Folded Fabric

Today I've been busy in the textiles workshop testing folding and forming fabrics with starch spray. I tried a few different types of fabrics to find out which materials work best. Cotton is too thick and isn't as malleable or and silk organza has a loose weave and doesn't hold a fold It very well. The silk habati worked best as its a finer fabric so it bends while also holding the folded pattern. The process to fold the fabric took a very long time as it wasn't as easy to hold its shape unlike paper until it went under the heat press. I still want to try a moldable polyester fabric and I was also going to try a fabric with stabilizer on it. I'm really impressed with how the folded fabrics have turned out. I'd like to possibly try with the addition of print or stitch. I also want to try dying it when it's folded up to see what effect I'd get. I'm assuming it will look like a geometric tie-dye. I was recommended to look at the work of Angharad McLaren, a weaver that also forms her weaved pieces with folds similar to the ones I'm using.

 Cotton

Silk Organza

Silk Habati

Angharad McLaren