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10. Textile Scaffold

Research

After this week's lecture, I was still not too clear on what textile scaffold referred to so I did some research online to find out more. I quickly realized that this is a relatively new term and that most results are from scientific papers on biotech and past fabricademy alumni.

Textile Scaffold refers to how textile can provide a structure for other materials to grow on. These can be temporary and then removed by being dissolved, heat-removable, or mechanical (removed after material curation) Applications range from architecture, to biotecnology and other design areas.

In biotechnolgy, it is been explored to assist tissue regeneration like engineered articular cartilage. It's important to consider factors such as biocompatibility bioabsorbability and the predictability of the degradation.

8 - Textile technologies for 3D scaffold engineering

Science Direct: Dimensional Scaffold

In manufacturing, the structure of knits and other textiles is being researched to create more durable materials and construction.

Three-Dimentional Textile Preform Using Advanced Textile Technologies for Composite Manufacturing September 2017 DOI:10.5772/intechopen.68175

In architecure and design, I find it interesting the use of fabric to replace heavier materials and the use of fabric supported by other more strucutred material.

Zaha Hadid - Knit Candela, CDMX. Photo by Diana Castillo

In the project Cielo Tejido, mexican artisan women work on knitting pieces for pavilions, music festivals, exhibitions, museums, etc. They received a Guiness record to the biggest knitted pavilion in Etzatlán, Jaliso México covering over 8,000 square meters of crochet.

Credit Cielo Tejido

In this exhibition Walk the House Do Ho Suh, uses fabric stretched onto metal to re create spaces he once called home, creating a feeling of ephemera and inviting us to reflect on the importance time and the spaces we spent it in.

Credit Tate Modern

In fashion, I love the work of Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli. He creates these structures to support fabric, giving it a sculptural look to his gowns.

Credit: vogue.com, University of Fashion

To tie it back to past weeks of Fabricademy, we could 3D print molds, laser cut patterns, CNC mill the forms, create molds from biosilicone, grow biomaterials on a scaffold, use parametric design to create interesting shapes.

Crystals on Wool

Inspiration:

Left - Zendaya in Alexander McQueen. Photo by Karwai Tang

Right - Zendaya in custom Valentino. Photo by AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN/FILMMAGIC

Zendaya custom mask. AMY SUSSMAN/GETTY IMAGES

* 63g of T&M wool yarn
* Scouring: 3g of natural soap according to the recipe in biochromes week. . for 1h <80C. Leave to dry overnight
* Mordant for animal fibers: 12.6g of alum according to the recipe in biochromes week. Enough water to cover fibers.
* Dye bath: 15% of WOF (63) = 9.45g of alkanna tinctoria dye. Enough water to cover fibers. Leave for 1h
* Crystals: 250g of alum salts, 1L water

* Pots
* Spatulas

Process:

  • I started by using tape on a mannequin to define the shape and measure and cut the wool yarn needed.
  • I went through the wool dyeing process using alkanna tinctoria to get a grey/purple hue
  • After dyeing, I created all the knots for the cowweb shape.
  • Prepared the crystals using water, alum and a big container. Filter the solution so that impurities are removed.

Dyeing

  • Weigh the wool and calculate the ammounts for scouring, mordant and dye bath.
  • Scouring: Leave in hot water for 1h at <80C. Stir ocasionally. Leave to dry overnight
  • Mordanting: Leave in hot water for 1h at <80C. Stir ocasionally.
  • Dyeing: Leave in hot water for 1h at <80C. Stir ocasionally. Leave to dry overnight

Crystal Bath

  • Heat water to a boil
  • Add the 250g of alum and stir until dissolved
  • Filter the solution into the container that will be used for the growing phase. It's an important step to remove the impurities of the crystals.
  • Position the piece by hanging it from the sides. Avoid the piece to touch the sides of the container and let it sit still for a few days.

Observations

  • Using wet wool before putting into the solution may help to avoid air bubbles and areas with no crystals. This is important since wool is naturally water repellent.
  • The reaction may be affected by temperature. For the first bath, I prepared the solution outside then brought inside to let it sit for a few days, I could see that the temperature shock sped up the reaction even when my piece was not ready and I was still adjusting the position of the threads.
  • Since my piece is a cowweb, I tried to hang it by the external threads so that it was under water, without touching the container and without tangling. This was difficult to achieve, and in the end it tangled anyway. I lost some of the crystals when untangling and re-adjusting the shape of the cowweb.

Final result:

Wool Paper

* 40g of washed and (carded) + shredded T&M wool
* Water

* Large container box to make the mixture in
* Mesh on a wood frame to use as a mold
* Sponge
* Drying mat

Process:

  • Precut the material in small chunks to avoid clogging the machine.
  • The machine has an emergency stop button + a forward, backwards and off button.
  • Use backwards direction to unclog if needed.
  • Never touch the blades area before stopping the machine!!!
  • Add the shredded wool to the continer with water
  • Use the flat side of the frame to dip into the mixture and rise to remove water.
  • Flip the frame onto your dryin mat or surface.
  • Use a sponge to remove excess water before lifting the frame
  • Leave to air dry

Observations:

  • Wool is not the best material to make paper with this process. It naturally repells water so once it dries out, you're left exactly where you started (carded/shredded wool)
  • Adding another material such as cotton led to a more stable material however, the texture of paper was not achieved.
  • To get the "paper" look and feel, using only 1 thin layer with very small fibers to felt could potentially work but in the end it's just another process for felting.

Pouring other materials onto fabric 

* Plastic grid box
* Cotton fabric
* Wool yarn
* Plaster

* Plastic grid box
* Spatulas

Process

  • Cut a piece of wool yarn long enough to go around the box a few times.
  • Started "weaving" a shape in the box. Make sure the tension is strong, it should support the resin and create indents on your mesh because of the weight of the material.
  • Before cutting your fabric piece, emulate the weight of the resin by pushing it downwards. It should be bigger than the box.
  • Note: I initialy used mesh but changed later to a light cotton fabric.

Observations - The cotton fabric is too thin and porous, the plaster mix will go through it so heavier weight fabric should be used. - I underestimated the volume of plaster needed so the shape is not very visible.

Final result with the volume created by the yarn structure and weight of the plaster. Some wrinkles from the fabric.

Next experiments

This was one of my favorite weeks and I have so many ideas but not enough time. Here are some that I hope to revisit in the future, I will try to add more!

1) Piping material

Inspiration: - Sarah Hambly corset. - Decoden crafts

* gelatin
* wool

* Pots
* Spatulas
* Piping bags
* Piping tips 
* Plastic wrap
* Dressform

Process:

  • Use the plastic wrap to protect the dressform. Then, add the fabric pattern on top (optional)
  • TBD ** making the paste!!!!!!!!!
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • Use a silicon spatula to transfer to the piping bag. Use the desired piping tip.
  • Use the material to cover the surface of your model.
  • Leave to dry overnight.

2) Stretch or woven into structures Do-Ho Suh/ fabric architecture -> piñata structure

3) Hardened material: adding plaster, cement, or other materials to fabric to create orgaic shapes that will harden once its cured.