10. Textile Scaffold¶
It’s a textile scaffold! I won’t lie—I’ve been looking forward to this week since the very beginning of the program! If you know me, you know how much I love fabric manipulation. It’s my go-to technique every time, and I can never get enough of it.
My fashion brand, Ash Studio, is heavily inspired by architecture, and I’ve always had a passion for pleating and plissé. These techniques are not only visually stunning but also bring a structural, almost architectural quality to fabric, which aligns perfectly with my design identity.
This week is all about experimentation, and I couldn’t be more excited to explore new methods of fabric manipulation! For this project, I’ll be diving into leather molding and crystallization, two techniques I’ve been eager to try.
Crystallization Process¶
The crystallization process is such a beautiful and unexpected journey! It’s mesmerizing to watch as fabric and objects transform, taking on unique textures and intricate formations.
For this experiment, we explored two different methods of crystallization:
Preparation
Before starting the crystallization process, it’s important to prepare the objects you want to grow crystals on. To ensure proper suspension:
- Hang the objects from the top of your container (jars work well).
- I drilled holes into acrylic waste from the lab to create a support system, allowing me to hang the objects securely in the solution.
Alum Crystallization¶
Ingredients:
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Water: 3 liters
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Alum: ~1200g (roughly 400g per liter of water)
Process:
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Gradually add the alum powder in small batches, stirring thoroughly to ensure each batch dissolves completely before adding more.
- Stop adding alum when it no longer dissolves in the water (in our case, this was ~1200g).
- Filter the liquid using a coffee filter to remove excess alum.
- Submerge the objects into the solution.
Note: The crystallization process takes time, so patience is key!
Salt Crystallization¶
Ingredients:
- Water: 3 liters
- Kosher Salt: ~1200g (similar ratio of 400g per liter of water)
Process: 1. Bring the water to a boil.
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Slowly add the salt in small batches, ensuring it dissolves completely before adding more.
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When the salt stops dissolving, the solution is ready.
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Filter the solution using a coffee filter to remove undissolved salt.
After filtering the solutions, we submerged the objects into the liquid and let them sit for what felt like forever, patiently waiting for the crystals to form!
The Result
After 5 days, I checked on the jars to see the progress:
Salt Crystals
One of the salt cups turned out beautifully, with chunky, cube shaped crystals forming perfectly on the object.
The other salt jar showed some crystal growth, but it seemed to need more time. I decided to reheat the solution and let it set for a couple more cycles to encourage further crystallization.
Alum Crystals
Unfortunately, nothing had formed yet. I reheated the solution to ensure it was fully saturated and will let it set again for more time.
Leather Molding¶
Leather is one of the most fascinating materials to work with. For me, it’s a statement and a love story. Leather has the power to elevate any outfit, making it stand out effortlessly. If it were up to me, I’d wear leather all year round!
I’ve always loved creating clothing from leather, but I’ve also been eager to push the boundaries even further by experimenting with new designs, embossing, and sculptural shapes. This project gave me the perfect opportunity to dive deeper into the art of leather molding.
The leather molding technique involves wetting the leather and shaping it while it’s damp. As the leather dries, it retains the shape you’ve manipulated it into, making it a versatile method for creating unique textures and forms.
For this experiment, I wanted to replicate the plissé effect on leather. Since the traditional plissé method doesn’t work on leather, I decided to create a custom mold to hold the leather in place while it was wet. This approach allowed me to experiment with achieving the structured, pleated look I envisioned, bringing a new dimension to the material.