Karen Casper

We were recently visited by the textile artist Karen Casper. I found this experience to be a very useful source of information and I learnt a lot from the day. The showed us the process of finding her research which gave us an excellent starting point for our unit. We were shown how she uses sampling to decide which technique she wants to use for her final outcome. She then develops her ideas into plans for a final piece. I will take on her way of working when starting this unit.

She also showed us some of her previous works. We were taught how to use dissolvable fabric, which was a new technique for me to learn so I was very keen to learn this new way of working. Karen taught us to use the embroidery foot on the sewing machine to manoeuver around the fabric in order to build up the threads to make a solid final piece once the fabric had been dissolved. We also were shown how to trap fabrics and threads in the fabric by using the zig zag stitch on the sewing machine. This technique will prove to be useful for me as I plan to use it in my textiles unit.