Sarah McAlister – United Kingdom

Timeless: Order/Chaos

Description

Timeless: Order/Chaos (Order out of Chaos) is an eternal geometric kaleidocycle hovering above the wearer’s head, over a tumultuous bed of disorganised modern veil pieces scattered with flattering chenille dots to emulate a timeless vintage veil. It is highlighted by a strip of bugle beads that offer a discreet sparkle to the headpiece.

The double circular and multi-faceted nature of the kaleidocycle represents how time changes: in an everlasting rotation and ceaselessly revolving.

The kaleidocycle represents two types of motion. Firstly in a circular two-dimensional revolution (which might represent the cyclical nature of a day, a season or a year) and also by an endless turning of itself inside out to introduce three-dimensional movement, perhaps how time itself might be represented.

The kaleidocycle headpiece is influenced by the ageless art of graphic artist M C Escher.

The headpiece is a precise and orderly geometrical model and uses universal mathematical shorthand in its name, the symbol “/” meaning “out of,” representing the precision of time. The pieces of veil are arranged and decorated in an apparently accidental manner to represent the chaos of how humans use time.

The enduringly popular colour emerald was chosen as the facets in the kaleidocycle represent an ageless cut gemstone. Since time immemorial, this colour has been instantly recognisable as a desirable jewel and is yet very on trend.

Materials

• Dupion silk
• Millinery wire
• Veil
• Bugle beads threaded onto jewellery wire
• Decovil iron-on interfacing
• Black tulle
• Chenille wire

Techniques

• Cut equilateral triangles from Decovil
• Iron onto the reverse of the dupion silk
• Sew the long edge, then the short edge to complete the kaleidocycle
• Assemble the bugle beads and sew the strip onto the edge of the kaleidocycle
• Form a headband out of millinery wire and cover with tulle
• Position the kaleidocycle onto the headband and fix in place
• Cut pieces of veil into diamond shapes and gather.
• Fix the veil randomly onto the headband
• Fix chenille wire pieces randomly onto the veil