Interaction of Diseases

''In such conditions it is not surprising that workers suffered from many illnesses. Eye inflammation, Deafness, Tuberculosis''



Tuberculosis also known as TB is most prevalent in countries where sanitation is poor and living conditions are crowded, but can occur anywhere. This relates to the situations of the cotton mills and the over crowded population of the living conditions aswell and how the interactions pass on the diseases and germs. Looking at images of what 'TB' is represented, I like how the colours and cells and all bundled together and the way the colour spreads throughout the image as a simbolisation of the infections spreading.


'TB' bacteria under the microscope

Working in the Mills

Taking a step back in my research from looking at recycled fashion I started looking at where everything initially started. The cotton Mills, whilst researching into where they all started and how they rapidly grew causing lots of problems ''As towns and cities sprang up around the factories, living conditions declined. Badly planned, poorly built slums were seriously overcrowded''. From this I decided to focus on diseases and interaction that occurred whilst the living conditions whilst other people in the group went in other directions.

Mechanisation may have shifted cotton spinning from a craft to an industrial process, but it came at a cost - a human cost.

The noise from machinery was deafening, many workers became skilled lip readers in order to communicate over the noise.

Ear protection was not compulsory leading to many workers becoming deaf.

Fighting for breath

The air in the cotton mills had to be kept hot and humid (65 to 80 degrees) to prevent the thread breaking.

A dangerous job

In such conditions it is not surprising that workers suffered from many illnesses.

The air in the mill was thick with cotton dust which could lead to byssinosis - a lung disease.

Although protective masks were introduced after the war, few workers wore them as they were made uncomfortable in the stifling conditions.

Eye inflammation, deafness, tuberculosis, cancer of the mouth and of the groin (mule-spinners cancer) could also be attributed to the working conditions in the mills.

Long hours, difficult working conditions and moving machinery proved a dangerous combination. Accidents were common and could range from the loss of a finger to fatality.

Recycled Fashion

Looking at how revolution changes and where fashion is at the moment everyone is trying to be 'green' enviromental friendly and looking at ways we can recycle old clothes to re-make new ones. I first starting thinking about this after visiting the Global: Cotton threads. During this exhibition it showed the ways current artist are going back to old techniques, back to the roots of where fashion began.


Gary Harvey is one of the main designers who have took the recycling idea and ran with it. This one in particular is made from 30 copies of the 'Financial Times' Looking at his work I find it amazing how he takes everyday objects and clothes and turn them into an extraordinary high fashion peices. ''The collection creates a dramatic display designed to change people’s perception of second-hand clothing and create fashion with a conscience''









Baseball puffball dress made from 26 nylon baseball jackets

Denim dress, made from 41 pairs of Levis 501's

Wearing it

Starting out with this brief it took me a while to get my head around what was asking of me and with the majority of it working in a group it was a big change to my usual way of working. Meeting up with my selected group we watched the four videos which we had to choose one and base our work around. After discussing each we chose 'Techno Chic' http://vimeo.com/9574286 . The clip discussed how technology has become so advanced there is now a machine to do almost anything which will eventually leave everyone without jobs. Taking this into consideration we visited the MOSI museum to look at textile pieces and how they have changed over the years and also the machinery used.

Linear, Non-Linear.. Empty-Full

Looking back through my project I feel it all flows and links together. I focused on drawing alot in this project as I always seem to push that aside and with the topic I chose it gave me the freedom to experiment with marks. My initial research came from visiting a mosque and henna artist and taking photographs of the intricate designs then how that is translated onto the body. I feel this was a great bases to my work and from there I starting taking elements of each design and interpreting it in my own drawing ways. I liked playing around with compositions and keeping my comparison words in mind 'Empty- Full, Linear- Non linear' making sections full with small detail in a empty space gave it a different feel to it rather then just a flat drawing, and using marks from the henna itself each part of the design are built up with structured straight lines merging into swirls and curves.

I edited my designs and ideas by continuing drawing and changing certain sections but keeping the image as a whole similar, this allowed me to see how it looked in different ways, compositions and be happy with the final outcome. Throughout this project I have realised how important a colour pallet is and having a good bases to my work such as primary research and first hand drawings.

My contextual refrences helped me move my work on, Nisha Mehndi's http://www.nishamehndi.co.uk/index2.html art work was a big influence to my project. When I looked at henna and the designs they all looked similar but Nisha's work had a modern twist on it and she added hints of colour e.g rustic red and blue rather then the traditional brown. I took my colour pallet from Nisha Mehndis work so she plays a big part in how my work has developed.

Focusing on the colour pallet and still exploring marks I made a stencil and with acrylic paint repeatedly printed it over each other with different colours to see how different ways of would look.Techniques I used were mainly line drawing and really focusing on the small detail that makes the whole image, I do feel I got abit lost in this and lost track of what I was actually supposed to be focusing on which was sampling. Looking back at my work and thinking about how I managed my time, I realised I haven't gave this project all I could have and I feel disappointed in myself as I know how I know how much more I can achieve. I feel I could have experimented alot more with sampling and really push myself out of my comfort zone. Even though I haven't achieved as well as I could I am still pleased with the work I have produced and feel it shows my ability in what I can do.

Empty and Full - Linear and Non Linear

My initial expectations of the project were abit lost, choosing my combination of words and thinking of a topic to start me off I found difficult. I started thinking about shapes and pattern and were we see them daily in buildings and all around us. Taking this on board and thinking of a starting point I went to a mosque as the shape of the actual building and colours interested me then when you enter the inside is beautiful. Rich colours of golds and reds and intricate detailed patterns all up the wall and from there i started drawing really focusing on the small detail that make up the whole picture.

Whilst working through my sketchbook I really focused on my drawing as I feel that wasn't my strongest point in the last project. Trying to further my project I also started looking at henna art and how its applied to the body as the patterns and designs all link and flow from each other. I really like how in the henna they take the big curved floral like shapes and fill parts of it with more structured lines but leaving sections empty to give it more depth. My sketchbook has been the base of all my ideas just working through my drawings and thinking of how to turn them into samples.

 I chose Machine Embroidery for my Workshop, all through college machine stitch has always been my strongest point and what I enjoy the most. Whilst in the workshop I have learnt how to use the machine in different ways and to achieve more texture as well as just the pattern which has helped me to develop my ideas and samples further. My samples have come from my drawings and both combinations of words for example I have used dissolvable fabric for the empty and full with sections of heavy stitching and empty spaces then putting colour behind to give it another element.

My colour pallet came from visiting the mosque and a henna artist I found from researching, the main colours seem to be deep browns going through to a rustic red with hints of blue and gold. These all work well together as the the small hints of blue showing through the deep brown and red make the work look more exciting.

From looking at all my samples together it has made me see how i can develop them further. I feel I need to make them bigger and expand my ideas on a wider scale and stop just look at the small detail but think of how I want it to look as a whole. If I was to start this project again I would look at it in a different way, I would still want to go down the same path but think bigger from the start as I can see how different the outcome would be.

My research and the references I have looked at for this project have definatly helped shape the way I have worked, I got my colours from researching and the way I have taken parts of the pattern and produced my own really helped me with my sampling. From looking at other peoples work I do find similarities with aspects of drawings and ways of thinking but at the same time each piece is individual in its own right.