Stitch

Technical Block

My notes on stitch including some technics we talked about as well as introduction on the sewing machines and heat press.

At first I looked at a number of different technics that could be applied from carefully observing my drawings, however I didn’t want to copy directly from my drawings I wanted to take key elements and move them forward. 

Their were a number of elements I could of looked at but I choose to look at this idea of plastic being that most toys are plastic, and with plastic being quite a modern concept when it come down to stitch. Another observation that I tuck from my drawings was this idea of shape, with these in mind I began to look at my options.

·      Fusing shapes and fabrics together using plastics

·      Using the heat press to sandwich something in the plastic

·      Melting plastics

·      Carefully cut out shapes, or found plastics to melt e.g. elastic bands

·      Using fabrics like, pvc, bubble wrap, plastic bags

Here are some of my initial ideas:

After looking a bit more closely at my designs I felt that my strongest samples came from the ones where I had melted plastic bags together and heat pressed them between sheets of clear plastic.

From this I developed my samples further by looking at shape and colour so that my work was varied.

Again I looked at my drawing and shapes to come up with 4 pieces which I feel relate best and show off the strongest aspects of my work.

Here are some key factor to the sewing machine and part of our induction to the stitch room:

I was inducted on a Bernina domestic sewing machine:

Parts of the machine

Bobbin and case

Winding of the thread on bobbin and inserting the bobbin

Thread the machine

Straight and zigzag stich

Here is my sample of straight, zigzag stich, using different tension. Also my sample of free machine embroidery and using a broken needle to create a texture.

Basic rules of using the heat press:

·      Consider temperature generally 180 degrees

·      Consider how long you want it under depending on the material, up to 1 min a time

·      Place work between Teflon sheets

·      Work shouldn’t be thicker than a £1 coin

·      Use both handles when closing the heat press, to stop springs from snapping

·      Remember it is hot so be careful when removing work.