New Designers 2016

Amongst the wedding preparations, I did find time to go to this show last Friday.  I've been meaning to see what it's all about for the past few years now and finally I had the chance.  It's held every year at the end of June in The Business Design Centre, Islington and has been going for 30 years now.

The main angle is for the various UK (and one from Sweden I noticed ...) Art Schools to bring their final textile shows to London.  There is a lot to see and take in.  However, it is possible to identify various strands and themes running through the work.  I noticed some designs reminding me very much of Memphis from the 80's.  Most of the work though seemed to take its influences from Natural History and Botanical Prints.  Insects, butterflies and moths were a recurring theme throughout the show.  I was also surprised at how much hand painted work there was, in that there is a noticeable shift at the moment to digital printing.  There was even a demonstration of digital fabric printing:

The students were very eager to chat and talk and I enjoyed finding out more behind the work I was seeing.  They all had their own business cards and some had printed flyers and booklets.  Now the show is over, it's possible to look at their websites and find out more.  I don't want to post close-up photographs of their work here for copyright reasons.

These are some of my favourite business cards to give you a flavour of what was there:

Make It In Design also had a stand at the show and I was able to meet and talk to the ladies who organise everything, as well as take away a goodie bag.  It gave me inspiration to finish the last two exercises I have to do from my course, Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design.

I've signed up for the Summer School which begins in August.  I have a week off work then so should be able to make a fair job of it.  Looking forward to then!

Paints, plans ...

Well the 5 'official' weeks of the Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design Module 1 are over now but the module classroom remains open until September.  I'm at the point of dusting off my paints, having caught up with my drawing once again and eager to get going with colour.  I've been very impressed with this course.  It's packed full of content and I'd even go so far to say that I should have been taught much of it years ago ...  The community aspect of it is good too, the Facebook group of students is still going and there has even been an offshoot support group created which is great.  As life is busy at the moment, I won't be following up with Module 2 just yet but there are plenty of students who are.  Will probably be next year for me now ...

Hope everyone is having a Happy Easter - a good chance to re-charge batteries and make new plans. I'm enjoying getting on with my crafting room renovations.  I'll be in there in the next couple of weeks now.  Can't wait!

       

Designing Your Way

A few posts ago, I documented my creative journey so far in life.  I had just finished City & Guilds and was enjoying a rest and a look back over achievements so far.  I thought a retrospective might provide a pointer for the next leg of the journey and it has in a way.  I really enjoyed the creative design elements of C & G and have been taking this aspect further in 'Designing Your Way', the first module of a series of 4 run by Rachel Taylor and Beth Kempton of the Make It In Design School.  I am re-discovering drawing and the design process, along with how to look at the world from a designers perspective once again.  Module 1 only lasts for 5 weeks and I am in Week 4 already.  It's entirely manageable alongside my full-time job and very enjoyable.  More news soon!

MY CREATIVE JOURNEY

Since completing City & Guilds, it’s made me think about the whole story so far …

I suppose creativity and ‘makes’ started for me in primary school with art lessons and ‘sewing club’. 

                           RUSSELL SCOTT PRIMARY SCHOOL, DENTON, MANCHESTER

Whenever I visited the public library, which was on the way home from school, I always took out a book of craft projects alongside a reading book.  They were both equally important to me …

                                                                DENTON LIBRARY

When I sat, at the age of 16, what were then ‘O’ Levels at my traditional girl's High School, it was clear to see from my coursework that Art was going to be my strongest subject, but then when the time came, I also qualified equally as well in English Language and Literature.

                 FAIRFIELD HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, DROYLSDEN, MANCHESTER

National educational policy of the time meant that the 6^th form was abolished, so, given a choice of options, I set on a course at Technical College – what an eye opener!  Textiles, Fine Art, Pottery, 3D Design to name a few disciplines ….  It was all so friendly too, as we were treated like adults and on first name terms with the tutors.

                       TAMESIDE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, ASHTON UNDER LYNE

I kind of ‘fell in’ to the next step – ‘Textiles’ was my strongest area and I progressed into doing a Printed Textile Degree in Manchester, home of the textile industry, winning one of only 18 places out of over 300 applicants.  I loved the drawing aspect of the course and had a particular aptitude for plant drawing, done as a discipline every Friday, but think I specialised a bit early on …  We swapped around the different textile areas for a few weeks and my weave tutor actually said, ‘Diane, you should have done weave …’.  I loved all the yarns in the studio ...

                                                  MANCHESTER SCHOOL OF ART                                               

I left the degree course unfinished and started to work for my living after a move to the south-east.  My strengths in English led first of all to academic publishing and design for journals.  

I always felt I had a degree in me though and when I had earned a bit of spare cash embarked on The Open University.  I pursued design and technology courses with due diligence, able to transfer over credit from my previous course.  It was all very intellectually stimulating …

                                                               

Having learned a bit more about the theories of design, I went back down a more creative route…  There was now actually an Open College of Arts available, enabling me to work at the same time …  I did their mixed discipline first year and found I still enjoyed working with yarns and fibres. 

                                                      

I was also working in a fine art museum now which I did for many years.  I loved the environment - surrounded by the highest quality art on a daily basis.  I enjoyed the type of work I was doing too, managing a picture library.

                                            THE FITZWILLIAM MUSEUM, CAMBRIDGE

I’d done a lot of study so far and decided to have bit of a break …  However, this was not to last long as a change into a more administrative role away from the museum made me realise big time that the creative aspect was missing in my life and I needed to do something about it …

The first step I suppose was looking around at all the crafting blogs available on the world wide web.  I became hooked into a challenge at Sew Weekly, based in San Francisco, where the aim was to create a sewn garment every week for a year – great for improving crafting skills and making some design decisions.  I also discovered ‘Knit Design Online’ run by expert designer and tutor Loraine McClean, enabling me to complete a City & Guilds certificate by distance learning. 

Image copyright Knit Design Online 

And so, that is the story so far ... Looking back gives me a sense of continuity and perhaps an idea of where I will go next ....

Nearly there ...

My final knit project ... more news soon ...

New Year Round Up

I'm surprised at how many things I did manage to make last year - knitted, sewn and painted.  At the moment, the focus is still on finishing my City & Guilds Creative Studies - Hand Knitting course.  I have barely 3 weeks left ... eeek!  But I'm getting there ...  Spent most of the Christmas holidays on it and am now in the final throes of doing the last project and some final sampling of stitches.

Anyway, here's a little round up of everything.  I started the year with my sewing cottage ...

Looking forward to sewing again soon!  Then I treated myself to a little art course and came up with an illuminated letter, which I'm going to take forward into making a logo ...

I made a few tote bags over Easter for our local Country Market - want to do a bit more bag making - more sophisticated though  ...

Still not much time for sewing though and I only managed to come up with this little flower next ...

Though I was determined to get this duffel finished for the charity Design and Make for Haven's Sake

Then of course came my examination piece, 'Urban Sweater'.  Proud of this as it was produced under very difficult circumstances ...

So, only 3 weeks course time to go hopefully ... it's been a long haul but I've stuck with it and the end is in sight.  I've loads of posts of course sampling to do yet, as well as exhibition round ups.  Coming soon ...  Looking forward to a new crafting year!

Craftsy Sale Time ...

I didn't really take much notice of 'Black Friday' or 'Cyber Monday' except for the fact that Craftsy had their sale on!  So I bought 3 classes for what would have been the price of 1 - could have easily gone further as there were some great bargains on there in terms of supplies as well as classes, but I really need to de-stash a bit in the New Year.

My leaning is still towards knitting at the moment, so I bought classes in pattern writing, lace shawl designing and finally, sewing an iconic tweed jacket ... really can't wait to do a bit of sewing in the New Year ...

Urban Sweater

Stopping blogging for a while is a very dangerous thing, that's if you want to keep a blog going....it breaks the habit and it's easy to find other things to do ...  Although I do feel like I want to write some posts now. I thought I'd start with my City & Guilds Sweater. Against all odds, I managed to finish this and it passed inspection. It was so difficult ... dealing with everything lately and finding the strength to carry on with the course.  I think actually that it was the knitting that provided a diversion and kept me going.  The whole process from start to finish was a good thing for me. I feel confident now in my ability to see a design project through to the end and explore many possibilities along the way.

I started with a fairly ordinary source and managed to develop it through a series of ideas into the finished article which I LOVE!

It all began with a grid I'd seen in a car park I use every weekday.

This led to me thinking about roads and markings in general .. I found lots more source material around the railway station at the other end of my daily journey.

I started sampling with different qualities of luxury yarns, some suited the end purpose, others looked good but didn't fit with the sweater theme ...  I can make use of those another time ...

This then led to combinations of elements.

I started to think how I could translate these further ideas into sweater shapes - I chose an oversized, easy to wear shape as a silhouette as I wanted the sweater to be a casual weekend garment I can wear with jeans.

I began knitting the sweater and noted down what I'd done as I progressed.  It all went really smoothly, probably because I'd done so much sampling to begin with.  I blocked the knitted shapes and darned in all the loose ends which took a lot of time!  Good finishing is really important to achieve a good look.

Note the smile on my face as I'm wearing it!

Introduction to Pattern Cutting - The Fashion and Textile Museum

There are some great courses at the Fashion and Textile Museum, London and this one 'jumped out' at me as I've always been interested in the mysteries of pattern cutting.  I have a couple of books on the subject but there's nothing like a practical session to understand the complexities.

This course was taught by Michelle Lewis, who is Zandra Rhodes' pattern cutter.  She has worked for other top designers such as Erdem and Thierry Mugler and told us that she was also working on dresses for the Cannes Film Festival. Michelle is extremely knowledgeable and more than happy to pass on all her expert training and experience.  There is plenty of one to one tuition as well as group demonstrations and Michelle is conscious of dividing her time equally amongst course participants.

We began by taking our own measurements and then selecting a corresponding set of pattern blocks from the 'nest' of patterns available. (I noticed they were made from card with Zandra Rhodes prints on the reverse ... gleaned from the print room?)  We could also work to the industry standard of size 10 or 8 if we wanted. I won't tell you my exact size at the moment .... but I should say I am happy with it! Too thin doesn't suit me at all ...  We traced the blocks onto pattern making card and Michelle showed us how to make adaptations for an individual fit, by adding extra width at the sides or by re-drawing darts.

Pattern blocks and a Zandra Rhodes print!

We used a 'mushroom' and 'notch cutters' to make pattern markings and notches.  A 'Pattern Master' - I must get one, it's like a set of French curves all in one - was used to make curves and re-draw lines that had been altered.

All of the pattern pieces were then transferred onto 'dot and cross' pattern paper, where we could include seam allowances.  Michelle also demonstrated how to make the allowances correct around corners.

We were then shown how to manipulate the bodice darts - a 'eureka' moment for me - it was fascinating to see how they could be closed out in one area, only to be opened out in another - in the sleeve area for example, or underarm, or in the neckline.  We could also invent our own necklines - boat neck, V, round etc ...

Sleeves could be made short, elbow length or longer and we were shown the correct way to make a sleeve hem.  Then came skirts and I particularly enjoyed seeing how a basic pencil skirt shape could be flared, or made 'A' line, just by slashing the shape and splaying it, or adding in extra space.

The pattern pieces were then arranged into a lay plan, to ensure the best use of fabric.

Michelle then sewed the garment according to an order of construction.  That was the end of our session unfortunately!  What a great time, it all just flew by!

Michelle teaching

The overall cost of the course is negligable when compared to shop bought clothes these days. The price, held over two whole Saturdays, also included a length of quality soft calico which we could use to make a toile with.  Our class took it home, as we preferred to use up our time on the pattern cutting rather than sewing.  We also had worksheets to take away, containing all the instructions for everything we'd covered.  You could also have free entry to the exhibition showing at the time too - I saw the 'Artist's Textiles' exhibition 4 times - a post coming soon.

I ended up making a pattern for a boat neck dress with elbow length sleeves and a flared skirt - it's all cut out and ready to be sewn with some of my Goldhawk Road fabric ...  I also have the made to measure pattern block from which I can make a multitude of different styles. I need never buy another dress pattern again!

Oh how I wish I had more time at the moment!  I am hoping to have this all sewn up in a couple of weeks' time when I have a week off work.  I keep saying 'watch this space' but I really mean it this time!

There's also another post to come entitled 'Pattern Cutting, Next Steps' - yes, I went back for more!