Sophie Daniels
Textiles
I am a multi disciplinary textile designer, focusing this project on creating delicate and intricate, tactile interior designs to support those in end-of-life care settings and the visually impaired.
Final year project
Langdon Lane
Close Up Grass Panel Detailing
Part of the signature design within the collection is a handheld, tactile, interactive sound cube which allows patients to explore the benefits of nature from the comfort of their room or bed. This panel is replicating grass surfaces and textures through hand-tufting processes and embroidery using cotton yarn, which is further embedded with conductive thread. When interacting with each side of the cube, sounds of nature can be heard.
Ceramic Braille Tiles
As part of the collection, ceramic Braille tiles have been created as wall art and means of wayfinding. By using a variety of surface textures, the tiles encourage tactile interaction and exploration. Raised Braille dots has been embedded into the tile surface to form words, making up phrases and quotes that can then be read haptically whilst also looking like a visually appealing piece.
Braille Expantex
Reflective quotes about the emotive feelings towards my Grandparent's Garden have been transcribed into Braille using heat reactive expantex onto delicate, translucent silk chiffon. With each hand-painted dot being raised in texture, it allows those who rely on haptic touch to understand and 'see' the piece through their own tactile method of communication.
Close Up Braille and Embroidery 'Sound Cube' Detailing
Upon each side of the tactile interactive sound cube, Braille has been transcribed using digital embroidery to describe the area of nature and garden that the panel is representing. For example, this panel reads "fields" and includes grassy tufted textures and bumpy surface French knots. This allows for even those patients with limited sight, who rely on Haptic Touch, to be able to interact with the sound cube.
Honesty Plant Inspired Tufted Screen
A close up image of the two-sided hand knotted and tufted screen on chiffon. Using 100% cotton yarns, gentle and delicate blending of the threads creates an ombré effect which can be seen from both the front and the back of the design. Traditional tufting techniques have been modified to allow me to create effects such as these. The piece has been inspired by the transparency layering effect of Honesty plants from the initial photographic research for this project.
Three dimensional and Digital Embroidery Detailing On Sound Cube
Each panel of the interactive sound cube has its own unique tactile embroidery design, composed of a combination of hand embroidery processes, digital embroidery techniques and three-dimensional embellishments. This is a close up image of the 'grass' embroidery panel.
Interior Draping Jacquard Fabric Design
Subtle moss green and cream cotton yarns have created this digitally woven Jacquard design. Finished with tactile floats, this honesty plant fragmented design is calming in its visual effect. Jacquard fabric designs have been incorporated into the collection to add a sense of comfort and colour to the interior, removing any clinical connotations to the space.
Water Effect Hand Embroidery
Within each unique panel, every embroidery design will be different. Here is an example of how I have replicated through smooth linear ripple effect lines, the soothing power of water. Patients are able to use their hands to flow over the piece to feel the variety of surface textures.
Sophie Daniels
Final year project
Langdon Lane
Work Experience
Claire Austin England is a bespoke bridal headwear designer, creating beautifully intricate handmade ceramic and wire designs. During my time there, I learnt the highly delicate handcraft techniques of clay moulding, veining, and wiring. I was able to witness and partake in the design process, starting at the initial design consultation with clients through to completion. I was given the opportunity to design and develop my own piece which formed part of the collection.
Hawthorne and Heaney are a custom, bespoke embroidery company based in London. Throughout my time there, I developed my own personal embroidery skills, learning new techniques such as Gold Work and monogramming. I was able to work within a small team and develop prototypes and embroidery packs for their additional company ‘London Embroidery School’. I was given the opportunity to develop my own collection of interior embroidery samples for the company.