PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES

For the Creative and Media Practice paper, one of the skills we need to show we have developed is the ability to evaluate and test solutions and explore personal limits. So with this in mind I have been exploring different threads and effects on muka.  Part of this has been about exploring shaping ideas, i.e. how to cause increase in muka garments to fit body shape.  

In the piece pictured I have worked seven rows of whatu (finger weaving).  The first is in cream coloured embroidery thread, the second and third are in black embroidery thread.  These two rows show the "normal" tension and finished width.  The fourth and fifth rows have been worked in a synthetic wool which I unpicked from a shawl.  These lengths are narrow in the middle and wider at the length, which, when doubled to form aho, create an increase in stitch width.  You can see how the piece has now widened because of that, gaining nearly 1cm on each side.  In the middle of each of these whatu rows I have run a black and silver lurex thread up and down with a needle, just for added effect.  The sixth and seventh rows are worked in black shirring elastic.  This is the part of the experiment I am most excited about!  To look at it, it appears to be ordinary black thread, but when you stretch it, it expands beautifully to at least 1cm wider on each side.  It has got me thinking about using it for bodice shaping over the breasts.  The obvious negative is that it would stretch so much that you would be able to see beyond the garment, but if the garment was lined or an undergarment worn, this would not present a problem.  It could also be incorporated with other adornments to cover this e.g. feathers.  I'm sure that with a bit more experimenting these issues could be addressed.  That's certainly pushing the boundaries - I have not yet seen any muka work done with elastic!