MONSTER HAIRCUT & LANTERN REVIEW

The Carnival Lantern is finally finished, its taken a lot longer than initially planned and its been a really long journey to get here, but we made it! And after making and hanging the sari hanging inside, to jingle subtly above the viewers head, all that was left was a little trim of the ruffle to get that massive Monster ready for its big moment.

I have encountered many new things whilst making the lantern. Having never made anything except sample collections this was a huge, ambitious project. It took a lot of trial and error, a lot compromise and determination, and patience. I required the help of different technicians and collaborated with the metal department, Mark in particular, on the frame work. I have experienced and learnt so much about different disciplines and achieved things I could never have imagined at the start of this year. From working in KnitDesign and editing files, to what felt like a crash course in metal works, talking screw size and mm and carrying pieces of steel bigger than myself, to finishing off doing what I love most, hand crafting the panels to make one heavy, huge, decorative, sensory overloaded, piece of knitting.

I felt more detached from process of the lantern, the power knit files were edited and ready early on in the year and that whole process involves less emotional attachments because its not physically made in my hands. The panels were knitted whilst I was making The CactEye Collection and therefore my main focus was elsewhere. The domestic panels took a considerable amount of time and attention but this was also at the time of the New Designers Selection, I was editing the film and organising finals bit of The CactEye Collection whilst working on making the 12 panels. I feel a huge sense of satisfaction and reward having completed the lantern, but while reflecting over both final pieces The CactEye Chair definitely has my heart.