Kingston University Degree Show - Product & Furniture Design

Some very good and motivating work at the degree show at Kingston University! Lots of things to look forward to next week (well, mostly hard work and challenges)

WIP Day 2: Wheel throwing pottery

So.... I went to Tiranti in central to get some earthenware clay because they are smoother, more suitable for throwing.

I got this one at the end: http://www.tiranti.co.uk/EdgeImpactShop/subcatdivision.php?Division=369&Content=Earthstone+Extra+Smooth+

It was very different to the terracotta clay and it actually threw me off a little so it took me a while to get used to the difference in the density.

It was much easier to control the wall, but I still can't quite pull the wall up properly...

 The top one on the left is obviously the trial ... it was the result of a failed attempt to savage it after it was spiraling out of control...

The second try (on the right) was going ok until one side sort of flopped to the side, but the wall thickness was quite even all the way around...

I was actually quite pleased with my 3rd attempt, I managed to pull up a higher wall than the terracotta pot from yesterday without messing it up. I think it just needs more clay if I wanted to pull it any higher because the previous one started getting too thin when I tried to pull it higher. Also I was pulling it in my on way because I tried the ways other people's done it and it just didn't work for me...

Handmade Paper

I've wanted to try making my own paper for a while now but never really had a reason to do it for. Now that it's the end of year, I thought it would be good to try making some to go as the cover for my portfolio. Hopefully they will turn out OK!

First, tear up scrap paper and soak in a tub of water.

When the paper has been soaked through, put it in a blender and blend it until it turns into pulp. (I added in a bit of plain flour under the suggestion of my friend)

Drain out the water through a sieve or if you have window screen that will work too!

I laid it out onto a piece of foil (for easier handling)

I patted the pulp down into a rectangle slightly smaller than I wanted, laid a piece of table cloth over it and sponged off the excess water, then got a glass bottle and rolled it out more flat and this will push the pulp to spread out more. 

WCFM Tour in Manchester - Burgess Beds

Just came back from a very exciting trip to Manchester visiting industrial factories in furniture making.
On the second day we went to visit Burgess Beds - handmade mattresses and beds manufacturer, we learnt a lot of things about mattresses that we never even thought of before, although we sleep on one for almost half our lives.

A sample of all the fillings inside a mattress - something we always see but never pay much attention to.

I was fascinated by this machine made specially to stitch the seam on mattresses. It was attached the a table with a track for the machine to go around the perimeter of the mattress laid onto the table.

The 'pom poms' used to string through all the layers within the mattress, to keep all the fillings inside in place.

Another special machine made just for the making of mattresses - to compress it to put the pom poms through.

Pocket strings - comes in a row(?!) so it springs open uncontrollably when you open it so be careful.

All the organic materials that goes into the mattress for different levels of firmness. (Never knew what actually goes into the mattress, always thought it would just be some sort of foam.)

And ending it with a very nice illustration in their showroom.