THE TANKER PIPES

So many of the tankers are embelished with pipes of different sorts and useages, i.e. drain pipes, sewer pipes etc. I wanted to see what would happen if I threaded pipe into selected fabrics in different ways and am only at the initial stages of this experiment still with much to explore.

I thought I would add a few images of trials done today.

I had spotted a black and white striped drain tanker on the motorway at Bristol but was too eager to get home to follow it. I started with the old gold drain tanker which I had converted to black and white, looking at the opposing black and white stripes and chevrons within the round back of the drain tanker.

I began to experiment with the image

And then after spotting tankers with pipes of all sorts in strange places and for different purposes, I just had to experiment with what I could do with those! How can I represent them in fabric?

THE EXPLORATIONS.

My first experiment was with silk crepe georgette. I used two pipes here, one down each side of the silk. I did not feel this worked because the fabric was too transparent and the pipe was visible. Also, I feel contrasting colour is needed to show up the 'journey' of the pipes, the twist.

I moved on to Polyester Jersey to see what happens when contrast is used on a very stretchy fabric. I found my initial experiments intriguing. This one is a long piece using one pipe on one side only. I had been looking at the brake pipes also and felt an affinity with those in this example.

In this sample, I inserted the pipe on the diagonal, the bias of the fabric, and could see this as a collar or neck piece.



A longer and larger neck piece.

I imagined this piece as an idea for the front of a jacket perhaps. This piece has more fabric and one piece of pipe.

Here I am beginning to experiment with more pipes. this sample has three pipes inserted on the bias of the cloth. I find this sample exciting, thinking of a huge sculpture or teepee shape. Or tiny as an earing.

Searching for different thicknesses of pipe, I have found that the 'curling' works by using strimming line, to make tiny forms, such as earings etc. I have found giant pipes too to experiment with large pieces.

In this sample, I forced the pipe to be very taut in the fabric, thus forcing it to curve even more. At this stage, I see this as a feature neck piece on an evening gown?? Could it be a 'back' feature

Lots more to do but I was pleased with my day. I have begun to work with linen and heavy sisal rope. This hasn't really worked though. There has to be stretch in the fabric. I am now going to see what I can do with silk lycra.

Carol's copyright.