Part 3 - Project 6 Stage 4 Raised and Structured Surface Textures

I liked the gathering of fabric.  Below are silk chiffon, silk and cotton muslin that have been gathered in rows.  Also a piece of silk that was first painted with silk paints then salt sprinkled on so that when dry the fabric had lovely patterns on it.  The silk was smocked into a flower pattern.  I would like to do more work on gathering fabric.  I really like the texture.  

The sample below is worked on a piece of painted wool blanket.  Layers of chiffon and metallic organza were layered onto the wool blanket.  The chiffon pieces were layered in strips and then the metallic organza piece was placed on top.  Lines were machine stitched in sections and in different directions.  The chiffon and organza were then cut inbetween the stitched lines.  These edges were then frayed giving the piece a whole new texture.  I think this was very successful and could be used as a good textured without any further embellishment on it. 

The sample below is a velvet background painted with metallic acrylic paint. A pattern was then burnt into the velvet with a pyrograph  Strips of torn chiffon were layered onto the velvet and machined at intervals with a straight stitch. The chiffon was then distressed to give more texture.  I like this sample and think it was very successful because of the colours and the texture that was achieved by applying the fabrics to a heavy background and distressing the fine chiffon.

I decided to stitch on water soluble fabric so that I could add the pieces to the dyed scrim I had soaked in a mixture of PVA glue and water.  I manipulated a piece by scrunching it into pleats and moulded a piece around a small bowl.

I then stitched running stitches with a perle yarn between the folds.  This was backed with a piece of dyed vilene to give it stability.  I then stitched the pieces I had sewn on the water soluble fabric between the folds of the scrim.

Below are samples of gathering in different fabrics - calico pleated by hand, a piece of metallic chiffon layered onto a piece of chiffon and gathered using stitches randomly placed, dyed scrim with threads pulled from the weave tied and secured to gather the fabric.

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

I tried many of the techniques and felt that there was a lot more freedom working this way as opposed to working directly with stitch.  A three dimensional look was very quickly achieved.

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

Yes I am pleased with the samples.  I particularly liked the fabric manipulation exercises and especially the look I got to the samples I did by gathering.  I think the fine silk chiffon and silks were most successful.

I would perhaps try to be more experimental with the fabric manipulation exercises for example I would use heavier fabrics and thread and work on a larger scale.

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?

My final pieces are very different from my drawings.  I tried very hard not to let the technique take over but unfortunately it did.  I say 'unfortunately' but I feel I have learnt a lot from working with the technique and can see possibilities I would not have seen if I had stayed true to the drawings.  

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

In contrast to the way I worked my samples with the fabric manipulation techniques I did find it helpful to work from my drawings when doing the applique exercise.  I found it easier to interpret the shapes and colours that I had done in my drawings.  I also fond it easier to choose materials that would interpret my drawings as I wanted, when doing the applique.  Although I would like to play directly with the cut shapes and materials I would not have preferred to do this.  I felt pleased with the sample result and part of this was because I was able to work from my drawing.

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 really like working with stitch both by hand and machine.  I find hand stitching very relaxing and therapeutic.  I like the feel of fabric and thread and that it is worked at a slow rhythmic pace.  However, I do feel there is a need sometime to stitch by machine and techniques such as machining on watersoluble fabric can give some lovely results such as adding lace like edges.

I would like to pursue working with stitch.  I have loved stitching from an early age and as my interest has developed I have become more interested in embroidery from the past especially the 15th/16th centuries.

I do not find working with stitch limiting.  I am finding that I am looking to work through any limitations that can occur for example if hand stitching is not working is it because of the choices of thread or fabric or would a machined technique be more appropriate.  I like to work through any problems and find that thinking about these and any research I do take me to other possibilities.