Photoshoot at Belsay Hall

So after a stressful night before and a last minute model change, I did actually go through with my photo shoot at Belsay Hall. And I must admit trying to verbally explain what you want and direct a model (especially with a sleepless night behind you), was much harder than I thought. The hall was also much busier than I had anticipated.

Here a a few snaps of us on thee shoot...

Me and the model

wandering through the quarry

my very helpful mam :)

 

I will update about the book and photos from the shoot later :)

Hand and Lock?

Well the placement at Hand and Lock was an amazing experience. I acquired plenty of knowledge on both the industry and the craft. I also had a great time and got to meet some amazing people.

Very kindly the company have boosted my skills to include silk shading, as well as learning how to use an industrial sewing machine and new techniques on the application of my embroidery.

And most important of all I ended up sewing on the letters onto the slippers that Rob webb wears in the compare the meerkat advert, how exciting haha!

AN AMAZING experience and I would reccomend any design students interested in embroidery to try and do a placement here.

Laser cutter

I'm all for the continuation of old crafts and keeping them alive, hence the focus on hand embroidery. but as a modern designer I think the use of new technology and combining it with such craftsmanship is essential. 

SO heres a peek at some work I've been doing on the laser cutter. 

And again ...

Yes more from Belsay Hall some lovely close ups this time. 

More inspirational photos from Belsay Hall

Belsay Hall

My tutor Jayne had the lovely suggestion that I go to Belsay Hall to have  a look for my project. I definitely wasn't disappointed, with the peeling walls, faded decadance, light streaming through floor length windows and breathtaking gardens. I've decided if I can organise it with the people of english heritage I would love to photograph the work from my project here. My work would fit perfect with the atmosphere and the place would be a perfect backdrop for a fashion shoot. 

Victorian Bloomers

So awhile ago after the purchase of my old nightgown I went on the hunt for some victorian bloomers and after a long search I ended up with three pairs from ebay for a measly 5 pounds. So I've started working into them, with this pair I've again used my ever popular pull-through technique and  I'm over the moon with the results. I'll update soon when I begin to add stitch. 

Hand & Lock

Well I'm soon to be London bound for my work experience at Hand & Lock. I am really excited to learn some new techniques and just see how such a prestigious embroidery company works. But slightly stressed with my Final Major project drawing to a close and the amount to work I have to do, which means there will be little sightseeing and more frantic nights of embroidery. I will try and post while I'm there but if not I have plenty scheduled to keep you interested. :)

cross stitch

a peak at final that is nearly finished! after many laboured hours and a hell of alot of crosses and knots. I've screenprinted the base with a pull through technique, and then layered contemporary cross stitches and french knots over a beautiful open weave silk. Very happy with this one :)

Something old

After updating my digital logs I had a browse through some old work and feel quite nostalgic, and as always work looks so much better after its been tucked away for awhile. So I thought I would do a few posts on some of my favourite pieces.

Starting with a garment shape from second year. 

embroidery embroidery embroidery

 

Some more embroidery I've been working on.

ECO - freindly designer ?

 

My natural dyes have achieved perfect results, the colours are so lovely they make me want to CRY!

 

After soaking the berries and vegetables for 24 hours I sieved them to get rid of all the mushy fruit. I then had a practice with cold dyeing and heating the pans back up, even mixing the liquids together.

 

I really enjoyed the process and thinking about growing my own vegetables, fruits and plants that will dye fabric naturally to have a stock of natural dyes more readily available. I'm all for saving the environment and I think this could add that little bit more to my contribution.

Natural dyes

Prompted by a competition I'm  entering I've decided I'm going to try dyeing an arran knit jumper I have felted with natural dyes. Being that the competition is focused on sustainablity and eco-freindly design. After a little research I was shocked at how bad the waste from acid and procian dyes are for our planet! - and I use them all the time.
SO.. when I decided on natural dyeing I looked into what dyes what which colour to try and match up with my colour pallette.

Strawberries and Raspberries - Pink




Blueberries - Blue




Coffee - Beige/Brown




Red cabbage - Blue




I now need to fill the pans of fruit with water. (1 part fruit and 2 parts water). Bringing to the boil, simmering for 40 minutes and leaving overnight to soak.


I'll follow up what happens tommorow :)

'I'm in love with the valley of pleasure...

I'm in love with the infinite sea..'

 

A quick peak at some embroidery I've been working on.

Faded Opulence

 

 

 

 

More from the Versailles, the peeling paint and fading colours really appealed to me. They also fit in perfectly with the mood of decay and disintegration I wanted to portray through my work. JUST LOVELY!

 

 

Lock up your heart and throw away the key

Well I'm now back from Paris and getting back into the studios, today I've been editing my photos. These are some from the Versailles, I took pictures of all the locks on the door's very sweet and a good running theme to go through my project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Back from Indigo..

My Business packs I took to hand out at Indigo, sorry about the poor quality of the photo but with so much rushing round I just got a quick snap in the hotel. Including my own screen-printed envelopes, CV's and business cards.

Inpiration Bay

Just a quick shot of my inspiration bay, where I pin all my research and ongoing pieces of work to keep a large visual of where I'm at.

She Sells Sea Shells

I have long started development now, yet still not posts on how my drawing is being transformed into stitch and fabric. Here is a page from my development sketch book, I have taken one of my shell sketches and started by taking this directly into embroidery.

Another old drawing sheet

Inspired by barnacles this sheet has been done with layering guache paint to create texture.

Speaking of Paris ....

 

Mentioning Paris, I am off to the City of Lights in a matter of days. I can't believe I've been too busy to blog about this! Well I'm going for a number of reasons; shopping, research, romance and of course INDIGO!

Having brought aspects of Rococo into my project the Versailles are a must as well as countless galleries and the sheer beauty of Paris, I will have tons of new research to start developing when I get back.

I will be shopping for my project, going to la droguerie to act like a child in a sweetshop looking for beads and beautiful things for my project. I'll also be hunting for vintage linens and knickers to stitch into!!

I'm also going away with my boyfriend which will of course be cute, it couldn't be anything else in Paris.

Last but certainly not least I will be handing out business stationary on the hunt for interns at Indigo, seeing what's there this year and just taking in the very inspiring show.

Proud

Just a drawing sheet I'm particularly proud of, Its been sketched from a Polaroid I took in Paris last year. Its the roof from the Galeries Lafayette, an AMAZING department store in Paris. Ive also added some photocopies of lace onto tracing paper.

INSPIRED

So this week has started with a burst of inspiration, prompted by two excellent lectures I was lucky enough to receive last week. The first by Alison Willoughby, who lectured about herself and her work and I received a one to one portfolio tutorial with her. She is an amazing person who  is able to translate her perception of beauty into magnificent skirts, both wearable and beautiful enough to be put on the wall as a piece of art. The second was by one of my tutors Claire Baker, who presented a very inspiring PowerPoint on embroidery; showing historical and contemporary stitch. She brought across all ranges of embroidery and what can be perceived as embroidery, from delicate and breathtaking to extravagant and bold. We were then lucky enough to get a closer look at her work which she brought in for us, I was shocked at her modesty as her embroidery is breathtaking.  The layout and stylisation of her designs is fabulous, even without the impeccable stitch its created from. Claire also has an exhibition coming up so I would check out her blog and get details for that :).




After feeling so inspired I think my embroidery tin is in need of a good tidy up so I can get started.












http://www.alisonwilloughby.com/

http://www.claireabaker.co.uk/

http://claireabaker.blogspot.co.uk/

Interview catch up.

So it's been awhile since my interview with Hand and Lock for a short internship over Easter, and if you were wondering how it went...

It was amazing, I got great feedback on my work and secured my internship. This has been a much needed confidence boost for me. Jess said my work was really inovative, my embroidery well exacuted and the fact I'm researching and applying specialist embroidery techniques to my work is fantastic.

 

I also gathered some fabrics from a range of shops in Soho, (featured in picture above) just to give myself some further knoledge on fabrics available and to push work above the limatations of the college shop.

 

I also visited a variety of great exhibitions something I will post about abit later on, so watch this space:)

Lovely Little Find

As I'm doing the hand and lock competition I will have to produce a garment to go down the runway should I get that far, so I have started to think about this now. On a visit to Pickering over Christmas I found this a lovely vintage night gown, the quality of the cotton is amazing and it will hold print and embroidery perfectly. A perfect canvas in the shape of a dress, can't wait to get working on it.

Disertation done!

Disertation finally handed in, and although I really did enjoy researching it I am glad its over so I can now fully concentrate on my Final Major Project, Degree show planning and on going proffesional practice. SO well done me.. :) yahhh

Interview with Hand and Lock

I must admit I'm feeling rather guilty looking back at my blog for this academic year and how I have neglected it, but onwards and upwards! And with a new start for 2013 I WILL become a regular blogger sharing my ideas and recording the progress of my Final Major Project, and generally what I'm getting up to.

Starting with....

An interview secured with Hand & Lock who pride themselves on being the 'worlds finest producers of embroidery since 1767' (a company I previously mentioned for the Hand & Lock embroidery competition I will be entering my work from this project.) The interview will hopefully land me a work placement for a few weeks with the company which could be amazing, Hand and Lock work with all forms of the highest class of embroidery from Couture fashion to Military embroidery. So overall very excited and nervous both at the same time.

A link to the Hand and Lock website if you were interested?


         http://www.handembroidery.com/hand-lock/