Master of Science / Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design / Sherry J. Haar / This study was based on the concept of slow design, proposed after the slow food movement. The idea of slowing down production processes and increasing product quality and value suggests an antidote to the fast cycle of the fashion industry. Slow design supports two principals, inheriting tradition and maintaining eco-efficiency, which guided this project. Inheriting tradition is an expression that explores ways to sustain lost art and traditional heritage in our daily lives, as well as develop products that establish personal meaning for the consumer. Maintaining eco-efficiency of product production involves utilization of eco-friendly materials and sustainable approaches to aid in developing a healthier and cleaner ecosystem. The overall goal of this design research was to celebrate and sustain the spiritual and material civilization of the Chinese culture by creating a modern artistic interpretation of Chinese traditional arts using an environmentally conscious approach that was applicable to apparel design. This research created modern surface design on a group of garments from traditional Chinese Su Xiu embroidery, physical resist techniques, and natural dyes. This practice-based research utilized the paradigm of naturalistic inquiry to guide the stages of this project. A progressive design process was adopted in response to the unexpected events in the final artifact development. In the design exploration stage, a color library was created to provide the color story for the final artifacts. Basic Su Xiu embroidery stitches and traditional physical resist techniques were sampled with selected flosses and fabrics. Various samples were critiqued and analyzed to develop three unique techniques from characteristics of traditional Chinese Su Xiu embroidery, physical resist techniques (Zha Jiao, Feng Jiao, pole- wrapping, and Jia Xie), using natural dyeing techniques with woad and madder. Natural dye findings included using madder to overdye woad to adjust or reverse colors and that woad overpowered the effects of iron and acid premordants. The outcome resulted in a water-inspired series of three garments that showed evidence of simplified traditional techniques with reduced production time, energy, and dyeing material while encompassing elements of traditional art using a modern aesthetic. The designs and process were presented in a public exposition.

BEGINNING MIDDLE AND is a project that takes a textile approach to explore repeated pattern and the ongoing. This paper, being a part of this project, is describing and discussing the potentiality of using notions such as softness, folds and ongoingness to widen the views on what a craft practice can be and do. This raises questions about the relevancy of ideas such as finished and the one piece, in a craft context. Based on the properties of a resist dyeing technique, the paper puts the fold in relation to pattern and modularity. It wants to discuss what a fold is and how ideas of folding and unfolding could engage with process based artistic work. Constantly shifting between perspectives and looking for overlaps, the text then touches upon paradoxes and dilemmas found when unfolding the systems and the unruliness that together form the work. Looking at acts of unfinishing, it tries to understand the fascination and the fear that is triggered by incompleteness. The beginning is a wish to enhance the complexity of my craft practice, and to expand the understanding of it. But realizing the difficulties in doing so, the reasoning eventually ends up at the challenging task to break free from your own habits, trying to find a new beginning.