Seamless Form 1
A seamless form woven in one piece.
Constructed like a garment that is usually sewn by machine; but darts, pleats and pockets have been translated into a weave. The whole pattern is woven flat and receives its shape through further hand work.
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To convert the 2D weave into a 3D form, further hand work is needed. By pulling parts of the warp threads out of the weave, specific space within the structure is eliminated. This results in diverse shapes that form the final object.
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Seamless Form 1 (1-4):
Herringbone weave (60/10cm),
Warp 100% silk, weft 50% wool 40% viscose 10% cashmere
Development of Form:
Getting weave off the loom (1)
Pulling yarns (2)
Seamless Form 2
This is a form created for an individual body. While weaving the unique curves of this mannequin were studied and added to the fabric. This results in a seamless sculpture perfectly fitted.
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Seamless Form 2 (5-10):
1/3 Twill
100% British Wool (Romney Tweed)
Development of weave pattern design (11)
Weave on machine being formed (12)
Please find on this page a selection of Sven Steinmetz's sculptural textile work. It is presented in three sections:
Seamless Form 1
Seamless Form 2
Form Samples
Form Samples
A mechanical adjustment of the loom allows the shaping of the textile directly while weaving. This helps to eliminate waste and processes of sewing to create forms.
Here it takes place on a sample size scale for the development of prototypes, showing the versatility of this technique. These samples illustrate how new forms can be created, opposed to the traditional way of using seams. This is due to being able to control every thread singularly and therefore shaping the fabric itself.
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Samples 13-16: Twill weave, 100% silk
Sample 17: Twill weave, warp 100% silk, weft 100% merino wool
Sample 18: Twill weave, warp 100% silk, weft mohair / unknown (pink), 100% silk (graphite)
Sample 19: Twill + plain weave, warp 100% silk, weft mohair / unknown