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casseythebee
Blue Eyed Bumble Bee
jimmy--sanders
trying again;
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Final piece. I am really pleased with the outcome of this project although contruction wise it isn’t perfect due to time constraints.
In the end I decided not to use any of the bluebell dyed fabric as I wasn’t happy with the outcome. I did hem and gather it to go in between the 2 floral layers but it just didn’t seem cohesive. I also didn’t want to feel like I had to put it on it just because I put effort into it, which I think is important in the final outcome. Although it did take a lot of time I think I have benefitted from the process and I am eager to try it again, gaining knowledge from this experience.
At first I was very nervous about this project because my mind kept racing towards a finished product, but to resolve this I just trusted the process from start to finish and stopped imagining what the end result would look like. I think this project has also built up my confidence with the sewing machine and construction, I can also see myself upcycling more clothes in the future!
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Construction continued. Using myself as a reference was proving quite difficult but I kind of started to understand the process more. I also decided to sew some darts at the front for a more fitted look, however they didn’t turn out quite as I had liked but I still liked how the project had progressed.
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Figuring out the placement. The mannequin is proving difficult as it is only decorative.
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Construction. First I used a seam ripper to rip the sleeves off and the back, leaving me with the two front panels and the collar. It turned it back to front to give a high neck. I then pulled the two panels around my waist and pinned it. I like how it looks pinned on the body but I need to figure out a pattern so that the back and front are covered.
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As the bluebell dye didn’t quite turn out as planned, I wanted to try again and use a different technique. I placed some bluebells trying to mimic some mark making designs, between the fabric and started to hammer it.
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Gathering. Gathering is a really simple technique using a running stitch from one end to the other and pulled as tight as desired for a rusched look. I will be using this technique on my final piece to mimic the lines an curves of lichen.
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Trying to create a natural blue dye. I dried the bluebells out for around 2 days and crushed them up finely. I then added them to a lot with water and baking soda. It stayed a nice blue/green colour for a few minutes before almost instantly turning green. I think this may have something to do with the temperature. I am disappointed with the result but I think it still makes an interesting colour. Next time I will keep the temperature constant, under 100 degrees to see if this effects the outcome.
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Using wild blue bells to stain the fabric. The first method I tried was ironing the bluebells in between 2 pieces of cloth. It requires a lot of pressure to make the transfer. It creates a lot of different shades of blues and greens.
I then wanted to experiment with turning them into a dye. I dried some up and crushed them and added them to some boiling water. It created a really nice ocean blue which I was really impressed with.
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Experimenting with natural dies. I was hoping for a more orange colour but these swatches turned out to be quite muted. An interesting process and it was easier than I expected. I enjoy using the plant life around me as I feel more connected to nature and our countries wildlife, even if the result is not what was anticipated. It is also not harmful or wasteful.
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Secondary research. As I have limited access to secondary resources I decided to look through this gardening book for inspiration. I really like how the cabbage leaves relate to the forms of the lichens
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Following on from my research of Marjolein Dallinga, I started to observe the flora around the fields. I can see similarities with Dallingas work as clearly it’s a huge inspiration. I am particularly interested in the buds of the willow tree and the range of colour and structures it creates when you look closely.
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