Studio Project
What are the physical qualities of cloth? How can material experimentation and play be a form of technique research?
Create a series of six swatches of fabric manipulation. The swatches are first experiments to introduce basic hand and machine sewing and the potential of cloth.
1. For inspiration you will do internet research on fabric manipulation.
- Search terms: Fabric Manipulation & Fabric Origami
- Technique search terms: Smocking, English Smocking, North American Smocking, Slashed Tucks, Seamless Tucks, Pattern Tucking, Cording (hand and machine), All-Sides Gathering, Shirring, Pattern Shirring, & Embroidery
Excellent text on the subject: The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Colette Wolf.
2. Make a series of sewn muslin fabric manipulations.
- Play with paper and muslin or sketch to get ideas developed.
- Work from established technique AND invent your own manipulation.
- Each fabric manipulation will be sewn in muslin, 6 in x 6 in.
- The pieces will be the color of the raw muslin. You may use the scissors, muslin and thread as materials. You may add other materials that are the color of the muslin for structure or texture. However every material needs to be manipulated.
- If you need inspiration you may give your self a word or object to use as a prompt for the manipulation.
Student Examples:
