'STRAWBERRY FIELDS'​

​

Recently, there has been much conversation involving British farmers and the security of our farmland. Having always been surrounded by Kent countryside, agriculture has always been an integral part of my upbringing and holds much importance to me; Spring lambing season, Summer strawberry fields (the local farms being big suppliers for Wimbledon!), local breweries, vineyards and the celebration of apple harvest in Autumn. I wanted to create a piece that encapsulated the beauty of the changing seasons, that have always provided me with so much inspiration, and convey my appreciation for our farmers and the produce they work so hard for to provide. I wanted to champion the treasure that is British grown produce, through traditional British craftmanship.

Wool is one of the UK’s greatest resources, a natural biproduct with endless potential, that isn’t appreciated or used enough, in my opinion; therefore, I utilised British Shetland wool within the design and a variety of felting techniques, to showcase the amazing versatility of wool. Another brilliant property of wool is its absorbency and ability to dye, so I wanted to create something eye-catching and vibrant to showcase this.

I wanted to take the opportunity to practise the newly learnt skills I have adopted during my QEST millinery apprenticeship and also experiment with unfamiliar felting methods; leading to the integration of a traditional felt blocked bandeau as the base of the design and using needle and wet felting methods to make the berries and leaves for the trim. 

I wanted to achieve a sense of realism, by blending felt to create light and shade and being free with how the physical design came together; I wanted the strawberries to cascade down effortlessly, to imitate how they naturally grow. Variety was key to achieving a natural feel to the piece, so it features strawberries of inconsistent shapes and at different stages of growth. I used freehand embroidery for the veins of the leaves to create a sketched effect, giving them a sense of movement and life, and curled the quills to climb wildly upwards, adding extra height, drama and dynamism.

I used beads to give subtle glints of sparkle, to make the fruits look dazzling and juicy, advertising the appeal of British produce and using light to add extra liveliness within the piece.

I wanted to use pre-existing materials that I had, where possible, to be considerate of sustainability; I used silk offcuts for the flowers and the lining, beads recovered from broken necklaces for the blackberries, vintage stamens and the felt for the bandeau was blocked from the spare edge of a used felt hood. 

Through researching, experimenting and exploring new felting methods in designing and making this piece, I have developed many new skills that I will take forward with me. I particularly enjoyed combining these newfound felting skills with my flower making knowledge, discovering new ways to create flower buds and sculpt shapes with wool.