Octopus Close

Octopus Full

Octopus Close 2

Written Reflection

Your process for conceptualizing and making your object

Our process started with imagining the reality of the future and comparing how it may differ from the present. Our conclusion was that humanity’s longing for physical touch will continue or even intensify, as we imagine the world of the future to be filled with smooth, cold computer screens and digitized interactions. This initiated our exploration of a comfort object for people of all ages of the future, specifically exploring the different textures we could create and use that contrast with that of flat screens. Thinking about different toys and comfort objects we use today and how these date back to several years back, we decided to build a stuffed octopus, where each tentacle would have a different texture. 

What worked well and why you think it worked well

The sizing of the octopus was a concern at first, as we intended to make the octopus handheld for personal use. However during the critique, the octopus was able to be shared amongst multiple people, each experiencing a different tentacle and thereby a different textural experience. Another element that worked well was the plain color of the octopus, as it let the different textural aspects be further emphasized and removed distractions. The lack of color also implies that future life is overstimulating, and to relax people may turn to plainer-colored comfort objects made of natural fabrics rather than bright, artificially colored synthetic materials. Additionally, the varied combinations of fillings and outer textures resulted in a wider range of experiences without overcomplicating our fabrication process. 

What you would improve or change and why

The finishing of the edges could be improved. Though the raw edges give a more rough feeling that also provides another dimension to a textural experience, with more time and skill, the toy could be more securely fabricated. Also, the lack of variety in fabric allowed the experience to be solely about the fillings and the outer textures, though we would like to explore other natural materials to create even more combinations.

What you learned through this project and what you might take from this project with you into future projects

This project had a more intense brainstorming process, which allowed us to combine our ideas and talk about what we wanted to do for the project extensively. I think this extended brainstorm and discussion about the project further clarified our goals and what we wanted to create. Also, we learned a great deal about modifying initial project goals throughout the creation process. Being able to accomplish our intended goal while being flexible with specific design requirements will be a useful skill in future projects. 

I had very little experience with using the sewing machine and making plushies, so the entire fabrication process for this stuffed octopus was quite challenging for me. In terms of skills, I was able to further improve my ability to use a sewing machine and make 3D structures with it. Because of this, I feel much more confident in being able to incorporate this fabrication method into my future projects. 

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Our team initially decided to with an idea that focused on the future environmental disasters that Earth would experience. In this new society, the surviving humans now fear the elements of nature, represented as 3 gods of Fire, Water and Ice. We theorized that they would have motifs that represented these gods, and would try to wear those motifs on their clothing.

We were quite surprised at how the screenprinting turned out, as the mixing of the 3 colors made a nice gradient that felt similar to how a thermometer or heat visualization might work. From the print, we decided to work on vests that could utilize the print as a stripe or sash around it. With the good sewing work from Sophia, we were actually able to make 2 vests, with one dyed using similar colors to the screenprint.

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The collection of encoded clothing from 2071 was presented as a fashion lineup, with a global UN government launching this new line of clothing as a means to encourage the growth and maintenance of the faith. Our team presented this with a script and an imagined prayer for this religion.

While it was challenging to arrive at some group decisions while planning and making our encoded cloth, the project was overall a success. I believe our team managed to arrive at a good result that achieved our vision of how this future might be like with a huge environmental toll.

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The process of conceptualizing and making this weaving is we first thought about our concept, which had to deal with nature and technology in the future. And we were leaning towards who prominent climate change will be in the future, and discussing different weather changes such as ocean rising and more wildfires, we were thinking of focusing this as our main topic. Then a team member thought about a plant called ___, which is a plant that can survive very harsh conditions and so were thinking of creating each leaf to represent on type of climate change. One representing ocean, one-surviving the harsh cold weather with good future clothing fabric, and lastly one resembling forest fires. In process of making our weaving, we first thought of using the plant, which had a base, and three leaves. And we thought each team member could each create their own leaf to symbolize the three different representations of nature as well as future of clothing fabric. And thus, after each member finished their pieces we gathered together and pieced together the entire display. 

We think what worked well was separating the pieces and each of us our individual creative spirit for the pieces, and we thought it worked well because each of us had so much to add and create with our own hands. We also that the dyed fabric we created the other day worked really well as the base, because it contained symbols of nature including the sun, leaves, fruit, etc..

In the future, we would like to add more leaves to the plant. For now, we made three leaves that each address a specialized function but we would like to add 4~5 leaves that deal with other functions in the future. The plant will have more diversity by having more leaves and would be able to survive better in harsh conditions. Also based on the feedback, we would like to have the plant fit more into the context by making it seem like it is growing out of the ground instead of being potted.

We enjoyed incorporating the sewing techniques we have learned over these past few weeks into this project and hope to continue using them for future projects as well.

Passport 1

Passport 2

Passport 3

Passport 4

Passport 5

Passport 6

Passport 7

Passport 8

Passport 9

Passport 10

Passport 11

For our encoded cloth project, we created a futuristic world passport. We envisioned that, in the future, all borders on Earth would be open and people would not need a passport to travel around. People might need a passport to travel through space. Our world passport’s intended effect was to symbolize of a more open and optimistic future. We were surprised at how much work went into each individual page and the overall passport structure. Each page had its own concept and layout, and all the pages were sewn together. We discovered upon finishing the passport that it bore a resemblance to a children’s book. It could be used as a story of hope, the world, and the future for children. It was a challenge to end up with exact, conforming page sizes, even though we measured out each page at the start of the project. Another challenge was putting our pages together, as the final product was too thick to put through a sewing machine. We succeeded in creating a passport that contained many unique pages and ideas. Our combined contributions created a successful, cohesive final passport.

Concept: 

In the future, climate change will have an increasing impact on the environment and in order to combat this we want to create a character that can survive in harsh environments (cold/hot weather, natural disasters). 

We want to make something that symbolizes nature and technology, and what better than having a character with a ‘cloth’ fitbit, glasses, green leaves around it, etc.

For the base, we want to have a felted ball, and then sew a covering on.

We also want to incorporate the pattern of green nature related symbols with our character (possibly as a handkerchief the character uses).

We want to create character that symbolize hope and survival in a harsh environment. In the future, we believe that many people would suffer from hunger and due to global warming, it would be very hard for people to survive. However, the character can symbolize survival in the environment. 

We can use red fabric as the hair, similar to wildfire, and the character sits on a sea of water (as though there are ice polars melting). 

They can have metallic wings (airplane – looking to symbolize future in technology like flying cars)

Materials 

1. Wool for felting
2. Foils 
3. Glitters 
4. Patterns we created 

In 2070, we believe that there would be 3 things that people would fear (water, fire, and snow). These are influenced by the results of climate change. As a result, people would worship the Fire, Water, and Snow Gods.

We would be printing the designs that symbolize water, fire, and snow. We also plan to cut the fabric into many pieces and then dye each piece using a different color. We would then sew the different pieces together. This is a way to show the Gods coming together to protect the people. This idea/design might change based on the outcome of the prints.

Images:

Below are the water, fire, and snow symbols

Below are the images to symbolize the Fire, Water, and Snow Gods

Material List:

1. Cloth to print on
2. different dye colors (blue, yellow, red, black)
3. 5 buckets to dye in
4. rubber bands/marbles/floss to help create designs
5. sewing machine
6. threads
7. water
8. salt and other things needed to dye

Concept

In the future, despite advanced technologies and a changing world, there are certain aspects of the human condition that are consistent with what we experience today. Currently, children usually have comfort items like teddy bears and blankies to calm them.

In the future, these comfort items are increasingly used by adults. Because everything has become smooth (phone screens, glass buildings, computers), people need textured sensory stimulation. To have a break from scrolling and interacting with smooth, flat, cold glass, people have tactile toys to give them a break. These toys are therefore made with rough, angled, warmer fabrics and textiles. Rather than a smooth teddy bear being calming today, people find spikier and rougher objects comforting as a break from the smoother, flat objects they interact with all day.

Materials

The textiles of the future are largely synthetic, colder, and uninteresting to the touch. These are easier and cheaper to produce than the natural fabrics of today. Therefore, in the future, people long for rough cloths like linen, cotton-seed, denim, burlap, and wool. Therefore, we will be using these rougher natural fabrics in our project.

Idea Summary

We will be making a teddy bear out of these rougher materials to symbolize this shift. Teddy bears have been used for centuries and are associated with warmth, love, and childhood. It’ll be stuffed with synthetic cotton balls, but the exterior fiber will be all natural and rough to the touch.

Essentially, we are making an uncomfortable teddy bear by our modern standards.

Cover – Passport cover with 3D felted globe. Under the globe, there will be text “Global Citizen”

Page 1 – Photo identification page. For the photo, we will use a mirror/reflective fabric. This symbolizes that you are a global citizen, no matter who looks into the mirror.

Page 2 – Quote from a leader. Potentially Obama – “We are defined not by our borders, but by our bonds.” (This will be screen printed)

Page 3 – Collage of different languages saying, “Unite”

Page 4 – 10 Passport stamps. Each page will use a different technique. (Felting, screen printing, embroidery, and patchwork)

Materials needed:

1. Wool for felting
2. Canvas cloth for main body of passport
3. Mirror/really reflective cloth
4. Threads/needles/sewing machine/iron for patchwork and putting together the passport
5. Screen printing materials (contact paper, cricut etc.)
6. Yarn
7. Scrap fabric for decoration

Below are our favorite ideas from the list:

11, 18, 37, 44, 49, 61, 71, 74, 87, 98

1. World Passport (symbolic of open borders)
2. Collage of people holding hands symbolizes cooperation
3. Half bright and half gloomy jacket (hopeful vs cynical)
4. Wired weaving on cloth (high tech clothing)
5. Assortment of plants cloth for quilt
6. Spacesuit for civilians to travel to different planets
7. A suit that allows civilians to fly 
8. Smart sweaters allow people to communicate with each other in any language
9. Collage of trash to show things that are in landfill
10. Plastic bottle windchime 
11. Book of languages saying welcome
12. Mural of the evolution of recycling
13. Mural of the evolution of humans – eventually technology embedded in humans
14. Mural of the evolution of technology
15. Map with cloth made from different regions of the world. 
16. String attaching all parts of the world showing how we are all connected
17. Blanket stuffed with trash/waste
18. Mural of people being happy and tearing apart a dollar bill
19. Map of the public transportation system on land
20. Map of the public transportation system in air (planes)
21. Paths merge together leading to a heart. 
22. Stuffed plushies of plates and plant-based food
23. Stuffed plushies of spaceships and spacesuits
24. Mural of plates of food from different culture 
25. Collage of countries flags = world flag
26. Jacket of binary code
27. Jacket showing the contrast of technology, but people are still unhappy due to long work hours
28. Pillow with stuffing bursting out with plastic 
29. Collage of different types of bread around the world 
30. Tree with leaves from different countries/origins 
31. Incubation device for growing fetus so that women don’t need to give birth 
32. Backpack with everything that a person can own (each person has limited capacity for ownership of items 
33. Hands all grabbing a slice of pie (with all equal sizes)
34. Popup Book with plants 
35. Circular collage with sectors showing class distinction and direction in clothing
36. Quilt of materials from the future (clothing, vehicles, furniture, etc)
37. Story cloth of cities and wastelands
38. Bird or animal plush that’s dead with trash spilling out/as stuffing
39. Hanging mobile of different class depictions, class also separated by height
40. Miniature cloth model of advanced pods that house humans and surrounding terrain 
41. Barcodes sewn or woven on fabric that scan to research documents or schedules
42. Cloth with neon/bright lights woven in for a futuristic feel
43. Wearable fabric mask depicting effects of pollution
44. Weaving with various irregular materials to simulate landfill 
45. “Wasteland” quilt with 3D objects sticking out/sewn in to represent civilization amidst ruin
46. Collage with textiles laid inconsistently to look like buildings 
47. Mask created from plants and flowers to symbolize the past
48. Cloth with wires and metal sewn in to represent the city
49. Mural of eye with embroidered flashing binary that fades out to scenes of ruin 
50. Tapestry that, from bottom up, shows people escaping from earth to space (gradient)
51. Open browser window created with fabric and embroidery
52. Mural of clock split into different stages of Earth over time (global warming, pollution, war)
53. Collage of scraps of brands and packaging pieced together to form an image
54. Box covered in fabric and print, advertising futuristic product
55. Overcoat modified to withstand harsh weather and gas, can carry weapons
56. Gas mask with browns and greys that turns to fresh water and plants 
57. Shoe created with woven textiles and metal, with plant sprouting out to symbolize hope
58. Glove that is bright and made of sequins, feathers, lights on one side and is dark and made of leather, wool, scraps on the other side
59. Model BMO (from Adventure Time) as example of robot helper 
60. Water bottle sculpture attached to scraps of fabric and garbage 
61. Fake flowers and wires sewn together to create garment, intersection of nature and tech
62. Model of hybrid hoverboard vehicle created with wooden rods, woven materials
63. Pouch that holds daily essentials 
64. Monochromatic, minimalistic dyed and styled textiles, meant to emulate cold upper class 
65. Sculpture of two people connected to a monitor/screen by string to show communication around the world
66. Collage of different parts of world with mirror in the center so the viewer can see themselves
67. Weaving using strips of plastic bags and dark/neutral yarn to depict pollution
68. Advertisement created using cardboard backing with fabric and wire laid over, supposed to be like neon cyberpunk advertisement sign found in the city
69. Construct clothing out of thrifted clothes hinting at futures limited resources
70. Using clothings from friends to construct a nostalgic piece for 2070
71. Quilt with painted patterns of climate change
72. Quilt with painted patterns of space travel
73. Quilt with painted patterns dystopian/controlling society
74. 3d textile of future cities with embroideries
75. Felting of future devices/gadgets
76. Felting of human colonized planets/solar system
77. Felting of spaceships
78. Felting of grass growing from trash (or some other symbol of hope)
79. Using trash and making a futuristic space suit
80. Trash couture
81. A sweater with messages to the future from 2021
82. A sweater with messages back to the past from 2070
83. Flag or quilt made from doomsday literature
84. Hologram screen made from mesh/thin textiles
85. Felting of engineering DNA
86. VR headset that is connected to multiple images of the future with strings/weavings
87. Embroidery of the creation of adam painting but with robots
88. Quilt that is overstimulating depicting how it would be like around tech all the time
89. Technology that has felted plants growing all over it
90. Mutated dolls that are a consequence of pollution
91. 3D textile of a globe that is missing a lot of land because of rising ocean levels
92. Quilt with animals that will be extinct by 2070
93. Halloween costumes people would wear to be like people in 2021
94. White/grey outfit and we project images of the future over it
95. Dress made only out of fairy lights to show light pollution
96. Solar energy suits
97. Mask that people would wear and it makes them look half robot
98. Jacket made out tweets from tech/science deniers
99. Dyed pattern of grids and circuits
100. Tapestry of future waste (robots, computers, flying cars etc.)