Help batting under a bike shirt to create ripple effect

[kdvaldes]

I'm trying to create a ripple type effect around a bicycle jersey. It is on a foam core with batting and silk over the batting, but I'm not succeeding in getting a ripple effect. any suggestions? Pictures? Any help. Thanks

 

[Rick Granick]

Not sure what you mean by ripple effect. Why the silk?
Rick

 

[kdvaldes]

The customer requested we use dupioni (?sp) silk. Then to create a "ripple" effect under and with the silk. Kind of like rolling hills. The batting is not folding correctly and the silk is not coming down into the valleys. I've seen some folks use satin. Ever seen a wrinkled satin sheet on a bed. Similar to that effect.

 

[Julie Walsh]

why ripple! What is the customer hoping the effect will evoke? Cycling shirts when worn are generally skin tight?

....Just wondering.

 

[Jim Miller]

What is the purpose of the silk? Is your customer selling you the silk for $300/yard?

 

[PaulSF]

Can you use attach-ez (the wonder tool) or small stitches to make the shirt lie the way you want?

 

[Wanta B.Framer]

let the creative juices floooooow

Haha that is different!

So they want it wavy or rippled? Those are two very different things IMO. I would personally do either something with air dry clay (like FIMO) or smack on a thick layer of acrylic gel medium. Then after it dries you could glue down a layer or fabric. On top of the fabric would be the silk. The scariest part would be gluing down the silk. Since it is such a thin "fabric" though I am wondering if it would conform to a sculpted area w/o any adhesive?

Or you may be able to find something in a fabric store. I am thinking the protective layer they put in gun cases/ computer cases, would give a cool rippled effect. Although that depends if they wish the ripple to radiate from the center....


Oh and check out this thread, it has some great info!:
http://www.thegrumble.com/showthread.php?t=43283&highlight=seafoam

 

[kdvaldes]

The ripple would be around the shirt, not the shirt itself. A less expensive version of silk is being utilized.

 

[BILL WARD]

Jim Miller , last year, showed an instrument in a shadowbox(was featured in at least 1 mag.) that had soft/silky material covering the interior of the box---do a search here for the thread and even send him email(or call him and cry on his shoulder!!!). Bet he(really IS a nice guy!!) can/will tell you what you need to know(nothing like going TO the source)

 

[Jim Miller]

OK, now I get it. Duh...

In the project Bill mentioned I used moire silk, which is rather heavy, so it wrinked beautifully. A fine, supple fabric may not work so well. I'm not sure batting would be of much use, either.

In order to ripple/rumple/wrinkle an appropriate background fabric, I suggest using a solid backing board of fluted polypropylene (aka Coroplast). Where you want the fabric to be not flat, apply lines of double-sided tape to the board, then bunch-up and stick the fabric to it as you like. To change the wrinkle pattern, lift the fabric and re-stick it where you want it.

If you use ATG for this, it would probably migrate through a thin fabric. I suggest using a tape with a carrier and good acrylic, non-migrating adhesive, such as 3M 889 or the equal sold by ASAP Tapes.

Another alternative might be to use an alphacellulose backing board; maybe 8-ply, or 4-ply reinforced by Coroplast or foam center board. Paint the whole front surface with acrylic medium or gel and let it dry. Then, lay on the fabric and fix the wrinkles by activating the acrylic medium as an adhesive using a tacking iron. I have not actually tried this method, so you might want to try it on a scrap first.

 

[Framar]

Unfortunately, one thing that always comes to my mind when I see a flowing rippled kind of fabric in a shadowbox is a casket. Something to think about.....

 

[BILL WARD]

WHat jim sid about that thin fabric is goooood food for thought! any folds/wrinkles you wish to make will, because of this, need to be kept pretty small as the cloth will really want to sag on you..
Jim would some sort of spray sizing (applied to the back side) help this problem(assumes the stuff will not bleed thru, of course)?? wouldnt need too much, just enough to empart some 'body'

 

[Jim Miller]

...Jim would some sort of spray sizing (applied to the back side) help this problem(assumes the stuff will not bleed thru, of course)?? wouldnt need too much, just enough to empart some 'body'

I dunno -- maybe. If the fabric is too supple to rumple, I'd probably laminate it to a piece of muslin or other inert fabric using starch paste.