HAMMOCK DONE!

A photo of my hammock complete.

Extra strength.

I used the tent poles to give extra strength and threaded them into the blue tubing.

Structure of the hammock, COMPLETE!

Completed the structure of the hammock and I am very happy with the overall look. I like the detailed plaits and the colour.

Riveting!

To secure the webbing together I used a box stitch around the edges and then revivited the squares inside.

Box stitching using the industrial sewing machine.

This was the first time I had experienced using the industrial sewing machine. I didn't find it that different to the domestic sewing machine it just went faster. The tricky part was the turning the webbing to sew the box stitch and the weight of the webbing all weaved and pinned together was a big test for my patience. It was the most challenging part of the project.

Dying the webbing.

This was a very difficult job because the webbing was pure white and it took a lot of experimenting and time to get it a colour that suited the colour scheme my hammock was. Many times I would take it out of the dye and wash it and find that it would go a light pink even though it was a lovely plum colour in the dye bucket.

Organising the panels.

The base of the the decorative part of the hammock is coming together nicely.

Detailed panels.

I created all the smock and attached them to a triangle panel. I then sewed anotner triangle panel on top. This is half of the process.

Final design.

The results I got from the tie dye, I love it!

Time to dunk!

Allowed it to only soak for around two minutes whilst the bucket of dye was at boiling temperature.

Tie dye.

Sorry about the belated posts my Internet has been down! So I've tie dyed the base of my hammock but wrapping it up in a load of elastic bands. It was extremely tricky!

Knots.

I forgot to post pictures of the willow weaving workshop which was fantastic. The most usual thing he showed us was the different kind of knots there was ans how we could think about incorporating them into our hammock to give it strength.

Smock details.

Smocked and dyed tent fabric all ready to incorporate into my hammock!

Commence the making!

I have began making the details for the hammock. These little triangles are made up from the smock machine ans dyed purple. I have ripped up some tent to stuff them with to create little padded cushions.

Framework.

This is my framework of my hammock. I have used tent poles as the base and I am going to find a way that allows me to bond it together to make it stronger. Maybe with guy ropes and zips. With paper I have created a lattice and began hanging from the base to see exactly how many I will need and the spacing inbetween. I have hung it from the ceiling so I can work out how much give I need to add to the groundsheet strips.

Layer 1 Template.

I worked from my samples to work out what will be what.

Templates.

So I have began creating a refined template of the exact measurements and details of where I want to place everything. This has helped me alot because now I have something to work from and a goal.

Strength

Time to get to work with making the hammock. I have began with constructing a structure that will add strength.

Life size paper maquette.

I created a life size paper maquette of the hammock. I roughly sketched out the design and then hung the hammock to see the illusion of what the hammock will look like. I think it looks great I can't wait to see it made now. Exciting stuff!

Alien.

So this is the colour palette I have decided to go with. I love the contrasts between the purples and yellow. Kind of reminds me of an alien.

Sketchbook extracts.

Some work I wish I had remembered to blog a while back!

Sketchbook extracts.

Some work extracted from my sketchbook which I had forgotten to blog! A good insight to what has inspired me through the process.

Sketchbook extracts.

A piece out of my sketchbook looking into colours and different textures.

COLOUR inspiration

Samples.

Working with dyes, flock and foil.

Printing and disperse dying.

Extremely fun day spent in the print room. I quickly started to develop a sense of a potential colour palette and was generating samples quickly.

Free hand stitching.

Pleating machine.

These beautiful machines help you pleat small bits of fabric neatly and quickly. They are a specialist piece of equipment and can be very expensive.

Hammock sketch ups.

Rough sketches of how my hammock could look like.

Inside liberty.

Beautiful Moroccoian style fabrics and interior filled liberty floor.

Market/trend research.

This weekend I've come up to London to visit my best friend and took the opportunity to take a look around oxford circus, soloane square, Marylebone street etc.. To catch the current trends.

Spiderweb ideas.

Today I took my spiderweb drawing and enlarged it into a larger design using paper. With prints and textures I have created in the past I have cut up to see if it works with pasting in the gaps.

Maquette making.

Taking shapes from my drawings I have began playing with textured paper in different ways of creating the hammock. 

Paper everywhere!!

I've put up some of my drawings to help me find a repeat pattern and style in my sketches. I have started to notice that I pay attention to the tear drop shape that I could possibly include in my final design..

Making progress..

I have looked at architecture and particularly Indian architecture. I love the structure and curves in the buildings.

I have attempted to draw them ans experiment with all kinds of different medias.

Mark Making.

Drawing, drawing and more drawing.

Back to basics.

For the first two weeks we have been mentored to spend the whole time drawing and sketching, doodling, taking photos, tracing.

Drawing is fundamental in design and going back to the basics will help achieve an original piece of work/idea/concept.

That view.

The studio overlooks Drake circus and the bombed out church.