TEXTILE AND APPAREL DESIGN COURSE DIRECTORY
Spring, 2009
Note: Check for additional special topics classes and other one-time only offerings. This list only includes regularly offered classes.
DS 153: Fabric and Apparel Structures I
Instructor: Maria Kurutz
DS 153 is an introduction to the physical and aesthetic properties of fiber and fabric and to the fundamentals of apparel structure in the context of apparel design. Lectures and studio projects explore the interrelationship of fabric, design and apparel construction as well as the creative and expressive potential of fabric. This foundation course begins with simple garment construction and progresses through sample work and two additional sewing projects. For the fourth and final project, students will combine their imagination and the knowledge and skills learned during the semester to create a jacket. Terminology and knowledge gained will be demonstrated verbally and in written form through class presentations, critiques and two exams.
Prerequisite: DS 120 or equivalent, or consent of instructor.Usually offered each Spring semester.
Course Fees: $35.00 (2009)
Fulfills: Pre-TAD curriculum requirement
DS 154: Fabric and Apparel Structures II
Instructor: Maria Kurutz
This course builds on the apparel construction skills and fabric knowledge developed in DS 153. Fabrics are analyzed for their suitability in relation to silhouette; target market and consumer end use. Particular emphasis on fabrics requiring special handling is included. Students will begin to learn about the design process by fabricating and constructing a collection/line of apparel for a specified individual and purpose. Advanced sewing techniques are emphasized in sample work, the construction of 3 garments for the collection and in testing patternwork from the tandem course, DS 253 Patternmaking for Apparel Design. This course also includes verbal and written development of design concepts, critiques, presentations and a written exam.
Prerequisite: Admittance to the Textile and Apparel Design Program and
concurrent registration of DS 253 (Patternmaking for Apparel Design).
Usually offered each Fall semester.
Course Fees: $30.00 (2009)
Fulfills: TAD studio requirement
DS 210: Fashion Illustration
Instructor: Varies
Introduction to visual communication of apparel design concepts using selected medial. Emphasis is on representing the fashion figure, with emphasis of figure, garment, fabric, texture and pattern.
Prerequisites: DS 120 or equivalent, DS 153 or concurrent registration, or permission of the instructor.
Usually offered Spring semester.
Course Fees: $20.00
Fulfills: TAD studio requirement
DS 225: Apparel I: Introduction to Apparel Design
Instructor: Carolyn Kallenborn
Apparel I introduces students to basic principles and elements of design as they apply to garments. Emphasizing both experimentation and construction, students develop visual vocabulary to expand possibilities in garment design. Students will be encouraged to analyze fashion and creatively solve practical problems while developing and executing original designs. This is a studio course. Course work will consist of multiple creative experimentations, a designer report and completed final garments.
Prerequisites: DS 253; taken concurrently with DS 225
Usually offered in the Spring semester
Course Fees: $30 (Spring ’09)
Fulfills: TAD studio requirement
DS 226: Textile Design: Off-loom Construction
Instructor: Diane Sheehan
This studio class provides a strong technical base in textile structures while connecting historical/cultural significance and relevance to contemporary art and design. The textile processes covered are pre-industrial and hand fabricated using only the simplest of tools. In many cultures these traditional processes were the basis for the earliest forms of object-making. Since this course serves art as well as design students, a wide range of approaches, both functional and expressive, will be encouraged. Connections may be made to other disciplines such as bookbinding, printmaking, woodworking, paper-making and metals. This course also builds on material culture, Native American and African art history and the contemporary interest in multi-cultural and alternative art forms. Course work includes learning a minimum of fifteen textile processes, two finished pieces and a research project using the resources in the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection, the Ruth Ketterer Harris Library, as well as other campus and community resources.
Prerequisites: DS 120 or equivalent, DS 153 (or concurrent registration), or consent of instructor.
Usually offered each Spring semester.
Course Fees (2009): $20.00 covers a wide variety of materials for sample making and experimentation. Cost for the course may total $50.00 depending upon materials chosen for finished projects.
Fulfills: TAD studio requirement
DS 227: Printing and Dyeing I
Instructor: Jennifer Angus
This course is an introduction to hand print and dye processes. Emphasis is put upon exploration and understanding pattern. Technique and the history of the following techniques will be introduced - indigo and other natural dyes, dip dyeing, batik, mechanical resists such as corn and potato dextrin, disperse dyes (for polyester) and silk-screen printing. Students will develop their skills in basic design principles such as developing a motif, spacing, scale, and colour.
Prerequisite: DS 120, DS 501 Introduction to Textile Design
Usually offered every Spring semester.
Course Fees: $40.00 - $50.00 (2009)
Fulfills TAD studio requirement
DS 228: Structural Enrichment I
Instructor: Mary Hark
This course explores traditional and experimental ways of altering and enriching the surface of pliable materials using techniques such as stitching, embroidery, beading, and in combination with painting mediums, and collage. The work begins with a series of exercises that introduce techniques and visual/tactile possibilities. Emphasis is on the surface treatment and its relationship to structure. Students will be encouraged to identify and pursue conceptual concerns. Readings, informal presentations and group and individual critiques support the work.
Prerequisites: Structural Enrichment 1 or instructor's permission
The class is usually offered every Fall semester.
Course Fees: $40.00 (2009)
Fullfills TAD studio requirement.
DS 229: Textile Design: Weaving I
Instructor: Diane Sheehan
This studio course is designed to provide a solid foundation in the technical and aesthetic aspects of loom weaving. Using both shaft and electronic dobby looms, students learn fifteen weave structures using a variety of fiber and yarn types. Through design assignments students gain an appreciation for the complex interplay of color, yarn quality, cloth structure and finishing processes, all of which contribute to the character of a hand-woven textile. Students also learn to draft patterns by hand and through the use of weave design software. In addition to woven samples, color studies and two original hand woven finished pieces are required. This course is offered each fall semester.
Pre-requisites: DS 120, DS 251 (or taking concurrently) or consent of instructor.
Course is usually offered every Fall semester
Course fee of $25.00 covers a wide variety of yarns available for all samples and color studies. Total cost for the course varies between $50 and $100 depending on the yarns chosen for finished projects.
DS 251: Textile Science
Instructor: Majid Sarmadi
This is a lecture course designed to help students develop an appreciation for science (including chemistry and physics) as applied to textiles; understand and be able to distinguish among various types of yarns and fabric structures; and the fundamental principles of coloring, finishing, and care of textiles. There are three exams.
Prerequisites: High school chemistry.The course is usually offered every Spring semester and sometimes in the summer. Course fees: NoneFulfills: TAD color requirement; Pre-Tad Curriculum requirement.
DS 253: Patternmaking for Apparel Design
Instructor: Maria Kurutz
The principles and theory of women’s apparel pattern development are explored in this course. Through demonstrations and assigned problems, students learn flat pattern and draping methods of developing patterns for a variety of bodices, skirts, sleeves, collars and facings. The principles of dart manipulation, contouring, added fullness, and the use of dart equivalents are covered. Patterns are tested in fabric in DS 154 Fabric and Apparel Structures II. The final project requires the development of a paper pattern and a sewn garment using the methods and techniques learned throughout the semester. There will be two opportunities for creative designs to be patterned and constructed in fashion fabric including the final assignment. Assignments, projects, critiques, presentations, design analysis and a written exam will demonstrate skills and knowledge learned.
Prerequisite: Admittance to the Textile and Apparel Design Program and
concurrent registration of DS 154 Fabric and Apparel Structures II.
Offered each Fall semester.
Course Fees: $75.00 (Fall 2009)
Fulfills TAD studio requirement
DS 327: Textile Design: Manual and Computer Generated Imagery
Instructor: Jennifer Angus
Textile Design: Manual and Computer Generated Imagery introduces students to both general and specialized use of Photoshop for textile applications. Students apply knowledge acquired in Introduction to Textile Design and/or Dyeing and Printing I to create repeat designs on the computer. Basic tools, filters, and patterning methods will be taught in order to adapt photographs, drawings and found materials to designs suitable for yardage. Students will be required not only to create designs digitally but also to make silkscreen positives and print their designs. Details of creating one, two and four colour prints will be covered.
Students will begin work on U4ia and/or Pointcarré, textile industry design softwares. They will create their own designs in gouache to be scanned in and manipulated in these programs. Colorways, creating repeats, presentation and texture mapping will all be covered, time allowing.
Prerequisite: DS 120, DS 501 Introduction to Textile Design and/or DS 227
Usually offered every Fall semester
Course Fee: $40.00 - $50.00 (2009)
DS 355: History of Fashion 1400-Present
Instructor: Beverly Gordon
This course surveys historic fashion in the western world from the Renaissance to the present day. We approach fashionable dress both as a form of aesthetic expression and as a form of cultural evidence reflecting the social/cultural milieu from which it grows (i.e., dress is treated as a window into the changing concepts, values, aspirations and events of its time). We thus consider changing belief systems; social, economic and political structures; technological developments; aesthetics; and historic individuals and events. We explore the contributions of selected fashion designers and the ways they relate to their times. We also look at cross-cultural influences, from early Orientalism in dress to fusion forms and the global circulation of present day “international cosmopolitan fashion;” and we look at fashion waste and the recycling of used clothing. Because the class considers fashion holistically, it is concerned not only with garments, but with cosmetics, the treatment (and perception) of the body, and manners and styles of movement. We also consider "anti-fashion" and ethnic and class variations. Students are expected to become familiar with concepts about fashion and dress, and to be able to apply them to various historical periods. They must learn to recognize, identify, and analyze the forms and functions of fashion in successive eras.
The class format is an informal lecture with some discussion, and participatory assignments. There are typically three exams. Lectures are augmented with slides, film clips, and actual examples of historic fashion. The class is coordinated with an interactive learn@UW website.
The class is usually offered every Spring semester. It is also being offered in Fall, 2009.
Prerequisites: None.
Course Fees: None
Fulfills: TAD History requirement
DS 360: Global Perspectives on Design and Culture
Instructor: Beverly Gordon
This class is intended to deepen cross- or inter-cultural understanding – both of design, and of diverse cultural realities. We explore ways in which reflects or “encodes” culture (social organization, belief systems, environmental needs); the ways cultures design objects to meet universal human needs such as seating, sleeping and carrying babies; the impacts of cross-cultural interface on people’s daily lives, and the global realities of the ways today’s designed items are produced and distributed. In this way, we address globalization issues through a design perspective. The course is intended for designers and non-designers alike, with the goal of helping all students raise their cross-cultural awareness and become more cognizant of the issues involved in design, international trade, and cultural interaction—issues that are critical in the 21st century. Designers should find it helps them broaden their approach to design issues and the design process, and become sensitized enough to cultural issues to be likely to ask appropriate questions (and find appropriate solutions) when confronted with future design problems.
The course considers “traditional” design in different cultural contexts and the ways selected cultures solve their universal design needs. The second half focuses on cross cultural encounters and interfaces and globalization and production issues. We complete the semester by looking at the kind of creative design solutions that are being explored as part of “massive change” movements of the 21st century.
The class format is participatory and asks that students be active learners. Classes usually involve discussion of readings, videos, websites, etc., mixed with informal lectures, guest speakers and videos. Students complete up to six outside activities that are based on the topics we are covering and write reports relating their experiences to class themes. There are also up to two exams that focus on class themes.
Prerequisites: DS 120 or equivalent or consent of instructor.
The class is usually offered every other year.
Course Fees: None
Fulfills: TAD History requirement
DS 425: Apparel II: Body Structures
Instructor: Carolyn Kallenborn
This course addresses the development and execution of garment designs by considering the expressive, structural and sculptural possibilities of apparel. Students examine sources of inspiration through concept, manipulation of materials and visual sources. Emphasis is on using the architecture and form of a garment to generate design ideas. Students will consider changes in silhouette and learn to think about the body as a three dimensional structure. Studio course work will consist of multiple creative experimentations and completed final garments.
Prerequisites: DS 501 (Intro to Textiles) and DS 154 or consent of instructor.
Usually offered every Spring semester.
Course fee: $30.00 (Fall ’09)
Fulfills: TAD studio requirement.
D.S. 427: Printing and Dyeing II
Instructor: Jennifer Angus
Entering into Dye and Print II, students have been introduced to most of the technical elements of the dyeing process. The focus of this course is upon silk-screen printing and ways of working and developing an approach to problem solving. Discharge, devore/burnout, and chemical resist, processes specific to screen printing, will be introduced. Students will be asked to explore, find alternative ways of producing images and develop conceptual ideas. Studio production, industry and business practice, will be discussed and demonstrated through readings, studio and in-class presentations.
Prerequisite: DS 120, DS 227, DS 327 recommended but not compulsory
Usually offered Spring semester.
Course Fee: $50.00
Fulfills: TAD studio requirement.
DS 428: Structural Enrichment 2
Instructor: Mary Hark
This course will build on the traditional and experimental ways of altering and enriching the surface of pliable materials started in Structural Enrichment 1. The work will begin with a series of exercises that will reconsider the technical possibilities while pushing students to identify formal and conceptual concerns specific to their own vision. Out of these exercises, individual projects will be identified. Apparel design, textile design, as well as sculptural and painterly ways of working with the surface of cloth will all be part of the mix. Readings, informal presentations and group and individual critiques will support the work.
Prerequisites: Structural Enrichment 1 or instructor’s permission
The class is usually offered every fall semester.
Course Fees: $20.00 (2009)
Fulfills: TAD studio requirement.
DS 429: Textile Design: Weaving II
Instructor: Diane Sheehan
This studio course aims to develop five skills identified by Jack Lenor Larson as essential to the success of every textile designer: observation, perception, analysis, and logic. Whereas Weaving I concentrated on fabrics for apparel, Weaving II considers the technical and aesthetic properties appropriate for furnishing fabrics. Course assignments are designed to refine the use of color, increase knowledge and sensitivity to yarn types and aesthetics, build a range of design resource materials, and expand the repertoire of weave structures. In addition to a series of design assignments and samples, two finished projects are required.
Prerequisite: DS 229 or consent of instructor
Weaving II is offered each Spring semester.
Course Fee: $25.00 (2009) covers most materials. Maximum cost might be $100 depending upon desired yarns.
DS 430: History of Textiles
Instructor: Beverly Gordon
This course introduces the student to the subject of textiles and the vitally important roles and meanings that they have played in cultures throughout the world. The course is organized into case study units, each focusing on a selected theme. Over the course of the semester, students will gain an understanding and appreciation of different types of textiles (everything from non-wovens to structurally complex fabrics to surface embellishment); textiles from different eras (ranging from archeological finds to developments of the present day); and textiles from different areas of the world. Both prestige textiles and domestic or folk traditions are considered. General overarching themes include the meanings of textiles (practical, social, political, economic, aesthetic, spiritual,); intercultural influences; and the relationship of textile design to technique, materials, and the environment.
Art historical, anthropological and historical approaches are combined, and the perspective of the maker–i.e., a consideration of the ways that textiles are actually put together–is always paramount. The class is designed to give students a body of information about historic textiles, and to provide them with tools of conceptual analysis and understanding. Hopefully they will also emerge with a deep appreciation for the inventiveness, vitality and creative energy that has gone–and continues to go–into the fiber medium. Classes consist of informal slide lectures and discussion, and students examine actual textiles whenever possible. There are typically two exams and two written assignments.
Prerequisites: None.
The class is usually offered in alternate years (once in two years), typically in the Fall. Course Fees: None
Fulfills: TAD History requirement
DS 451: Color Theory and Technology
Instructor: Majid Sarmadi
This lecture/lab course helps students become knowledgeable about color theory; develop a working vocabulary in the field of color science and technology; learn the scientific systems used to describe color; and be exposed to the current technology used by any industry to create, measure and classify color. It considers various factors affecting color measurement and perception, including the CIE standard observer and standard light sources. Different color ordering systems are covered, as are visual and instrumental color measurement, color matching, and color difference assessment. In addition to lab participation, there are two examinations and a term project is required.
Prerequisites: Quantitative A Analysis course.
Offered fall and spring; sometimes in the summer
Course Fees: None.
Fulfills: TAD color requirement; University Com. B requirement.
DS 464: Dimensions of Material Culture
Instructor: Varies
(Cross-listed with Art History and History)
This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of material culture studies. It is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in any professional endeavor related to material culture, including careers in museums, galleries, historical societies, historic preservation organizations, and academic institutions. During the semester, students have varied opportunities to engage with and contemplate the material world to which people give meaning and which, in turn, influence their lives. The course takes the perspective that what we make, see, inhabit, eat, acquire, cherish, and discard--all are important agents of communication and part of broad social and cultural contexts.
The class involves presentations from faculty members and professionals in the field; discussion of readings in the field; visits to collections and sites on campus; student presentations. Assignments include written responses to readings, lectures and exhibitions; a material culture project or project proposal; and student presentations.
Prerequisites: Two humanities courses.
The class is usually offered once a year in the Fall.
Course Fees: None
Fulfills: TAD History requirement
DS 501: Introduction to Textile Design
Instructors: Mary Hark, Carolyn Kallenborn, Jennifer Angus, Diane Sheehan
This survey course is an introduction to technical and conceptual ways of working in Textile Design. Students will participate in three five week modules: one module introducing print and dye concerns, one module in off-loom processes, and one module considering structural enrichment techniques. Each module will include a series of introductory exercises leading to a larger project. The work in each module will be supported by short readings and slide lectures highlighting historical and contemporary work.
Prerequisites: Structural Enrichment I or permission of instructor.
The class is offered every Fall semester.
Course Fees: $20.00 (2009)
Fulfills: Pre-TAD Curriculum requirement.
DS 501: Cloth to Clothing
Instructor: Carolyn Kallenborn
In this course, students will explore the unique possibilities that arise when combining hand made, dyed or manipulated fabrics with garment design. The class will introduce some specialty dye painting, manipulation and textile techniques that relate directly to clothing, Working with color, composition and fabric movement we will discuss simple garment shapes and how they can be used to frame or highlight expressive textiles. Studio course work will consist of creative textile experimentations and completed final garments.
Prerequisites: DS 501 (Intro to Textiles) and DS 154 or consent of instructor
Usually offered every year in Fall semester.
Course Fees: $30.00 (Spring ’09)
Fulfills: TAD studio requirement.
DS 501-2 Patternmaking for 3D Design
Instructor: Maria Kurutz
The principles and theory of 3D pattern development for accessories are explored in this course. Through demonstrations and assigned problems, students learn flat pattern methods to develop patterns for 3 units. The principles of dart manipulation, contouring, added fullness and the use of dart equivalents are applied to patterning various accessories including headwear, footwear and handbags. Each unit includes lessons on vocabulary of terms, construction methods, materials and patternmaking specifically used in the production of hats, bags and footwear. There is studio work for each unit involving creating basic slopers, original patterns and muslins and/or fashion fabric prototypes of the designs. The final project requires the development of a paper pattern and a constructed item using suitable materials for an original design using the methods and techniques learned throughout the semester.
Prerequisite: Admittance to the Textile and Apparel Design Program; DS 153
Offered each Fall semester.
Course Fees: $25.00 (Fall 2009)
Fulfills TAD studio requirement.
DS 512: Material Culture Analysis
Instructor: Beverly Gordon
(Cross-listed with Folklore)
This is a course concerned with things–with the artifacts that people make and use, and the meanings they hold in our lives. We explore the interaction between people and objects, considering the ways objects function as "players" or forces in our lives and serve as extensions of the self. We also examine the ways objects both shape and reflect the individuals and societies that make and use them, focusing on American culture. We consider a wide range of objects as cultural “evidence” –objects as diverse as furniture, tableware, clothing, cars, cooked foods, buildings, advertisements, and “junk” art;” and environments ranging from lawn decorations to supermarkets or cemeteries.
The course begins with an exploration of the objects in our lives--how and why we value them, what we do with them, etc. We consider topics such as collecting, souvenirs, and gift-giving, and how we personalize identical mass-produced objects to make them our own, or turn them into art works. Later we delve deeply into the material culture of the Cold War (“Populuxe;” 1950's) era and look at the evolution of the American cemetery and “deathways” practices as a marker of changes in American culture.
One of the primary goals of the class is that students hone their observational acuity and develop skill in interpretation, or material culture analysis. In order to be able to "read" or "decode" objects for insights and evidence about their makers and their times, students are taught specific techniques and methodologies with which to study artifacts. Over the course of the semester, they complete several different in-depth object-based analyses. There are typically five written analyses and another interview assignment over the course of the semester.
Prerequisites: Junior standing. Note: enrollment priority is given to students pursuing the Material Culture certificate
The class is usually offered every spring.
Course Fees: None
Fulfills: TAD history requirement.
DS 561: Textiles: Specifications and End Use Analysis
Instructor: Majid Sarmadi
A lecture class designed to help students develop the knowledge and expertise for analyzing and evaluating physical properties of textiles used for interiors and apparel. Students expand their understanding of factors affecting the comfort of textile fabrics, and learn to write specifications for design and production or purchase of fabrics and garments. They develop expertise in problem solving for textile products. There are three examinations.
Prerequisite: None.
The class is usually offered in the fall.
Course Fees: None.
Fulfills: May fulfill a general TAD requirement on some checksheets.
DS 568: Experimental Textile Design
Instructor varies: Mary Hark, Jennifer Angus, Carolyn Kallenborn.
The course focus varies from year to year, depending on the instructor.
The focus for spring 2009 will be Experimental Textile Design: Paper and Cloth
Using the physical properties of paper as an extension and compliment to the palette offered by fabric, students will conduct an investigation rooted in experimentation with materials and the conceptual possibilities that the work suggests. Hand papermaking techniques will be introduced, as well as a rigorous consideration of structure and surface possibilities particular to cloth. Emphasis will be placed on the development of skill, personal direction, and concept. Discussions of both historic and contemporary resources augment the course. Readings, informal presentations as well as group and individual critiques will support the work.
Prerequisite: None.
The class will be offered every other spring semester starting Spring 2009.
Course Fees: $40.00 (2009)
Fulfills: TAD studio requirement.
DS 640: Topics in Ethnographic Textiles
Instructor: Varies
(Crosslisted with Folklore)
Each time this class is offered, it focuses on technological, aesthetic, functional, and historical aspects the textiles of selected areas of the world: Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America or Native America. It is a participatory, advanced level course is taught in a seminar format, with active student participation and varying learning activities.
Prerequisites: DS 430 or consent of instructor.
The class is offered on occasion.
Course Fees: None.
Fulfills: TAD History
DS 655: Comparative World Dress
Instructor: Beverly Gordon
This class introduces the student to the multiple meanings of dress and body adornment in cultures throughout the world. A comparative approach is taken to the many forms, functions and meanings of dress in diverse cultural contexts; it as examined as a reflection of society, culture, and the environment, and as a form of aesthetic and spiritual expression. The primary focus is on “non-Western” dress, but fashionable Western forms of the present and past are discussed for comparative purposes, and folk dress and ethnic traditions within Western culture are examined in detail. The impact of cultural exchange on world costume is central to all discussion.
By the end of the semester students should develop a good understanding about the relationship between culture and adornment, and the many ways that dress is used to express and negotiate social, political, aesthetic and spiritual meaning. This is an active learning class with a discussion format, and there is considerable reading –both in written form and through website links. Assignments vary, but students may be asked to keep reading and observation journals; participate in a team project culminating in a presentation to the class; complete a report about an outside activity such as attending an exhibition or conducting personal interviews; or conduct independent research. There are typically also two exams.
Prerequisites: Junior standing.
The class is usually offered in alternate years (once in two years), typically in the Fall.
Course Fees: None
Fulfills: TAD History requirement
DS 691: Design Related Experiences: Oaxaca Connections
Instructor: Carolyn Kallenborn
This intercession class will provide a first-hand experience of the rich artistic and cultural heritage of ancient and modern Mexico. As a studio course, this study abroad experience presents an invaluable opportunity to create work while being immersed in cultures, both ancient and modern, that are strikingly different from our own.
The course begins with inspiration: experiencing and recording the colors, sounds, and patterns that play a predominant role in Mexican culture and history. Students will then spend time in Oaxaca in home studios with local artists and designers to create expressive artwork and contemporary designs using the techniques and technology in each studio.
Students will participate in two four-day workshops. They will choose between Garment/Weave Design with a small scale production weaver or Collage Workshop with an internationally known Oaxacan artist for one of the workshops. All students will participate in Natural Dyeing and Tapestry Weaving. Each student will create at least one design that would be suitable for reproduction and sale to a U.S. market. The work from the class may be presented in an exhibition in a campus or downtown gallery during spring semester. Studio Course. Students will produce three finished pieces, a sketchbook and photos.
Prerequisite: DS 120 or consent of instructor.
Offered winter intercession, some years
Fulfills TAD studio requirement.