Jo's Blog

I have moved

2010-10-04T11:30:00.003+01:00

I have moved...

Please see my new blog for future posts into the exciting world of smart textiles and wearable tech!

**Other news** I just started a fully funded AHRC PhD looking into creating emotive wearable communication devices for people in long distance relationships.

TITLE:

iCRAFT, iWEAR, iCOMMUNICATE: ENHANCING INTIMACY THROUGH WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES

KEYWORDS:

CRAFT, WEARABLES, SMART MATERIALS, COMMUNICATION, INTERACTION.

BLURB:

By integrating clothing design and wearable technologies/smart materials (materials which have the ability to change controlled by an external stimuli i.e. temperature, UV levels, moisture, electric or magnetic fields, stress or pH), this research aims to enhance communication through incorporating touch. Using touch as an emotional stimulus aims to strengthen the bonds of long-distance relationships (romantic or family based) by heightening the connection whilst apart.

New developments in the world of wearable technology “are fast emerging phenomena”. However, much research in this field tends strongly towards the technologically driven and market-oriented. By drawing on the inherent aesthetic and emotive qualities of craft practice and using them as a tool to project personal connections and bonds between users, and between the users and the worn device itself. This proposal aims to embed intimacy within worn communication technologies. This research proposal builds on the applicant’s previous study, which focused on the field of wearable technology and smart materials. Using interactive garments as tools to ignite conversations, body awareness and intimate touch between the wearer & non-wearer and wearer & garment.

Dream Jammies

2010-08-25T20:14:00.003+01:00

Via asquare.org

network research

Staying with the connected devices / objects theme, the following are two connected clothing works by Alexander Reeder.

Dream Jammies from Alexander Reeder on Vimeo.

Dream Jammies (image & video above) are user aware pajamas which can be connected to through a custom iPhone appication. The pajamas are:

aware of your body in several ways. They know whether you are standing or laying down, tossing or lying quietly. Dream Jammies also know your body temperature. This information is relayed to your partner’s iPhone, and expressed on their screen in color, changing in realtime. As you lay down to sleep, the screen fades from green to blue, the shade of blue reflecting your body temperature. As you roll around, the screen flickers red. By shaking the iPhone your partner is able to reach out, causing the chest of your pajamas to vibrate. Not pleasant while you sleep, but a perfect alarm clock. Not only are you able to keep in touch while living on opposite sides of the world, Dream Jammies offer insight into how you sleep by capturing data as you snooze.

AwareFashion

2010-02-16T09:46:00.003Z

Richard Etter, Diana Grathwohl & Sigmund Homoyla have come up with clothing that makes you aware of your "digital and social environment".

By embedding sensors in the sleeves of this AwareFashion shirt, the wearer is able to sense other forms technology in the room by a visual display of light on the cuff of the shirt.

Communication dress

2010-02-16T08:36:00.003Z

New York based Alis Cambol, an interaction designer / design analyst who focuses on researching and designing experiences for product, fashion, environments and digital platforms, has created the Lizard dress (see you tube video below). This interactive garment mimics movements made by an external source (person wearing the corresponding transmitter).

What can this type of technology do to enable remote communication through clothing between two people?

Search Engine for Wearable tech

2010-02-16T08:20:00.003Z

A great tool from the guys that blog about wearable technology every day at talk 2 my shirt... now you can search the web (not just their blog posts) for new innovations in wearables :)

Cybraphon wins Scottish Bafta for Interactive Category

2009-11-09T16:49:00.006Z

Last night I was lucky enough to attend the Scottish Baftas in the Glasgow at the Science Centre. It was a star studded event and while the company Dynamo Games whom I was a guest of did not win their category I was very proud to say that all three nominations for the games category came from Dundee based companies. As I live and work in the fair city this type of exposure goes along way to raise the profile of creatives in the area. So well done to all who were nominated and to the winner Proper Games for their game Flock:)

Another award winner (for the Interactive category this time) was Cybraphon an artificial band with a huge ego created by Ziggy Campbell, Simon Kirby and Tommy Perman of FOUND. Found say that Cybraphon was...

"Inspired by early 19th century mechanical bands such as the nickelodeon, Cybraphon is an interactive version of a mechanical band in a box. Consisting of a series of robotic instruments housed in a large display case, Cybraphon behaves like a real band. Image conscious and emotional, the band’s performance is affected by online community opinion as it searches the web for reviews and comments about itself 24 hours a day."

I had seen this marvelous intelligent junk box Cybraphon in action a few months back in Edinburgh at Inspace Gallery (Inspace, Crichton Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AB).

Take a look at the video below to see Cybraphon in action. I hope this post pleases him as the more web chatter he receives the happier he becomes and the more upbeat tunes he will play. (when I saw him he wasn't happy with the level of disscussion going on about him so the music was really sad - Cheer up Cybraphon, your an award winner now!!).

Cybraphon is funded by the Alt-w Production Award administered by New Media Scotland

Conductive inks

2009-10-27T18:52:00.002Z

Bare have developed conductive inks that can be painted directly onto the skin... the possibilities for this type of

technology are endless and has gotten me rather excited!! Below is what Bare have to say about this innovative product

and have a look at the youtube video of the ink in action. Just amazing!!

"Bare is a conductive ink that is applied directly onto the skin allowing the creation of custom electronic circuitry. This innovative material allows users to interact with electronics through gesture, movement, and touch. Bare can be applied with a brush, stamp or spray and is non-toxic and temporary. Application areas include dance, music, computer interfaces, communication and medical devices. Bare is an intuitive and non-invasive technology which will allow users to bridge the gap between electronics and the body"

How much do you miss me...?

2009-10-14T13:49:00.005+01:00

Ever wondered how to tell someone you are missing them without picking up the phone or dropping them an email...? Well Jia Yi Lin's Measure how much I miss you zipper communicators are a beautiful concept to show a loved one that you are missing them without actually having to put that into words.

They come as a set, keep one for yourself and give one to a loved one. Clip them to your bag or put them in your pocket, then when you feel the urge to tell them you miss them unzip the zip and by this action your communicator will trigger their communicator and it will vibrate, light up or even play a song. So much more personal than a text message.

Take a peek at the YouTube Video below and all will become crystal clear...

Sunlight Table

2009-10-14T08:56:00.005+01:00

Rachel Hevicon's work has just come to my attention, it is wonderful. I especially like her Sunlight table. The surface of which is coated with a UV reactive material so when her leafy placemats (or anything you fancy for that matter) are placed on the table then moved, beautiful silhouettes are revealed underneath. Due to the nature of the UV reactive surface the 'print' that appears only lasts for a few fleeting moments then disappears. I think this is a wonderfully interactive table that I would love to sit at and enjoy afternoon tea at in the balmy summer afternoons. Rachel states that the table also helps people to be aware of the dangers of UVA and UVB rays found in sunlight due to the effects the sunlight has on the tabletop (changing it from white to blue where the sunlight hits)

Wireless charger... Powermat

2009-10-13T15:46:00.003+01:00

After watching the Gadget Show last night which among other things featured this product from Powermat... it is a wireless charger. A small block which can charge/power any piece of technology as long as the Powermat technology (receivers) are embedded within whatever you wish to charge, like your phone, ipod, laptop or even as the creators claim a food blender...

See the video below for more information on how this innovative product works. I love it as I have a tangle of wires at home all from various phone, laptop, ipod chargers etc which could become a thing of the past. I'm all for reducing (un-necessary) objects cluttering up our houses, offices and ultimately landfill sites.

and here is an advert from Powermat...

At last a reason to go out in the rain...

2009-10-05T13:53:00.005+01:00

Lazybone.co.uk have for sale an umbrella that changes colour when it rains. The pattern on the umbrella (a cloud design) is white then when drops of rain start to hit them they turn into brightly coloured rainbow patterns. The umbrellas are printed using Hydrochromic ink, this special ink is colourless when dry but transforms into wonderful colours when wet. When the rain stops pouring and the umbrella dries the print will once again become invisible. Think its time to start designing raincoats!!:)

Aurora - Second Skin by Lighting by Kyeok Kim

2009-09-22T16:30:00.005+01:00

These beautiful pieces by Kyeok Kim create wondrous meandering patternings on the skin with light. Temporary Tattoos without the pain...

To operate the decorative light, one must gently move the ring (containing a magnet) towards the main jewellery piece.

Changing the face of fashion...

2009-09-22T16:07:00.006+01:00

...well of a t-shirt anyway. Upon starting my masters course a year ago (which I have recently finished - you can see some of my new pieces here), I thought wouldnt it be wonderful if your clothing's patterning could change and alter over the course of a day... my research lead me down many paths and away from optical elusions, but now my thirst for this type of patterning change has been quenched by Sun Nº01 which is a limited-edition graphic T printed with a mix of ordinary and smart, uv-sensitive inks. (A collaboration between Moondial and Viennese fashion label Wendy & Jim)

See the video below to view the colour change from normal light to UV Light levels...

Find more videos like this on Fashioning Technology

Launched at the Ars Electronica Festival earlier this month, the shirt is now available internationally for €80 from the Moondial site.

A visual display of breath

2009-09-22T14:50:00.004+01:00

Pneuma

Artists statement:

"We all breathe – this vital process happens automatically, without thinking. However, often we are not aware of the correct way of doing this. This project searches to encourage the user of the dress to breathe deeply and thoroughly, and to communicate this automatic and inevitable procedure of living to the surroundings. The idea is transformed into a product through designing an evening gown with a built-in breathing sensor measuring the breathing movement of the wearer around the waist (not the breast). The output from this interactive movement is transformed into light. LEDs installed on the inner layer of the dress in an ornamental pattern fade in and out along with the breathing movement. The greater the difference measured between the inhaling cycles, the stronger the LEDs will shimmer. When the wearer breathes superficially, only using the upper chest, little or no output will be shown." (Synne Geirsdatter Frydenberg)

e-motion from c r on Vimeo.

Designer Synne Geirsdatter Frydenberg uses these fashion pieces to highlight the motion of breathing. The dress (Pneuma) monitors the movement that our bodies make whilst inhaling and exhaling and records this movement by an outward display of light on the garment; this beautiful piece is embroydered and speckled with LEDs which are notified of the movement (breath) via a sensor that reacts to the breathing motion which occurs around the wearers waist. All this breathing and moving is sent via the sensor to the lights and a wonderful light show appears on the dress. The intensity of light depends on the intensity of breath. The harder you inhale and exhale the brighter the lights appear.

Sustainable Dance Floor

2009-09-22T10:48:00.007+01:00

"Sustainable Dance Floor is an interactive floor which generates electricity through the movements of the dancing people.

Studio Roosegaarde created the first Sustainable Dance Floor which uses mechanisms and embedded technologies to interact with energy.

Via interactive technologies a sensual and interactive environment is created in which dancers are engaged with the Sustainable experience." (Studio Roosegaarde, 2008)

Roosegaarde's Sustainable dance floor works by using the energy generated by the movement of the people dancing and translating this energy into power to work the systems. Very DISCO and a fantastic concept to help people understand how much energy it takes to power the floor as well as give them the chance to utilise their movements and turn them into energy which without this type of harnessing would be lost.

5 Days off; WEARABLES Wearable Technology – Powered Art and Fashion Design

2009-09-17T18:48:00.003+01:00

Some amazing wearables from the recent 5 Days Off CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION of WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY - POWERED ART AND FASHION DESIGN

July 15 - 19, 2009
Amsterdam

"Intimacy"

2009-09-14T21:45:00.003+01:00

Artist Daan Roosegaarde is developing an interactive fashion garment using smart foil that 'becomes transparent when electrified'. This collaboration with V2_ Lab is a dress which 'becomes visually transparent according to the amount of personal intimacy involved.'

Daan Roosegaarde says: "Technology is used here not merely functional but also as a tool to create intimacy as well as privacy on a direct, personal level ... which in our contemporary tech society is becoming increasingly important."

UV tatoos

2009-09-14T19:32:00.005+01:00

I have come across these tatoos in my quest for other sources and uses for UV ink...

Colour Changing body adornment, it is now possible to change your spots if you like, however permenant...

And here is a semi-permanant one using a stencil and the sun... could result in some nasty sunburn, suncream anyone...?

Co-Dependent Gloves

2009-09-13T14:28:00.005+01:00

Another beautiful product and project from Fiona Carswell. Her Co-dependent gloves highlights the need for social interaction and the fact that (sometimes) we do have to depend on and need companionship and physical touch to survive.

These gloves are a set; to gain the benefit from these heating gloves the wearers must make contact (hold hands) to complete the circuit and cause the reaction. A great rebellion against the thinking people can function solely without the need for any sort of companionship and that self sufficiency is at the heart of progress and development. Working together and creating strong bonds and communities I feel will better further progress, technology and the well being of the individual as well as society as a whole.

Reveal an Explore Micro-organism Dress

2009-09-06T12:05:00.003+01:00

Reveal and explore Micro-Organism dress:
Joanne Hodge (joanne@joannehodge.co.uk)
- Self Funded
- July 09
- Materials – White cotton
- Specialised Materials – Photochromic ink
- Interaction – Colour change (to UV light)
- Size (UK) – 8 - 14

Hints of who we are and how we are constructed seem to appear as if from nowhere on the outer garment as the wearer comes into contact with sunlight or any source of UV light.
To gain a full understanding the garment must be lifted, opened and investigated.
The prints and embroidery which come to life in the sunlight show the complexities in our physical make up and in our personalities.
This exploratory piece lets the wearer and others that the wearer chooses to explore their body on a very basic level. Uncovering secrets and hidden
truths.

For More Images see my Flickr page

Masters Degree Show

2009-09-06T11:43:00.004+01:00

Come along to the Masters Show @ the Dalhousie building. Opening night Friday 11th September (6.00pm - 8.00pm). To find out more information on the show and my fellow classmates exhibits visit the Master of Design page

Charity Fashion Show

2009-08-12T09:11:00.002+01:00

I am taking part in a charity fashion show (details below) so if you want to come along and see my wearables in the fleash and get to have a play before the Masters show in September then come along to the...

CARNOUSTIE GOLF HOTEL//FRIDAY 21 AUGUST//7.00//TICKETS £10 (INCLUDES COMPLEMENTARY DRINK AND ENTRY TO AFTER SHOW PATY AT THE GOLF HOTEL)

SHOWCASING COLLECTIONS FROM STUDENTS FROM HERIOT WATT TEXTILE AND FASHION CAMPUS//DUNDEE COLLEGE GRAHAM STREET CAMPUS//INDEPENDENT DESIGNERS//DUNDEE UNIVERSITY DUNCAN OF JORDANSTONE AND MANY MORE.

ALL FUNDS RAISED GOING TOWARDS BUILDING AND EQUIPPING A VOCATIONAL COLLEGE IN KIGALI, RAWANDA

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM PERFECT LAUNDRY DRY CLEANERS//18 HIGH STREET CARNOUSTIE

Please visit my flickr page for more images of my interactive garments

Multifunctional Bed Spread Top: One garment many looks...

2009-08-09T18:48:00.006+01:00

Joanne Hodge (joanne@joannehodge.co.uk)
Self Funded
July 09
Materials – Made from recycled bed sheets and white cotton (giving life, beauty and function to discarded textiles)
Specialised Materials – Thermochromic ink, Photochromic ink
Interaction – Colour change (to heat), Colour change (to UV light)
Size (UK) – 8 -20

“Physical objects are not the focus of our deep desires; they are merely tangible entities, which transport various meanings perceivable.” (Champman, 2005)

Wearable’s that can satisfy or need to update our wardrobe on a daily basis...

In response to sustainability issues and our over consumption habits this multifunctional piece (one garment many looks) gives the wearer the choice and freedom to wear it how they want and change their look over the course of the day, helping to show off their individual style with no need to cut or sew (just buttoning and belting in different ways).

This fully reversible garment responds to the wearer’s body and surroundings with the simple prints appearing and disappearing to touch, body heat and sunlight (or any source of UV light).

The bold grey print is edgy but gives hints of what is underneath by way of buttons sleeves that can be folded up and the insides of pockets... a purple floral pattern seems to grow as if from nowhere when it comes into contact with UV light. Is this a softer side of the person shining through (one of the many meanings that can be taken from this startling contrast). It is up to the individual (wearer or viewer) to draw their own personal conclusions on meanings, functions and styling. Can this help build up connections between people and wearer and/or wearer and the garment?

Can this interactive garment be viewed as an exemplar of wearable, changeable, sustainable fashion?

Please visit my flickr page for more examples of this interactive garment.

Touch me Luggage tag dress

2009-08-09T18:42:00.003+01:00

Touch me Luggage tag dress
Originally uploaded by joprints

Touch me Luggage tag dress:

Joanne Hodge (joanne@joannehodge.co.uk)
Self Funded
July 09
Materials – White cotton and satin lining
Specialised Materials – Thermochromic ink
Interaction – Colour change (to heat),
Size (UK) – 8 -20

“Touch can produce delightful sensations or uncomfortable reactions. The right touch can make us feel secure, happy, loved. But social taboos and new technologies often seem to get in the way of human contact.” (Touch Me Exhibition, V&A, 2005)

Printed using heat sensitive inks that desaturate in colour when heated. This bubble shaped garment invites outsiders into personal space, to touch, cuddle, and breathe on the wearer. What does this mean for the future of social interaction? In our ever-changing disconnected and digital world can this garment act as a connector between people giving them social and physical contact that can be seen to be lacking from their lives?

Specialised equipment – warm hands, a love of affection and plenty of puff

Please visit my flickr page for more examples of this interactive garment.

Write up on We Find; Your Trend Lab

2009-07-10T14:15:00.002+01:00

My Shirt Collar Top and Shirt Skirt reactive garments have been spotted by a Trend website in Portugal, they have written a small write up about them and its posted on their website We Find; Your Trend Lab. Thanks for the lovely write up guys :)

Cryptic Nights...

2009-07-03T15:39:00.007+01:00

Last night I was very proud to be one of the designers showing work at the CCA in Glasgow for Cryptic Nights, Hosted by Sarah Kettley on behalf of New Media Scotland.

It was a magical evening filled with various wearable technology from an enchanting ring, Mutsugoto, that enables you to communicate with a loved one on the other side of the world by way of a beautiful light stream to a Parasol (below), by Elena Corchero that allows you to capture the suns energy through solar panels throughout the day then outputs this power by way of twinkling led lights in the evening, stunning mood lighting.

Mutsugoto from Distance Lab on Vimeo.

Other highlights of the evening were a Vibrating scarf by Stephen Barrass who has created many weird and wonderful creations including one of my favorites a couch that acts like a pet purring and vibrating to touch, and affectionately named Zizi.
Also featured was a stunning knitted outfit by Georgina Bavalia (below) which has small led lights embedded into the front that twinkle as you walk thanks to a stretch sensor that is being developed at Nottingham Trent University.

And finally here are a few images (below) of my garment being modeled by the wonderful Kristina who didn't mind being man handled or revealing a little bit of leg to show the interactions of this piece.

Please see my earlier post Interaction Garment - Smart Materials for more info about my interactive garments.

I think the future is looking rather rosey for wearables...

Interaction Garment - Smart Materials

2009-06-17T13:48:00.009+01:00

Here is a garment I have been putting togeather for an New Media Scotland event in Glasgow on the 2nd of July.

I want these pieces to provoke conversation and make people more aware of how they move, their body language and their interactions with others.

Shirt Collar Top
Joanne Hodge (joanne@joannehodge.co.uk)
Self Funded
June 09
Materials – Made from two recycled men’s shirts (giving life, beauty and function to discarded clothing)
Specialised Materials – Thermochromic ink
Interaction – Colour change (to heat)
Size (UK) – 8 -16

The Shirt Collar Top aims to make people aware of their body language and intimate touch by an outward display of colour change on the fabric.
If the wearer stands with their arms crossed over their chest for a period of time, the front section of the print where the arms have been will de-saturate in colour. This change would also occur if someone is to touch or breathe on the wearer, inviting more intimate touch from others.
How can our clothing make us more aware of our actions and the actions of others? Can this awareness and short lived record create a bond between the garment and the wearer or will the garments ability to adapt to movements & touch and visually display certain emotions alienate wearer from garment?

Shirt Skirt
Joanne Hodge (joanne@joannehodge.co.uk)
Self Funded
June 09
Materials – Made from two recycled men’s shirts, white cotton and black stretch cotton Lycra mix (giving life, beauty and function to discarded clothing)
Specialised Materials – Thermochromic ink, Photochromic ink
Interaction – Colour change (to heat), Colour change (to UV light)
Size (UK) – 8 -14

Top sections printed with Thermochromic ink, under section printed with Photochromic ink.
The Shirt Skirt intends to make people aware of their body language, how they move and intimate touch by an outward display of colour change on the fabric.
The skirt has a playful feel with a strange shape. It wants the wearer to move differently and play with its shape. Button it up down and all around to create an endless array of weird and wonderful forms. How will the wearer react to such an experience? This along with the added dimension of the reactive inks as with the Shirt Collar Top encourages different types of touch from the wearer and from others.

The under skirt appears to be a clear gloss print until exposed to UV light – as this is a part of a garment that does not normally see sunlight; what does this mean in terms of wear-ability and how will this make the wearer and those whom they come into contact with react? It is exciting to see the print glow brilliantly bright and turn a deep purple but for this to occur you have to lift up the skirt revealing more than you might normally feel comfortable with.

Our clothing can be seen as an outward camouflage – what would it mean if the camouflage disappeared or similarly if a new dimension of defence mechanism could be built by the simple way of colour change?

To get both of these garments to change colour the wearer and others will be touching, breathing on lifting and buttoning the garment in a variety of ways. How will people feel wearing this curious outfit? And what does this mean in terms of a lasting connection and the sustainability of the outfit?

Specialised equipment – A UV light, warm hands and plenty of puff ;)

London College of Fashion presents Made in Britain

2009-06-01T13:30:00.001+01:00

Drapers’ highlights from the debate chaired by writer and broadcaster Caryn Franklin

Fair Trade Bag Design Competition - I won :)

2009-05-09T15:36:00.004+01:00

A big thank you to everyone who voted for my design in the Fair Trade bag design competition, your votes were very much appreciated and I am very happy to announce that I won. If you want one of the 100 limited edition bags with my 'I knit India' print you can pre-order them from the HotHive Textile website next week, they are priced at £4 plus £1 postage and £1 from each bag is donated to The Fairtrade Foundation to support the wonderful work they do.

A big Thank you again for all your support :)

Slogan t-shirts... built to last...?

2009-05-04T15:16:00.004+01:00

A clip from Notting Hill (1999) where the character Spike is trying to decide what to wear for a date. He comes down with a series of slogan t-shirts on... while they reflect his personality perfectly, what are they saying to the outside world? They are statement pieces created to wear to a certain event or for comic value, a one off joke, but where is the longevity in them?

T-shirts like this maybe funny for a one off occasion but there are specific times and places where they might not be appropriate. Temporary printing methods would be perfect for these types of slogan t-shirts. All the impact without the shirt going to landfill the week after when the point has been made.

If you cant wait till temporary printing inks are an actual possibility then maybe these t-shirts by Katharine Hamnett are a good compromise, ethically made and make good clear political statements... maybe slogan t-shirts arn't all bad after all.

Vote for me please :)

2009-05-01T16:08:00.003+01:00

Hi, here is a bag design I have put together for the 'Design a Bag Competition to celebrate World Fair Trade Day. The theme of the competition was India and people were invited to submit entries based on their interpretation of this theme.'

Please follow the link and if you like my entry vote for me :) Thank you! (My entry is called I Knit India)

You can find out more information about the competition and the cause here.

Connected Communities The End

2009-04-28T14:15:00.006+01:00

The presentations are finished, the proposal, project plan and costings have all been submitted, so looking back, what have I learned?
Since starting the Masters course in September last year I think that my thinking and understanding about what design actually is and means has changed dramatically. I remember one of the first few days in first semester we were all given the task of writing out on big sheets of paper what we think design is. I was worried and nervous to get my description wright, although now I really cannot remember what I wrote. I think my answer to what design is would change on a daily basis, and would depend on what was influencing me at the time or who I was speaking to. But one thing is certain, I would never have imagined that we would have been given a brief like the connected community one, or that I would have had the first clue of how to tackle the problem. How do you pluck a tangible project out of thin air, especially if little or nothing is known about the subject matter...? With all the tools, techniques and methods we have been learning along the way of our Masters year so far (mostly I have been soaking them up like a sponge without realising) through all the workshops, interesting and diverse speakers and team working projects. I now feel like a fully fledged designer with a good insight into the world of the ethnographer (thanks to working very closely with two on this most recent project) and feel that I have the knowledge and skill sets to tackle any problem and help come up with possible solutions through my design thinking.
Who knew that designers didn't just make the world pretty, they also have the potential to make a huge difference in many different fields with their diverse skill sets and ability to adapt to changing situations. I for one am proud to be part of the design community and happy in the knowledge that I could use myself as a designer in many different ways to add to an array of different projects.

Connected Communities week 9

2009-04-28T14:14:00.006+01:00

A name change and shift of focus has occurred this week. We were still not convinced with our intended outcomes and felt we needed something more tangible if our intended research proposal was to be successful.
Our new title is Expanding Understanding which seems to embody what our research project is about. Helping to facilitate communication through or research by the outcome 'packs' and other outputs such as conference talks and papers. This seems like the best and most rounded way to spread the word of what has been achieved throughout the intended project.

Paper chain dollies seemed to be a good way of visualising our title of 'expanding understanding'. The imagery attempts to show that by the research body and new knowledge and tools created through the project, that people and indeed communities could become better connected. This has the possibility to have knock a on effect and expand to aid communication through all aspects of the participants lives. Broadening the reach of communication. While our main focus for the project is on people with eating disorders and how to help aid their recovery by strengthening communication in face to face situations, it is hoped that this model for communication could be adapted into other vulnerable groups.

Connected Communities week 8

2009-04-13T17:20:00.005+01:00

A spectrum of support. This is what we intend to call our research proposal and the title our research group will operate under. Sounds slightly 80's... maybe it needs more thought so as to convey the correct attitude and stance that our research is based in.
Our research proposal seems to be coming together nicely even though we seem to change focus every time we meet, instead of moving the project on further. Confusion sets in into what will be the actual outcomes... this is a real challenge with team working as everyone has their own ideas and expectations. Even when things seem like a solid agreed upon entity, details and meanings can be confused leading to crossed wires and a lack of understanding. This could lead to communication break downs and disconnection from the project. However even though this process can be frustrating at times, and sometimes our methods and processes are different, having a good team that is willing to listen, communicate and understand others points of view while able to make their points in a clear way is essential if things are to be agreed upon.
Within our team we collaborated on all aspects of the project, from concept to proposal to presentation. This was a good way to make sure we were all aware of what was going on and essential so we could grasp the particulars of the project.
While it can be stressful and frustrating working to compromise so as to encompass everyone schedule into meetings, the benefits of this type of cross disciplinary team working far outweigh the negatives.
A project or idea is enriched greatly by having several different perspectives imputed into it. Alternate angles or methods for completion are also transferred which contributes new knowledge to the individual, helping to facilitate learning, broadening perspectives and opening up the individual to ways of thinking. Core skills can also be utilised in the best possible way when a multi disciplined team works together, each member bringing different abilities and issues to the group.

bYOB (build Your Own Bag)

2009-04-10T10:58:00.003+01:00

The bYOB concept was the creation of the Object-Based Media Group at the MIT Media Lab, Gauri Nanda, Adrian Cable and V. Michael Bove Jr (2004)

via Jen's blog

This is a fantastic mix of different technologies coming together in what I can only describe as a 'flat pack' furniture model, without the need for confusing instructions or wondering where the three screws that you always seem to be left with go. A real DIY piece of kit that offers endless possibilities for the co-creation of garments and accessories. I especially like that all the pieces are interchangeable, so when a piece of technology is rendered obsolete it can be easily substituted for a new one without having to throw away the whole thing. Like carpet tiles... when one becomes worn, that one can simply be replaced without having to re-carpet your whole floor.
A fantastic idea that could be adapted for the clothing industry...?

Connected communities week 7

2009-04-09T10:29:00.016+01:00

Team working, can be a lot of fun and a good way to generate and move on ideas quickly, it can also cause the opposite to happen, a thick fog descends and you wander around trying to grab onto one coherent thread that will hopefully be spun and woven into something a bit more tangible. This can be a problem when there are a few team members as even though you are all working with the same brief in mind and have a similar endpoint or outcome ingrained into your thoughts, everyone thinks about things and tackles problems in different ways, we all have our own unique sets of 'methods' to get the job done, this can mean a lot of confusion and pushing and pulling to find a common ground or 'thinking space' between everyone. It is very difficult to work as one harmonious team, we each engage and become disenchanted by different points along the way so the challenge is to help each other through and each of us working to our strengths.
This connected communities project has been a real challenge, I think for the most part for me because it is not a real pitch we are making. While the call for projects under this umbrella title of connected communities exists, what we are creating does not so I have found it difficult to keep focused and to foresee exact expenditure over the three year project. Probably in the most part due to the subject matter, while I find it to be a very engaging and worthwhile piece of research I have found it hard to see where I might position myself within the team of researchers. While this (for the purpose of the assignment) doesn't seem to be a big issue, to me it is. I have no real expertise within the medical or psychological fields, I wouldn't even say I have particularly strong ethnographic skills, so what can I bring? I have learned that it is my design thinking and my process that are important and useful to projects not the little shiny,polished pieces of perfection I might produce. In this sense I feel that I have the potential to be very useful in this type of research as it might not be the first place you would expect to find a designer. Still the dilemma continues of costing... what do things cost? On researching costings of simple websites it seems are not so simple, you have to pay a web designer to actually design it, costs depends on the number of pages and features, you need to register and pay for a domain name, then pay the hosting fees, considerations of how it will be updated, who will update it are all thrown into the mix... perhaps having a blog integrated into it is the easiest and most accessible way of doing this...? Over all costs of a seemingly simple website... around £1000.

Connected communities week 6

2009-04-09T10:29:00.015+01:00

The search for a title continues. It is one small and seemingly insignificant part of a project but a title or name can have such a big impact on a product service or person. Certain celebrities maintain that they would not be as successful if they hadn't reinvented themselves with a new name. If a title doesn't fit people will not engage with it. There was a public out cry when Kellogg's decided to change coco pops to choco rocks or something along those lines. Why? because people all over identified and loved the name? Was it down to habit and recognition? I am doubtful, I do not remember the same reaction when marathon bars changed to snickers, maybe because I had no love for the chocolate bar I didn't really care, that being said I had no great affiliation with opalfruits, but remember being very annoyed when they turned into starburst overnight. I don't think I have bought a packet since, not on purpose, it hasn't been a conscious decision to boycott the new branding, it is just that maybe somewhere deep inside my subconscious I do not see myself as a starburst person, I'm more of an opalfruit?
What I am trying to get at is that a project title is just as important as a persons name or brand of sweets. Branding, slogan and tag lines have become so important that in order to get anyone to sit up and take notice of anything you do it must be packaged in the correct way. To secure funding or proposed project must be branded and packaged in the correct way if it is going to stand out and be memorable. A snappy title with a stickiness factor is a good start.

Colour it inn and Assembly dresses

2009-04-07T09:37:00.011+01:00

There's nothing I enjoyed more as a child than sitting down at my little desk with a big handful of chunky pens and crayons in one hand and my colouring inn book in the other. Well thanks to a collaboration between Michiel Schuurman a graphic designer and Berber Soepboer a fashion designer you can now re-live the childhood fun in this amazing colour-it-yourself dress, just wonderful...

Imagine all the different looks you could achieve with one dress and pattern, especially if temporary inks could be achieved in a real world workable model. This type of technology could work fantastically well within this sort of framework. The pattern would always be there but a multitude of looks could be achieved by different colour proportions and harmonious hues, or if you weren't feeling in the mood perhaps just leave it black and white for once.

There is a lot to be said for simple black and white prints my favorite of all time being the collections by Johanna Basford (above), if you haven't seen these amazing timeless floral pieces already check out her website and you can keep updated on all her goings on with her blog. Johanna's beautiful inky prints debuted at London fashion week in February, this is a joint venture between Johanna and fashion designer Graeme Armour. Stunning. (below)

Above is another fantastic dress from the collaboration of Michiel Schuurman and Berber Soepboer, entitled Assembly Dress, these wonderful pieces can be taken apart and reconstructed in countless ways, again another possibility for temporary printing methods, this would work exceptionally well as garments shape, size and fit could all be altered on a daily basis, producing the 'chameleon effect' on a daily basis by how the garment is constructed so changing how the print is viewed. If images could be temporally fixed onto the cloth then fade out or be washed for example to be removed, a new dimension to the look could be achieved.

This type of garment construction could hold many possibilities of the future of DIY fashion, no longer would you have to rush out and buy a sewing machine and pattern cutting books to hown up on your sewing skills, anyone would have the freedom to create interesting and one off garments that could be deconstructed at the end of the day and made into something else the next. This type of garment construction would give everyone the chance to be involved in the designing of their garments and could be the right solution to give exceptional fit. A modern day tailoring service if you like that can be achieved from the comfort of your own arm chair... just wonderful.

Concept Products 2009

2009-04-06T18:41:00.005+01:00

Some of my favorite Concept Products 2009 :)

Poster Lamp - Designed by Rachel Hevicon

Using thermochromatic ink the pattern on the lamp shade reacts to heat. As the light element (the lamp) produces warmth, the visual pattern on the lamp shade disappears, acting as a subtle reminder to the user that they are using energy, and to consider their environmental responsibility as much as their specific light requirement. The lampshade pattern displays a map of the world to emphasise the global environmental message.

Peek-a-boo Radiator - Designed by Samuel Sheard

The radiators are decorated with images from nature and the rural landscape, ‘painted’ in thermochromatic ink. When the radiator is turned off (cold) the graphics are displayed but when the radiator is turned on (hot) the graphics start to disappear, reminding the user of the energy that they are using.

Pixelate - Designed by Alison Edwards

Pixelate is simultaneously a wall-mounted light and an interchangeable illuminated picture. Consumers purchase a pixelated card which fits into a wallmounted frame installed in front of a low energy lamp. Using the designer’s recommendations, or their own inspiration, the user pops out pre-cut perforations to create a decorative wall light. Pixelate comes with 5 card inserts so when you fancy a change you can pop out another picture.

Note Table - Designed by Danielle Quinn

The Note Table takes away the frustration of looking for a pen/paper when leaving a message or reminder. The surface of the oak table incorporates a magnetic filings board and a magnetic pen with which to write. A sliding eraser deletes the previous message and the Note Table is ready for the next one.

To vote for these producst and many more go to Concept Products 2009 Vote

Connected communities week 5

2009-03-24T13:14:00.006Z

Whilst flicking through Real World Research by Colin Robson today in search of a rationalle of what techniques I should use to interiew and examine the data and feedback I will receive when I collect in my cultural probe packs in a week. I came across some very interesting and relevant facts about what types of obsevational studies can be used and are best to use to gather data while avoiding some of the more problematic and uncomfortable ethical issues that could be thrown up by the likes of intergrating yourself into a group as a complete participant. This is where you are pretending to be someone your not to fit in and gain the information you want. You are building up trust and relationships with people in the hopes they will share with you the information you require. I feel that while this would be very efficient to gain the data it is not ethical in the slightest, what could be the ramifications of miss-using peoples trust and the psychological damage they might face when the find out that the relationship you had bilt up was under false pretences and fictional? This is not the only problem that arrises from this type of observational study, you might end up lousing your objectivity and 'go native'. Because you are living the life, you need to talk the talk and walk the walk, you might louse your own identity and viewpoint and be assylimilated into the group. Your data then would be tainted and possibly worthless. If you are no longer impartial then clear aims and objectives cannot be achieved without there being an underlying agenda for the work and findings, data could possibly be manipulated to suite the skuewed desired outcome.
This approach seems to be best avoided within our conneted community project... back to the drawing board.

Electronic Tattoo

2009-03-16T18:55:00.002Z

If only patterns and prints could appear and dissapear like this...

Connected communities week 4

2009-03-16T17:28:00.007Z

After being lost in the fog of what we were trying to achieve with this proposal, we have eventually managed to clarify a focus to our subject area, instead of trying to find important points to hold onto in our very vague aim.
We have decided to focus on a health care aspect with the focus's being on how online and offline communities are embodied and work around eating disorders. What are the perceived benefits and negative effects that online communities or support networks might offer. We felt that this was an area where more focus should be put upon as it is a very real and dangerous lifestyle more and more people are adopting to deal with whatever stresses or problems they encounter. Why do people enter into this form of self harm and what type of support networks in forms of on and offline communities exist to support in the recovery or in the furthering of the illness.
This is not an area I had ever thought I would be looking into for a design project. It seems a million miles away from my undergraduate days, but I am up for the challenge and hopefully comming at the problem with a designers perspective we should come up with some very diverse and interesting ideas and proposed outcomes.

Memory Rich Clothing

2009-03-16T17:24:00.001Z

Textiles of the future

2009-03-16T17:09:00.001Z

Connected Communities week 3

2009-03-10T20:30:00.004Z

Social dynamics of online communities and their effect on offline communities is the very snappy title for our group project. I think that we need to come up with one that rolls of the tongue a bit better while encapsulating what we propose to do within this project. It is interesting putting a project plan together when the possibility of you actually undertaking the project is slim. I think that it has the possibility to hinder the creative process and imaginings of what is actually possible. For me however I think it is rather freeing and opens up the possibilities for all sorts of weird and wonderful ideas. I feel that this sort of 'free thinking' helps facilitate different sorts of thinking and can substantiate alternative ideas. What do people actually want out of a community? Are they happy with the types of social interaction that they participate on a daily basis? What could be gained from further study in this field? I guess just what is the actual point in it all? In this world of virtual communication it is becoming ever more difficult to communicate with people on a face to face basis. I have found this the case, while I can put down in an email or text what I am thinking, feeling, views on certain subjects professional and personal the balance to be able to verbalise and communicate this is becoming ever more difficult. Why would you meet up with someone to discuss a certain topic when you can send an email, which would probably get your point across faster and in a more understandable way(in some case) not to mention save on your carbon footprint (you can communicate with people all over the world from the comfort of your own home) but what effect will this sort of 'distance' communication have on people psychologically. People are social creatures, loneliness and depression can become a major problem when we become isolated from physical contact or interactions. However online communities cold offer comfort to people separated by vast distances, when actual physical contact is not possible. There are issues however of children getting upset because they do not understand technologies such as skype who seem to offer the solution to bridge the gap giving people separated by distance an actual face to talk to. The emotions and mannerisms of your nearest and dearest can be seen so you do not in theory feel as disconnected. In some instances this becomes more distressing for users, especially the young as they cannot understand why they can see but not touch, like a cruel trick being played, it can make the separation more painful.
What then is the answer...?

Connected Communities week 2

2009-03-02T19:29:00.005Z

It is clear to me after today's lecture that I have no idea what things cost... I now see that a £600,000 grant doesn't stretch very far. I see this as a vast amount of money but by the time you factor in wages, overheads and contingency costs there seems to be little left for anything else. I now have a clearer understanding of why research grants are so hard to obtain and there are so many hoops to jump through, research costs a lot of money and it has to be proven that it will be spent in the right places. Underestimating costs are a huge hazard as shows you have no real concept of what you are going to need to achieve your goals.
It has opened my eyes up to how much things actually cost and the importance of choosing the right conferences to attend and speak at... as it could cost you up to £2,000 for travel, accommodation etc things have to be a good fit or you are simply buying a scratch card with little hope of a decent result.

Connected Communities

2009-03-02T18:59:00.003Z

How can we build connected communities with all the fragmentation of society today? I am hoping through this team project entitled connected communities to find some sort of solution or at least to better understand why society today is so disconnected.
At my first Transition Town Tayport meeting last night,(no I have not moved to Tayport. I ventured across the water to a meeting as I am entering into a collaboration with the guys over there, to help design some reusable recyclable bags and t-shirts, to promote their cause), and I learned what they are trying to do is to reconnect their community. Their motivations are at a slight juxta position to this brief but the methods are the same. They intend on creating close knit communities which will in turn help them to live more sustainably. Not only do they intend on sharing land to grow food and are hoping to arrange annual litter picking days they have been interviewing older members of the community who have seen it fall apart in the hopes that they can understand what went wrong and gain an insight on how to 'rebuild'.
I think a lot of value can be gained by using participatory exercises such as the litter picking to facilitate community wide conversation, that in turn would hopefully lead to bonding, and a build up of trust. This would mean not only would you feel safer in your environment, have someone to chat to on the bus but your day could also be brightened by a smile or a hello, making you feel less alone in the digital world we inhabit today, where everyone communicates buy text and email and constantly have earphones in there ears listening to their newest download and ignoring the world round them as it crumbles.
I'm not sure what the Creative Communities project will unearth but I am looking forward to whatever comes next.

Disappearing Ink

2009-02-23T19:57:00.004Z

Disappearing Ink

ambaba

2009-02-19T13:29:00.007Z

Ambaba is a company who are designing environmentally sound re-usable nappies that intend on lasting a child from birth to potty. This is to hopefully cut down the impact that the disposable nappy market is having on the environment with around 400 tonnes of them being sent to land fill every year.

I found Mel Woods talk about her company which she runs with partner with Roz Henderson very interesting, as it is something I am very interested and concerned about too. I spent a year working at a nature nursery, where the children were in real nappies so I understand the practical issues of sizing, folding and all the different layers that go into a reusable nappy that Mel talked about. The comfort and movement issues of these nappies also concerned me, while I believe re-usable are better for child and environment alike, they are at least three times bulkier than their disposable counter parts. For the early crawlers especially, it was a mission for them to get around, not to mention the elastic being too tight for the 'chubbier' of babies, or the ones that were 'between' sizes, and I wont go into the leaking issues if everything wasn't secured or folded correctly!

I think that the ambaba nappies are fantastic, especially if they are simpler to use than the ones on the market at the moment. Lots of parents I spoke to wouldn't use the reusable nappies at home because felt they were too complicated and bulky to fit under their babies clothes. Aesthetics are everything, even to a 10 month old baby it seems. So if ambaba can solve all the problems of the current reusable while injecting a seance of style and fun into the look I think that they can achieve their goal of bringing their nappies to mums across the country and persuade them to choose re-usable over disposable.

This company works well and their ideas are so successful because they take in to account all of the practicalities of a nappy. Mel and Roz have a lot of experience in the field of changing nappies, they are both mothers, due to this knowledge and having the passion to realise their vision they have the motivation to succeed.

Ambaba could be developed for use at the other end of the life scale proving that you never no who your market could include.

**Update on Ambaba - Mel is no longer with the company as she has taken up a full time position at Dundee University and Roz is now going it alone. In my above post I talked purely about Mel, as I had met her and herd her talk about the company. I have now had the opportunity to find out a bit more about Roz so here is her vital statistics Roz Henderson is a designer and fabricator with a background in film, theatre and animation. She previously lectured at The University of Northumbria and Dundee University, and was costume fabricator and sculptor on the films ‘Star Wars’ and ‘The Mummy’. Roz is also the driving force behind New Leaf Naturals - the Perthshire based ethical grocery store. www.newleafnaturals.co.uk

I wish Roz well with the project and I cannot wait to see Ambaba products in stores.

RESQROLL

2009-02-19T13:07:00.004Z

What is the RESQROLL? Its a tool to aid medics or any person, to protect the spine, when trying to extricate and move an injured person, be it from car crashes or slipping and falling in the bathroom. Spinal injuries worsened by the incorrect movement of trauma victims are a real problem according to Brian Carling who invented the RESQROLL. This ingenuous invention which as Brian put it is a very simple design, and it has to be so people can use it with ease, retaining the knowledge a long period of time after training. (Brian pointed out that a doctor can louse up to 92% of skill retention after a year has elapsed from performing any given task, and here I thought it would be like riding a bike. The two years between my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees when I was out in the world gaining 'life experience' I rarely picked up a screen and a squidgy to print but I am still able to print with ease, all my tacit knowledge was retained... however this probably is not the best comparison as I am sure it takes far more skill and precision to administer injections or perform intricate surgeries than it does to print on a piece of fabric.

Brian was very professional in his talk and made a very engaging speaker, his business and design is very unique and seemed at the start of his journey to belong to a very niche market, however as it has evolved the possibilities of where this spine saving equipment could be used seem vast. Mike and Jonathan made the point yesterday that your market and target audience might not be who you think, and on reflection I guess this is what Brian was saying to, or at least that is what has happened to his business. He thought it would be used within the NHS but the armed forces have taken on the idea along with the oil industry, formula 1 and the possibility that everyone could have a RESQROLL in their boot.
I am sure the RESQROLL will continue to be a success preventing spinal trauma victims from permanent paralyzation, and for me the message is clear, that good ideas can make a difference with a lot of passion, nourishment, a bit of help and a lot of hard work.

Funding with Sara Keith

2009-02-10T16:03:00.008Z

The nightmare that is the funding world was explained to us today by Sara Keith (who is a textile artist, currently finishing her PhD and she also works as a consultant on the panel for the Scottish Arts Council looking at grant applications) She was a very engaging speaker as she was able to give her advise and experiences from both sides of the proverbial funding coin. In the sense that she applied to the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council) for funding for her PhD and also helps decide who should receive funding from the Scottish Arts Council.

Sara's talk has reinforced my belief that applications should be carefully checked over before submission to make sure that you are actually answering what is being asked and that it should be legible and not dogeared or late! As lets face it what sort of impression does it give off when you yourself receive something to that effect... in my case not a good one. It comes down to a trust issue and if you think someone is going to deliver or not as the case may be. Why would you give someone money when their application is late, creased and has a big coffee ring on it...? Doesn't give off the best first impression does it...? What would I do with it...? Well I have that answer, put it in the bin and not even consider them. A bit harsh I no but I think all these things come down to respect and professionalism. Last week we had a workshop on improving our CVs we were given one as an example, the credentials were impressive however it was submitted after the deadline, had a few obvious spelling mistakes, questions set were not answered correctly and over all presentation was poor. This gave me the impression that this person was unreliable and took very little pride in their work, or at least had little interest in the job they were applying for as little effort was made. So while a number of the class went on the credentials, I went on the feeling I got when looking at the presentation of the document. I wouldn't want to hire anyone who seemingly didn't take much time or effort in completing a task. Your application or CV is the first the first point of contact so it has to convey who you are and why you want to work at their company. I now understand why upon graduating and sending away what seemed like millions of CVs I got a very limited response, and all saying the same thing, thanks but no thanks. I had not tried to impress individual companies of how I could add to their team or the passion id bring for what I do, I simply sent in a list of credentials showing no personality or drive... I hope now I have had this revelation I will not fall into the same trap again... I had never considered it from the other side, I did not have the understanding to see this fact or the tools to counteract it. (the masters course is really helping me with all aspects of my professional life, I would now view myself as a designer where I never would have before... upon hearing 'that' dreaded question on meeting someone for the first time "so what do you do?" Id mumble something about working in a shop but that I had done textiles at university, but by this point the person I was talking to would have glazed over and wandered off).

As I am seriously thinking about doing a PhD it was good to have a chat with Sara after her talk about her experiences with funding, as forms like these always make me nervous, especially when having to sum up what you intend on doing in 500 words. A necessity though, as it outlines in a coherent way exactly what you want to achieve. Not only will this help the research council understand you and your work, it will help you to grab onto and be able to get across your main points. A task I struggle with, and always end up leaving something out, like last week when I was summing up my project I omitted to mention the disastrous effects the fast fashion industry is having on the world and the people producing it through every stage of production, which is why I'm doing my masters! So now I have made up a wee map of knowledge swatches at my desk which helps me to talk and think through my project in a clearer and ordered way. Something I am finding very useful as I can add notes when I find something new.

As I am moving through higher education it seems to get harder to gain funding, research has to be justified and everything down to contingency plans needs to be outlined. A far cry from when I filled in my SAAS forms for my undergraduate course, this while still an extensive form wasn't about justifying your work, it was more about showing your income or lack of it as a reason to obtain a loan and to get your fees paid (this was always seen as pretty much a certainty as long as you got your forms in on time, not like the highly competitive AHRC funding).
The competition for this scares me a lot, how do I make my proposal stand out from the crowd? With all the hints and tips from today as well as an extensive list of funding bodies and people to speak to for advice on the subject I think I will be OK. They are not scary forms trying to catch us out, just a list of questions carefully engineered to retrieve the information required to ascertain if you are an eligible candidate for funding. And at least I am aware that if I am not successful with one body their are other ones out there that I might be a better fit for me and my work.

Zippy Kit

2009-02-10T12:57:00.002Z

Elena Corchero's Zippy Kit workshops, 'Innovative and fun DIY toys for all ages', are workshops where you are taught to learn basic electronics and innovative textiles skills (no previous experience is required). This seems like a fun way for all the family to be introduced to new technologies that are appearing, as well as giving them something special (that remind me of Donna Wilson's creatures) to take away which I'm sure will be a talking point among friends and family, widening the net of knowledge of what is possible and hopefully inspiring a new generation of creative minds.

Green Knickers

2009-02-09T15:39:00.003Z

Ever wondered how to keep track of the disastrous problem that is global warming? Then fear not help is at hand by Green Knickers who have created these climate change pants. When you heat up the water level rises over the world engulfing it in oceans. A gimmicky product maybe, but it highlights the real issues facing human kind today (see Mark Lynas informative website on the six degrees phenomenon).

They are helping to raise awareness so while they may be a bit daft the thought is there and the message is clear:)

10.5 tips on how to sketch

2009-02-09T15:31:00.007Z

Today we were set the challenge of coming up with 50 quick and dirty ideas for our projects. Developing on from last weeks balloon task we were to be less focused on what we were trying to achieve and more open to idea and suggestion. This should hopefully open up our minds and our ideas to new avenues we have not considered before.

We started the day by looking at Rory Hamilton's website and his 10.5 tips on how to sketch a dos and donts guide to help facilitate fast idea generation in an imprecise way. I started off quickly but most of the ideas I was putting down were ones I had had for a while... this was kind of missing the point as we were supposed to be open to all sort of weird and wonderful things that would take us off on crazy tangents.

This would prove to be useful as not only would it help us to generate a lot more ideas, it could create discussion between us, and could possibly help us narrow down and define our ideas further and further.

I think I came up with a lot of daft ideas on how my project could evolve over time, but this gave me good insight into what the possibilities 'could be' and the implications of this. How people would feel about these garments or services and how ultimately they might be put into practice to help people relate more with their clothes, so they are more connected to them and see them as something special instead of throwaway.

Whilst summing up my ideas, (which I like to do as little sketches surrounded by a box, storyboard style for some unknown reason-I think that I simply cannot deal with a blank sheet, plus drawing out all the boxes in advance gives me something to aim for... then I can push and challenge myself to finish the task. Not that I would class myself as a perfectionist in any sense of the word but I simply cannot rest until a task is completed... often seen as a bit anal from friends and family members... still my sketches are not all tied up in neat little bows so I still maintain the fact that I am far from being a perfectionist...) one of my class mates Lauren (check out her renowned blog redjotter) asked if I had seen the new Howies line of Jackets and bags 'Hand-Me-Down', a beautiful idea that you are buying something that you intend to love and pass on to someone else, sharing with them the history and story of the adventures you have undertaken whilst it has been in your possession. It is an idea that I have become evermore interested in over the last few years as I have struggled with becoming more environmentally responsible in my work and the way I live my life. That in order to not deem something as throwaway we must find a personal connect with it. We must see it as special, valuable (not in the monetary sense, but that we have a strong attachment to it) and realy bond with it. If we can do this then we will have more respect for the item, cherish it and want to give it a new life when we no longer have need for it, either in giving it to someone else or making it into something new...
The cost of these items is rather high but they are made to last and to be timeless... I love the idea and agree that buying a £400 jacket that lasts you 40 years+ than can go on to last someone else a similar time scale is better value for money and for the planet than 20 £20 jackets that probably wouldn't last you a year each... It is a challenging dilemma as in our culture we have been programmed to want the, newest, latest, shiniest thing, I hope that as companies like Howies undertaking projects like Hand-Me-Down, that this become more widespread, their message might be heard and understood, not just buy the consumers but by the big corporations working within the fashion industry at large.

Facilitating Communication

2009-02-03T12:01:00.005Z

This morning we had a talk by Norman Alm who talked to us about his Circa project which deals with Facilitating Communication For People With Dementia Using Multimedia Technology.

Even though this is a subject matter that I am not engaging within my project this year I found his lecture to be very insightful and surprising. You never no what information you with find out when doing user studies. And indeed what insights into your own project or life you will get when reading, listening or watching something you view as totally unrelated.

This brings me on to what Hazel and Jonathan were saying about being aware and just letting yourself be subject to all sorts of things as somethings might prove to be very useful.

Something Norman said really struck a cord with me in that interaction is work, hard work sometimes... he noted in some of his user testing that stress levels went up when participants had conversations, even when that conversation was with a friend. I found this to be very enlightening and a useful piece of information. It is difficult to convey meaning when talking to someone, and sometimes the most mundane of conversations still require thought and careful execution, and as a friend told me on the way in this morning, this process can be exhausting. This answer was given when I asked how he could have stayed up so late last night watching back to back films that must not have finished till well after 1am, when at times he falls asleep when visiting me at 9pm! In response he told me that when he is on his own in his room he does not waste energy talking to anyone, so is less tired than when he is in company. That mere conversation, no matter how seemingly unremarkable actually demands a lot of energy and concentration! Just fascinating! I have now realised that I have been in the same situation. Sometimes when amongst friends I can become increasingly tired. At least now I wont seem rude or bored I can tell them they have tired me out with conversation.

The fact that interactions between people can raise stress levels is good to be aware of, especially when undertaking such tasks as cultural probes or any type of user studies. We need to be aware of the possible stress we may impart upon our users and be empathic to their needs.

A good design brief should...

2009-02-02T18:05:00.003Z

Today as part of our mindful design module we were set the task of answering a number of questions that every good design brief should cover. Like the whys and suspected outcomes from a project. However this was with a twist, we were each given 15 white balloons to blow up and draw on an image to envision our answers.

This was a fun task to undertake and really got me thinking about some of the more serious questions that I should be are of in my project like the costings, competition and how it will ultimately be implemented. So I found today to be very useful in visulising my project as a whole and has given me a lot to think about in terms of moving my project forward to the next stage.

The Man Who Cycled the World

2009-01-30T09:56:00.003Z

Last night I went to see Mark Beaumont give a talk about his adventures on cycling around the world. This amazing trip took Mark a mere 194days and 17hours to complete (his personal target was 195 days so he understood his capabilities and must have had great determination in fulfilling his goal).

I found him to be very inspirational indeed, he new what he wanted to achieve and made it happen, from planning and sponsorship to getting the right media coverage. He raised a lot of money for several charities along with breaking the world record by over 80 days.

It was just so good to see someone who has worked extremely hard to achieve their goals, this brings me onto a lecture I had went to earlier in the day given by Amanda Game who works with Innovative Craft. She talked about her struggles with her gallery through the last recession in the 1990's and feels if you work hard and are committed to your end goal you can achieve it. She said that craft is 'a tangible thing with human beings behind that thing', and that we have to value and evaluate our craft and skill set. I think that by doing this combined with hard work we can achieve something brilliant within our field.

Smart Materials

2009-01-29T13:34:00.006Z

I have been reading a book all about Smart Materials this morning, which I ordered with some photochromic and thermochromic materials... I am very excited to test these out to see what sorts of interesting combinations I can come up with.

Photochromic Pigments which react to UV light and change colour accordingly should be very interesting as will give the impression that an image simply appears when you step out into the sunlight. It can be mixed with any acrylic media so the possibilities for this product are very vast.

Thermochromic Materials such as smart colour pigments change colour at specific temperatures. They are based on liquid crystal technology (at certain temps the liquid crystals re-orientate which results in an apparent change of colour). The liquid crystal itself is micro-encapsulated (the tiny particles are surrounded by a coating) and billions of these capsules (10microns in diameter) can be mixed with a suitable carrier (most acrylic media) to create printing inks for fabrics.

At room temperature the pigment appears coloured but at 27oC it disappears. The colour possibilities are endless as it can be mixed with any acrylic paint to make any colour and when it heats up to over 27oC the smart colour pigment will become transparent leaving a different colour underneath. (see example above)

Glow-in-the-dark pigments are phosphorecent pigments that absorb and store energy from natural or artificial night to be expelled as a glowing image at night when their is a limited or no light supply.
It comes in a powdered form which can be mixed with an acrylic medium to form a water resistant seal around the particles. If it does not have this barrier the pigment will degrade when exposed to moisture.
Its effectiveness depends on the thickness of the print and how much is used in conjunction with the acrylic paint.
The possibilities: you can 'charge' up your garments print all day so it will 'glow' all night-an alternate image will appear at night when the glow-in-the-dark pigment takes over from the photochromic pigment.

I think that using all these different pigments in conjunction will give a single garment multiple looks see post on One t-shirt many looks...?

Context and Cohesion

2009-01-28T14:49:00.004Z

Context and Cohesion, or the scary part of the course as I have come to view it. It is not because I don't like reading or writing, I do, but I worry that while I may have something to say, the point of it seems to get lost under the pages of pointless words I seem to use to get to the heart of what I want to say.

This module is to help us find our own style of writing that can be and hopefully lend itself to being academic, journalistic and reflective.

The Good Consumer...Really...?

2009-01-27T18:55:00.003Z

This short video entitled 'The Good Consumer' embodies our everyday life and consumption habits scary as it is. I felt really uncomfortable watching this video with the eerie narrators voice telling me to consume, consume, consume. It suggests we are lemming like creatures following the trends and obeying the gospel of the 'Brand', which of course is nonsense...isn't it? The sad fact is and the reason why i was squirming in my seat while watching this was that it is true, sad but undeniably correct. I am really working hard to educate myself on why branding and fashion trends are so important to us, hopefully by understanding it, it will be easier to come up with solutions to fill the empty voids within us that forces us to over consume in the hope we will feel satisfactorily nourished, which of course never works... so its back to the shops for more.

See Bonfire of the Brands for more information on this subject.

Totes for Transition Town Tayport

2009-01-27T18:21:00.006Z

I have been designing tote bags for a Transition Town in Tayport, an off shoot of Transition Scotland. An initiative moving towards a more sustainable future.

Campaigners hope that the tote bags will help reduce the number of plastic bags being used and thrown away as they can be hazardous to wildlife or just go into landfill. This is a cause I feel very passionate about so am glad to be a part of it.

Below is a mock up of how the bag might look:)

My prints in Penny Lane

2009-01-27T18:12:00.007Z

Here is some design work I have been working on during the masters for fun as I love to draw and print:)

One t-shirt many looks...?

2009-01-27T17:21:00.006Z

Developing on from yesterdays cultural probe exercise and in conjunction with how to bring many looks to one garment by the use of print, I am eagerly awaiting an order of UV fluid, theocratic pigment, glow in the dark pigment and photochromic pigment so I can do some test pieces. If these are successful I could use them as cultural probes to gain peoples reactions and feelings on chameleon like clothing that responds to the wearers surroundings.
How would a garment if printed with various reactive inks in different patterns across the surface area evolve throughout the day and how would the wearer react to this?

Above is just a quick sketch explaining how the print would change and 'grow' over the course of the day as the wearer went through different heating and lighting conditions.

Would this method of printing connect the wearer to thei clothes...?

Jayne Wallace-Cultural Probes

2009-01-26T17:15:00.005Z

This morning we received a lecture by Dr Jane Wallace who is a contemporary jeweler working now with assimilating digital technology into her work. She currently works with Culture Lab in Newcastle.

Jayne talked to us about the cultural probes she used within her practice and gave us a really good insight into how to adapt and develop our own probes. I loved the rosettes she gave to people with first prize printed on them. She asked people to say what they would want to win first prize at. Although she later gave people a pack with second prize rosettes, I liked this even better as I feel it gives the user the chance to reveal their dreams and wishes in a more realistic setting. They might omit to mention something of great importance to them as they recognise they could never be at the top of the game, but they dream of making a positive contribution and to enjoy whatever task it is even though they no full well that it is impossible to be no1.

Whilst speaking to Jayne about my project we came up with a few cultural probe ideas. I like the idea of having a washing line set up with items of clothes attached. People can come along and choose a piece of clothing and along with this item will be given a pack of customising tools and a disposable camera and a way of recording their thoughts and feelings while interacting and wearing the item. This will either be a lining which the user could write on or perhaps a small roll of paper hidden in a pocket or attached to a label. I want to find out why people become attached to an item of clothing and why sometimes they do treat them as disposable. Is it the cost, the material, the design, the fact its a one off etc. When the week is over the user will return the garment to the washing line with their camera, their 'storey' of their attachment to it and how they have changed it and photos of how they wore it and when and the feelings that the whole experience conjured. It will also be interesting to find out if they are willing to part with the item easily or if they have grown attached to it and why they feel that is.

My first meeting with Polly

2009-01-23T10:39:00.009Z

So Ive just had my first session with my new study advisor Polly Duplock. She has really helped me to focus my project and has told me about two exhibitions that I really want to go and see.

Hussein Chalayan's exhibition at the Design Museum in London. I think this will give me good insight into whats going on with fashion at the moment and where I could possibly fit into the equation.

And Donna Wilson's Escape to the Woods exhibition at the Lighthose in Glasgow. This should help me to focus on the human side of my project, Polly made the good point that it is all very well being passionate about something that has moral integrity but whatever I produce has to have a human face. Its needs to be able to speak to people and make them want to connect with it and feel that it is special and loved, if not, it might turn out to be a futile episode of gathering research and samples. I fully understand this as I received one of Donna Wilson's make your own monster kit's for Christmas and sat sewing him together on boxing day, I have yet to give him a face as want to get it just right. This is because even though unfinished I have formed an attachment and bond to this little pile of randomly stitched together swatches of fabric. I think that Donna's exhibition will reinforce to me the great need for a narrative and a storey behind an object, that an attachment for said object grows as it ages and changes. Some of my favorite possessions are the old slightly faded and worn ones. My nephews most prized possession is his bunny, (well its actually a dog, but he gets very cross when the reality is suggested) even after all the Christmas presents he received (which as you can imagine were countless) he still holds 'bunny' in higher regard than them all, despite the fact 'bunny' is faded, drawn on and lost half of his stuffing so now appears rather limp, none of this matters in fact this is probably the reason he is no1, goes everywhere with Lewis and is loved by him like part of the family. The point that I am trying to get to is that for us to care and value an object we need to feel that it is special and even if others deem it as ugly, it is beautiful and dear to us in every way.

Throughout my project I need to remember this point so I can come up with ideas that not only help ease the impact the fast fashion market has on the world but also makes people care and connect with them.

As well as visiting exhibitions I also want to meet with Helen Storey (Wonderland-'dissolving dress', below), J.R Campbell and Random International in the hope they will be able to help me understand more about the technologies I want to work with and inspire me to develop on my ideas further.

I also intend to start creating some test pieces which will help me understand the limitations of technologies available to me and how I can adapt then to suit my needs.

Communicating Culture through Making

2009-01-21T14:07:00.007Z

I just went to my first Space and Place talk, a series of lunch time lectures about Communicating Culture through Making. It was given by Dr Thomas Hawson who recently completed a practice-led PhD on Contemporary Craft in Iceland.

Tom is a furniture maker interested in sustainable cultural craft and practices. He gave a refreshing insight into how he works and how the lifestyles of the people he met while in Iceland were very rich, not necessarily in the monetary sense but in actual living and knowledge. They lead a very subsistence life style, and understand how things work, which I feel give them good problem solving capabilities, so can be more self sufficient and sustainable. This notion seems almost alien in our current climate although very inspirational.

Their knowledge and heritage was reinforced by Tom's project. He encouraged the makers and crafts people he worked with to document and reflect on their practices by video, audio and imagery. Uploading them so they could be shared and discussed. Something they had never done before and were reluctant to try even though the technology was readily available to them. Perhaps they felt as though these outlets were not in keeping with traditional practices or that their was little reward for this type of documentation. However Tom uncovered that this type of working brought about great benefits. It gave these practitioners good experiences of collaboration work, physical communication and reflection. They learned how to express themselves as crafts people in their own right and found they were getting credit and positive feedback for their work, no longer did they feel second fiddle to designers. Hopefully this will mean the boundaries between craft based and pure design based subjects can be broken down and skills can be interchangeable and no one deemed better than another. A more fluid level of working can be achieved instead of hierarchical. Because the feedback he got from them was so positive and the fact they felt that these were really useful tools, reinforced to me Jonathan's points from yesterday about reflective writing and the importance of doing so. It will hopefully help me grow and learn more about myself, my craft and how to communicate my ideas with others as well as being able to understand their comments and adapt them to help with my own practice and vice versa.

Another point Tom made was that in our very British society today we tend to remove all of the 'risk' elements from children's upbringing. He showed us a group of seven year old whittling with little axes. This would never happen here as people feel the risks out weigh the benefits. If all choice and considered risk is taken out of our decision making capabilities we will not have a good perception of hazard awareness which is worrying and potentially dangerous. People could fatally injure themselves as they do not realise the risks of certain tasks hold for themselves and others. ie crossing a road/driving to fast.
I worked in a nature nursery of sorts for a year and I feel very strongly that children should be given the chance to learn things for themselves and to be able to manage their own hazard awareness, I think the Whistlebrae Nature Kindergarten near Braco in Perth (where a colleague of mine went to work) is a fantastic institute for learning, the children are outside in all weathers learning about nature and the world instead of being placed in a brightly coloured room surrounded by plastic toys(chemical leaching that may occur from these mass produced products I feel are more hazardous, than letting the children saw a piece of wood). The Brao kids sit around camp fires and have a good understanding that it would be dangerous to get too close. They are actively learning from first hand experience.

Reflective writing

2009-01-21T11:45:00.006Z

So what is reflective writing? After a lecture yesterday by Jonathan Baldwin the water is slightly less muddy. Instead of sitting down and forcing ourselves to write a fantastic piece that would win the Pulitzer. We must not think about and consider every word, we must instead simply write, start anywhere about anything and as the words spill out we will eventually have something worthwhile. Or at least an accurate account of our thoughts for that day which could spark off other thoughts and ideas. So we must write these thoughts down so as they do not disappear into the ether.

I had stopped writing my ramblings over the Christmas vacation and became increasingly stuck for ideas or paths I should follow. I was back in class for a matter of hours and the ideas started to flow again. I feel this is because we were set the task of explaining our projects to Christine who will be taking us for our mindful design practice module. Even though I normally clam up and fear presentations, the challenge of putting together and telling the storey of my research(something that I am very passionate about, summed up in one minute with the aid of a few images), i found did not fill me with the usual fear and dread. Perhaps It was not the most coherent and descriptive talk I have ever given but on watching it back in the afternoon(our attempts were videoed for this purpose) I learned that actually I could do it and perhaps the massive amounts of worry stress and preparation I normally put into a talk is not always the right way to tackle public speaking. The information I need to get across is in my head I no it is their even though sometimes I find it hard to access, but with the help of a few visual aids and tangible props, public speaking can become for me in this instance more manageable.

I guess everyone is nervous or worried about how they come across and if they will be able to deliver their points clearly and interestingly giving the audience something profound or at least memorable to take away. I think the art of public speaking, as with the art of writing will come in time and I will find my own style. Johnathan says if you feel you cant wright, wright more not less, this way you will feel more comfortable with it and it will not become this big issue. The pink elephant in the corner can be dispelled with a little practice and self belief.
I myself find writing as difficult as public speaking but for different reasons, when I wright I do not no when to stop and when I speak I do not no where to start.

Techno Threads

2008-11-20T17:03:00.004Z

Highlights from the Techno Threads exhibition

Joanna Berzowska - Kukkia & Vilkas: kinetic electronic garments

2008-11-13T10:23:00.003Z

From seed to Saf

2008-11-13T10:19:00.002Z

This is the journey of the cotton that is used to create all of Saf's clothing. They are an ethical Organic clothing brand. Michael Conway, managing director of Saf, says,

'The clothing industry is pretty nasty - 20 000 people die every year from pesticide poisoning. Cotton uses 3 per cent of the world's arable land and 25 per cent of pesticides. We are producing a sustainable, organic product that also doesn't use child labour.'

A cotton field

Cotton seeds

Cotton bales

Spinnning cotton

Cones of cotton

The knitting machine

Greige rolls of fabric

Sewing

For more information on Saf 'Socially aware fashion' see the Design Week's website:)

The gadget show on textiles

2008-11-08T10:38:00.003Z

Love the protective clothing idea, also the computer keyboard... could this be a viable option for reducing wastage due to production and upgrading of existing computers...?

Heat sensitive fabric

2008-11-08T10:28:00.004Z

Possibility, adapt this technology for my main study for interchangeable images on a garment...

How can this be taken further...?

Optical Technology

2008-11-06T17:02:00.002Z

The future of textile printing...?

2008-11-06T17:00:00.004Z

Microsoft touch light... what could the possibilities be of using this technology to project images onto a garment. Always moving and changing...

Leads me back to the idea of temporary printing by Random International...

Any desirable image or text could be printed for a short time... what would be the limitations on colour choice? Provides a vast flexibility for the user and promotes individuality. People can create their own image and identity.

Philips light emitting textiles... another possibility in the development of wearable technology to enhance personal identity and uniqueness. Any image could be displayed and changed with ease depending on mood, circumstance etc...

Re-use your old clothes

2008-11-06T13:12:00.004Z

Kathleen Mclaughlin a innovative product designer has come up with a concept to re-use your favorite tired old garments that you don't want to throw away, by giving them a new lease of life and bringing them back as contemporary candelabra lights.

I think this is a fantastic idea as we all have old favorites that we don't want to part with but no longer wear. This idea has great scope and can be a framework for a variety of customising or re-incarnation if you like services.

There are sites such as Thread Banger offering step by step tips and tricks to update and customise your existing wardrobe... the one below is one of my favorite:)

ie.

**Jumper Skirt Tutorial**

Ingredients:

1 XL (Extra Large) T-shirt

1 pair of scissors

1 sewing machine
or
1 good sewing hand

1 set of straight pins
or
1 set of glass tipped straight pins (recommended)

1 Iron

1 Yard stick, ruler or measuring tape

1 piece of tailor chalk, crayon or water soluble pencil (in a contrasting color)

1 Seam ripper, nail scissors, or cuticle remover
-----------------------------------------------------

Time:

Depending on your experience, this project should take from one to two hours at the most.

-----------------------------------------------------
NOTE!!*** Each step that instructs you to "sew" use a number 2 zig-zag stitch to retain stretch in the T-shirt. ***
------
Okay lay out your shirt, we are going to divide the shirt into three pieces: the skirt, the straps and the waistband.

The straps will be the first to be cut.

First, you will need to remove the stitches from the bottom hem of the shirt. Do this by using either your scissors or seam ripper

Once you have removed all the stitches, it will look like this.

Press open the unstitched hem with your iron.

Measure and mark 5" from the bottom of the newly opened hem and measure and mark 14" across.

Cut this rectangle out from both sides of the shirt.

Do not cut the fold.

Fold in half, pin, and cut.

Now fold each piece in half, pin and sew raw edges together.

When finished cut off the excess.

With the straps you can do one of three things:
1 You can leave them as they are and not turn them inside out.
2 Press the straps with the hem in the middle
3 Turn the straps inside-out and press seam on one side.

If you decide to turn the straps inside-out:
Attach a safety pin to one end of the straps.
Guide the safety pin inside of the strap as if it were a casing for elastic.
Keep guiding it through until the entire strap has the seam on the inside.

Pin down with glass tipped pins and press flat with iron (starch is recommended) with seam on one side.

Right now your shirt bottom should look something like this:

Next is the waistband.

You cut two separate parts from the shirt, one from the bottom of the shirt, another from the top of the shirt.

First measure and mark a 5"x10" (the 10" should be what is left of the bottom).

Cut that square off, do not cut the fold.

After the cut you should have a 5"x20" rectangle.

For the skirt measure and mark an 18"x21" rectangle from the new bottom of shirt, cut.

Reverse the rectangle and pin only the sides together.

Sew the pinned sides.

For the waistband, cut off sleeves from the leftover of shirt, open at seam.

Lay your first waistband piece on top, pin and cut around.

*Each person's size is different so "pinch and pin" sides of waistband to get desired fit, mark and sew.*

Pleat the skirt to the waistband, remember to pin the side seams of the waistband and skirt together first, to get an even match of pleats.

Pin pleats, and sew.

To finish the raw edges, sew a 1/2" hem at both ends (bottom of skirt, and top of waistband)

Attach straps to waistband: about 3" from side seam at the front.

Adjust the strap length to your desired fit, pin straps ends to the back of waist band 3" from side seam, pin.

Sew each strap end at top of waistband seam with a box stitch (a continuous stitch that creates a box with and X on the inside)

Try on, make and size adjustments (since this is made from a T-shirt, there should still be stretch when fitting on the jumper skirt, if not, adjust waistband with an elastic band or a zipper)

Jan Chipchase: Our cell phones, ourselves

2008-11-05T11:35:00.002Z

Ethical Fashion Fair

2008-11-05T09:44:00.004Z

People and Planet are organising an ethical fashion fair in Mono (downstairs in Dundee Students Union) on Sunday the 16th of November from 6pm. Come along and see whats on offer, there will be some charity shop stalls where you can buy second hand clothes and a swap shop as well. So if you have any clothes, shoes or accessories you no longer want why not bring them along and see what you can exchange them for:) Alternately you can just donate some of your old clothes for the event to People and Planet and whats left at the end will be shared between the charity shops.
There will also be a fashion show at 7pm and you can dress up in your clothes purchased on the day to win a prize for the best shopped charity shop outfit:)

Recycle more

2008-11-04T19:14:00.001Z

I have found this website www.recycle-more.co.uk that describes itself as a 'one-stop recycling information centre'.

How ethical are Topshop...?

2008-11-04T19:12:00.001Z

According to this advert for Kate Moss's range at topshop they are saying that they are a fairtrade retailer... They do have an ever growing people tree range but how ethical are topshop?

Thread Banger

2008-11-03T17:16:00.002Z

Found this really interesting website giving tips and tutorials on how to customise and re-use old clothes. I especially liked the video below showing how to make a dress out of an old pair of trousers. Cleaver and relatively simple:)

Electric Textiles

2008-11-01T11:04:00.004Z

“Georgia Tech researchers have taken an important step toward creating fabrics that could generate power from the wearer’s walking, breathing, and heartbeats. The researchers, led by materials-science professor Zhong Lin Wang, have made a flexible fiber coated with zinc oxide nanowires that can convert mechanical energy into electricity. The fibers, the researchers say, should be able to harvest any kind of vibration or motion for electric current…

By the researchers’ calculations, a square meter of fabric made from the fibers could put out as much as 80 milliwatts–enough to power portable electronics. The development could make shirts and shoes that power iPods and medical implants, curtains that generate power when they flap in the wind, and tents that power portable electronics devices.”
MIT Technology Review
This is truly amazing technology, the possibility that you would be able to generate all the power you needed as you went about your life:)
see Layers of Meaning

Next Nature

2008-11-01T10:23:00.004Z

Next Nature

How can we get to next nature...? What needs to change and how will we go about implementing such changes? Think possibly it is a cycle as demonstrated above. We have to learn from our mistakes and possibly return to older practices of eating seasonal foods, and growing our own. Not so long ago everything was natural and organic, seems strange we now pay premium prices for things the way they should be...

Light Reactive Printing...?

2008-11-01T09:30:00.018Z

Ever since seeing the DYMO label printer in the summer I have been wondering how this technology works and if it could be used on a larger scale... really want to understand more about this technology and how it could possibly be adapted to suit what I would like to use it for.

Have found this video on YouTube, the image is only visible for 45 seconds or so, I'm wondering if their is a way to make it more permanent...

Global

the possibilities are really encouraging in the step towards a more sustainable future. Think of a long lasting well made piece of clothing that could be exposed time and time again to show different patterns and colours for the changing seasons. Images would be printed with UV light not inks or dyes. This could be a great compromise to 'fast-fashion' without all the endless waste going into landfills. Less resources would be getting utilised for the clothing industry as well as their would be less garments being produced and shipped. The environmental factors would have to be addressed as I'm not sure how this technology works and the energy/chemicals needed to produce these results. It does seem like a fantastic opportunity though.

Random International

How it works:
Inside the wall is a Roland DPX-3300 plotter connected to a computer. With a soldering iron the plotter draws on a canvas which is layered with thermochromatic ink. The canvas is heated partially and changes its color. After the heat diminishes the color changes back to its original state.
With this alternative display it is possible to write words or draw simple illustrations. An interface was developed in processing to record the drawings of the cursor.
Video of El Muro.
(we make money not art, 01.11.08)

What about this, people could design the look of their own clothes with a technology such as this...

techeblog.com

Perhaps people would feel more connected to their clothes if they were able to express themselves as individuals and show who they are with their clothes. Could decide for themselves the exact shade or patterning etc instead of having it dictated to them...?

Other possibilities...

Above Digital Dawn, a light reactive window blind by Loop.pH a design company which use electroluminescent technology, colour and light in their design and Research.

Above is Blumen's electronic wallpaper display "The wallpaper is built up from a number of addressable cells forming a repeating pattern across the surface. Each cell can be addressed individually and when connected to sensors Blumen becomes an animated pattern, emerging and altering in response to its environment. Temporal Light takes a similar approach, embedding the electroluminescent material into tiles which act as pixels in the display."
(Mr Watson, 01.11.08)

Kathy Schicker textile designer who weaves with light.

'How does it work? Her light reactive textiles using new and smart yarns that emit, reflect or react to light, including reflective, phosflurescent and photochromic yarns.'
(talk to my shirt, 01.11.08)

'These fabrics are white until they are exposed to sunlight, when colour and pattern is magically revealed. The sunlight also charges the textile, so it glows in the dark.

A brilliant idea using sunlight to bring textiles to life. Sun light is working for us already as energy provider via soft solar panels in bags and clothing. This Solar reactive textiles convert the solar energy to transform the textile patterns without the need of electrical power or wires.

This is to most environmental friendliest use of solar energy I have seen.'

(talk to my shirt, 01.11.08)

Christine Keller a weaver, researcher and tutor uses Retroglo a reflective yarn in her work. She is "especially interested in the perspective the clash of tradition and newest technology gives us"

"Retroglo high luminescent yarns are high reflective yarns used at present mainly in safety equipment. Produced in a newly developed jacquard technique, these pieces respond to light in unexpected and unknown ways. The viewer experiences a space where images appear and disappear on the structures through illuminations of various kinds. Due to the properties of Retroglo yarns two layers of visual appearance, alternately visible, are integrated in one fabric."

(Ciam-arts.org, 01.11.2008)

'Shimmering Flower (above) deploys a simple technology for nonemissive, color-change textiles. It functions as a woven animated display, constructed with conductive yarns and thermochromic inks together with custom electronics components. The textile is woven on a Jacquard loom, which allows the creation of beautiful and complex imagery. The flower image was created with custom drawing software.'

(Joanna Berzowska, 2004)

Retroglo as well as Uni-Glo is a phosphorescent yarn, may offer some possible usable technologies in light reflecting textiles.

Ethical Pests

2008-10-31T11:33:00.002Z

Blood, Sweat and T-shirts update

Be an ethical pest

Brand Me/Weekly image (6)

2008-10-31T10:40:00.009Z

This week I have been really thinking about myself as a brand, what my values and style is, how I can be benificial to others, what my mission for this year is and my vision for the future.

This is for my Brand Me presentation that was set by Tom Inns. I am finding this to be a very useful exercise as it is really making me consider all aspects of myself including personality.

I sent out a survey to some of my friends and family to get their responses on who they believe I am as a person. This helped me identified key factors in my personality that I don't see, which was useful in compiling the benefit section of my brand. (below is an example of a reply)

How beneficial is Jo to herself and others?

Jo is more beneficial to others as she puts other people first.

How does she relate to other people and what makes her attractive enough for other people to want to relate to her?

She is caring and trustworthy, and doesn’t like letting people down.

How does she give insights to other people and inspire them and help them transform?

She can sympathise and encourage people by talking about past experiences of her own.

How does she contribute to everybody's welfare and to public development?
She is always available to talk to and will go out of her way to help people.

Slide 7
(I am going to use my Brand Me mind map(above) for my weekly image this week as sums up what I have been doing and thinking about)

In researching this project I have read the books Tom suggested Managing Brand Me by Tomas Gad and Anette Rosencreutz and The New Guide to Identity by Wolf Olins. Gad and Rosencreutz make some interesting points like that we need to figure out who we are and what we stand for to make the world a better place, if we have our own missions we will not be swayed by other peoples influences. Apart from the Brand Me code which helped me to outline the the areas I should be focusing on, the main points I took from this book which will hopefully help me in realising and fulfilling my mission/vision are

'All perceptions are filtered through our personally programmed subconscious filters. Thus everything we see, hear, feel and smell etc is our version of reality.' (Gad and Rosencreutz, 2002, p15)

and

'to accept the state of chaos and feel comfortable with it.' (Gad and Rosencreutz, 2002, p9)

The above one is especially important for me as I have been thinking about possible obstacles and flaws within myself and so in my brand. This is the Hindrance branch on my Brand Me mind map.

I think that my hindeances could be problamatic when trying to convey myself as a brand as I can be very quiet and retract into my own wee world for various reasons but it has been sain that "its not who you are underneath, its what you do that defines you" Rachel Dawes in Batman Begins 2005

Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts

2008-10-30T18:34:00.002Z

Here is a clip from the BBC3 documentary series Blood, Sweat and T-shirts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/thread/video/index.shtml?video=bst-tara

Really highlights the living/working conditions of the people who are making our fast fashions.

Buy Handmade :)

2008-10-30T18:02:00.002Z

Buy Handmade Video from Etsy on Vimeo.

I can make a difference

2008-10-30T16:54:00.003Z

Well done to Macallan Durkin who is only 13 years old but is making a difference by selling her t-shirts and donating all the money made to less fortunate children in Africa, in particlar Botswana where she lived for nearly three years. Her Website Goody Goodies gives more information on Macallan and how she is making a difference:)

In My Name

2008-10-30T16:33:00.005Z

White Band Action

what are the 8 Millennium Development Goals?

Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Achieve Universal Primary Education

Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Reduce Child Mortality

Improve Maternal Health

Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases

Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Develop a Global Partnership for Development

www.flickr.com

Go to In My Name's photostream photoset

Garments Without Guilt

2008-10-30T15:50:00.003Z

Garments Without Guilt is a Sri Lanka apparel company who say

'We make garments with conscience and care. By protecting worker's rights, creating opportunities for education and personal growth, and helping to alleviate poverty in our communities, Sri Lanka Apparel does business with integrity and helps create a more equitable society.'

They have lots of inspirational stories and other information on their blog on how they are making a difference.

Check out their blog:)

Who is the ethical consumer?

2008-10-30T15:12:00.003Z

I was on Labour Behind the Label's blog and came across an entry entitled 'Who is the ethical consumer?' It makes some very interesting points like...

'ethics is not an optional extra, an either/or: it’s a minimum standard, based on human rights. “I’m not wearing this, it’s real fur,” “I don’t shop at Next because their trousers make me look like a hippo,” “I can’t buy those pants, they were made in exploitative conditions.” That’s the kind of category that ethical decision-making belongs in.'

I agree we should have this mindset to how and who we buy products from but companies are aware of our realisation that we as a society are not happy with the ethical or non-ethical implications that come with buying their products so are jumping on the ethical bandwagon and having fair trade lines or concessions within their stores which LBL feels eases the pressure on them and doesn't actually address the real problem as their systems for, manufacturing and shipping goods throughout the whole supply chain doesn't change. And why would they bother when...

' you can please the same consumers by stocking a few organic, fair trade cotton lines or a concession from People Tree, which does nothing for your existing factory base?'

Instead they feel and I have to agree that

'the ‘ethical consumer’ needs to be everybody, and needs to want nothing less than across-the-board respect for workers’ rights.'

They also raise the point tho that an item can carry a fair trade or organic label but still isn't actually an ethical piece of clothing.

'It may be made from organic cotton, but in a factory where trade union rights are suppressed; it could be hand-stitched by a Fair trade women’s cooperative in Nepal, but then flown or shipped to the UK at significant cost to the environment.'

So I guess that 'to say a product – or a consumer – is ‘ethical’ is to oversimplify.'

Scottish Institute for Enterprise

2008-10-29T14:58:00.004Z

Last night after my weekly people and planet meeting, a representative from the Scottish Institute for Enterprise came and talked to us about possibly taking part in their 'We Challenge You' innovation tournament. The aim is 'to create as much value as possible from a common, everyday object'.

The object wont be known until Thursday the 13th of November and then you will have four days in which to create a video documentation of your idea. The value of which said object is measured is up to the teams. The finished videos will be posted on youtube for the whole world to view. Even if you don't win its a good way to get your idea out there:)

Above last years winner the Do Band. The idea is to put it on with a promise and don't take it off until you've fulfilled your promise, then pass it on and the process starts again:) Similar to the idea behind Pay It Forward 2000 film starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment. One of my all time favorite films which proves little things can make a difference and change the world:)

The task (inspirational speech by Spacey's character)

The result (what Trevor played by Osment's character achieves with his project)

Ewgeco Part 2

2008-10-29T14:21:00.002Z

I went and met Tanya Ewing today at Scottish Enterprise where she is doing a course. At lunch she gave a presentation about the Ewgeco energy monitor and a demonstration of how it works.

I still think this is a fantastic device and am going to contact Tanya an her team to see if it will be possible for me to do some research for them :)

Oxfam Whats Your Ethical Rhythm

2008-10-29T12:28:00.002Z

Love this Cartoon from Oxfam, such a good and concise representation of today's society and what will happen if we keep over consuming in such a frantic manner. Highlights the fact that we need to reduce, reuse and recycle:)

Big Ideas That Changed The World - Consumerism

2008-10-29T12:11:00.002Z

The Concious Consumer

2008-10-29T12:03:00.002Z

Film giving a selection of the general public views on fair trade, fair trade products and where to buy fair trade.

Slow Fashion

2008-10-29T11:47:00.002Z

Interesting video about peoples relationships with their clothes...:)

Is there a possibility for the masses to connect with their clothes and belongings on a large scale so we can move away from our 'throw-away' culture...?

Inside Fair Trade Fashion, a day in the life of People Tree :)

2008-10-29T11:39:00.002Z

People Tree's mission

* To support producer partners' efforts towards economic independence and control over their environment and to challenge the power structures that undermine their rights to a livelihood.
* To protect the environment and use natural resources sustainably throughout our trading and to promote environmentally responsible lifestyles and environmental initiatives to create new models to promote sustainability.
* To supply customers with good quality products, with friendly and efficient service and build awareness to empower consumers and producers to participate in Fair Trade and environmentally sustainable solutions.
* To provide a supportive environment to all stakeholders and promote dialogue and understanding between them.
* To set an example to business and the government of a Fair Trade model of business based on partnership, people-centred values and sustainability.

Fair Trade by People Tree

2008-10-29T11:38:00.004Z

A video on Fair Trade by People Tree :)

How Ethical is Your Wardrobe?

2008-10-29T11:21:00.000Z