Here at POP, we rely on a variety of different materials and tools to support us in our multi-disciplinary research. We’ve written before about the POP Lab, setting it up and our collaborative work here. But this blog post goes into a bit more detail about the specific objects we use to conduct archival patent searches and more traditional academic research methods and how we combine them with our lively, colourful and dynamic clothing reconstruction practice.
Post-it notes and neon highlighters
Most people will be familiar with the classic post-it note covered wall or office used when conducting research, (as you can see in the patent timeline above). This is something that we have and will continue to undertake in WP2, “Map Across Theme” portion of the project. Despite having a digital dataset of patents from 1820-2020, we often need to work with hard copies to read, code and analyse the data differently.
We use different colour coding strategies to map across time. This not only helps analytically but it’s visually more dynamic and inviting rather than a sterile black and white paper landscape. Neon highlighters have become a key piece of tech objects in our office and used on a daily basis when referring to a specific period in time. Whether this is to outline a row of on a patent illustration or to make a selection of lesser-known historic terms in the patent text, we would be lost without them.
Draping + paper modelling
A staple item in any dressmaker’s studio is a dress form, or “WOmannequin” as Kat likes to call them! They come in a variety of materials for different needs. For easy pinning and beginner use you can get full polystyrene upper body forms. There are also adjustable forms where you can change the measurements of the chest, waist and hips (this is what we use to fit to specific sizes.) You can get industry manufacturing forms in variety of sizes and can come with arms, legs and head attachments for all of your sewing needs. When draping on the stand, we also work with Designer/Draping Tape, you can find it with black and white 1cm measures to easily mark, remark and measure the mannequin/garment.
This year we have had the pleasure of working with Alice Angus, who has been supporting POP on WP3 “Map Across Bodies” phase of the research with her expert and varied artistic skillset! She adds a half-scale dress form into our iterative making process. It has been useful and efficient to test out different silhouettes without wasting much material. Alice also uses fine rice paper in rapid prototyping. It is strong, yet soft and flexible for easier manipulation when making paper models.
Pattern Cutting
We have met and worked with many people who pattern cut in different ways and use specific tools to suit their needs. Recently, we have been working with Julia Santilli , and she has extended our knowledge of this specialist area. Key items for her include: 2H leads, mechanical pencils, pattern masters, curves and set squares (for measuring/drawing), a tracing wheel, awl and pattern notcher (for easier drafting and copying), and last but not least metal pattern hooks for safe and beautiful storage of the final patterns.
In terms of cutting fabric, we also make use of tailor’s chalk and heat-removable frixion pens to mark the material, but a reminder to always test the textile beforehand to ensure it fully disappears and doesn’t stain. Fabric weights, A0 cutting mats and rotary cutters have all played an important part in our methodology as well.
Sewing
In terms of the actual construction of the toiles and finished pieces, we use a number of different tools. Essential everyday items include seam rippers, snips, dressmakers pins and a sleeve ironing board. Other more distinctive devices range from a chopstick (for turning out straps) to a tailor’s ham (for pressing curves neatly).
We use a range of Singer sewing machines, the most recent being a Heavy Duty HD6805C. It is an impressive semi-industrial option with a nice array of different embroidery stitch options that we’re looking forward to experimenting with.
We’re currently developing our own topstitch patterns to further our thematic coding and bring it on to the finished garments. Using reflective and neon threads, we machine stitch onto the base textile, then cut and match the stripe pattern on the panels of the garment.
These paragraph make the process look like it runs in linear order, but we are constantly mixing these steps up. The draping sessions can spark new ways of reading the patent document, which then leads to another close analysis of the contextual research to “interview” the inventor. Other times we will code and group different objects together when narrowing down what to reconstruct, and our material upcycling process can help guide which ones we make first. We are constantly going back and forth and there isn’t a strict order in terms of methodology.
