmed it a little and proceeded to brush it out with a toothbrush to make it more fluffy.

Then, I used strips of blue felted wool to add onto the pom pom by poking it on with a felting needle. However, it did not stick as easily and the acrylic wool will poke out at some areas so I had to cover the entire pom with a thin layer of felted wool to ‘contain’ it. Eventually though, it looked more uniform and round.

I also added a grey needle felted planet ring, which took longer than expected to make.

Overall, I am quite happy with my planet pom and I think I will make a few variations, perhaps with wool yarn instead. I think this is a faster and easier way to make a bigger ball of felted wool.

A P P L I C A T I O N S

Painting with felt

Making 3D forms with felt

Novelty gifts

Nuno felting

Appliqué

Ornamental needlework in which pieces of fabric are sewn or stuck on to a larger piece to form a picture or pattern.

Materials:

Different Fabrics
Sewing machine/ threads

Instructions

Cut out a shape from one fabric and fold and sew along its edges onto another fabric. If the fabric is sheer, beads or other objects can be inserted before completing the sewing, allowing it to be a see-through patch.
Other techniques include: Sewing zig zag over a piece of yarn.
Repeat as desired.

My Explorations

Firstly, I wanted to explore adding felted wool by trapping it behind sheer fabric. So I arranged the strands to simulate the textures of planets, pinned it into place and sewed a mesh fabric on top of it at the edges using zig-zag lines.

However, I think that the mesh kind of makes it hard to see the felt beneath it, although there is some dimension added when looking at its side view.

Next, I wanted to try adding shiny yarn to look like constellations against the black background, since there was a lack of white thread.

I also added a moon-shaped cut out from lace to vary the fabric textures.

Next, I wanted to incorporate the shiny sheer organza somehow, and decided to twist it over the rest, similar to aurora streaks across the sky.

Next, I wanted to add another purple planet with a ring around it, using yarn.

Finally, I thought that the piece was a bit too abstract for my liking, so I decided to add some stars by hand in the background.

Ta-da! I think the textures of the different fabrics makes it very dynamic and more interesting for the viewer! I am quite happy with my final piece as it looks a little like a painting depicting space!

All in all, fabric applique is actually quite a fun technique, but I would say majority of the time is spent more on deciding how to compose the final look, i.e what shapes and where to arrange them. Nonetheless, it is still a easy and freeform way to vary the texture of fabrics.

A P P L I C A T I O N S

Embroidery Appliques

Layered appliques

Lace appliques

Week 3: Plastic Fusion & Water Soluble Melding

Plastic Fusion

The fusion of plastics through melting from the heat of an iron.

Materials:

Plastic bags of various colour & opacity
Cellophane
Organza
Felted wool
Silver Glittery Thread

Instructions

Place a baking paper and layer plastics over it.
Cover with another baking paper and iron it over medium heat.
Vary heat to achieve different results.

My Explorations

P L A S T I C F U S I O N

I first wanted to imitate the black background of space speckled with stars so I ironed a thin black plastic on high heat so that holes will form.

It did somewhat worked, so I place a small piece of organza over and tried ironing it.

And it did stay, although it seems that it can be peeled out with pressure applied. I really like the look of it, so I continued layering it with organza and added a glittery thread to simulate constellations.

Tada! A starry view with aurora coloured nebulas.

Next, I wanted to experiment with cellophane but since it is translucent, I will lose its opacity effect if I layered it over a coloured/dark background. So, I decided to iron it over the organza instead. I picked the galaxy colours magenta and blue.

It kind of stays but again, I think can be peeled off easily if pressure is applied. I decided to add dark elements like black plastic from the trashbag and some grey felted wool. I place a transparent plastic sheet over in hopes that it will help stick the wool in place.

In attempt to make the transparent plastic not so visible, I made the settings to the maximum but I think it resulted in some of the cellophane warping and colour lost to the baking paper.

Hence, I decided to layer on a few more coloured plastic and cellophane, as well as organza bits and the glittery silver thread.

I am pleased with the end results and I think the different transparencies of the cellophane varied by the clear plastic sheet helps give depth to the work. The felted wool also gives it a cloudy nebula texture, accentuated with the holographic organza. Perhaps next time I will try with blue/magenta felt wool instead!

A P P L I C A T I O N S

Plastic fusing can make use of existing designs (i.e. on the plastic bag) to create more interesting patterns. The waterproof, flexibility and durability of plastic is also retained, making it suitable for bags.

Since it also acts as a fabric, it can also be used for fashion.

Water Soluble Thread Fusion

Materials:

Yarn
Embroidery Threads
Felted wool
Velvet textured yarn
Silver Glittery Thread

Instructions

Place a layer of water soluble sheet and start arranging the design atop of it.
Place another layer of water soluble sheet on the design and pin it into place.
Sew across the design in a straight/zigzag manner, ensuring the thread overlaps. The larger the gap between the threads, the more it shrinks.
Wet the work to degree of desire. The wetter/more binder is washed away, the softer the end result.
Mould it over something to keep in desired form and leave to dry.

My Explorations

W A T E R S O L U B L E M E L D I N G

I forgot to take a picture before sewing oops but here is one after with all the materials I used. Basically I was aiming to make it look like a spiral galaxy with a bright center I made with white and pale yellow embroidery thread, with the ‘arms’ spiralling out which are hinted by blue yarn, pink and purple embroidery thread. I also tried adding grey felted wool and the navy velvet yarn for the dark background.

Image result for spiral galaxy — Spiral Galaxy

Next, onto sewing!

The setup for the sewing machine is quite different from the one at home.

Sewing was a little tricky at the start for the turning points because I kept getting confused which direction the thread would go but eventually I realised it will always being sewing towards me.

I decided to go for a criss-crossed patterned as I think it will ensure the most uniform change when washed as I wanted my design to keep in place.

Lastly, I gave it a wash and was surprised how sticky and mushy the solution will be. It made quite a mess and was pretty hard to wash off, even from my hands. Nevertheless, I formed it over a small silicone bowl and I hope it will turn out as expected!

Update: It has dried in 3 days!

Removing the mould… I’m glad to see that the end product has not shrunk much.

Overall, I am really satisfied with the end product, especially with the colour scheme I chose. I am really glad to have tried adding felted wool, which helps hold the thing together despite its wispy appearance.

Light also passes through the felted wool! One thing to note though, is that the dark navy velvet yarn I used lost all semblance of its soft texture, which is quite a shame. I conclude that in using such methods, texture should not be considered as everything turns kind of stiff in the end!

All in all, I think this method has a lot of potential to be experimented with as you can pretty much add sandwich any material in between as long as the thread can be sewed across it!

A P P L I C A T I O N S

I think the beauty of this method is in its ability to add transparency into fabric.

It also allows the nature of threads to be held in place, resulting in organic 3D works.