What I Have Been Up To

Since graduating I have been working on collections for the next Premiere Vision in Paris in September.

Its been really nice to carry on designing and learning new skills. You can never know too much!

With help from Annette Ratti, who runs an Atelier in Manchester, my ex tutors and other students doing the same thing, I have created over 30 designs aimed at womens fashion.

Everything is based on the forecasted trends, using the predicted colour ways and materials. 

Over the last weeks I have learnt how to use illustrator, which is great! And also many more things about designing for fashion, and designing in general. Working in the studio and also from home has taught me a lot about communication and fending for myself now I don't have the comfort of the University studio and facilities! You don't realise how much you miss until it has gone!

Here are some snippets of the work I have done on illustrator so far.

New Designers

Last week I was at New Designers with the other Surface Pattern and Textile Surfaces students who had chosen to go.

It was a great experience, and very successful!

Was lovely to talk to people about my work and get some great feedback about what I have produced at my time at University. I think the experience is invaluable in terms of meeting people, making contacts in the industry and practising talking to strangers about your work!

It has definitely helped me!

Now University is all finished (apart from Graduation on the 12th July!) I am doing some placements, competitions and maybe some freelance work if I can squeeze it all in, I like to keep myself busy!

Here are a few snaps I took whilst at New Designers:

Arts Thread Portfolio For New Designers

My page now has all my work uploaded. Might put some more on yet but all the most recent 3rd year work I have done is on there.

Hopefully this will bring some interest in what I have done and capable of doing in the future!

It can be found here:

http://www.artsthread.com/p/emilyhackett/

But these are a few screen shots of what the page looks like and what I have put on there.

My First Commission

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by my tutor to print a piece of fabric for her to make into a skirt!

It was really flattering that somebody likes my work so much and would want to wear it!

I was given some guidance about the design but a few elements were my choice, it was a completely different experience doing something for somebody else and not just for myself, much more thought, planning and care went into it to make sure it was right first time!

Here are some images of the piece stage by stage.

RHS Chelsea Cushions

The extra group project I have been working on has come to an end and these are the results! We have designed and hand screen printed every cushion, using stencils, screens, foils and a colour palette inspired by the brief and images we were given.

They will be part of the Transformation garden, created by Stoke On Trent Council. Lots of different local companies have been involved, including Moorcroft, and Johnson Tiles who have both contibuted ceramics.

http://www.moorcroft.com/Site/News/newsdetail.asp?eid=556 - more information from Moorcroft about their input.

And this is the facebook page with some of our work on!

https://www.facebook.com/SoTTransformation?fref=ts

Please have a look and like us!

We will be going to Chelsea to see our cushions in place in the garden which is very exciting and something to look forward to! 

Now For The Real Thing

After lots of practising and testing, tweaking colours and sampling fabrics....

I have started the final print! 

So far I have finished my block colour layer, after the Easter break I will be able to take that off the print table and start on my patterned layer! 

Test Print Done...

Heres my print adding in the coloured patterns step by step.

My final won't look like this because it will be on two layers of fabric, the colours will look slightly different.

Theres a few bits that need taking out or adding in that should or shouldn't be there, but nothing that can't be fixed....

Now for the real thing!!