Stitch Prints

I am still looking into my idea of researching into gender stereotyped toys which begins with toys. I have previously made a couple tests in relation to this. I began this experiment by printing out a image of two care bears and placing them on top of a sheet of A4 acetate. I then went on the sewing machine and I simply followed the outline of the characters. After this was done, I ripped off all of the paper left to reveal the stitched print. I then decided to push this test further and print with it. I mixed red and white block printing inks to create a thick mixture of a light pink which I then dabbed onto the acetate until it was covered. I then used a damp paper towel to wipe of any excess paint. I then dampened the fabric and placed the stitch print on top of the calico. I chose calico because it is a natural fabric that will absorb the print well because it is strong and has a plain weave. I then put these under a rolling mill with a lot of pressure to force the print on the fabric. I rolled it through a couple of times to ensure it worked. Once done, I pulled the fabric and acetate out and revealed the print, I personally do love the outcome, but because the fabric was maybe too wet, the ink dispersed slightly out of the pattern. Therefore I thought it would be a good idea to test it again on different fabric such as white cotton which is also a natural and equally strong material. I repeated the test but made sure the cotton wasn't as damp as the calico and I then really liked the end result because the white fabric made my print look more vibrant and therefore stand out. I then wanted to develop this further and make it appear more stitched so I worked back into my print with the sewing machine to add more texture.

To develop this test even further, I scanned in the prints and manipulated the colour, size and shape on Photoshop to make a exciting print. I really like how the print turned out and I would really like it if I could turn this into a print on fabric and work into it again with stitch and embellishment. I think this would be a great print for putting on a garment also.

I then went on to research any designers who have created similar prints or had similar concepts of using children toys as a theme for wearable garments. As a result I found collections:

• Krizia Robustella F/W 2015
• Jeremy Scott F/W 2015
• Bas Kosters F/W 2015

I definitely take a lot of inspiration from these artists as my specialism is textiles for fashion. I would like to research into similar collections again and possibly make my own fashion garments as a result.