Module 4 chapter 3

This chapter is out of sequence as I haven't completed chapters 2a/b as I plan to run them alongside the other chapters as they're hand stitch and therefore very portable.


4/3/1

As you can see by the above image this chapter is mainly to do with exploring your chosen flower digitally and by hand sketching to look at possible stitching potential.


4/3/2

All manipulation has been carried out using Photoshop CS4 and the above composite shows some of the filters I have used.


4/3/3

This was the hand worked sketch which was the starting point for the composite.


4/3/4


4/3/4

A couple more digital play, the bottom one has had considerably more manipulation than the others.

Then Sian suggested that we could either sketch the flower or the digital versions, something that's never occurred to me before, so I was pretty pleased with myself when I came up with these.


4/3/5


4/3/6


4/3/7

And last of all a shape to take on to further exercises.


4/3/8

This was a very pleasant exercise and a welcome return to digital manipulation, but with the added idea of sketching what you've created by hand you then bring it back to a more textile friendly design.

And also, in my case a welcome distraction to the production of the compulsory stitch element of the course. Just a personal thing as I find stitch diagrams invariably impossible to follow and even struggle with YouTube videos.

module 2 Chapter 3

A traditionalist I am not.

The task for this chapter was underside couching, hmmm!

My first trial sample was on the velvet used for the previous couched samples, and although I wasn't very proficient, I was quite pleased with the result, having used a thick multi-stranded Madeira, couched down with a silk thread.


2/3/1

However the real challenge came when I tried a sample using silk backed with linen, with Kreinik metallic thread. It was very hard work pulling the metallic through to the other side, although I did learn the feel of the technique on this sample. As you can see I started with yellow silk and blue couching thread just to see where I was going.
The next challenge was to try making a pattern with the couching threads, I have to admit I gave up after the fist repeat as I knew this was definitely a technique that I was not going to master in a decade!


2/3/2


2/3/3
The underside.

Moving on to a bigger tapestry canvas using metallic like Goldfinger yarn was much easier. I painted the BG in shades of orange similar to those used on the Syon Cope. I then printed the BG with a curved window shape of the period. The maroon area was worked using double strands.


2/3/4


2/3/5
The underside.

Next up was experimenting with the sewing machine to produce an underside couching effect with whip stitch.

I looked at some of the border patterns on the Syon Cope and worked the next 2 samples with embroidery thread on the top and Kreinik thread in the bobbin. I worked the motifs with alternate small and large stitches, which gave a really nice effect in the light, especially on the silver sample. I then reinforced the pattern with a straight stitch and on the silver sample I used a pattern stitch to outilne it.


2/3/6


2/3/7

Both samples were worked on a single layer of calico. I would definitely return to this technique as I really like the play of light on the silver sample.

This sample was worked using two different machine patterns, with Coats Diadem in the bobbin of the zig-zag pattern and DMC Fil or clair in the bobbin of the other pattern. Again Calico was used as the base fabric and embroidery thread was used in the top.


2/3/8

This sample is worked by changing the start point on each row. I used a darning stitch and DMC Fil or clair in the bobbin, with embroidery thread on the top.


2/3/9

The last sample for this chapter was worked using Coats Diadem in the bobbin and embroidery thread on the top, changing the width of the stitch while stitching.