Borre Akkersdijk, who graduated from Design Academy Eindhoven last year, worked in the TextielLab to produce knitted textiles that are padded with a filler thread. The result is a range of ‘stuffed’ garments, including trousers, a parka, a cape and a jacket. When the pattern components emerge from the machine they are ready-made.
The fabric’s patterns are derived from an old kilim, which had belonged to a favourite aunt who recently died. This rug was woven by hand, so it exhibits crooked lines, irregularities and the marks of age, features that Borre imitated in the digital conversion. It is like his personal signature in an otherwise industrial product.
Borre Akkersdijk experimented with the production of thickly padded knits on the large circular knitting machine in the TextielLab. The machine was specially fitted with so-called padding mangle for this project, making it possible to produce knits that are padded out with filler threads. The investigation focused on the knitting of lengths of cloth in which the pattern components are filled out. The edges of each section remain attached, so the padding remains inside when the pattern components are cut from the base. Finishing is no longer necessary.
The first test, with just a sleeve, pointed in the right direction immediately. He then carried out colour tests on the actual pattern, a hand-drawn kilim motif. How do the colours mix together and to what extent must they vary and follow the pattern? He eventually decided to knit the garments in colour mixes, because this renders the fabric more lively and exciting.
More info on the artist: www.byborre.com
The exhibition can be seen until September 2011.www.textielmuseum.nl