Final evaluation

For my Self Directed unit I chose to study the Costume Store element as I felt this was the area in the industry I possibly want to continue with. As an extra part to this we were then introduced to project Breathe, which is part of the Olympic opening ceremonies in Weymouth. The projects are very different but combining the two has enabled me to refine my sewing skills but also experiment and explore different textiles techniques, giving me a strong body of work towards my professional portfolio.

At the beginning I was allowed time to complete lining my jacket from the previous Battle for the Winds unit. I was highly grateful for this as I had worked hard in producing a costume with a neat finish and didn’t want to let it down by rushing the lining. During my end of unit presentation tutors pointed out how areas such as the front edge didn’t lay flat and needed to be finished correctly. I was aware of this and explained how I had left the front for when inserting the lining. For this reason I wanted to finish everything to a high standard and show that my finishing skills are neat and tidy.

Once my jacket was complete I then joined the rest of my group in creating either a pair of breeches or a waistcoat. I was allocated a waistcoat to be made from a delicate striped fabric in cream.  At first I was extremely nervous as I knew any mistake would show but also that all stripes would need to be matched correctly. During construction of this garment the attention to detail was focused around the pockets and braid decoration. The pockets were the first step and extremely daunting but taking time over them was needed to avoid unnecessarily marking the fabric and having to re-cut. As the decoration was sewn by hand I wanted to take extra care but as stated in my blog, this extra time did set me back beyond the two-week time scale. This highlighted to myself how in some cases I perhaps need to be less cautious and keep on top of my time management. In the end I did gain a garment I am proud of but with this being the area of industry I want to enter, I will need to work on my pace of work ensuring I speed it up but still keeping to a high standard.

Although it was not something I signed up to, I have really enjoyed being a part of the Breathe project. When we first had our briefings about the different options available for the Self Directed unit this was not a project that appealed to me. However when it was further explained and I understood how the project involved a mixture of able and disabled bodies, I realized how much I could gain. Having been given the ‘Hunters’ designs has been nice to use various textiles techniques that I haven’t used since before university. This is an element I enjoy and given this opportunity I have produced two cloaks that include layering up of fabrics. Also the extra time given to Breathe has allowed me to create extra shoulder pads and a headdress towards my costumes. In particular I really enjoyed constructing the hat, as it is something completely different and I have been able to use equipment in the workshops that I have never worked with before. Part of this project asked for us to attend evening sessions and though the initial idea of running workshops did at first seem very daunting, as the weeks have pasted it has been really nice working with everyone. In particular there have been a couple of volunteers who have helped myself a few weeks in a row. This has been nice for them to see my costume progress and ask about my work but also for me to learn about their involvement in Breathe.

I did initially sign up for the costume store project in order to gain greater confidence that I can produce work to a high standard. As even though I am happy with my finished waistcoat I would have liked to continue constructing other garments as well. This being said I have really enjoyed being a part of Breathe and working with unusual materials to create unique costumes. I am pleased I have spent the last two weeks working full time on this project as I have been able to create two costumes and even though this term is finished I still want to attend the evening sessions to help break down all garments and see the project through to the end.

Continuing with Breathe

Although this term is coming to an end this Breathe project is still continuing for a few weeks. I now feel very involved in the project and want to see it through to the end. In particular my two cloaks are finished on the construction side but to match the brief as being hunters from the sea, they will need further breaking down. This will involve dip dying and painting into sections  as well as spraying on sandy effects that will really help complete the look. Also the evening sessions will continue so hopefully more volunteers will attend and can get involved in finishing their own garments.  

Final Hunter Hat

With the horns painted and dry then allowed for them to then be attached to some form of head-dress. For this we used baseball caps as they were already to a head shape and can be easily adjusted at the back. First we cut away the peak as this was not needed. Then inserting wire up into each horn we could use the remaining wire and the base to secure them to the cap where needed. With the wire coiled to the inside of the hat, we used circles of thin foam to cover this for comfort when worn by the artists. Another strip was also attached around the base as this meant it could sit further down on the head to feel more secure when worn. Finally we hand stitched strips of different fabrics across the entire hat to cover the base material and also give great texture.  

This close up shot really shows the variety in materials used and will look really effective when broken into to match the base costumes. They will complete the look and make the characters instantly recognisable as 'Hunters'. In order to sit securely on the artists heads elastic may need to be added but this is something that can be fixed during fittings to ensure it is correct for the specific person. 

Viking Hats

The designs show for each artist to wear head-dresses and these hats are inspired from the horns seen on vikings helmets. As they will be worn all day means they need to be lightweight but also secure to stay in place. Following the example created by the design team myself and another student worked together in creating two further hats to contribute. To create the shape shown below we had to cut a series of circles from blue foam using a hot saw in the workshop. Then once cut we could angle them so that when together they would create the curved horn shape pictured below. 

 

Then using a glue gun to fix in place they were ready to be filed for a smooth finish. As the characters are intended to have been well travelled the horns need to appear worn and broken down. To add texture we mixed sand into PVA glue to coat the foam before painting over them. Keeping this idea of worn down horns we painted a graduated colour of dark brown going up to white before using gold to highlight the raised sections of sand. I think the gold has helped in creating a really effective finish to show horns that are tired and battered from the sea.

Cloak #2 Final

As with the previous cloak I have finished this one with shoulder pads, barnacles and seaweed. The design showed for this cloak to sit mainly on the left shoulder and off the right. However when making this the weight of the fabric would put too much strain on the left shoulder so I have chosen to make it sit on both to even out the weight. So the artist will have enough space for movement I have also pulled back some of the bulk, but this time making it so the material sits over the two arms to show more of the figure. To connect the two sides I have also included a plaited rope so the design appears as though the cloak has just been picked up and quickly wrapped around the neck.

       

Above is an image showing a close up of barnacles and seaweed that cover both capes. The barnacles are placed in clusters with some being underneath sections of netting and the seaweed to appear as if it has caught onto parts of the costume. Once the whole garment has been broken down and colours dulled down I think all these added elements will look really effective and help show the characters as hunters of the sea.

Finally the image above shows where I have sewn on elastic hoops to the inside of the capes. This is so when worn they will sit comfortably in place and can follow the arm movements of the artists when performing. This is something I have included for both costumes as I feel it will be easier to wear but also make them sit correctly against the base costumes underneath. To stay in place poppers will also be sewn to the shoulders of the cloak and base costume. As these are waiting to be brought they are something that will need to be attached at a later date. 

Cloak #1 Final

With both cloaks now complete meant that I could finalise them by sewing on barnacles and seaweed. The 'hunters' are intended to be hunters of the sea and be part of the beach. For this reason the cloaks need to appear as though they have been distressed over time and have collected things such as barnacles along the way. 

The two images below show a front and back view of the first cloak. As shown in the design I wanted to include the different bands of materials in a mixture of textures. At the top i have also included a large section of net that drapes around both shoulders. The reason for this is I wanted it to appear as though the hunters have collected various materials and wrapped themselves in them to create this cloak. By hand sewing sections of this top net in place has allowed for there to still be movement in the wind but at the same time secure in place.

  

 

Above is a close up of a finished shoulder pad. I chose to included a layer of wadding underneath the net as it fills out the shape giving more structure. Then once in place on the cloak I included a few feathers to give an added texture. I feel these pads give greater width to the costume and will only enhance the actors frame and create a strong hunter character. 

Textured Shoulder Pads

During tonights Breathe session I wanted to start creating the shoulder pads towards my two designs. The process is very simple as it just involves tying strips of fabric to a netted base and then snipping the excess. As you tie on more fabrics it builds up to create a section of spiky fabrics as pictured below. Once the section is at the correct size I can then back the netting to calico to strengthen them before stitching to the cloaks. To enhance the shape I could also use wadding between another layer calico as this would enhance the shape and make them stand out further.

One element of Breathe that I have really enjoyed is getting to know the volunteers who help out in the evenings. Although only a few attend, there are a couple who often attend and it is interesting to find out what they are doing within Breathe themselves. For instance one man who helped create these pads this evening has also helped with painting my base shapes. So over the last few weeks he has been interested in how my costume is developing but also talking about what work he is involved in.