The online store is now open for business!  Click on the shop tab at the top of the page, or click on the link to be taken to the etsy store selling limited edition birds from the degree show.  I'll soon be adding a few new pieces so I'll keep you updated with what I make next!

Final Garments

The exhibition is up and it's nearly time to wave goodbye to being a student at Chelsea!  I can't believe how fast the last three years have gone!  Here are a few images of my space at the exhibition and from the photo shoot...

Make a Bird Top

Garden Memories Dress (with embroidered detail)

Hot Air Balloon Dress

Reversible Village Dress 

Sheep Shirt and Rose Shorts

Reversible Fox and Badger Dress

Build a House Skirt

The Old Farm House

As the degree show quickly approaches, all left to do is now sew the garments together!  I've taken a few shots of the fabrics for you to see before they get cut up.

Here is the house pattern.  The print below can be bonded to another fabric, cut out and sewn into the old farm house.

By cutting along the orange dotted line, these shapes can be sewn together and embroidered to create the birds above.  

  

For more pictures you can visit my website at http://showtime.arts.ac.uk/catherinefreresmith 

Maricor/Maricar

Maricor/Maricar have some great illustrations and animations on their website.  They even have a whole music video made from embroidery!  I especially liked this embroidered C...for obvious reasons!

Carsin Ellis

Irkutsky Dom, 2005, ink and watercolor, 10” x 11”

Walk, 2006, ink and watercolor, 25” x 19”

I love these illustrations by Carson Ellis!

Drawing Memories

I've been looking at lots of old photos from my childhood and drawing illustrations of them for making a toile fabric.  I'm still not sure what style of drawing I want to make yet but here's a few of the illustrations I've done so far...

The Old Farm House

It's another new term, the thesis is in, and there's a new project to begin!  This time it's for the degree show, and will be my very last project at uni!  We get to write our own project this term so here's some of what I wrote for the proposal...

Design Project Title: The Old Farm House

Aims:

This project is mainly inspired by my memories of my old house in the countryside where I spent most of my childhood.  I have chosen this subject as I have found that it is the memories and experiences from this time that have had the greatest influence on my design work in the past.  Living in the countryside and being surrounded by nature has very much influenced the kind of materials, textures and subject matter I enjoy designing with.  I am also very inspired by historical textile techniques and patterns.  Having recently been given lots of my Granny’s old embroidery, I have been inspired to create something that will be equally treasured and passed down from generation to generation.  I like the way embroidery, especially tapestries of scenes, can capture a moment in time and so retell a moment in history to its audience.  I also like the idea of passing down stories and have chosen to convey this though the style of toile de jouy designs which are made up of a composition of scenes which tell stories on certain themes. 

I will be taking my inspiration from old photographs to reminisce on the time in the Old Farm House.  I will also be revisiting the area to see how it has changed (or remained the same!) and to take photographs and draw the scenery. 

I want to create a colour palette that is inspired by nature and produced by nature by using natural dyes and non-toxic fixatives, which will be more environmentally friendly.  I will also use digital printing for the more complex designs as this is also a more eco-friendly method of printing.  Designs will be embellished with embroidery and sculptural fabric forms (such as the 3D fabric flowers I produced for the last project, which I hope to develop further).   

Market:

In this project I hope to create versatile wallpaper patterns in the style of Toile de Jouy that are suitable for both fashion an interiors.  I hope to create a range of products that will record my memories from the past that can be kept and treasured for a long time, that have significance to my family and be passed down from generation to generation, and also have practical use.  I like the idea of creating a large bag for all these products so that in a way you can carry your memories of home around with you. 

I hope that this project will be the start of creating bespoke designs for other people, by recording their memories and experiences into fabric and objects that they will treasure.  I would like to create work that reflects their character and meets the needs of their lifestyle.