Our latest newsletter and press articles

Feburary 2021

AUT to host ArcInTex Network Symposium

The Textile and Design Lab, in association with AUT’s School of Future Environments, will be hosting the ArcInTex Network Symposium (Architecture, Interaction, Textiles), which will bring together researchers, academics and postgraduate students from across the world to discuss current issues, research and opportunities for collaboration around the theme of Future Living Environments. The event will be held on 8 - 9 April 2021 at AUT, linking to a virtual conference platform, to include international presenters and a global audience. The program will include discussion panels, an online exhibition with an associated forum to discuss the work, and a PhD student forum. TDL students and researchers interested in participating should access the call for participation using this link.

2021 Short courses and workshops

Dates for our 2021 short courses and workshops have now been finalised and details will be available on the TDL website during the first week of March. This year, the first round will be held in late June/early July during the mid-year break. Email us with your enquiry.

Case studies

The TDL will be launching ten new case studies next month covering a range of projects conducted with research partners and students. Textile Design graduate, Sia Ngata, has been interviewing the lab’s partners during the summer months having been awarded a summer studentship to compile the studies.

Changing Threads 2021

AUT colleagues, Frances Joseph and Donna Cleveland, will be exhibiting their textile art creation entitled ‘Maungawhau (Mt Eden) Ecoprint’ at the forthcoming Changing Threads 2021 exhibition in Nelson, which runs from 26 February until 20 March. The ancient volcanic cone of Maungawhau, whose name in Maori means the mountain of the whau tree, is also known by its English name as Mt Eden. The eco-prints in this work are made from plants collected in Mt Eden: biblical plants such as grape vines, olives and pomegranate, New Zealand plants including manuka, pohutukawa and whau, and exotic plants from around the world such as eucalyptus. The backdrop was digitally printed with the artists’ sketches of New Zealand birds onto silk georgette then needle-felted onto merino wool.

^{Frances and Donna’s work in progress (left) and the finished piece (right)}

Master of Creative Technologies student, Dan Collings, also had his entry selected for the same exhibition. His work comprises of a collection of 4 colour jacquard knitted artworks that he produced on the lab’s Shima Seiki intarsia machine. The wall hangings depict the changing landscape around Auckland's once iconic St James’ Theatre. ‘The tapestry reflects the theatre in the 1940's, then the 1980's and finally to today where it has almost entirely been demolished except for a section of the front wall’, says Dan. Read more.

^{Frances and Donna’s work in progress (left) and the finished piece (right)}

TDL support for award winning Electrical Engineering student

Final year Bachelor of Engineering student and recipient of the Best Project award, Suavira Va’ai, has been working with the lab’s Research and Development Technician, Jyoti Kalyanji, to develop heated gloves for Antarctic researchers who are exposed to extremely cold conditions. Heating elements comprising of carbon fibre are integrated into the glove through which controlled current is passed. Suavira also assisted in developing a new research direction with commercial possibilities that involves utilising carbon nanotube conductors in conjunction with merino wool. ‘This process will open up additional possibilities for machine knittable conductors that can be used in various wearable electronic applications’, says her supervisor and Senior Lecturer, Craig Baguley.

Student exhibition

Master of Design student, Mette Hay, who has worked extensively with the Textile and Design Lab throughout her studies, is exhibiting her work at the St Paul Street Gallery 2 from 17 February – 3 March. Her exhibition, entitled ‘You are hear – A Muriwai Symphony’, includes digitally printed fabrics and felted wool materials, which she has combined to create some amazing effects. Read more about Mette’s work.

^{Master of Design student, Mette Hay}

50 shades of pink to call out bullying

The TEU (Tertiary Education Union) is doing its bit to raise awareness of bullying by organising yarn bombing events at three of the AUT campuses during March. They are looking for willing hand knitters to contribute. Anyone interested in offering their support, please email julie.douglas@aut.ac.nz The deadline for contributions is 10 March.