cutwork
Cutwork is the mirror-image process to leafing.
In this technique, King creates abstract lace by cutting out sections of the ground fabric into an abstract design; the design is made specifically for the garment he is making.
In this technique, the seams and darts that shape the garment are part of the abstract design. The seams and darts, along with the cutouts, are imposed onto the shape of the garment in the patternmaking process, and therefore are integral to the design of the piece. They then look like a decorative feature, not a functional aspect of the design.
The cut lines, as well as the seam lines, are then marked onto the ground fabric chosen for the design. This fabric is then cut to the chosen pattern.
Before constructing the garment, this cut piece of fabric is then sandwiched between two other fabrics, which can be laces, tulle, or organza. It is then quilted with metallic thread for additional texture. In this way, King creates a new kind of lace for the twenty-first century.
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