Eney Silva – Brazil

Ikebana of Planet Earth

Description

Reading the theme “Equilibrium,” I thought of an Ikebana, a Japanese floral arrangement that is traditionally made in the perfect balance of elements, representing the human being in relation to the universe. Then I thought of the fragile balance of our planet Earth. Joining the ideas, I created a hat that represents the 4 elements – Earth, Water, Fire, and Air, in balance with respect to our planet. Since the base represents the Earth portion, the flap represents the waters, the flames of red and coral sinamay represent the lava and all the fires of the surface and the depths and the spiral with white feathers are meant to represent the lightness of the air.

Materials

• Sinamay blue, coral, and red
• Crin blue
• Spring wire
• Millinery wire
• White feathers
• Patterned brown silk
• Elastic band
• Felt
• Cotton and polyester thread
• Cold silicone glue

Techniques

• Block of the base and the sinamay brim.
• Base coat with patterned brown silk, the seam of the base edge wire, lining placement and base finishing with the elastic band setting.
• Crin bias stitching at the edge of the flap.
• Cutting and rolling of the flames in sinamay coral and red. Union and finishing of flames.
• Preparation of the wire spiral and fixation of the feathers with cold silicone glue.
• Sewing the flap at the base
• Sewing the spiral with feathers between the base and the flap.
• Sewing of the arrangement of coral and red sinamay flames between the base and the flap.
• Voilá!