Final Major Project #25

"Hidden Place" from Hannah Ford on Vimeo.

This is the short film that I ended up making for the project. Unfortunately the V&A didn't end up being the location, as they couldn't do it on the date that I wanted  - and as I was nearing the deadline I couldn't afford to be flexible. So I ended up back at college in the hub, with my hand hold camera (Olympus ZX-1), my garments and Ellie the model!
I think the result is pretty good considering the circumstances, Ellie had to change up her whole dance rutine in an extremely short period of time, as her original rutine was set up for the V&A (we honestly thought we had it in the bag!). 

Feel free to share your thoughts!

/Hannah

Turmeric & Scarfs

Not too long ago I posted a post where I was playing with turmeric, here's the result, how amazing is that colour?

I was asked by my print tutor if I wanted to recreate my Sydney Habour Bridge scarfs, to put in the Aylesbury College Shop to sell. I thought why not, that's a great opportunity! Here's the first three... 

/Hannah

Final major Project #24

Just a few photos that I took of Ellie wearing the final garments. 

I'll post the film soon, then perhaps the theme of the photos are a bit more understandable. 

What do you think?

/Hannah 

Final major Project #23

This is my final line-up of my collection. Any thoughts?

/Hannah 

Final Major Project #22

Now I have completed both garments! Which is such a relief and an achievement if I have to say it myself. It's been good fun making these to pieces, it was challenging, sometimes a tad too challenging. But no time to breathe, I've still got a ton of journal work to finish and finding out how I'm going to present my to garments. The idea is a video, you'll just have to wait and see what happens!

Truth be told I finished on the 25th of May ;)

/Hannah

Final Major Project #21

Just adding the finishings today! Can you believe it? It's done, the jacket's done! I'm doing a victory dance!

/Hannah

Final major Project #20

You know how I said that the colour isn't right? Well this is how it was supposed to bem unfortunately here its just the lighting that makes it looks this dark, I haven't re-dyed it. 

/Hannah

Final Major Project #19

I'm only a week behind with all my blog posts! Better late than never! The jacket is slowly coming together as you can see. And the colour isn't as deep as I would like, but never mind, I'm running out of time!

/Hannah

Field Trip

Nothing like a quick spontaneous trip to London to meet up with Ellie the dancer and her mother. Just to have a nose around the V&A, perhaps a potential location for filming... 

The V&A Drome. 

On the train back from London. 

Tapping my feet to the beat of the music from my iPod. 

At Princes Risborough train station. 

/Hannah

Final Major Project #18

I wasn't able to put two videos into one blogpost, which is kind of annoying, but hey ho, here's a video that'll show you the studio. 

/Hannah

Final Major Project #17

I though this would be a fun way of showing what I've been doing today. nothing to advanced ;)

/Hannah

Final Major Project #16

Presenting you with my colour palette, for the two garments that I'm making. 

/Hannah

Final Major Project #15

Brewing bamboo silk in the kitchen, or rather I'm dyeing some samples, for an extension for the project. 

The whole kitchen is smelling like turmeric, reminds me of Indian food.. 

/Hannah

Final Major Project #14

Working like crazy, sewing like a maniac and bamboo silk ain't fun!

xoxo

Hannah

Final major Project #13

A fun feature going blue while dyeing my FMP (Final Major Project) jacket, what those chemical dyes does to you, when the gloves keep puncturing!  

/Hannah 

Final Major Project #12

The following post will be me going a bit backwards, with showing my steps throughout the project. 

Here I'm working on the colour for the dress, powerful colour eh? 

I'm loving how bright it's turning out!

/Hannah

Final Major Project #11

I think it is about time that I give you an update on my Final Major Project.

1. I finally got some material for my jacket, it got some Soy Jersey, instead of Bamboo. Warning to you all can't recommend purchasing sustainable material from ECO EARTH FABRICS, it just too much hassle. 
2. I got a new bias binder maker, but it's not easy to use with the Bamboo Silk. 
3. You know how I said that it would be quicker and easier to use chemical dyes? Well someone having laugh and it's not me! The bamboo silk, was fairly easy to be fair. But the Soy Jersey, has caused me sleepless night (literally) - I think I have re-dyed it 4-5 times! It has come out the 'right' colour as a initially wanted, but now I'm not sure if it's dark enough or not. Although after starring at it for the best part of 3 hours I decided to leave it - cause the only other option was to dye it black (its navy blue at the moment). The thing is, black just a little bit too black, or should I say dark? Hope you know what I mean! 
4. The photoshoot, I've been in contact with the V&A and they do a special deal for students! So now you don't have to lend me £8000, btw, no one offered! So I'm currently trying to figure, when these bloody garments will be finished to I can get on with it. I'm still thinking about filming/shooting at Wendover Woods. It's always good to have a range of places, because even though you imagine that something great is going to turn out, it just might not, considering my luck!
5. Originally my FMP deadline was the 18th of May, but now its been moved to the following Friday, so the 25th! Heh, definitely wouldn't have been able to hand it in on Friday! Thank God for extensions! 

Thats all for now! 

xoxo

Hannah

Final Major Project #10

This morning I spend at Wendover Woods with my uncle, seeking out for the perfect location for my photoshoot/short film that will showcase the garments that I have made for my Final Major Project. 

Took these pictures while we were out there, to remember the locations that might be suitable. It was a bit muddy and foggy out there today, so I'll be going back to check how the lighting is on a sunnier day. 

I really enjoyed our walk and talk out there, spending some niece/uncle time together, not often that happens! Walking in the woods makes me miss the times that spend with the scouts in Denmark. Or we actually call it "bæver" and "ulve". Ah that was a long time ago!

xoxo

Hannah

Final Major Project #9

Things aren't going great with my FMP at the moment. Its a tiresome story, I thought that I was going back on track again, but there just seems to come more obstacles and I'm finding it hard to keep my head held high. 

1. The Jersey Bamboo at Eco Earth Fabrics was suddenly out of stock.
• They don't reply to emails and they don't pick up the phone when you ring them.
• I've ordered Soy Jersey instead, which is more expensive, but a better quality. 
2. The bias binder maker turned out to be the wrong size, I now I have to buy another one. 
• I don't feel familiar with Ebay, so when I order the right size (12mm), I suddenly realized that it takes them 5-7 days to deliver... 
3. The plan was to dye the materials with natural dyes, I've been doing the research - and found out that it's going to take severals days to complete. Contrary the chemicals dyes takes less than a day!
• So now the plan has changed and I'll have to go with the chemical dyes, otherwise I won't be able to meet the deadline. Although the chemical dyes defeats the purpose of the project, by following the sustainable values. 
4.  My Soy Jersey still hasn't arrived. 
5. Considering the crap weather that we have had lately, I have to find a back-up plan for the location of the photoshoot and short film. 
• Anyone fancy's giving me £8000 so I can hire a venue at the Victoria and Albert museum? 
6. And just to moan a little more, the internet and my Mac has been working like shit today, so I thought I'd give Google Chrome a go, instead of using Safari. I worked better in the first 10 minutes, now its just as poor as Safari! 

Sorry for the boring blog post, but its a part of the journey - and its better to get the full picture, then the glorified moments.

xoxo

Hannah

Final Major Project #8

Today I finally got to meet Ellie, my form tutors daughter. I know that perhaps sounds a bit weird, but here's the explanation; at some given stage I was telling Ali about my project and that I wanted a model that both was great a being photographed, but also could dance, preferably contemporary or ballet. Back then Ali suggested her daughter, because she reckoned that Ellie could be up for that job. Ali proposed the idea to Ellie and she accepted, since then there has been some back and forth communication - and we came to an agreement sometime before the Easter holidays. 

So today, as I said before, I had the honors of meeting Ellie, she's actually the same age as Shannon (cousin) - and they know each other from school, small world, eh? 

Anyway, fittings went well, I only have to do minor alterations - and we had a great brainstorm between the three of us (Ali, Ellie and I), about how to create the short film, the feeling, the mood and the style of dance. 

Besides that it has been a fairly boring morning and a fairly hectic afternoon, with dramas such as not knowing where I had placed my Joy Division dress! I think my brain is having a melt down with everything thats going on, plus I got told that I cannot perform a natural dyeing process at college, because I need a hob - and they won't give the print room one, because of heath and safety! This bloody country and their piles of rules!

Today we also had a sneak peak of where our end of year exhibitions is held at. It is a beautiful place - and credit to the tutors because its well thought out, with regarding people actually seeing the display. On the other hand the location is in a cellar and NO way near disabled friendly! I told them that - and their answer was that they were going to make sure that my auntie (she's the one that's been attending the parents evenings...), even if they would have to carry her down! Bless them, as they say here in Britain!

I'll give you more details soon!

Time for bed!

xoxo

Hannah