Creative Design: Graduate

Cottonwood in Cotton Candy

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Abstract

Cottonwood in Cotton Candy was an artistic expression which utilized experimental textile design by having incorporated sustainable found fibers. This piece was intended to be displayed as a hands-on, dual-sided table cover. This research combined poplar seed hair fibers (cottonwood) with wool fibers, which were felted to silk chiffon. The color scheme and aesthetic was inspired by cotton candy. Cotton candy shares the open, light and airy essence of cottonwood seed hair fibers. The cottonwood fibers were washed and carded. In addition, the silk illustrates decorative fabric manipulation methods which included fold and clamp dye resist techniques, dye discharge, and felting. It was discovered that cottonwood seed fiber hairs accepted dye when manually manipulated, and lent themselves to being felted when mixed with wool roving. The objective of this design research was to demonstrate the ability of cottonwood seed hair fibers to be incorporated into an artistic textile creation.

How to Cite:

Montgomery, M., (2016) “Cottonwood in Cotton Candy”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 73(1).