Fabric manipulation through 3D printing – coffee beans

Experiment

Technology

Traditional

Using a white PLA 3D printing filament and a 3D printing pen this sample explores traditional fabric manipulation techniques through the use of technology. I used a super stretch tan mesh fabric as the base material and 3D printed an organic yet structural motif pattern inspired by coffee beans. Using an embroidery hoop the mesh was stretched and secured for the 3D printing to be done using the pen. Layers were printed on the top side of the material and once complete the sample was flipped and using the pen again the designs were sealed and secured from the back. This uses the same concept as the 3D printer where the filament seeps through the holes in the mesh and bonds to itself.

Material

Experimental materials
Fiber
Plastics and resins

Craft

Printing
Textiles

General Technique

Combining
Forming and shaping
Structural modifying

Specific Technique

The fabric was put into an embroidery hoop and stretched at full tension and as taught as it can be. Then using the 3D printing pen and a white PLA filament the line motifs of coffee beans were outlined using a few layers to create the low relief design. After the top layer of the design was complete the sample was flipped the back and the 3D printing elements were sealed with one layer of filament securing them to the material just like how it would have been attached with the 3D printer. Once the sample is released from the embroidery hoop the mesh bounces back to its original tension and
where the 3D printing elements are hold their place manipulating and warping the surface of the materials creating an alternative method to traditional fabric manipulation and smocking techniques.

Properties & Qualities

Application

Art Sample Making

Colour

Green White Violet

Sample Information

Date of creation

April 2021

Dimensions

Width 21.5cm x Height 24cm

Weight

14g

Culture & Context

I have been working as a part time barista for the past 18 months while also pursuing my textiles career. In this time, I have fallen in love with the process of making coffee however there is a huge amount of waste that comes with it. Through this project I wanted to see how many ways I could utilise waste from the coffee industry and turn it into a new/ experimental material or process.

This particular sample was also inspired by the previous experiments and testing I have done on fabric manipulation using a 3D printing pen. I took a similar approach as the hexagons and created basic line drawings of coffee beans and broke them down to create similar warps and manipulation to the mesh.

Process & Production

The fabric was put into an embroidery hoop and stretched at full tension and as taught as it can be. Then using the 3D printing pen and a white PLA filament the coffee beans were outlined using a few layers to create the low relief design. After the top layer of the design was complete the sample was flipped the back and the 3D printing  elements were sealed with one layer of filament securing them to the material just like how it would have been attached with the 3D printer. Once the sample is released from the embroidery hoop the mesh bounces back to its original tension and where the 3D printing elements are hold their place manipulating and warping the surface of
the materials creating an alternative method to traditional fabric manipulation and smocking techniques.

Recipe Details

Then fabric is stretched in an embroidery hoop at full tension as tight as it can go.

Using a 3D printing pen (Intelligent 3D pen model: SL-300) the designs were draw
onto the mesh at 180oc using a white PLA printing filament.

After the front layer of the material has been printed on with the pen the sample is
flipped and secured from the back.

When the sample is removed from the hoop it bounces back to its original shape
however the 3D printed sections hold the tension where they were printed wrapping
and manipulating the fabric.

Credits

Craft Maker

Amy Kerr (AK Textiles)

Library Contributor

National College of Art & Design Ireland

Photographer

Amy Kerr

Practitioner

Amy Kerr

Other materials from this practitioner

Mockleno BeeBums 3D Printed

The weft of this sample is a fine Tunisian silk that is a golden honey colour.

Striped manipulations with a double cloth weave.

Using the wool warp dyed with waste coffee

Double cloth weave with stripes with tubes filled with wool fibres as wadding.

This sample is a double cloth weave exploring the possibilities with tubes and wadding.

Double cloth weave with stripes using repurposed green bean coffee bags as yarn.

Series of woven samples inspired by the coffee industry

Double cloth weave with block colours and stripes to create pockets that are filled with
roasted coffee beans.

Woven samples inspired by the coffee industry

Double cloth weave with block stripes to create tubes that are filled with roasted coffee
beans.

A double cloth weave set was used to create a series of woven samples inspired by the coffee industry

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