Design Situation

Copy and paste this to your wikifolio
The ThreadBanger network is a landing point for people who want to create and discover their own style through alternative fashion: recycling, up-cycling and re-fashioning anything and everything with simple sewing tools and techniques. From our episodes, forum and blog, to our newsletter, contests and viewer-take-overs, ThreadBanger is a multi-media network for people who want to share their passion for DIY, fashion and crafting with each other. ThreadBanger is a place to share ideas, tips and advice and help make the world more fashionable, ThreadBanger style!

You have recently been hired to join the ThreadBanger team. Your first project is to design and create a simple furnishing item such as a cushion to enhance an area of your house. The ThreadBanger boss has asked that you look at an area in your home that is a little plain, drap or needs jazzing up and create a simple piece of soft furnishing to be made from textile materials and making use of two or more fabric decoration techniques. You have been allocated a budget of $30 so you may consider using recycled materials to keep the cost to a minimum.

The company boss has asked you to keep a video of you making this furnishing item so that it can be edited and included on their video tutorial page. The video needs to show the preparation, steps of construction and final product in a maximum 3 minute funky video to encourage viewers to undertake the project themselves. (This video will be uploaded to the Production page of your wikifolio)

You may like to look at the ThreadBanger website before you commence your project.
http://www.threadbanger.com

Design Brief

For you to do on your wikifolio:

Copy and paste this to your wikifolio and fill in the blanks
To design, produce and evaluate a home-furnishing cushion for the an area of your home, the item is to be made from textile materials and make use of at least two forms of fabric decoration.
You also need to create a step by step instruction video to be included on the ThreadBanger website.

Key Words

For you to do on your wikifolio:

Identify the all of key words of the design brief and find out what each word means in this context. You may like to use this online dictionary to help. Below is an example:

Design: to plan, draw or conceive an idea in the mind.
Produce: to bring into existence. In this project it means to make.
Fashionable: observant of or conforming to the fashion; stylish.
Soft: yielding readily to touch or pressure; easily penetrated, divided, or changed in shape.
Style: a particular kind, sort, or type, as with reference to form, appearance, or character.
Decoration: something used for decorating; adornment; embellishment.
Create: to cause to come into being, as something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes.
Textile: any cloth or goods produced by weaving, knitting, or felting.
Techniques: the manner and ability with which an artist, writer, dancer, athlete, or the like employs the technical skills of a particular art or field of endeavor.
Evaluate: to determine or set the value or amount of.

Limitations

For you to do on your wikifolio:

Define the term 'limitation'

Limitation- the assignment of a period of time within which an action must be brought, or the period of time assigned.
Explain 4 limitations you have identified for this project.

The Cost- Maximum amount is $30.
Time- Has to be finished before Term 2 week 3.
Equipment- How much of the tools you need to use is available. e.g There might not be enough sewing machines.
Techniques- How much you know about sewing a cushion.

Criteria for Success

At the beginning of any project you must set a criteria to make sure your product/project is successful. This will be one way of evaluating whether you have satisfied the brief at the end of the project. The criteria you set needs to be clear and be able to be seen at the end of the project.

Examples of a design criteria:

Needs to be completed by the deadline (make sure you include the deadline!)
Must cost less than $30 to produce.

For you to do on your wikifolio:

You need to set 5-6 design criteria for this project.
Make sure to consider the time allocation, your personal budget, materials to be used, tools, decoration, and the users of your product in your criteria.

Wikifolio must be finished by Term 2 Week 3.
Have to make a cushion.
Made out of textile materials.
Must be decorative and aesthetically pleasing.
Cost less than $30.
If it is suppose to be an aesthetic cushion, then make sure it looks pretty, and if it isn't an aesthetic cushion, then make sure you make it comfortable for people to lie on it.

Factors Affecting Design

For you to do on your wikifolio:

Copy and paste the list of factor affecting design to your folio.
Write a definition for each factor.
Indicate next to each factor if it needs to be considered for this project. Why/why not?

Function- the kind of action or activity proper to a person, thing, or institution; the purpose for which something is designed or exists; role.
Aesthetics- the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty. Considered- To get a good mark, it has to look nice.
Human form- The physical form of the human body. Considered- We need our fingers and some other parts of our body to make our cushion.
Scale- a succession or progression of steps or degrees; graduated series. Considered- To figure out what size you want the cushion to be.
Ergonomics- The applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. Considered- We need to design and manufacture the cushion.
Ethical- being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice. Considered- We need to follow the rules to how to sew.
Environmental- the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences. Considered- The things we use to make the cushion come from the environment.
Legislation- The act of making or enacting. Considered- We are making something (cushion).
Cost- the price paid to acquire, produce, accomplish, or maintain anything. Considered- You don't want to buy too many things that are expensive, and the maximum we are allowed to use is $30.
Socio-cultural- A combination of different cultures. Not Considered- We don't need to know about cultures to design a cushion. But if you want to design a cushion that relates to your culture, then it is needed.
Resources availability- If the resources are available or not. Considered- You need to know what materials you need to use and how much because if you don't have the right materials, you might make your cushion look bad.
Physical and material properties- How much material is required to make the cushion. Considered- You need to measure how big you want your cushion to be and how much of the fabric you need to use and make sure you cut the right amount you need, because if you cut the wrong amount, one side of the cushion might be bigger than the other when you stitch them together and then you will have to waste time to unpick it.
Safety- the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss. Considered- You have to be careful where you are cutting and how you are holding the materials, because if you are holding it wrong such as the scissors, you could trip over something on the ground and stab someone, or maybe even stab yourself. If you are using the sewing machine, you have to be careful not to put your fingers too close to the needle, because you can stitch your fingers onto your fabric and it would hurt a lot.

1. Observation and Critical Analysis