New prints...

I want to continue with my smocked skirt idea. I am planning to use these printed shirt front and backs to make long lengths of the smocking to create longer skirts. I plan to laser cut into these samples and layer them.

Shirts reconstructed: smocked kilt

Until now I have been smocking either circles of fabric or tight strips of fabric. I wanted to utilize the volume of fabric aspect of smocking, the way that a lot of fabric is gathered and can create a lot of fullness. I decided to create a kilt style skirt to experiment with this, which was extremely successful. I now plan to continue with this idea creating continuous lengths that can be wrapped around to create longer skirts.

Shirts reconstructed: Tote Bag

I wanted to smock into a laser cut sample, I had to attach it to a piece of fabric as a backing. Once it had been smocked I then wanted to make something out of it. I then inserted it into a panel of a tote bag I made and then stitched into and added a smocked circle of fabric.

Shirts reconstructed: Cushion Cover

As with the waistcoat I used the shirt front and backs from my recent print room session to create a cushion cover. I created the smocked panel to practice smocking stitches and thought I could make something out of it. 

Shirts reconstructed: Waistcoat

I am now trying to work out whether I want to create products for fashion or interiors. With my new print designs I decided to make a waistcoat that is made from strips of the shirt fronts and backs I printed. I put them together using the seam ideas that I have been working on. This waistcoat has the street style that I want to continue with if I choose to make a collection.

New print ideas: Insp Africa

After the progress review I decided in needed some new colours and print ideas. I chose a picture from Elle decoration from January 2010 and took my colours from this for these new prints. Eventually I want to look at a primary research source for my colours. This work is inspired by African tribal scarfs and blankets. The colours are taken from an interiors photograph from Elle deco.