Assignment 3 - Project 6 Review Questions

How does working with fabric in this way compare with working directly with stitch?

Stitching is slower and more considered whereas working in this way feels more expressive, exciting and experimental for me, with results that are less predictable. For example when I heated Tyvek, I had no idea quite how it would shrink and it's difficult to control how holey it would become.  I just painted both sides to see which would turn out best. I couldn't recreate those grey pebbles, it's just how they turned out this time! It felt like I was creating resources for projects to be.  I also liked using unusual and recycled materials like the hems of old clothes, fruit nets and tumble dryer sheets.  Even tiny snippets of fabric can be used somehow, like these below that I trapped under organza and fused by burning.

 

Are you pleased with the shapes and movements that you have created in both applique and fabric manipulation?  What would you do differently?

I think the created the best shapes deliberately and the best movement by accident and experimentation. I've created quite a lot of samples and I've tried to document in my learning log which elements I'm happy with and unimpressed with and how they could be reworked.  For example, the chenille technique I tried didn't make the caterpillar shapes I was hoping for but I was still able to cut it into strips and manipulate with stitches to use in my final sample. With the gathered padded shape at the bottom, I was intending to use it with the stitching hidden but discovered that the frayed ends and stitching enhanced, rather than spoiled, the effect. 

I'm also pleased that nearly every sample has given me an idea of how the technique could be used for a drawing I already have.  This is a good illustration of the benefit of having a bank of drawings to work from.

 

 

How did the pieces work in relation to your drawings? Were the final results very different from the drawings?  Did the fabric manipulation technique take over and dictate the final result?
I think my foundation pieced quilted panel clearly relates to the original Roman flagon drawing in colour and shape, whereas the sun prints and a cut out applique are from the same origin but far removed. For the underwater scene, I didn't have a drawing but worked from memory and imagination.  The sample evolved from playing with the materials in a colour bag with the techniques and fabric qualities inspiring the shapes.
 

 

 

Was it helpful to work from the drawings in the applique exercise?  Would you have preferred to play directly with cut shapes and materials?

I preferred to work my applique designs out on paper first in the same way I had a design ready for the stitched collage workshop, whereas for the raised and structured surface exercises, I preferred not to.  I presume is was because applique tends to be flat like paper and needs clear contrasts in shape and colour.  With altered surfaces the contrast tends to be in the texture. 

 

How do you feel about working with stitch in general?  Is it an area you would like to pursue in more depth?  Do you find it limiting in any way?
I think of stitch as a way to attach, enhance or embellish something, rather than something I would be inclined to use on it's own.  I do find it limiting and sometimes tedious, particularly hand stitching, because technically, I'm not too good.  It tends to be slow and I have to get a book out to remember how to do anything but basic stitches.  I have been lent a very inspiring book of how to use stitch to restructure a fabric and I have Post It notes stuck all over it with ideas I'd like to try to relate to some drawings from a visit to Scarborough beach at half term.

Reading List:
Woolf, Colette (1996) The art of manipulating fabric. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications



Assignment 3 - Stage 4: Raised and Structured Surface Textures

 

For this stage we are asked to try as many techniques as we can involving gathering, folding, pleating, tucking, tearing, fraying, slashing, quilting, raised shapes and moulding before developing drawings from stage 2 to create a final sample.  As someone who finds the freedom of the experimental stages liberating and enjoyable, I was very enthusiastic about this stage, if a bit doubtful about the 4 hours suggested to complete it!  



Pulling threads and gathering

This was originally a very stiff piece of open weave fabric that I thought was linen with some sort of coating.  It could be cut quite precisely and would hold a fold. However, when I dyed it, it became very fluid with soft, fluffy frayed edges. I pulled rows of threads out, and in some areas pulled and knotted the ends to gather the fabric. (I later stuffed some of the shapes created and incorporated it into my final sample.)  I like how the fabric becomes semi-opaque when the threads are removed, gradually revealing the background colour. There are subtle differences in the colour depending on the direction of the removed threads because of how the light hits. This is a good technique for grids but maybe I could create curves by removing the threads from just part of the row, starting and ending in different places? I'd could also try weaving different textured threads back in.



Folding and gathering

I've added this flower, something I made at the Embroiderer's Guild this month, as it involved gathering.  I folded a square of fabric into a triangle twice and made small running stitches along the raw edge.  Pulling the thread gathered the fabric into a petal shape which was held in place with a small back stitch. The petal could be manipulated to make it either concave or convex and I was careful to keep the folded edges going in the same direction. The thread snapped a couple of times which was really frustrating so I'd use something stronger than a normal sewing thread in future for gathers.

Origami folding

I found some simple origami twist patterns and practised on paper before trying them out on calico, cotton organdie and a cotton print.  Cotton organdie behaved almost like paper, holding the folds beautifully without the need for stitches and I liked the variation in opacity depending on the thickness.  I thought it would be really interesting to draw, paint, print or stitch onto it, then fold to distort the image. I've since re-visited Whaley's in Bradford to buy some more and had a look through their sample books for other stiff fabrics that might be suitable.  I've bought some tarlatan cotton which has an open weave and have small sample pieces of millinery net and buckram.

 

The printed fabric was brought home from a trip to South Africa years ago but I'd never used it as I dislike the drab shades. They feel very far removed from the bright, clear colours of my holiday memories, so I was quite happy to use it to experiment with. In hindsight, I'm disappointed with my choice as I think the colours and shapes are not contrasting and crisp enough to get a real sense of distortion after the twist has been made. Maybe I could have picked out some of the shapes in a contrasting thread before twisting?

 

Connecting printed square twists 



I made more twists to try patching them together. I like the idea that this technique is unique to fabric - you wouldn't join paper pieces in this way. I tried the completed squares in various positions to get a good balance of shape and colour. Interesting windmill shapes were created where the four corners met, which I liked as they make the sample feel quite dynamic. Perhaps the effect could be emphasised by fraying the raw edges of the 'windmill' arms? I imagine with more repeats and another fabric choice the effect could be better still, particularly if each square was from an identical area of the print and positioned the same way. There are so many variations that I'd practise on paper and scan in to try different repeats.

Windmill shape created when connected

Recently, I'd read an article about mola work - a reverse applique technique with layering used in the Kuna Indian culture. I was interested to have a go. I used a small zig-zag stitch to stop the fabric fraying when I cut out the simple triangle shapes, whereas in traditional mola work the cut away edge would be turned under and painstakingly hemmed with tiny invisible hand stitches. Mine had just two layers but mola work can have up to seven with extremely intricate designs, often animals or plants in a labyrinth style.  Holding my simple design up to the light, it reminded me of windows.  I looked up at my stained glass and began work out in my head how the central part of the design might translate to mola.  I also thought about the sun prints I made last month from my Roman glass vessel design.  I could cut out central dark blue spaces and by leaving a border, it would look like an extra layer.  



Layering - simple reverse applique and chenille square before washing

Could this translate well into mola work with black as the uppermost layer

Sun printed fabric for cheats mola work or more fabric twists?

Another layering technique I'd been wanting to try following Claire Tinsley's 'Bonded Impressions' workshop was chenille.  I cut out seven layers of cotton fabric, pinned them together and stitched across diagonally.  Next I cut the top six layers between the stitching lines and put the sample in the washing machine.  Mine didn't quite come out with the lovely rippled effect of Claire quilts - I probably should have consulted some tutorials first. I had tried varying the spacing of the stitching lines and found the lines closest together worked much better.  They'd benefit from being even closer though. I also found by running my thumbnail across the raw edges I could increase the textural effect.  I've only ever seen chenille on diagonal and zig-zag lines as the cuts need to be made on the bias.  Presumably the layers would just lay mostly flat if you stitch curves, though maybe worth a try as well as varying the fabric type.



Chenille after washing.  Stitches need to be slightly closer.

Overlapping and folding ribbon

For the sample above I didn't worry too much about colour. I was attempting to create the impression of bamboo stalks by overlapping and folding ribbon.  I can imagine recreating this a dark background with chiffon and satin ribbons in unusual colour combinations, like different shades of red and purple, enhanced by stitching to introduce light and shadow.    

 

Moulding a 3-d shape over a wire frame

My slashing experiment was more like snipping.  I looked to my shell collection and cut small holes in the cotton organdie (it barely frays) and laid it over the same African fabric used for the origami twists.  Something wasn't quite right so I sandwiched fine fruit netting between the two and was pleased with the colour representation. Then I decided to try and mould a 3-D shape so constructed a wire frame , cut circles of fabric and stitched them down under each rib. 

 



 

My final sample, was inspired by the coral and underwater plants I'd seen at half term in the Scarborough Sea Life Centre.  My kids weren't about to let me stop and draw after the hour long queue we'd stood in (in the rain) and even if they had, my hands were numb from the cold and there were so many people in there, we had to shuffle about. Therefore back home I chose fabric and painted from memory and my imagination. I used disperse dyes to paint and print images, which I then transferred by ironing onto pelmet vilene for a background. I tried different techniques on separate pieces of vilene to make it easier to work with, then attached them together and embellished further.

 

On this area, I painted onto tumble dryer sheets with fabric paint, used a heat gun to create the holey texture and stitched down over pelmet vilene.  The tumble sheets have tiny holes in already that add to the effect and I like how these edges look quite hard and scratchy like the sort of rock or coral that might hurt your foot.    



Heat gun applied to painted tumble dryer sheets to make holes. 
This was layered over transfer printed vilene and stitched.

I painted a piece of silk then tore it into strips and attached it onto the vilene.  I like the watery sheerness and how the the fluidity of the silk and the soft raw edges that seem to billow like fronds on underwater plants. 

Painted silk torn into strips, edges left raw


The silk area looked OK on it's own but a bit wishy-washy when I placed it next to the tumble sheet area so I tried cutting up strips of old dyed jersey t-shirt.  I liked the contrast of the white stitching which hadn't taken on the dye and the ribbing of the edges so decided to use these in a playful way. 

 

Dyed jersey strips



I rolled some of the strips and used small stitches to hold them in place.  I attached them in different ways: tightly coiled with raw edge hidden they are like a closed bud and the opposite way up with stitches showing, they are more like an emerging flower.  Bits of curled thread that escape from the overlock stitch here and there make them feel more organic.  

 

Coiling

Next I tried ironing the discharge dyes onto some synthetic sheer fabric.  The image was very blurred but I loved the subtle painterly effect.  I pulled and knotted some of the loose fibres to slightly gather and teased out more fibres from the top, making them as long as possible to increase the floaty effect.

Discharge dye ironed onto synthetic sheer fabric

I had a piece of calico that I had tried and failed to batik a while back, but the colours were ideal.  The wax had made the fabric stiff so it wasn't easy to tear but this also meant it stopped fraying when I wanted it to and the holes I punched through with my bradawl stayed looking like holes without collapsing back flat.

Holes punched and edges frayed on dyed calico



I stitched the three areas together and added some embellishments like stuffed shapes,  netting and an elasticated waistband from one of my daughters' old skirts which ruffled beautifully.  I overlapped these over the three areas to make it more cohesive and not obviously three different sections.  From the parts of my chenille sample which had not worked, I cut off strips and attached these using the thread to manipulate the shapes to make them meander slightly. I also tried snipping

 

Sections just added together

Final sample

Holding my sample up to the window (as I always seem to do now), the vilene was an ideal background.  It was easy to stitch through, paint and cut and lets some light through.  I love the combination of all the different fabrics and variation in the textures and transparency like the holes of the red net over the smaller holes of the tumble sheet.  I like how the sample evolved from being experimental rather than being over-planned which is I think why I found it so enjoyable.    



 

 

Assignment 3 - Stages 1, 2 & 3: Developing Ideas & Applied Fabric Techniques

I looked again at my fresh source material and decided to work further on the Roman glass artefacts I saw at Easter. Although they were created centuries apart, and originate from all corners of the Roman Empire, they work together to create an interesting collection of simple shapes and I like the handmade quality - the slight wonkiness.  The colours are nowhere near the clear, fresh, brights that normally attract me but I like the semi-opaque texture with hints of crustiness.

Matching fabric groupings

Oil pastels worked really nicely to create the chalky textures and to scratch into to get a hint of another colour underneath but the best results came from painting with acrylic onto the tracing paper.  Using it really wet made the paper wrinkle beautifully.  Then sponging a different colour more dryly on top, with a touch of metallic added, recreated the texture of the ancient glass really accurately, I felt. 

Acrylic paint on tracing paper

I also tried painting in this way onto a product called 'Repair Tissue' I'd been given. At 9gsm it felt really delicate, like painting Kleenex ,but it is supposed to be suitable for dyeing, painting, batik and most media and is described as durable, retaining strength when wet and having fibres that become softer and more fabric-like once dry.

Once I'd drawn the shapes, there was one that I kept looking back at - a pale green flagon from England dated 50-100AD, with a bulbous onion-like bottom and a decorative wiggle at the base of the handle, so I chose this to develop further.  During the printing experiments in Assignment 2, I'd enjoyed using printing blocks made from foam draught-proofing strips for doors, so I decided to try this again.  I copied the shape onto the back of a sketchbook then followed it round with the sticky back strips. I like how this technique forces me to simplify shapes.  Although the tape goes round curves nicely, the amount of detail is limited on this scale.

Printing block made from back of a sketchbook and sticky-back draught excluder tape

I tried out a few repeats, overlapping the prints to create new shapes.  I wasn't enamoured by the results and decided I preferred the shape just as it is.  However, I persevered and tried cutting out some of the shapes and layering over different backgrounds. It still wasn't working for me, until I turned the page and put a plain black background under the reverse.

Not working - too confusing and ugly colour combination

I preferred the cut out prints on the reverse, simplified with a plain contrasting background

I photographed and scanned the design above and had a play cropping, repeating and trying out some effects using Picasa Creative Kit, a basic free image editor.

Image editing in Picasa

I liked the bottom right image so decided to use this to try out applied fabric techniques.  I traced the design with a water soluble pen onto the painted repair tissue then placed it over some cotton fabric I'd dyed and sprayed from the collection above.  Using a hoop and the free machining foot I used metallic thread to zig-zag stitch around the design.  The stitches created perforations in the repair tissue so I didn't need to trim it. It easily pulled away in the areas I wanted to remove.  Unfortunately the areas revealed were pretty plain - all the interesting effects from where I'd sprayed the background fabric were still covered up!

 

9gsm Tissue Repair painted with acrylic applied over dyed, sprayed cotton.

Once I'd finished, I was totally unimpressed. The sample didn't have any of the impact of the original image.  In hindsight, I think it was the ocean blue shades that reminded me of an underwater scene that attracted me, rather than the shapes. I should have realised that this design needed a bold contrast in tone, just like the white cut out page came alive with the plain black background.

 

Rather than abandon the sample, I thought it could make a decent background so I selected some of the more interesting little pieces of Angelina and kunin felt that I've been experimenting with. As these don't fray, it was easy to cut out simple vessel shapes to stitch on. I overlaid a couple of the shapes with organza to tone down the brightness and played about with the positioning.

 

The uninspiring sample is now a background

I'm happier with the sample now it's been added to, though I wanted to try again with the cut out design on a contrasting background.  I ironed Bondaweb onto some of my fabric collection and peeled off the backing which I used to trace the design.  I ironed it back on and the pencil marks transferred onto the fabric (a technique I learnt recently from Claire Tinsley in the Bonded Impressions workshop.) I was then able to cut out the shapes. I haven't decided how I will stitch them yet but I won't use a zig zag this time because the sharp points were lost on the previous sample when I turned the corners, spoiling the lines of the design.  I'm not experienced enough with machine stitching to echo the lines well enough and I found it particularly hard to get the corners right. I'm also considering whether to enhance the sample with beads or stitching in a similar colour.  I like the idea of beads to bring the reference to glass back.

 

Fabric shapes applied with Bondaweb and ready to stitch. The plain, contrasting background is much better.

The simple flagon shape.  I ironed in creases and sprayed on fabric paint. The colours and spatter effects feel particularly appropriate for the subject.

Now the sun has finally come out and I thought that I'd fish out the light sensitive fabric I bought after making those paper sun prints.  I put the fabric under the cut out design, working quickly as it starts to expose as soon as it's out of its protective black bag, and took it outside to leave in the bright sunlight for 10 minutes. Perhaps I will use some of these for the folding and tucking exercises coming up?

 

 

Using the cut out design to create prints on light sensitive fabric.

 

While I've been working on this project, I went to an Embroiderer's Guild meeting where the Calder Quilters gave a talk.  I decided to have a go at foundation piecing which sounded reasonably simple as I didn't particularly want regular lines. It is also a really efficient way to use up little scraps of fabric.  From my fabric group I graduated the colour from dark to light on the background which I overlaid with black net, stitching it down along the lines of the join.  I felt the net made the background more cohesive and the flagon shape stood out better.  I also sandwiched some wadding between the background and a piece of backing fabric to give the raised quilted effect.

 

I used foundation piecing again for the flagon, but with narrower bands for contrast, then applied Bondaweb to the back (forgetting that ironing the Angelina again would completely change the colour and lose the iridescence!).  I left some edges raw and used metallic thread to machine a straight stitch around the shape and added a little extra stitch enhancement to give a quilted effect.  I'm pleased with the composition, the decision to leave the cut edges raw and the combination of textures in my choice of fabrics.  If I were to change anything, I would slightly change some of the tones in the central area where they are a little close to the background and I would emphasise the wiggle on the base of the handle. I may also add some sparkle back now that it's lost on the Angelina.  However I think overall, it is the most successful sample of the assignment so far. 

 

 

  

Assignment 3 - Design Sources & Ideas to Develop

It's not easy to get a lot done in the school holidays but I can fit in a bit of reading, learning and reflection time.  Looking back through my sketchbook to select drawings to develop, I've realised that I need a bit more source material for Assignment 3 and to make some more observational drawings like my tutor suggested.  I kept my notebook and camera to hand to make the most of my family days out while we were away in Liverpool.

After enjoying my Research Point on textile diversity so much last month, I steered my children towards the small display about textile processes at the Catalyst Science & Discovery Centre. We found out about the chemical processes involved in making a pair of jeans and how nylon pellets were melted, extruded and cut to form fibres which were then bonded and dyed to make the carpet we were standing on. During the science workshops we all fascinated by the plasma ball and I thought I'd add this image to my inspiration file.

At Croxteth Country Park, I took some interesting close ups of plants in the tropical glass houses that have potential, but I was particularly taken by the fanning shapes of these ancient fruit trees in the formal gardens - the textures of the moss carpeting the branches and the gnarled, brittle wood, also the beautiful shades of the powdery moss on brick behind.

 

For some time, I've wanted to go to the World of Glass in St Helen's.  Fortunately a glass painting workshop and the 'maze of mirrors'  kept the kids sufficiently occupied while I looked around. I was interested to see that much of the glass was displayed against a black background and remembered that my inspiration file has quite a few Dale Chihuly art glass images which are also against black.  What exactly is it about glass that makes a black background better? (Maybe something to ask the photographers on the OCA forums?)

I began to think about my choice of black for my theme book and black over white for my assessment boards (these two are the only choices available). I particularly loved the way the primary and secondary clear colours on my dissolvable colour wheel stood out when attached directly on the black board. Tints can looked a bit washed out however and need a white or coloured border. I've also been doing some angelina fibre experiments recently to prepare for Stage 3 - Applied Fabric Techniques and I think the iridescence of this is also appreciated better when viewed against black.

(Looking at this again now, I'm wondering whether a dissolvable fabric plasma ball might work!)

Layering two colours of angelina fibres

Burning with a tea light to trap fabric lace between scraps of angelina film and fibres

We watched a glass blowing demonstration at the museum and I bought one of the friendship balls being made.  I particularly liked the colours and thought this might be an interesting source to explore further with angelina.

 

 

Other potential source material was this magnificent restored lead glass chandelier designed by Stefan Buzas and hand blown by Bruno Zanetti at the world famous Murano factory in the 1960s.  It was once one of four designed for Manchester Airport departure lounge and an iconic symbol of the luxury of holidays and air travel. Each was over 5 metres long and weighed 2 tonnes.

 

 

I was also taken by the display of Roman artefacts.  It seems incredible that these glass pieces have survived unbroken for nearly 2000 years. I liked the quirky shapes and thought  these might lend themselves to applied fabric techniques.

 

 

Going home to Liverpool always makes me think about my family history and I'm going to dedicate Saturday to working on some ideas I have for my theme book.  In the meantime I need to get back to some drawing.  My Mum has a painted wooden duck toy that cleverly walks on its own down a slope.  It was made by her father, a cabinet maker around 1950.  As my theme has little in the way of physical objects, I thought I'd start by borrowing it to try an observational drawing.  This is something I've been putting off because I always feel I need silence and no distractions to enjoy it. Silence is a very rare luxury in our house!  I started off with pencil crayon but found I could blend a much more accurate colour using oil pastels and it was a better medium to represent the brush strokes.

 

Drawing for Theme Book