'Undulating Texture'

Throughout our challenges I've been working into my sketch book and accumulated a variety of design options, so I'm going to re-visit previous subjects with our new challenges when possible.

For our 'Textures' challenge I chose to work from a drawing I made for my Abstract Armchair project.

drawing from the fabric design

I decided to used a technique I sampled a while back. It involves weaving a drawn image with painted papers. Then re-drawing the lines and shapes within the weave openings. This drawing is then repeated with free machine quilting.

previous sample

To give me more stitch choices, I added texture lines from the original fabric design to the background area of the drawing.

design work

I created the weave below using the cut off trimmings. I  laid the strips onto hand dyed fabric and scrim, with chiffon and foils and fused to a felt background. I've then used this piece to draw thumb nail sketches for future design inspiration.

sketch book work

On my final piece I added hand dyed scrim while stitching with coloured threads to create more texture. The drawn pattern was quilted with black thread. Once the quilting was finished I used trapunto to raise some of the plain areas.

'Undulating Texture'

Thanks for reading
Sue

"Washed - up"

The challenge for June was "Textures" as you already know, and although this seemed like an easy title, I did take a little while to get to grips with it, but eventually I did.   

A few years ago at college I had used a photo of the debris that is washed up on the beach and left behind with the tide, and started working on a small wall-hanging.  I never really felt that it was finished, although I had given it a name and pretended that I was happy with it!

The starting place

 So I decided to use this "un-finished" piece for the Textures challenge.  I chopped into it and added some plain calico to depict more of the sand.  I then batted it up again and quilted into it.

Chopped into!

  I was still not totally happy with it, and remembered the day when we had gone to the beach and it had been covered by foam, so I painted the whole piece with emulsion paint and while the paint was still wet I sprinkled sand over it, to add more texture. 

Re-named and finished at last!

 I am now very happy and re named it "Washed-up".

Thank for reading

Carolyn

The Queen of Sheba

Hello on a glorious July day - too hot to be outside so here I am writing my blog.
I really, really enjoyed this challenge mainly because I really like weaving. I took a long time to decide on a colour scheme for this month's piece, I was not sure whether to go for a monochrome effect and was leaning towards neutral colours - white, cream; ecru, ivory etc but it happened that I was listening to some really entertaining poetry by Kathleen Jamie called the Queen of Sheba during the day and then that same name was mentioned in my evening reading!. So, it seemed that the Queen of Sheba it must be and colours to suit that exotic lady.
I used quite a fine multi-coloured yarn with a slub for the warp thread on my rigid heddle loom. The weft threads are a mix of different yarns including wool fleece, bamboo tops, bamboo cotton, wool yarn, cotton chenille and paper ribbon.
I have sewn it onto a loose square of yellow cotton attached at the top only and frayed the two sides and bottom to compliment the weaving.

 

 

 

 

Textures

I am pleased with the challenge this month and glad I chose the vibrant colours too.
Thanks for looking
Margaret