“By 2050 it is estimated that there will be one working individual per three pensioners.”
This project focuses on how the skills, knowledge and expertise of a local retired workforce can be utlised by a new generation of designers to create authentic handcrafted products. Integrating the traditional crafts and manufacturing techniques, adopted in historical furniture Guilds. By adopting the role of both a designer maker and designer manager I have been able to gather a group of highly skilled retired individuals who mentored me throughout my project – focusing primarily on the quilting, woodturning, upholstery and joinery aspects of the product as a whole. THREAD is made from calico a traditional fabric that has been layered in a particular fashion to create an increate patterning system. This is then accentuated through the hand stitched quilting arrangement. The upholstery is then draped on a turned Ash structure and secured using identical Ash toggles. The framework is finished with the option of a tinted or clear matte lacquer. |