Fabric Shopping

I have been making some further test hats around the hat block, as I have only been tying them around my own head. Tying the Geles around a detached object was quite different as the hat block does not behave in the same way as a human head. However the block meant that I was able to pin some of the fabric in place and overall created a neater finish. Once the prototypes had been made out of calico, we discussed the idea and it was agreed that the fabric should be in an African style patterned fabric rather than a plan white. The plan white had originally been chosen as the play uses multimedia projections which they wanted to be picked out on the costumes, however a folded piece of fabric is unlikely to show up any projections also the patterns and styles of the hats instantly suggest African women.

Example Gele

 I made a mock up hat using some patterned fabric found in the faion shops. I backed it with some heavy calico which i tacked together to hold them in place. the two layers of fabric made the whole piece a lot firmer which will be good when I come to make the finished pieces. I also really liked the two toned affect of the pattern and the plan, so I will be maintaining that for the final pieces as well.

Patterned Gele

Back of the Gele

A shopping trip was arranged to sample fabric and the options available. I looked at the patterned fabric in John Lewis of which there was only a select few, these all came in at around £10.00 a meter with each hat using 2 meters this would have been a costly choice. I then went to the fabric shops in Shepherds Bush which had a wide range of patterned cotton where I bought 8 meters of patterned fabric at £2.50 a meter. Some of the fabric has quite a stiff waxy feeling to them; as they off cuts from pre- cut fabric which is used to made traditional African and Asian clothing, so will need little starching and will hold well when it is are folded.

Fabric