Screen Printing Practice

The year 9's have been learning about the screen printing process and thinking about all the possible stencil designs they could create to go on their drawstring bag. During this process, I observed the positive relationships that have been developing and the support the students provide one another. Proud teacher moment!!!

Here's an image of some of the students in action and their final products...

Textile's Easter Raffle

31/3 Update: This basket now contains over $200 worth of beauty products and chocolate!!!!

Tokoroa High School Wearable Arts Show 2017

    

Entry Form

·         Please complete the entry form online.  You can find the entry form on the link above.

·      Entry and fee of $10.00 per wearable art must be received no later than 24 July 2017. No late entries will be accepted.

·         Fees can be paid electronically at BNZ 020464002635600 with the student entry name as reference or at the school office.

Here's an example of what to expect on the entry form:

Tokoroa High School Wearable Arts Show 2017

   Please read the conditions of entry carefully before creating your garment.

·         New rule - Each contestant can only wear one garment. If a contestant chooses to enter in more than one category, then each garment must be worn by a different model.

·         Garments must be safe to wear.  No sharp edges or items that could cause bodily harm to models, designers, or back stage staff are permitted.  This is an obvious safety precaution. Creations must be able to be clothes at least three times and need to be constructed so they can be taken on and off without too much difficulty.

·         You should supply your own models for all entries.

·         The garments must be completed and available by the date of rehearsal which will be held on 4 August 2017 at the Tokoroa Sports and Events centre. 

·         Rehearsals will begin at 10am so contestants will need to be at the centre by 9am to be fully dressed for rehearsal and meeting with the judges.

·         Contestants in the first half of the programme will have their photos done and meet the judges first while the contestants in the second half of the programme will be at rehearsal on the stage. After lunch, the order will be reversed.

·         Only the student entrants and their models will be allowed with the judges.  No parents/caregivers will be permitted with judging.

·         A pack with final details about the programme will be available to all contestants once the registrations have closed and the programme decided on.

·         You cannot enter the same wearable art into more than one category.  Each entry has a non-refundable entry fee.

·         Creations Size – Measurements no more than 2m wide or 3m high.

·         This is a community event attracting a large audience.  Standards acceptable in the general community will be upheld.  The organiser reserves the right to refuse any entrant to take part in any or all aspects of the event if the organiser determines, at their discretion, that the entrant, model or garment is not suitable.

·         Prizes are not transferable. The organisers reserve the right, at their discretion, to use the winners’ name, address, and photographs of the garments, models and/or designers for promotional purposes.

·         Judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.  In a dispute over which category and entry will be judged in, the organising committee’s decision is final.

·         Student entrants will remain the responsibility of their parent/caregiver at all times during the event and in the lead-up to the event.

·         Completed creations (including accessory parts) must be able to be carried, pushed, and supported by the model alone.  No parents/caregivers or helpers are permitted back stage.

·         The winner for Mad Hatter is a stand-alone prize winner, which means the winner of this section will not be among the finalists for the supreme award.

·         The Mad Hatter and Lavish and Spectacular sections are open to all age groups.

·         The supreme award winner will be selected from the overall winners.

·         Disclosure is necessary if the creation has entered another competition.

·         All Rules and Conditions are subject to change at the discretion of Tokoroa High School, but will be communicated well before the event should such an amendment occur.

Tokoroa High School Wearable Arts show 2017

Screen Printing with Paper Stencils

Screen printing with paper stencils

This video is an example of how to screen print using paper stencils and multiple layers.

Watch the video below and answer the following questions:

- Name 4 things you will need

- What is the cello-tape used for?

- What areas do you cut out first?

- What do you need to think about when attaching your stencil to the screen (frame)?

- Why were a few layers of tape used to attach the stencil?

- How should you prepare your fabric?

- What is used to add paint to the screen?

- How many passes of the squeegee should you do, what type of pressure should you apply, and how should you hold it?

- How do you lift the frame off?

Positive and Negative Space when Creating Stencils

Your task is to create a paper stencil to be screen printed on your drawstring bag. Your stencil should be inspired from the images on your All About Me Storyboard. Have you found an image online that you like, or are you going to create one yourself? You'll need to think about the positive and negative space. Here's a tutorial to explain what positive and negative space on a stencil means...

- What does positive space mean?

- What is a continuous shape?

- What is negative space?

Your task now...

Draw a range of designs/pictures that relate to your All about me Storyboard. Annotate/Explain each design and its significance to you. 

One of these will become the stencil we will use to screen print on your Drawstring bag!!

Sustainable Fabric - Combining Art, Design, and Living Potential

Check out the video below and how ideas take seed and come to fruition. An idea for sustainable fabric that has the potential to impact future fabric production.

Durability and the Martindale Test

Durability

The ability of a fabric to resist wear is an essential aspect of its performance

What is a Martindale dale test?
The Martindale test is a measure of the durability of a fabric. The tests are undertaken on upholstery fabrics to check their suitability for various uses – i.e. decorative chairs, heavy-traffic areas or commercial furniture. The test is also known as the ‘rub test’, and tests for abrasion resistance.

How does the test work?

The fabric being tested is pulled taut and loaded onto the lower plates of the Martindale machine. Small discs of worsted wool or wire mesh (the abradant) are continually rubbed against the test fabrics in a Lissajous figure – a wandering, oscillating circle. The fabric is continuously inspected for wear and tear and the test ends when two yarns break or when there are noticeable changes in appearance 
Click here to see an example of the machine at work.

Pictured above: Martindale machine in the Charles Parsons ISO laboratory in Sydney

Extra information:

How do I read a Martindale test result?

Test results are given as a score of 1000’s of rubs or cycles, and the higher the number is, the more suitable the fabric is for heavier useage.  Fabrics are categorised depending on their test results.

Charles Parsons Interiors categorises upholstery useage as follows:

Decorative (less than 10,000 rubs).

Recommended for decorative purposes (i.e. cushions and accents).  Not recommended for general use.

Light Domestic (10,000 to 15,000 rubs).

Recommended for use on furniture that will only receive occasional use. This is due either to the use of delicate yarns in the composition of the fabric or due to the delicate construction of the fabric itself. Some decorative fabrics may not be suitable for use on heavy wear areas or fixed upholstery areas due to “dry clean only” cleaning being required, and this is not possible other than where the fabric can be removed and taken to a dry cleaner. 

Information sourced from here 

What is Applique?

1. 
   
2. What is applique?
3. - Applique is ornamental needlework in which pieces of fabric are sewn or stuck on to a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. 
4. - You decorate a garment or object made from fabric, with pieces of fabric to form pictures or patterns.
5. - Attaching a motif.

Here's a video that is going to help us understand three different techniques used to applique. Go to 11.55 for an example of the zigzag stitch that we will be using 

Drawstring Bag Storyboard Templates

Bernina Needle Guide

How to Tell the Difference Between Woven and Knit Fabric

When you think of woven fabrics, think of fabric you’d use to make a quilt or curtains or upholstery. Woven fabric is generally crisp and not stretchy*. It can be as thin as chiffon or as thick as denim.

*Some woven fabrics, like stretch denim or stretch poplin, have spandex woven in to give it some stretch. A stretch poplin may have 15% stretch across the grain, which means a 10″ piece of fabric can stretch up to 11.5″.

When you think of knit fabrics, think of t-shirts and leggings. Knit fabric is usually stretchy and supple. It can be as thin as mesh or as thick as sweatshirt fleece.

Knit fabrics tend to offer a superior amount of stretch compared with woven, perhaps 30-50% for a t-shirt or up to 100% for something like a nylon spandex. 50% stretch would mean a 10″ piece of fabric can stretch up to 15″. 100% would mean a 10″ piece of fabric could stretch up to 20″. That’s quite a difference from the 11.5″ from the stretch poplin example.

This handy little drawing (courtesy of Threads magazine) is a close-up of how woven fabric is constructed. Notice it’s a sort of basket-weave pattern, with the threads running perpendicular to each other. Each thread is separate from the next, meaning that when it’s cut, the edges fray.

This is a close up of a knit fabric. Knit fabric is called knit fabric because it is literally knit- very similar to the way you would knit a sweater with a ball of yarn and knitting needles. It’s just usually done on a much smaller scale: tiny needles, a very thin “yarn”. Knit fabric is all one continuous piece of thread (or close to it), so a raw edge usually won’t unravel the way it would on a woven fabric. And all of those interlocking loops are what allows for the natural stretchiness.

HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE

What if the fibers are so tiny that you can’t tell if they’re crossed or looped? One way to find out if it’s knit or woven is to test how it stretches.

Because knit fabric is made from one continuous thread (much like the one continuous yarn in your handknitting), it stretches all over. Woven fabrics, on the other hand, will only stretch diagonally or as a sewer might say, on the bias.

Grab the fabric in question and pull it gently from side to side, top to bottom, diagonally. Does it stretch easily in all directions? If so, it’s probably a knit fabric. If you can only get a bit of stretch diagonally, it’s probably a woven fabric.

Efficiency, Accuracy, and Independence

Taking part in NCEA Textiles requires a certain amount of efficiency, accuracy, and independence. 

The definition of Efficiency is: The state or quality of being efficient; an action designed to achieve efficiency.

The questions in your first assignment are designed to make you think about your self-management when it comes to getting the most out of your fabric and the materials required to complete the set task. Along with the efficiency with the required resources, is efficiency with your time. To be completely efficient with your time means that you are dedicated to the task and utilising your time in class wisely. 

The definition of Accuracy is: The quality or state of being correct or precise; the degree to which the result of a measurement, calculation, or specification conforms to the correct value or a standard.

Accuracy when making your shorts requires you to do your best when following correct procedures to produce a quality garment. Again, this is includes self-management because your finished garment should be of high quality and fit for purpose.

The definition of Independence: Not relying on another or others for support; possessing a competency.

You are required to independently sew a pair of summer PJ shorts for your first assignment. By now, you should have the ability to thread a machine and find solutions to basic problems with the sewing machines. An excellence in your first assignment can be achieved by problem solving and working to the best of your ability with a small amount of support from me. 

Drawstring Bag

The next step in Year 9 Textiles is designing and constructing a drawstring bag. Designing a drawstring bag requires some research, planning, and concept development. You can find the brief and specifications below.

BRIEF

Students at Fairfield College are getting sick of carrying their sports shoes around in their backpack. On many occasions, student’s books are getting dirty, their lunch is getting squashed, and their bag’s smell! As a designer, you are required to design a drawstring bag that will fit a pair of sports shoes. It needs to reflect your individual style.

Specifications

·         It must have a pocket

·         Have at least 1 stencil design

·         Have at least 1 applique

Have you used PowerPoint before? Now's a great time to learn! You will be creating storyboards to show research about drawstring bags and the things that are quintessentially you!

Using PowerPoint to create a Storyboard

1.   Open up Microsoft PowerPoint

2. Save your PowerPoint to My Documents as: Drawstring Bag’s Storyboard (this will also be your title).

3. Be creative and make your title colourful/bold/a different shape.

4. Open up Chrome to begin your research of Drawstring Bag Images.

5. Save at least 8 images to the desktop (you could also take screen shots).

6. Insert these images into PowerPoint, making them look effective by using different shapes/borders/sizes.

7. Make sure you save as you go!

8. Print off in colour when complete.

9. Stick this into your Textiles book.

Things to consider when researching Drawstring Bags:

-     A range of colours and sizes

-     Prints/patterns

-     Different fabrics

-     Embellishments (tassels/frills/pockets/buttons/zips etc.)

Look for Drawstring bags that stand out, ones you really like the look of. You can have more than 8 pictures, but you need to be able to see them all when placed on the PowerPoint.

Now you are required to create a new PowerPoint slide that is all about you. What colours do you like?  Do you have a favourite sport? Is there a particular brand that you like to wear? Save images or take screen shots to add to your All about Me storyboard.

Performance Properties of Garments

Performance Properties/Aspects

A garment's performance aspects determine the standards it meets and how the consumer benefits through it. Performance aspects include the garment aesthetic and functional performance. Aesthetic performance refers to attractiveness. Do the design, material, and construction of the garment fulfill the appearance expectations? Do the elements of the garment reflect good design principles? Does the garment possess classic or current fashion trends desired by consumers? And does its appearance fulfill the wearer’s emotional needs, such as wanting to impress or be accepted by others? These questions are important to ask while evaluating ready to wear garments because design impacts the visual appeal of clothing and therefore consumer’s acceptance of it.

Functional performance includes performance aspects other than appearance, namely the garments utility and durability. Utility refers to the usefulness. For example, does the shirt fit? Does it function properly for intended use? Durability or serviceability refers to how well the garment retains its structure and appearance after wear and care. Does it resist shrinkage? Does the seam remain intact? 

Aesthetic and functional performance occasionally overlaps. For example, fit may be an aesthetic feature (i.e. attractive fit versus unattractive fit) or it might also be a functional feature (i.e. comfortable fit versus uncomfortable fit) (Brown, 1998).

Information sourced from here

Fabric Stores

Here's a link to the Backstreet Bargains online fabric store.

Moreland Fabrics

Spotlight