In my work I use textiles and other materials to create tranquil spaces which offer a glimpse of something beyond the immediate, a chance to exist momentarily in an ‘in between’ space. I am fascinated by mirrors, transparency and the layering of materials and patterns. They offer the chance to see the world in a new way. Even when the world has been blown apart at a personal level, as happens when we lose a loved one, or at a societal level, as we all know in current Covid times, they can come together again in a different way, and be beautiful.
Honan’s Quay in Limerick provided the inspiration for this project. I spent time sitting here, considering the “publicness” of the space. I recorded how the space was being used. It has become a corridor for traffic and pedestrians. People pass through quickly. In the past it was a vibrant space. In the 8th century the Vikings docked nearby. In the 18th century ships loaded up with the produce of the Golden Vale from warehouses on the quays. The space holds echos of these times and hopefully in the future will be vibrant again.
Cyprus provided the inspiration for this brief. It is an island of light and shade. The sunsets there are spectacular and brief. Blue/grey thistles “bob” in the breeze, casting shadows on the ground.
I wanted to create a sense of transience, sinking back into the cosmos, drifting to somewhere else…
I used plastic flower pot filters, suspended with thread made on a three needle over-locker. The grid pattern of the overlapping shapes shimmered as the shapes moved and overlapped. I created a white backdrop for each window from linen, machine sewing the edging. I projected light from an LED lighting bar onto the shapes and created patterns of light and shade using static and preset sequences.
Michel L’Herbier’s 1924 film L’Inhumaine, or more specifically the set for the mechanical laboratory of Einar Norsen (designed by the painter Fernand Léger) provided the inspiration for this brief.
I wanted to create an interactive piece to stimulate the senses
Lengths of black and white lambs wool were produced on the Shima Seika. I felted them in the washing machine at 40 degrees. I then sewed the lengths together to create a two-tone effect to cover the cube. I constructed the tubes from “underlay” used for wooden floors. I designed the “lining” patterns on Design-a-Knit 8 and knitted with lambswool at tension 5 on a hand-flat knitting machine. I then linked to the main covering of the cube using an industrial linker. I knit the circles using partial knit techniques on a hand-flat machine knitting machine..
“We were born and stem from the land, that is why we are Mapuche”
The Mapuche generally live in the Southern end of Chile. Currently they make up approximately 4% of the Chilean population.
The Mapuche philosophy is embedded in a poem, Lagrimas de Luna
I researched the woven patterns of the Mapuche, which frequently draw on animal and spirit forms and used them as inspiration for my own pattern designs. I then designed these patterens using the Shima Seika CAD system and coded the resulting files to produced lengths of fairisle and double-knit patterned merino wool textiles.
I created a range of bags and jewellery, driving out the design by exploring Origami forms. The best shapes were the simple ones.
I used lino to construct the bags and jewellery. I constructed the bags using a hole punch and sewed/embroidered into shape together using rayon yarn. The bangles were constructed using wire and gathering techniques and were based on simple circles and Mobius strips.
I designed the pattern for the bolster cushion pattern on Design-a-Knit 8 and knit using merino yarn and lycra on a fine gauge hand-flat knitting machine, at tension 5. The lycra gave texture. The circular ends were knit using partial knit techniques and linked with the hand linker.
In a fashion world dominated by fast fashion there is a tendency to bin old garments but there are so many possibilities for using them to make something unique and fabulous!
I wanted to create something new (simple but classy) from garments considered past their “sell-by” date.
This piece is made from an old lime green V neck jumper and an old purple cardigan that I no longer wore. I transformed them into something “new” by putting them together differently and embellishing them.
I deconstructed the jumper and cardigan, removing the sleeves of the cardigan. I manipulated the pieces on the stand until I was happy with the shape. I then assembled it by hand sewing pieces together. I embroidered the hem, cuff, hip and back edges with a silk/mohair yarn, in to introduce a touch of luxury.
Dale Chihuly’s fabulous chandelier, which is in the reception area of the Victoria & Albert museum in London, provided the inspiration for this brief.
I wanted to create a textural and colourful party dress
I made the yarn for the project by tearing fabric strips from chiffon, organza and lining material. I then used tubular knit techniques to create “tubes” which I “gathered” into spirals using plastic tubing and wire. In total I used 1550 metres of yarn and made 147 spirals for this piece. It took some time!
I hand-knitted the skirt , attaching the spirals at regular stitch intervals, ever other row. I graduated the colour transition from blue to yellow. I defined the pattern shaping for the skirt and top of the dress. I made an underskirt in tulle to create volume in the skirt.
I use digital tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop in the design process. They are integral to my process. For example I use these tools to design templates for laser cut projects, prepare mood and colour boards, prepare flat sketches and design patterns (which I have can then import into tools such as Design-A-Knit 8)