Evaluation

                Checks and Tartans have been of interest to me since I began to weave; however throughout this project I have been able to explore and understand the construction much more while also developing my own techniques. Through colour and pattern, I have examined the possible outcomes for my tartan/check patterns and expanded on what I know to understand of this area.

                From the outset I tried to push myself and go out of my comfort zone – This began with my warp. The colours I chose, I was very unsure of due to their limitations in contrast to each other. I was very aware that orange and green would require specific colour combinations to create an aesthetically pleasing design, but I wanted to take the risk. Now having gone through the project and seen my final outcomes, I am very pleased I took the chance and went with the warp that I did. In regards to risk taking, I am aware that I generally work very flat (which is again how I began this project) but was hoping to try and expand on this and include some more textures. Through using mohair I was able to brush some of my samples to create a much more warm, cosy and tactile effect which therefore expanded my ideas for my context.

                In terms of skills, which I have augmented throughout this unit, I was very pleased I chose to dye my warp. Not only did this allow me to enhance my dyeing skills and refresh my memory, but I also felt much more sense of pride once my warp was made and ready to be woven. In addition to this, weaving on the floor looms has been a great experience that I thoroughly look forward to continuing with. It allowed for more design options, saved time and really pushed me to think more about and plan what my intentions were.

                As a result of this project, although I am very pleased with how I have worked and what I have created, I feel as though I need to work with patterns and designs that are more out of my comfort zone for the next unit to really expand my skills. Tartans and checks were almost a bit of a comfort zone because it’s what I enjoy to look at (even if I have only really explored them once before this). Perhaps next time I will work with a plainer warp and a much more limited colour palette to push myself to think and create in new ways. 

Mon 6^th – Fri 10^th Nov, 2017

                I had an issue this week; running out of the 3000 yards I had made of 2/40s Mercerised Cotton, Orange. I had tried to initially make enough so that I wouldn’t have to dye anymore but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. When I went to try and dye the same colour again, I struggled to get the ratios of colour right due to the big difference in the weight of yarn since this time I was dyeing much less. However, taking this into consideration, I think I did quite well in getting a colour match.

                In terms of samples, at this point I have focused a lot on checks/tartans and getting those how I wanted them. Since I have reached quite a satisfied point with this, I thought it best to try some things a little more different and out of my comfort zone involving texture. A lot of my work is very flat so I have been testing peg plans and yarns that give more of a 3D effect. Rebecca also noticed that I was using mohair and recommended I test brushing it to see the effect. I am actually very happy with the brushing finish and think it work well with my check/tartan patterns.

                Looking at all my current samples together I noticed everything was very warm and yellow. Since I was contrasting flat with texture, I thought perhaps I should try some colder colour and look more into the blues that I’ve been using; which was also suggested in our group crit. So far I have been happy with the testing I have done and hope to continue this next week and produce some nice samples.

Mon 30^th Oct – Fri 3^rd Nov, 2017

     Sampling has been my main focus this week. I feel as though I have spent a lot of time testing but don’t really like a lot of the test pieces – Therefore I’m having the dilemma of not wanting to waste any more of my warp but also not knowing which bits I could move forward into samples. This means I have tried to have a big focus on where these sample ideas could come from; with colour being my biggest issue throughout (since my warp is so bold). A couple of my sketchbook pages from early on have lots of bright, vivid square yarn wraps on them which I thought could help me develop my ideas further. I have tried using these wraps as collages with newer, more relevant wraps alongside.