Internship with Sara Sboul- Week 5

In my last week we really wanted to get the PVC bag finished before I went home. I constructed the new pattern, which was tricky but I got there in the end. I ten made up the lining which was probably the most difficult task I worked on. I found easing in the side panels hard, and they kept pleating every time I stitched them up. When I finally finished with out creases, I melted part of it with the iron! ALWAYS CHECK THE IRON TEMPERATURE BEFORE USE! So had to do one of the panels again. But eventually I did it. Although I struggled with this task, I learnt so much. It's one of those things where it really does just take a lot of practise. I then moved on to a new design. This toile worked so well, I finished it in a day!. It was so good to finally complete a bag. I learnt how to insert a zip too. So the rest of the week I cut out the pattern for the same bag in different fabrics and colours and lined them with interface. I cut out all the lining too and made up all the piping for them.

I have loved my internship experience. I have learnt so much about how small business is run, new techniques, problem solving, fabric sourcing, haggling, running errands, pattern cutting, time management, dealing with frustrations, what how different fabric behave... The list is endless. Even my time spent living in London had taught me a lot. I feel confident getting around now. Having my bike with me definitely helped with that. I know where to go for materials etc. I feel really inspired ready to start 3rd year.

Making piping with 3 sized cords- fake suede, wrinkly plether and PVC snakeskin

Finished Toile!

Cutting out pieces for the new design- four colour ways

Cutting out the lining for four bags

Internship with Sara Sboul- Week 4

This week we tried to work out a better way to make the shopper as the original design needed some tweaking. I unpicked the first toile and cut out the pieces for the amended design. I also tried out a drawstring bag with PVC but we decided this wasn't the best materials for the shape of the bag. I visited Goldhawk Road one day, which is known for it's many fabric shops. Sara wanted samples and photos of fabric to use in the new collection. I had a vague list of the kind of things she wanted but used my own judgement in what I thought she would like. I went back the next day to buy Sara's favourites and haggled for the first time ever! I also visited a few shops on Berwick Street in Soho to buy a some PVC that Sara uses and went to a trim shop to buy D-rings for the bag straps. On one of the days I went to Kilburn Market down the road from the studio to collect a few things.  I learnt how to make piping which I then added to the seams when constructing the toile for the new design. This was a little tricky to get neat but I enjoyed the methodicalness of the task. I also visited the digital printers Sara uses to collect some fabric. She had her illustrations printed onto silk and velvet which both looked beautiful. These will be used for a garment in the new collection.

So a lot of adventures this week which I really enjoyed and I now feel confident getting around London.

Goldhawk Road

First attempt at a strawberry pompom

The lining being stitched over the top of the bag ready to be turned inside out.

Internship with Sara Sboul- Week 3

This week I began to construct the PVC shopper. I really enjoyed this task and enjoyed problem solving with Sara. The handles were difficult to construct and we ended up changing the design but I learnt a lot in the process. I spend some more time doing punch embroidery, this time a much bigger piece that will be used as the print panel of a purse. I feel like I've got the knack for this now and have developed my technique. I constructed the lining for the shopper which required learning a new technique called 'easing in' which you do when pattern pieces don't fit together at first so you keep pinning them into shape. This requires a lot of patience but is satisfying when complete. I then attached the lining to the bag. 

I have really enjoyed this week and feel really proud to have learnt so many new skills. And my fingers are toughening up too.

Easing in the base of the lining

The lining constructed

     

The PVC Shopper nearly finished

Internship with Sara Sboul- Week 2

I had a good second week and felt like I was settling into the studio. I continued with the punch embroidery samples. They will be tacked onto some of the bags in the new collection. I also got started on some appliqué samples working from Sara's illustrations. Her drawing's have a lovely expressive quality, and are inspired by still life paintings and ornament she collects. The appliqué work was on a very small which was tricky but good to practice working in so much detail. I spent time quilting with PVC to make up panels for the shopper bag toile. I love the effect of quoting with PVC. It has a lovely shine where the light catcher and looks very candy like. I'm looking forward to seeing how the bag will look made up.

Another good week. I am learning a lot and enjoying London life.

Internship with Sara Sboul- Week 1

My first week was both fun and exhausting mainly from adjusting to a new city and temporary home. I met the other three other interns; Sarah, Bee and Rochelle. I worked on the production of the current collection as well as sampling for the new collection. The current collection has a couple of stockists in Japan that send over orders. I learnt how to use a pattern to cut out fabric, how different fabrics react to being pinned down. I was mainly working with chiffon's, satins and organza's. I leant a new technique I had never heard of before called punch embroidery. I really liked the process, found it therapeutic and enjoyed the rhythm of the technique. I also learnt how to quilt fabric on the machine, using paper guides. The quilted panels would be used to make up the bags format the current collection. I spent time embellishing the panels with ribbon and lace, which required a high attention to detail and patience. When stitching down ribbon I found it was really important to try and keep as close to the edge as possible as to not pucker the ribbon.

A good first week and looking forward to the next. 

Digital Revolution at the Barbican Centre

I had never visited the Barbican before now. The building itself is something else. The archtecture style is called Brutalism and dates from the 1960s. It is a very harsh and aggressive style, with lots of rough concrete that you definitely don't want to graze your self on.

The exhibition was so different to anything I have visited before. It started off with a retrospective of gaming with  original consoles and games to play on. Some were really old such as 'Pong' which I had heard all about from my Dad. 

Next was a retrospective of CGI. It's amazing to see how much the technology has changed and how advanced it now is in comparison. I cant imagine what things will look like in another 20 years.

Next there were several interactive installations which were really impressive using sensors and data. One where you stood in front of a huge white screen and your silhouette appeared. You then had to put your arms above your head and gradually your shadow turned into birds that flew away. There was sound as well which made the experience feel really immersive. 

One of the installations had a piano surrounded by speakers and every time you played a note, it would tune into radio stations all over the world that were playing that particular not on the scale at that time.

We didn't have time to go to the last part at we had a train to catch (must leave the house earlier!) but it was a very enjoyable exhibition. 

Design Museum Denmark

Over the summer my boyfriend and I visited Copenhagen for a week. It was a very inspiring place and I would love to go back.

We visited the Design Museum of Denmark which had a great collection of pieces from the 20th Century. A retrospective of Hans Wegner was also showing. I never realised how ground braking he was as most of his designs I take for granted as standard but he was way ahead of his time. He really really loved chairs.

Danish design is incredibly slick and clean. It looks effortless but the process behind it I'm sure is anything but. Less is more and I think that is something I need to consider going into 3rd year. 

Hans Wegner chair sketches

Poul Henningson's iconic light design

Lone Villaume design

All Girl Talent Show

The All Girl Talent Show was an exhibition I was asked to take part in by some friends and founders of Woman Stanley art collective based in Warrington/Wigan.

There was no particular theme so I decided to make a large scale piece developed from a sample I made in the Locating Unit.

The exhibition went really well and there was a really good turnout. 

Interview with Sara Sboul

At the start of July I secured an interview for an internship with fashion and accessories designer Sara Sboul, a 2013 graduate from Westminster The role was one I had applied for a couple of months earlier, which had been filled by, but she got in contact with me as a new role was available. It goes to show not to be disheartened if I don't hear back from employers right away.

The initial application listed the following:

interests /skills
• keen interest in learning how to make accessories
• basic pattern cutting knowledge ( not mandatory)
• basic adobe skills ( not mandatory)
• basic accessory construction /sewing skills
• keen interest in crochet, knit embroidery print /digital bead sequin work, punch needle embroidery, free hand embroidery, appliqué

Although I am capable of most of the above, I was a little concerned as I didn't have many example to show from 2nd year but luckily I had been working on sampling using more traditional embroidery techniques since we broke up for the summer so had quite a bit to choose from so put in my portfolio. 

The interview went really well and I secured the position. We chatted for nearly two hours and got on really well which is really important when working closely with someone in a small team. She was really accommodating with my commitments at the Just So Festival and we arranged for me to start after it had finished and to work for 5 weeks up until the start of term.

I am most looking forward to learning pattern cutting and construction as I wouldn't usually do this at Uni. I am also looking forward to the hand techniques as I think the practice will be really beneficial. I am guilty of shying away from slow processes at Uni but the only way I will get better is to get stuck in.

All I have to do now is find somewhere to stay

http://www.sarasboul.com/
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/sarasboul

Just So Festival 2014

This year I have been working on the design team for a family arts festival based in Kidsgrove, Cheshire called the Just So Festival. The area I designed for, working with Hannah who studies Fine Art at Nottingham Trent, was called Peekaboo which is for ages 0-4. I have been working on the project since January, collecting materials, designing ideas etc ready for the event in August.

The brief had two parts:
1. Dressing the area including 3 trees and several tents- budget £100
2. Designing and building a giant sheet fort (shell provided)- budget £150

The directors Rowan and Sarah wanted the area not to feel to cutsie baby, more "gypsy baby" running wild. I kept this phrase in mind through out the project. We thought it would be nice to make the area really sensory and tactile as it was aimed at such a young age group, so texture, shape, colour and sound were all things we wanted to emphasize.

- 3 Willow Sculptures
-Mexican Stars; small (about 30) and large (10) scale
-Tin Can Bunting
-100m bunting each
- Giant Dream Catchers
- Constructing Giant Sheet Fort
- Signage

Hannah got an amazing opportunity to study over the summer in Salsburg, Germany so wasn't able to contribute as much as she wanted to, but she enlisted the help of her friend Ailsa who studies Graphic Design at Nottingham Trent, which was a relief and she made a load of bunting and Mexican stars and also collected loads of fabric.

For the 3 trees we wanted to make 3 large seed pod sculptures. Making them was a massive learning curve. We first decided to make them using paper mache onto a bamboo frame so one weekend in May Hannah, Ailsa and I went to work in the Whirligig woods where the Just So team are based all tear round. This way we had the space we needed to work on a larger scale. We made the bamboo frames using cut up inner tubes to tie the bamboo together. I then went back the next week to start covering them with paper mache but it didn't look great so the next time I visited I tried weaving willow into the frame. This was really successful and fit much better with the natural feel the directors wanted for the area. I then attached strips of different coloured fabric to the inside so that they hung out of the bottom.

I also collected bags and bags of sheets, curtains and blankets to construct the sheet fort. An outer tent was provided and I was asked to transform the inside. This was one of the more difficult tasks as I wasn't given much guidance on how to construct it. Luckily one of the other volunteers, Angie, wanted to help me. I was so glad as I was really struggling to visualise how we would do it as there were no poles to attach anything to. Angie had some great ideas we tried out using rope, hay bales and bamboo sticks, so working together and problem solving we created structures to hang the sheets from. The space turned out better than I could have imagined, and it was a really magical place for the children to play. I've not got any picture of the inside but it really was amazing!

After I had finished everything for Peekaboo I helped with a few other things that needed doing such as making a Humpty Dumpty sign to stop kids climbing on the wall. I learnt how to use a jigsaw and angle grinder in the process. Angie is an illustrator so I asked if she could paint the face and she did such a good job.#

The festival was such a rewarding project, and getting to see families interacting with my work was amazing. The directors have also mentioned commissioning me to do some work for next years festival which I am really excited about and would like to see if I can incorporate into my 3rd year studies.