Crimson Madder Corset

My Crimson Madder Corset began to be developed in January 2024 by sewing pieces of madder dyed cotton fabric. I took an online course on Turkey Red oil method, the previous year.

https://www.mamiesschoolhouse.com/

I cut up the large dyed cotton fabric, then used different mordants and modifiers. This resulted in different shades of colour ranging from dark purple to lighter reds. The original red was a very rich colour, due to the process. As well, I did some mordant printing with stencils.

Next came the pleating of the fabric. For this I used both the iron and steamer and sewed the pleats in varying sizes.

The Crimson Madder Corset involved many steps to bring it about. The first part was to make a cast of a female torso. This was achieved by using Fosshape, which is a material that can be molded with steam. It hardens into the shape that is created and is very lightweight. This material is often used in the creation of cosplay costumes and millinery.

Once the cast was made, I began placing my madder dyed pieces. This segment took a long time as I kept changing the placement of the fabric.

In the end, the bottom was sewn together first. Next came the middle section. The top of the corset proved to be the most time consuming with the neck and arm curves. Eventually, I decided to sew random pieces onto a dissolvable fabric. When rinsed, the backing fabric dissolves and the result is a webbed effect of small pieced fabrics.

Finally, in August 2024 it is finished and ready to display!

I am proud to say that Crimson Madder Corset was accepted in the juried online exhibition “Breaking Boundaries”, for the month of November, 2025.

https://www.saqa.com/art/online-galleries/breaking-boundaries-saqa-virtual-gallery

Artist’s Statement:

My Crimson Madder Corset is a fibreart wall sculpture. By pleating and manipulating the dyed fabric, the shadows from the pleats add an additional 3-dimensional  effect. In a response to the negative impact of toxic products and the often thoughtless discard of useable items, I favour natural dyeing and up-cycled linens, in my textile work. My Corset embodies feminine power and strength. It has been appreciated equally by both women and men. The making process took many months.