Les Nymphéas – Trees Reflections

2016 Juried Exhibition, International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA), Vancouver, Canada

co-designed with Mia (Mikyoung) Whang (2nd designer), Centenary University, Hackettstown, NJ

Techniques: Dyeing, Couching, Felting
Fabrics: 100% Wool Gabardine (black)

Roving: 100% Merino wool (black)

Dye: Kool-Aid ®

Undyed yarns: bouclé (54% mohair, 23% silk, 18% wool, 5% nylon), superwash double-knit weight (100% Merino wool), and Peruvian Highland bulky (100% wool).

The inspiration of this coat came from the colors and serene feelings created by the branches of weeping willow as they fuse into the water in the painting, Les Nymphéas (Water Lily) by Claude Monet. The purpose of the design was to incorporate Monet’s unique artistic interpretation of nature to surface design elements in conjunction with custom dyeing. Yarns were dyed in different shades of blues, blue greens, and blue violets with different flavored drink mix.

Instead of traditional knitting or crocheting, yarns were machine couched onto the black wool gabardine. After cutting out main pieces of redingote silhouette, yarns were machine stitched individually to create somewhat of an ombré effect marking the swirly brushstroke lines. The loose ends of yarns at the hemline are felted with added black wool roving. Carefully controlled yarn application created soft movement of artist’s brushstrokes; while the textural transition of the felted hemline created the willow reflection harmonizing into the water.