Stephanie Deaves: Textile design

'A View From Above'

This collection is called 'A view from above' and is based on a birds-eye view of the earth. I used everyday objects to create 'mini scenes', reminiscent of landscapes and cityscapes as seen from above.

Inspiration photograph

For the first fabric samples, I wanted to capture a sense of relief and texture. I used marbled organza and tinfoil to achieve different weights within the surface. I then manipulated the areas with the foil to create peaks and textures which I then embroidered around, following the marbled pattern of the organza.

Marbled organza, tinfoil, cotton

For the second collection of fabric samples, I focused more on pattern. I used hand-dyed latex to create the marble-like surface of the organza in the previous samples and made marbled clay beads to embed in the latex. I wanted to play with the juxtaposition of materials and the texture of the clay, latex and embroidery together.

Hand-dyed latex

Hand-dyed latex on lycra

Clay and latex

Latex, lycra and cotton

'Inside/Outside'

This project was for Burberry, London. The brief was set by Christopher Bailey, the design director for Burberry Fashion House. It was called 'Inside/Outside' and entailed designing a collection of fabrics that would make the most of the qualities in the chosen discipline (my discipline was 'stitch'). The project emphasis was on sustainable luxury and an awareness of craft skills and new technologies.

The inspiration for my collection was a series of photographs that were about looking through something, so you only get a feeling of what you are looking at and not the whole picture. I wanted to achieve a feeling of dipping in and out of focus, an atmosphere rather than an object. The photographs were about contrasting textures and layers and I achieved this in the fabric designs by combining materials and working in layers so that when you cut into the top layer of fabric there is something unexpected beneath.

The designs were made by felting layers of silk together, then embroidering onto the felted surface with wide stitches. These stitches can then be partially cut through so you can see the felted surface underneath.

Inspiration photograph

Cotton and silk

Plastic and cotton

Silk, cotton and felt

Plastic, silk and cotton

Experimenting with hand-printing and cutting.

With these samples, I wanted to experiment with hand-printing and cutting. I chose a light but stiff paper cotton so the fabric would keep the shape I manipulated into it. I made the printing templates out of freezer paper and printed a simple geometric design onto the fabric. The top layer is then cut into with the same geometric design but at a different angle and fused to a backing layer of fabric made by fusing threads together. When the finished fabric is manipulated, the cut triangles create an intricate, jagged, three-dimensional surface.

Hand-printed and cut paper cotton

'Sway' fabric collection

Petals, strung together

The brief for this project was based on movement within nature, in particular, a 'swaying' type of movement. The inspiration behind these fabric samples is petals strung together. I wanted to capture the delicate nature of the petals and the lightness of their movement. Each strand in the design is wound and contracted by hand and then stitched together to create a very subtle and frail surface.

Elastic, cotton and wool

Elastic and cotton

Hand-dyed organza, elastic, cotton and wool

Elastic and cotton

Elastic, cotton and wool

'Garden' fabric collection

Hand cut and stitched cotton.

This was my first collection of fabric samples at University. Inspired by the outdoors, I was experimenting with three-dimensional fabric manipulation. Each piece of paper cotton was hand-cut and stitched together to form repeating units which were then arranged and stitched together to create a tactile and decorative surface.