Textile Project: "Knitting and Embroidery Display"

Hello everyone!

I hope you're still enjoying my creative projects because I'm excited to share another one with you. This time, it's a special project from my university days. I'm eager to show you what I've been working on and hope you find it as interesting and inspiring as my other creations. Let's dive into it!

As many of you know, I’m a textile designer, and our assessments are a bit different from those in fields like medicine or engineering. Instead of traditional exams, we have display submissions at the end of each semester. Throughout the semester, we work on various projects, and then we showcase them in a final display.

While it may sound charming, the reality is a bit different. We have to stand in front of everyone and justify our creations, answering any questions that come our way. Although it can be a fun experience, it’s also quite stressful. Despite the pressure, it's a valuable part of our learning process and a chance to share our hard work.

Today, I’m excited to share my knitting and embroidery display with you. For my knitting project, we were required to create a machine-knit piece for our final display. Given my love for bright colors and simplicity, I chose a Bauhaus-inspired color palette, which includes yellow, white, black, and red.

Since I enjoy wearing my own creations, I decided to knit a sweater that I could use in the winter. I carefully integrated all the colors from the palette into the design, aiming to create something that was both unique and aesthetically pleasing. Here is the final look of my sweater.

For my embroidery final submission, we were tasked with editing our pictures with various backgrounds. I chose a space-themed background for my design. Once the digital print was transferred onto the cloth, the next step was to enhance the background with different embroidery stitches and beadwork, a process known as "aday ka kaam."

For the planets in my embroidery piece, I opted for machine embroidery to give them a textured, layered appearance. To distinguish the different colors of the background, I used sequins and various beads. I incorporated golden zari and silver sequins for the stars and some planets, which added a shimmering effect and enhanced the overall background.

To add a bit of a 3D touch, I stitched large star-shaped beads into the background. Once the embroidery was complete, I had the piece framed without a glass cover, allowing the beads and embroidery to be appreciated by touch as well as sight.

Once both projects were completed, it was time for the display. I set up my area by showcasing my sweater on a mannequin and placed the framed embroidery piece alongside it. Here is the final look of my display.

Displays are always a mix of fun and stress. While some people come to appreciate your work, others offer critiques. This feedback, though challenging, is an important part of being a designer. It helps us grow and become better at what we do. Positive critiques are especially valuable for self-improvement.

I’m excited to share more displays with you in the future. Thank you so much for supporting my creative ideas!