Chapter 3, module 2 - underside couching +machine samples for chapter 2.

The sample above uses twisted thread made from metalic machine thread, the other two are lurex crochet thread

Traditional underside couching sample worked on linen with silk floss - began at the bottom of the photo and had a bit of difficulty finding the exact same hole to go back into but this got easier as I progressed. The stitching is 1.25" X 2.5"

Underside couching on canvas - this was much easier and I enjoyed doing it. I especially liked the effect on wrong side - hence the second sample

From left to right - Lurex thread couched with blue stranded metallic thread, thin metallic ribbon, greed cotton perle and lurex thread, machine thread with lurex.

Below - cotton perle and lurex .

I found the underside machine couching difficult; it was hard to get enough contrast using the size of the stitch alone. As you can see I had more success with the thick cotton thread in the bobbin than with the gold thread.

Top - changing size of zig zag Bottom - changing position of needle

Automatic Pattern

Attempt a chequered pattern, which I feel lacks sufficient contrast

Below -

Automatic stitch patttern

Last one_

Straight stitch with zig-zag.

All the samples are about 4" X 2 or 3"

Chapter 2 Module 2

All samples have been worked on a silk fabric which unfortunately does not photo very well; also I am not sure why some of the photos will and some of them will not enlarge.

The first sample is traditional couching of gold thread, using two threads. The threads in the middle sample have been "plunged " at the ends of each row. The circle is padded with felt, but this does not show up very well, perhaps more layers of felt are needed. The border is split stitch using a silk floss, I found this thread hard to use and the result is a bit of a mess! The sample is 3" X 2"


Strips of gold imitation leather and ribbon couched down with gold thread and cotton perle, 3" X 2".

Shapes cut from tomato pure tube, silk floss for couching and satin stitch, 2.5" X 1.5".

Stranded gold thread, couched with cotton perle, 3" X 2".

On the left, machine made cords, on the right, twisted cords, crinkled up by pulling on one strand,2.5" X 1.5".

Traditional layed work, crochet cotton and cotton perle, 1" X 1.25".

Two strands of gold parcel thread couched with metallic stranded thread and laced with metallic crochet cotton, 2" X 2".

Couched wire "purl" made by wrapping around a nail, 2" X 2".

Purl thread sewn in loops, gold fabric paint and silk seeding, 2.5" X 2.5".

Squares of gold fabric couched with cotton perle on printed silk, 3" X 3".

Ideas for 3D Item

My 3 D item is based on the following ideas from my sketch book - houses stacked on top of eatch other, tumbling down hillsides, and crammed up against each other in towns. I was going to make a sculpture but as I now realise that the item has tobe functional I am going to change it to a lamp or a light shade.

These are some attempts at making boxes which could somehow be joined together in a haphazard pyramid shape. Bottom left are pleated strips of fabric with thin wire sewn along the top and bottom, bottom right are ideas for the cut out shapes that will let the light out.

Some samples of woven paper, fabric and cotton organdi.

the easy part of chapter 12

1. This is the first background cloth that I made; it has woven strips of dyed fabric with machine and hand stitching on top.

2. I cut the background into my current favourite and, by now, familiar shapes.

3. The shapes threaded together; they could be used for belt, or wall hanging.

4. Or a necklace!



5. Or a mobile.


6. Here are the shapes with the windows replaced in different plavces

7. And here are the bits that were cut out.

8. I then made another background. I used a street map of bristol and transferred it onto fabfic with heat transfer printer paper - I had not used this before and was quite impressed with the result apart from the rather thick layer of plastic. I painted blocks of colour onto the reverse of the fabric to add some subtle colour and machine stitched over most of the roads.

9. I rather liked the other side - so here it is.

10. I cut the background into wave like shapes and
wove them together.

11. The reverse

12. A star or 9 legged spider.

13. A chain or necklace (0r christmas decoration!)

14. A hat, or upside down a bag.

15. Here I tried to pin the shapes together to make a vessel - could have potential.

16. Pattern using both backgrounds

17. A belt with a buckle made from the first background.

I have now got to come yup with a proposal for my 3-d item; I like the backgrounds but none of the attempts at using them for 3 D items grab me. I would like to make a screen using the shapes from the first background, perhaps using both padded and see through shapes but I do not think that this will count as a 3-D item.

I also have to sort out the admin type things for the module
and the studies of contempory textile artists.

Design Exploration using copy images

Copy of map that I have used elsewhere, with additional crayon markings

Cut and rearranged

Cut and rearranged again, glued to fabric and hand stitched

10.1 Similar process to above, I like the cut copy with lines on and had to stop myself from recreating it with stitches -hence the one below.


10.2

10.3

Photocopy with additional marks, cut and reassembled, black shapes added to create unity.

10.4
Designs using map of Bristol, original copy was flooded with ink and then additional marks made using bleach, paint and crayon. Below, fly stitch added to bring the design together as it reflects the shapes of the rooves (roofs?)

s

10.6 A couple more designs. I enjoyed this exercise and I like the designs that I came up with; it has given me lots of thoughts about how I can carry the ideas forward. I just need to think 3D item!

Thanks to those of you who gave me tips about placing photos on the blog.

Chapter 8 - Hollow Shapes

I have used the decidious tree symbol from OS maps as my shape.

I like the three designs in the right bottom corner, there is something of Mary Quant's daisy about them.

Stacking and unstacking using lines taken from repeated shape exercise.

Stacking and unstacking of overlapping blocks, taken from one of my stitch samples.

For the last exercise in this chapter I used the outline from an early map that is in my sketch book. The designs look a bit chinese to me.

I have no idea how I can control the placing of pictures and text on my blog, it takes me forever to get it to even this limited level of order. If anyone has any tips I would be most grateful if you could pass them on to me. Thanks.

Chapter 7 - stitch samples

I enjoyed doing these samples, it was good to get back to some stitching.

Most of them were worked on the fabric which I had dyed a few weeks ago, the thread is mostly bought.

They are loosely based on field systems, street maps and grids and representations of the sea.

1. Fabric whihc was printed with image of huts in an early map that I looked at in my sketch book -hand stitching

2. Hand stitched

3. I like this sample; it was a complete accident as my machine was playing up and I could not get it to do cable stitch in the way that it was supposed to. However I think that the ragged effect is attractive and so I have included it, but it is unlikely that I would be able to repeat it!

4. Couched wool +button hole stitch

5. Machine zig-zag, some thicker threads in bobin, plus hand stitching.

6. Layers of cretan stitch on fabric dabbed with fabric paints

7. Machine stitch + hand stitches

8. This is my favourite one - to me it has the look of 1950's designers! Machine and hand stitching

9. Machine stitching

10. Machine satin stitch with loop stitches on top.

11.Blocks of machine stitching on horrible man made fabric.