Susie Martin – United Kingdom

Taijitu

Description

On reading the word ‘Equilibrium’ this immediately brought to mind the word ‘balance’ and as I thought about how this could be interpreted into a hat, I saw the Yin and Yang symbol, (Taijitu in Chinese) which is most often depicted in black and white.

The Yin and Yang symbol has its roots in Chinese Taoism where the two principles, one dark, negative and feminine (Yin) and one positive, bright and masculine (Yang) join together.

My hat is an interpretation of the combining and balancing of the two opposing forces of light and dark that form the Jaijitu or Yin and Yang Symbol.

An important aspect of Taoism is that nothing is wholly Yin or Yang but a mixture of the two, the lightness and the darkness joining together to give an equilibrium. Each aspect of the Yin or Yang becomes the beginning part for each other. For example, as night becomes day there is a joining point and on the hat the shapes that represent the Taijitu or Yin and Yang symbol, are outlined in pearl beads and black glass tubular beads. A black rose bloom is set within one half of the Taijitu showing a darker aspect of the white Yang side and white rose blooms draped over the Yin or darker side balancing the whole, giving equilibrium to the piece.

In addition, the hat also has the appearance of balancing on the front of the head but in fact is firmly attached to a hidden crown, concealed on the reverse, by contrasting black and white rose blooms with leaves made from black, hand cut feathers and fine millinery wires.

Materials

Base

• 3 layers of black Sinamay for the brim and the concealed crown
• Millinery wire
• Petersham ribbon
• Threads

Flowers

• Silk fabric black and white
• Silk Organdie backing
• Wires
• Beads
• Threads
• Stem wires
• Hand-made Organdie Rouleau stems
• Metal Alice Band covered with embroidery silk

Leaves

• Black feathers cut to form leaves
• Wires
• Threads

Tools

• Blocks
• Pliers
• Blocking Spring
• Pins

Techniques

• Blocking 3 layers of Sinamay to form the base disc and crown shape
• Blocking 3 layers of Sinamay for concealed crown using pins and blocking spring
• Binding concealed crown with bias cut Sinamay strip
• Covering Alice Band with embroidery silk
• Edge wiring and attaching brim with blanket stich
• Binding edge with Petersham tape
• Hand cutting more than 200 silk petals and backing organdie for each one
• Wiring petals as necessary and using Japanese flower making tools to shape the petals
• Hand sewing all petals together to make the blooms
• Bending wire to form stems and covering in hand made Organdie Rouleau stems in white organdie
• Hand sewing