Final Documentation – Lucian Hodor

For my final project I created a textile version of a ping pong table set. My reasoning for making this project was in part as a way to incorporate as many techniques we learned in class into the project as possible. In a sense this project is a testament to what I have learned in class while also being fun and whimsical. The idea was to spark thought in the audience about how we define objects and in a broader sense people as well. By retaining some of the most defining physical traits of the net, paddles and balls, I was able to have most people think of my objects as their corresponding functional equivalent. However is it really the outward appearance of objects that matter the most? Nobody categorized the paddles as plushies despite the process and feel of the objects. and most saw a net before they saw a weaving.

My project can be separated into 3 portions, the woven net, the felt balls, and the stuffed paddles. The net was woven in a very similar way to the weavings created earlier in the semester. The only difference being that on the loom the net is thinner and longer, while also being made of only one color and type of yarn. The net pattern is achieved by plainweaving one side and only going all of the way across about once every inch or so. The weaving of the net went quicker than imagined and was overall a smooth process. I ran into some problems with the felted balls as they ended up very uneven and oddly shaped. Originally I was planning on remaking them to be more accurate, but in the end I felt that the irregularity of the balls adds to the main theme of the project. In order to add some extra credibility I first sewed two patches of black and orange patterned cloth to the paddle sections of my vinyl fabrics. A couple issues I ran into while making the paddles: the handle end isn’t exactly round and the stuffing bunches up oddly, turning the paddles inside out through the end of the handle proved a challenge, and I didn’t thing to hem the bottom edge of my attached pads so the bottom end frayed and separated.

I enjoyed working on this project very much. There were many aspects of it that I had little to no experience with, but in the end I would definitely make something along the same lines again. If I were to make a new project I would definitely work a little more on planning and prototyping the pieces for the project as well as take the sewing a little slower. Most importantly of all however, I would try my best to separate the work time over more days rather than have to build the paddles from start to finish all in one night.