Dainas analysis

Method
Sitting part:
For the base of sitting part I made fabric from wool yarns on the knitting machine. I made several decorative stripes – the central is made by hand knitting from blue wool yarn and natural linen thread, which I used to make the diamonds from Finnish national costume. The narrow stripes are made in rigid handle weaving technique, like in ancient times. I used the same materials – green and blue wool yarn, and linen thread.
Back part:
The base of the back part is felted from natural white wool. I made again the same Finnish diamonds by embroidery from red woolen yarn. In the center I embroidered a traditional Latvian sign – the grass snake. This symbol stands for wisdom.
Back part support pillars:
The pillars are surrounded with a machine knitted wool fabric from thin natural white thread.

Usage

My chair is very functional and I think it’s really nice to sit on it, not only because its cosy but it’s also good looking and decorative – I think these properties gives people a good inner feeling, when sitting on an extraordinary chair.  I think it will be also quite long lasting, especially the back part, because it’s made from strong materials. The sitting part is well cushioned and comfortable, but if often used, it my get worn out in a while. In general, wool fabrics are quite resistant.

Aesthetics and Expressiveness

I think my chair inherits both of these values. I really like how the composition of my chair turned out in the end with the changes I made. The sitting and the back part work really well together, because of the common shapes I used in both parts and the suiting colours. My chair looks well together with all the chairs from our set and still somehow it stands out with some different details as all the other chairs. I think we managed well to make or ideas about intercultural chairs alive and unite two similar and in the same time different cultures in one. Each chair talks for itself.

Context

We planned to put the chairs near the cafeteria at a corner around the table. Next to the table there is a plant on at the wool there are some nice graphic pictures, which remind me of ancient Latvian fisherman. I think the presence of our intercultural chairs would make the corner look kind of romantic place where one can go to sit, relax and gather their thoughts.

I think in these modern, technology times with way too much information around people need some relaxation space. Although our chairs are made inspiring from national costumes, they look suitable for nowadays environment, kind of modern, but with an ancient touch.  

And I also want to thank the other group members for nice collaboration. It probably wasn’t easy to work this project in a foreign language especially when it’s necessary to use so many terms, but we managed well. I think we learned a lot from each other!

Kiitos – paldies! :)