Intent and context

The technique of inducing formal capacities within a flexible material condition. Form follows fabric here the form is defined by the technique of stitching, folds, patterns, stiffening etc by which the fabric takes its overall form. Basic making techniques of fabric are stitching, folding, knotting, cutting, etc. All these techniques are a part of our everyday practice say for eg. if your button is detached from the shirt you stitch it for your self, Women wearing a saree the techniques of folding/draping give the overall form of saree to the fabric. And also the idea of tailor sitting at streets they don't design clothes but they have the skill to stitch anything based on your requirement. And we usually give our clothes to designers who give to tailors for stitching the fabric. So this idea comes from the domestic practice of tailoring community. Experimenting with fabric as a material that is available at everybody's place. ( All cloth are fabrics but all fabrics are not cloth.) The making technique used is hand stitching as needles and threads are easily available at home and one knows how to work with it. Stiffness is a special property of the fabric. The fabric tends to keep standing without any support. It is one of the most widely used parameters to judge bending rigidity. Different patterns can be achieved through folding, sewing, stitching, and heating fabrics. Patterns, stiffeners, stitches give a sense of rigidity to the fabric and material becomes thick comparatively and also Pulling of stitch gives rigidity to the fabric as the fabric shrinks and gives certain kind of strength. The observation was when a single thread from the sleeves of your t-shirt is pulled the sleeves change its form. Also, the small picnic bags that we used to carry the act of pulling the straps used to close the bag from the top. 

So the aim here is to explore different techniques of stitches, folds, patterns and observe the change in the overall form of fabric. Surface Manipulation of 2d fabric through various processes of heating stitching folding knotting and also further processing it to give the overall 3d form ie extrusion in the z-axis. 

How pulling the stitch can give form to the fabric? (1) with a type of reinforcements (2)with a different type of patterns. Here the technique of stitch, folds based on its type, geometry is explored and the type of stitch, geometry of patterns and reinforcements used are important to inform the form and also the direction of pulling the stitch.

Trying out experiments with different mixes stiffeners for the fabric to make it rigid seeing the difference before its application and after its application.

METHOD(pattern)

• Taking the fabric that shrinks due to heat eg.polyester, chiffon.

• Applying heat with help of heat gun from some distance at 230W.

OBSERVATION

• The patterns  obtained made the fabric stiffer compared to the fabric without pattern.

• Patterns obtained through stitch were  more stiffer compared to other.

• It also creates visual effects on the observer. 

EXPERIMENT 3

To see how the act of pulling the stitch gives form to fabric. (But the act of pulling the stitch makes the cloth  completely shrink at one point so using different  patterns , stitches, Geometry,plastic sticks to restrict at some point  and see what form does the fabric take. 

3.1

AIM

To see how pulling the stitch gives overall form to the fabric.  Here the direction of pulling  the stitch gives different forms to the fabric and in this case the pattern restricts the fabric to shrink completely.

MATERIALS

Cotton fabric, cotton/wool threads, Needles

METHOD

• The flat fabric having pattern is stitched in a way to pull the stitch in different directions.i.e y,-y and -x,y

• The type of stitch used is running stitch.

• Then the stitch is pulled in different directions based on the direction the form achieved would be different.

OBSERVATIONS

• Once the stitch is pulled the fabric shrinks and because of the pattern the fabric takes the overall form.

• Form achieved were different because of the direction of pull.

• On release of the stitch the fabric loses its form.

3.2

AIM

To include the stitch to pull within the pattern and  also see how the form is achieved before and after the application of stiffener.

MATERIALS

Cotton fabric, cotton/wool threads, Needles, Fevicol, Water.

METHOD

• The flat fabric having pattern is stitched in a way to pull the stitch in different directions.

• The type stitch used is running stitch.

• The stitch is included in the pattern and after that the stitch is pulled.

• After this the stitched fabric is sprayed with stiffner and then pulled. 

3.3

AIM

To see how the fabric takes form after pulling the stitch when plastic sticks are tied to fabric 

MATERIALS

Cotton fabric, cotton/wool threads, Needles, Plastic sticks.

METHOD

• The plastic sticks are tied to the fabrics at equal distance.

• The fabric is stitched at the ends.

• The type of stitch used is running stitch.

OBSERVATIONS

• The fabric takes the form because of the plastic sticks and the way it is tied to the fabric.

• After pulling the stitch  the direction  changes.

• On release of the stitch the fabric deforms.

• The force required to pull the stitch was greater compared to  the fabric having pattern.

3.4

AIM

To see how the fabric takes form after pulling the stitch when plastic sticks are tied to fabric 

MATERIALS

Cotton fabric, cotton/wool threads, Needles, Plastic sticks.

METHOD

• The plastic sticks are tied to the fabrics at equal distance.

• The fabric is stitched at the ends.

• The type of stitch used is running stitch.