Pleating Maybe?

So I've moved on to trialling pleating. I don't exactly know where I'm going with this but it's worth exploring I suppose. I feel that pleating has such a strong relationship with origami considering it is all about the folding. And on top of that, pleating can really enhance a design.

So above, I have just played around with some paper folding asymmetrical sheets of paper. I have also considered the role pleating could play in my designs and attempt at origami... and well, I have yet to discover a means of applying pleating in a crafty way.

WORKING PROGRESS

So here is an update on what's been going on. After my paper trials on the mannequin I applied the exact concept to a dress with a flared paneled A-line skirt. There is actually inverted pleats at the seams of the skirt panels but it can't really be viewed in the photos. My biggest concern with this design is that it is too simple in aesthetic, although pattern making was a whole different story. The origami-like folds are fused on both sides and because of this the seams were quite difficult to sew. It also required trimming, similar to that in tailoring.

Through this toile I have been questioning myself on how I am able to use origami in my designs... considering my technically challenged nature in pattern making. Maybe I will return to this design and rework it, but as for now... I will leave it at that.

on the stand

I'm a little delayed with my posts... so I apologize. I did some work on the stand a few weeks back. I actually did the pattern first before realising that I should've put folds on the stand to understand where things should be positioned. This process really helped me with my pattern. I do however feel weary working on a stand because you I often get very experimental and excited and end up creating something on the stand that I am absolutely inLOVE with. But then I only screw myself over because I find it really difficult to transfer on-the-stand work onto my draft.

origami inspirations

Here is an awesome link I found called the digital t-shirt projecct.
It was done in 2008 by Mashallah Design and Linda Kostowski and above are photographs of the final product and just some of the processes involved in creating it. It exemplifies origami as a form of architecture. It is just so structured and calculated. It's amazing and so intimidating appreciating such pieces.

The link is:
http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/digital-tshirt-project

But you all must check out www.fashioningtech.com in general. It is an amazing website that showcases a small community of fashion craftsmen. Browsing through it has really WOW'ed me.

SCOTT ACUS ANTHONY

http://scottacusanthonyfashionsculptor.blogspot.com

Here is another example of an origami interpretation in a garment. the look is completely different to the first set of images of my post. These garments have a more looser, random and layered approach. It is quite inspiring to think how this could have been conveyed in paper, however I think it was done on the stand. But I guess you have to work on the stand to understand where each fold should go.

my attempt at ORIGAMI

My knowledge in origami is still very basic, and my direction with this craft for my collection is still quite unclear. Nevertheless I decided to play on the mannequin with some surface decoration using variations and random sizes of origami that stemmed from the 'yakko san' and the 'monetary gift money'. They are the two easiest things in the world to make so I felt it was more relevant in my case coming from a failed background of knowing anything about origami. But this is a learning process and I'm enjoying it.

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I am still trying to figure out whether I should use origami as a decorative surface feature or work the concept of folds and angles into my patterns. I would love to incorporate origami in both forms but at the same time I want my collection to be cohesive and really flow. I don't even know how complex I will get with this. I mean, have all these ideas overflowing in my mind but I am limited to the amount of time I have to complete the toiles and the final pieces. At the same time I am not too confident with my skills in pattern making to device such complicated designs.

Playing around on the mannequin has been a good starting point. These are just random experiments of origami in the form of surface decoration. I am quite excited with these experiments as they have allowed my thought process to progress. Now my only worry is how to transfer this onto fabric and how it would be attached to what I can only assume would be a body which acts as the base. My next class will be devoted to incorporating origami in my pattern drafts which I hope I will manage to do. I also plan to trial different types of fusing to create the right stiffness for angles and crisp folds.

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origami oh my!

Origami tessellation
Chris Palmer

Above images have been created by Robert J Lang
These include:
-origami tessellation
-origami pattern for a scorpion
-mathematical origami

I've been taken away by a lot of crafts. The one that really attracts me is origami. I'm thinking of using the element of origami in my collection. Whether it be to create the silhouette or decorate the surface, origami's three dimensionality really enhances the aesthetic of garments and makes an obvious reference to craft.

Origami is the Japanese word for folding paper. It is commonly used to create three dimensional objects. I feel it is a compelling type of craft. I am astounded by the angles involved, the patterns and repitition that can be created and the three dimensional structure that can be achieved.

At the same time however, I am weary about taking up this origami challenge. I can't even fold a paper plane let alone understand complicated origami objects. Anyway here are a few images of amazing origami techniques used in clothing, along with some links that have really wowed and excited me about venturing into the world of origami.

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Johan Galliano for Dior '07'
Madame Butterfly


Geomorfos/Geomorphis experimental fashion
MUST SEE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGp1EQ4Zvhw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbu5mlmC2eo&feature=related

mola mola mola

To get a taste of some traditional textile craft, Ally gave us a brief intro of some techniques in quilting, knitting and mola. This was all quite insightful and rather interesting to see how interpretations of a technique varied according to the maker. Also through the practise and trials of a particular technique, the possibilities of new methods and processes were bound to occur. Playing around with these techniques also reaffirmed me that knitting is definitely not for me. It’s a tedious and repetitive process that requires much patience, coordination and tension control. I’m not even gonna go there! I have 12 weeks max to produce a collection which is the exact amount of time it would probably take me to knit one garment. Hahaha!

Anyway, I also trialled quilting which is quite fun and can entail a lot of creativity if you really get into it. I’ve actually become fond of sewing onto layers of fabric and wadding, and; I would love to see how quilting could be used in fashion beyond puffer jackets and quilted vests.

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My attempt in quilting

Mola was the most recent technique I played around with. The story behind it is quite fascinating to me personally. Mola is a textile craft that evolved from traditional clothing of the Kuna women. The Kuna people and their culture inhabit the Caribbean side of Panama and Colombia. Mola is a decorative technique that layers different colours of fabric together. Patterns are cut out with each layer and then hand sewn down to create vibrant images. It’s like an inverted or reversed version of appliqué.

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Kuna woman with mola imagery

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Mola art

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My mola samples

I am not sure if this is the direction I am willing to take but it’s worth exploring. I know that converting the method into fashion may seem daggy, but that is where the challenge lies. How can mola become modern and relevant to fashion? Project Alabama is just one label that plays on the concept of mola. Their designs focus on a more commercial setting. This suggests that the potential of mola can be further explored and the possibilities of design are endless.

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Project Alabama Archive dress

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Project Alabama Archive quilt