C&G Level 2 Module 3 Chapter 1 completed

Chapter 1 

Picture gallery

I chose the following images as my picture gallery for the chapter - some related to 'Up, up and away'

Page 1. A piece of Paisley patterned Indian historic kantha work (folk art) and my drawing of some elements

Page 1. Up, up and away! Brollies.

Page 1. Up, up and away. Montgolfier hot air balloon

Page 2. An old piece of kantha work used as a colour source for fabrics for backgrounds

I used the piece of kantha quilt (folk art) as a colour source and using watercolour pencils (maker unknown) I tried to find the colours within a fairly limited selection. 

Page 2. My best match for the colours from the kantha (watercolour pencils)

Then I used transfer paints to find the best match for the colours I had used. 

Page 2. Transfer painted A4 paper (a bit wrinkly as I used a hair dryer)

I ironed the transfer painted paper onto a piece of polyester satin supported on Vilene. The paints never look like how they will turn out on polyester satin and selected the threads that I had a closely as I could to the colours in the source. Given that the source is several hundred years old, it wasn't surprising that I didn't get the same faded look as the kantha piece. 

Page 2. Left hand - transfer paper. Right hand - ironed onto polyester satin. Along with the selected threads.

Page 2. The stitched sample

I realised half-way through this exercise that I had chosen to make too big a sample - A4 - and should have worked on a much smaller piece. I mounted the satin with the Vilene in my largest hoop and the elements where there is higher density of stitch is when I had to move the hoop to complete the large piece. I think that this looks untidy and not tonal, so am fairly disappointed with it. If I had to do this again, I would tone the colours down and work on a smaller piece with smaller stitches and in that way create a more tonal work. I worked the light tones over the darker and mid-tones, but don't think it works.

Moving on, to more stitched background - one of my design sources was the Eiffel Tower; (up and away - France). I chose to use the base of the legs as a shape and abstracted that to create a different image. 

Page 3. The Eiffel Tower as a design source

Page 3. My thought processes from my notebook

Page 3. Taken further to develop a design

The bottom image could be taken further as a strap or edge. I then used a piece of black felt stabilised with Vilene and using the colours I had worked through in my notebook stitch the design. 

Page 3. The stitched sample

My thoughts are that this would look interesting in different colours on different backgrounds and that the diagonals could be used in an interesting way.

Automatic patterns

Page 4. Automatic patterns on red velvet

I selected and automatic pattern and using a range of threads colours including silver and gold metallics was interested to see how they would work against the red. 

Left to right.

Silver and gold metallics - these gave an Eastern feel to the work - sari like and rich

Blue and green - Reduced the 'redness' of the red 

Acid green - was a good contrast colour with the red

The variegated thread is interesting as it occasionally disappears and leaves what appears to be an imprint rather than stitching on the velvet

Fabric backgrounds

Sheers - strips

I made a sandwich of white organza, Bondaweb, organza strips in a range of purple tones, Bondaweb and purple organza. 

These were all fused together using parchment paper and an iron, then areas burnt away with a heat gun. It made an interesting honeycomb-like effect. 

Page 4. The purple side

Page 4. The white side

Sheers - snippets

I chose one white and one pale green layer of organza and ironed Bondaweb to each under parchment paper. Then between these layers, I laid snippets of organza and ironed them all together using parchment paper to protect the organza. 

Page 5. The white side. 

Page 5. The green side

Fabric snippets

Black felt and black organza were both fused to Bondaweb and layered with a sandwich of 'black' snippets of various fabrics, then fused together by iron on parchment paper. 

The layers were then stitched with a grid of black straight stitch to create an interesting new fabric.

Page 5. The black grid sample 

Some of the blacks verged on grey/silver but add interest to the sample.

Angelina

The base fabric is black felt with a layer of Bondaweb fused to it. With the backing paper removed, small pieces of Angelina were sprinkled onto the Bondaweb and with the protection of parchment paper, the Angelina and Bondaweb were fused together. 

Page 6. Blue and pink Angelina fibres fused to black felt

Painted fusible webbing/transfer adhesive

A piece of cotton fabric was used as a base layer. Bondaweb was painted with silk paints and when dry the Bondaweb was fused to the fabric and then the new fabric was stitched with a toning thread in straight lines.

Page 6 The new fabric (above) and the original (below)

Page 6. The stitched new fabric

Printed and stitched background

Using the Paisley patterned kantha source as one design and the umbrellas as another, two blocks were made from funky foam and card 

Page 7. The two blocks - left, the comma shapes from the Paisley pattern and the V shaped elements from an umbrella

Three colours of paint were used to block the fabric; yellow, mid green and dark green. The yellow was too loud so it was toned down with gold Markel stick. 

Then stitching was applied; straight stitch was used around the gold triangular shapes, stain stitch on some edges of the dark green triangles and straight stitch around the 'commas' of the Paisley pattern. 

Page 7. Top - original fabric. Bottom - The block printed and stitched fabric

This was an interesting chapter developing new fabrics. 

C&G Level 2 Module 2 Chapter 10 completed

3D Manipulated Structure

The brief for this chapter is to develop a fourth resolved sample to show 'line and texture using free embroidery techniques'. The sample is to be stitched on paper or wire mesh based on the module's learning.

Inspiration

My inspirations were the snakes-head fritillary flower, cow parsley once seed has set and hart's tongue ferns.

I decided that some elements would be free embroidered on paper using acrylic wax and some on heat altered metals, both copper mesh and steel cloth.

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Design

Using the three plant/flower sources above, I considered how I would change their shapes to not make them as they 'are' but as they 'could' look. So I did some loose sketches in my small notebook to find how my ideas might work. As I thought (and woke up thinking) about the processes, I also decided that the forms would be supported on a woven bed of sari silk waste in woodland colours.

A flower

So, I had chosen a snakes-head fritillary from photos in my Spring garden.

Page 62. Plan for plant forms - flower and leaves

Page 62. Notebook page of planning (apologies for sideways image)

Page 62. Planning pages from notebook

I thought about how I would represent the flower in 3D and made two or three sketches (left page of notebook), elongating the petals and concluded my thought process by deciding that the flower would have three petals to enable me to join them (they have four in reality). I wanted there to be a delicate feel to the flower and so would use a heat treated stainless steel cloth as the base fabric. The squares of the snakes-head fritillary would be alternated between granite stitch and bare burnished metal. The metal would be covered with organza in slightly different shades and stitched in a slightly different tonal range of closely matching colours. In some squares, I would leave the fabric and using a candle, burn back some areas of petals to show degradation of the flower. I decided to make three flowers, two complete and one starting to decompose, with a fallen petal on the base fabric below. The flowers were to be supported on zigzagged wire stems.

Page 62. Initial outline of fritillary on heat treated stainless steel cloth

Page 62. Granite stitch on alternate squares of flower

Page 63. A completed fritillary flower

 Page 63. Fritillary with fallen leaf exposing internal wire support

More design - the leaf

I had chosen a hart's tongue fern photograph from my garden and I decided that I would make three leaves. These were to be made using copper mesh as a base and would be self-supporting but to enable them to be meshed into the base fabric, a zigzagged stem was made to run from the base of the stem. I made some drawings (right hand page of notebook). The mesh was laid between two layers of organza in a range of shades the outside shape of the 'leaf' was marked out with cable stitch and then overlaid with an automatic blanket stitch. The central vein of the leaves were stitched with an automatic stitch and then the fabric folded down the length of this line. The fabric was then manipulated into shapes similar to those of a fern. The third of the samples was made in brown rather than green organzas and darker stitch and left without a stem support as it was to be 'crunched' as a dying leaf on the base fabric to denote decay.

Page 63. Completed leaf on either side of flower

Unfortunately I didn't take photographs of the processes use to make the leaves

Even more design - the seedpods

I wanted to use 'cow parsley' anthriscus sylvestris as my seedpod inspiration. Not from the garden this time but from a photograph taken when the seeds had set last year. I decided to make the seedpod from paper. Two different pale beige-y Indian papers were selected - one heavy and one very light. They were to be cut into circles and block printed with an Indian fern shaped block, stitched with an automatic pattern dividing the circle into eight, where the unstitched elements would be cut away, the remaining arms rolled inwards and outwards and small seeds made from the waste paper, rolled and attached to the downwards turning arms.

Page 63. Plan for seed head/pod (left page)

Page 64. Lightweight paper on left and heavy weight on right - small circle above was stitched into the internal centre to strengthen the papers, Block printed and acrylic waxed

Page 64. Stitched with a fern pattern

Page 64. Waste paper rolled for seeds

Page 64. Completed seed head

Keeping the Grinling Gibbons 3D relief work in mind, I did consider whether this piece would work best as a wallhanging or as a standing piece. I decided on the latter, but with not much work this decision could be changed.

Joining together would be done both by hand and stitch wherever required.

The colour scheme would be gentle as I am trying to depict delicate plants in growth and decay.

My sketch is on the right hand page above although this was my first thought, once in creation I decided to use a woven base made from sari waste and copper base for stability. This would then be crunched into a more organic shape.

Plan

Image - my image is to be loosely based on a flower, fern and seedpod
Form- the forms would be created using different methods
Textures - There would be soft (flower), spiky (leaves) and curly (seedpods)
Colours - soft colours, lilacs and greens, browns and beiges
Line - The 3D structure would be flowing as none of the elements would be completely upright
Fabric - stainless steel cloth, copper mesh - both heat altered; organza, silk, paper and acrylic wax
Order of work -
The wires were zigzagged first in three colours 28g wire with dark and pale greens and beige threads.

The seedpods next as I need to block print the papers in advance;

Then the flowers; the stainless steel had to be heat treated in advance

Then the leaves; the copper mesh had to be heat treated in advance

The base was then made weaving sari waste and laying it on a layer of copper mesh and stitched around the perimeter to stabilise it but leave the weave open into which to mesh and stitch the wire stems of the plant forms.

The construction was the final part of the process - the wires would not hold the heads in upright positions and were allowed to droop. the wire stems were intermeshed in the base weave and stitched into place using free zigzag.

Evaluation
I would have liked more supported plant forms and should have used a stronger wire to support them.
I have used granite and cable stitch and free zigzag in this sample but on reflection should have used more free embroidery stitches. I could have done more free embroidery on the base fabric to meet the brief more effectively

Page 65. The finished resolved sample "Growth and Decay"

On reflection, I was not happy with the base of this sample as the colours were not in keeping with the stitched flowers, so I deconstructed the piece and wove another base of more tonal silk sari ribbons which I have purchased since completing the original piece and stitched it to the same copper mesh base with organza beneath to protect my machine. The plants were then re-attached and this time more firmly than before to reduce the fragility of the price. I am happier with the new sample as the colours work better together.

Revised sample

Photo of me working

C&G 2 Module 2 Chapter 9 completed

Stitch and Manipulate

Using Indian papers in different weights and colours and ink blocks, including the one I made for Chapter Two, to complement the colours, the paper was printed on both sides. Different sizes and shapes of paper were made.

Using 'foot on' and automatic patterns the first sample was stitched cut, curled and connected together with a micro-stitcher.

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Then using a triangle of block printed Indian paper automatic patterns were stitched and the sample cut from one side of the triangle, curled back and secured through small slits made in the uncut paper. The paper was twisted before securing several of the strips to add interest.

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Using a rectangle of block printed lighter weight Indian paper, a 'vermicelli' automatic pattern was used to stitch the sample which was then folded across the length and curled with a scissor blade, ends being connected through small slits in the paper. The paper had a fabric feel to it once stitched as it was so lightweight.

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A circle of lightweight Indian paper was stitched in the style of a lotus flower using two automatic patterns and variegated threads, creating petal shapes and the negative remainder of the paper was left unstitched. The negative petal shape and the external circle were automatic pattern 'blanket' stitched and the petals shapes cut towards the centre of the sample where a circles pattern had been used again with variegated thread.

The edges of the negative shapes were joined with an automatic 'blanket' stitch stitching twice round the circle for strength. The petals were then twisted slightly to be joined to the negative shapes with a micro-stitcher. I then photographed the 'bowl' shaped which resulted. I am very pleased with the result as it is free-standing and attractive.

Page 56. Top view of stitched and cut circle 

Page 56. Bottom view of stitched circle

Page 56. Side view of stitched circle

The next sample was to use three layers of paper. One was orange block printed tissue paper. one red block printed with a gold "leaf" pattern and the middle layer was A4 printer paper block printed with elephants - all of these were papers that I had printed before so it was good use of stock. This time, the paper was torn rather than cut.

Layers of paper

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Stitching on thinner papers

The next exercise was to use a paper napkin to stitch thinner papers. A napkin with autumn leaves was chosen and a small section selected to be sewn. 

Page 57. 

The whole napkin was left intact for ease of stitching. Layers were created by using Wondaweb behind the back and front layers of the separated napkin with calico in the centre. 

Using free embroidery and a range of complimentary colours, the selected section of the napkin was stitched using a range of stitches, mostly straight but a little zigzag and some whip stitch on the berries. Variegated and plain threads were used where appropriate

Page 57.

The back of the napkin was white so the reverse of the design looks delicate and pretty. This sample is in my book but all of the 3D samples are in a box.

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Acrylic wax

For this sample, two sheets of complimentarily coloured crinkly wallpaper sample pages were used back to back having been block printed with my block made in Chapter 2. The paper samples were mustard and orange coloured and the block paint was white. Once the block paints had dried, acrylic wax was applied with an old brush and allowed to dry

The paper was stitched back to back with orange and yellow threads and an automatic pattern then curled inwards and outwards and wrapped around itself to created an interesting looking sample.

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Wire mesh

I have bought quite a lot of wire mesh and cloth but had not use heat or stitch until now. I have read both Alsyn Midgelow-Marsden and Anne Parr's books on working with metal and was really looking forward to this part of the chapter. 

I followed all the health and safety advice and using the kitchen blowtorch for creme brûlée (not any more) I heated some copper mesh and immersed it in water to cool quickly. 

Then I stitched it with free embroidery to see how it worked. I wanted to protect my machine so backed the mesh with a water soluble sheet which I washed away before cutting the sample to manipulate. I wanted to see how this went both on copper mesh but also on stainless steel cloth.

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Automatic patterns were used on the steel cloth with a little free embroidery at the bottom. Again, water soluble machine protection was used and washed away prior to cutting and manipulating. 

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The delicacy of the steel cloth is beautiful. It colours well with heat. I also really like the blues and shades that heat creates on copper mesh and used this for the next sample which was cable stitched and infilled with feather and granite (ish) stitch. 

Page 59. Side view of stitched copper form

Page 59. Top view of stitched copper form

Layers with wire mesh

A piece of copper mesh was heated coloured, then sandwiched between a layer of purple organza on one side and green organza on the other. Between the copper and fabric, small pieces of yarn left over from the last chapters 'snippets' exercise, were laid on the copper and using automatic patterns in a range of plain and variegated bobbins and top colours, a new fabric that could be manipulated was created. 

I had though to make a 3D form to represent the paper fern manipulation form the last chapter but decided to leave this until chapter 10. So I made a Chinese Dragon! Well that's what it loped like once I had manipulated the wire mesh. 

 Page 60. Side view of manipulated stitched sample

Page 60. Top view of manipulated stitched sample

A most enjoyable chapter!