Electroluminescent Wire Weaving
Moe Kim
Graduate 2019, Bachelor Textile & Fashion
If anything went wrong along the way, what did you do?
My goal was to experiment with the colours, structure, combinations and proportions of Electroluminescent wire (EL) in woven textiles. If something went wrong during the preparatory warping and threading stage, I would do it all over again. During the weaving process itself, you can’t really make a wrong decision; you just keep testing to find out the best result.
Materials:
Mainly weft yarn (I used Italian mohair yarn and many other yarns collected over the years that were purchased or gifted to me from friends), electronic wires (you can find them in second-hand shops, in bins, and ask friends), electroluminescent wire.
Tools / Techniques:
Weave-point software to make weave structure, Dobby loom, connected to compute, hand-weaving technique.
Workshops:
KABK Textiles
Steps:
Decide colour scheme
Collect materials according to colour scheme
Make brief sketch of design
Make detailed sketch with weave structure / gage / yarn combinations
Prepare warp for small scale sample
Set up loom
Set up the weave structure on the software
Begin to weave with plan
Observe what can be done
Adjust by selecting what combination looks nice (trust your eyes)
Health and Safety Precautions
Weaving can make you forget to eat and drink. Make sure you set an alarm so you can take a few 5-minute breaks during a weaving session. Since you will be sitting for long hours, it is very important to do some stretching and have some fresh air.
This recipe is part of Touching: A Research Method in Art and Design, an exhibition curated by architect and KABK tutor Laura van Santen, featuring the materials and research of students, tutors and workshop instructors from the KABK.
More information on the display, all samples and recipes can be found here.