City & Guilds level 2, Module 1, Chapter 8 completed

Having doodled my interpretation of walk, run, jump etc I committed them to stitch and then to avoid any confusion stitched and wrote which action was which. I had a lie down at the end as all the jumping and cartwheels had worn me out!

Walk, run, hop, skip, jump, cartwheel and lie down

So then, to dance with stitch. Well what I know about dance is minimal, so I watch some You Tube and attempted to transfer the feeling of the dance to stitch. As this exercise is about stitch control, I wasn't to worried about my dance steps more the emotion and speed of the dance.

Dance moves!

Waltz is forward, side, side so one long step forward and two little steps to the side. Then a couple of swirls, followed by the foxtrot - no idea but I think it's fast so lots of little fancy steps and the fox went off on his own. Then the jive, fast and jumpy and the twist, "up and down we go" and then line dancing, lots os stepping sideways and on to the American Smooth; swirly and soft. The Pasadoble was strong and angular and finally the Cha cha with little side kicks on the spot. I've stitched the names of the dances. Good fun!

The next sewing sample was to depict 6 emotions in stitch having prepared the exercise on paper.

I chose anger, joy, peace, frustration, sadness and love and tried to feel these emotions as I stitched. 

My samples are all on calico backed with Stitch and Tear and held in an eight inch embroidery hoop, a 100 needle and black top and bottom thread. 

During this chapter mark making in a notebook was part of the exercise. I photographed my notebook and the mess on my table. 

Mark makers

Charcoal on long sides and with the tip in sweeps, line and circles

Natural sponge, toothbrush scraped an flicked, a fine line paintbrush with tip and on side and a wooden stick on LH page. On RH page a selection of different hardnesses of pencil and italic pen. The paper wasn't hick enough to stop the impression from the other side.

The left hand page is different thicknesses of graphic pens and pencils and the right hand page graphite, a thick block of charcoal, cotton bud and different brushes

The final sample is Quink black ink, bleached out with a stick and a bottle top, then detailed with a fine brush

C&G Level 2, Module 1, Chapter 7, Razzle Dazzle!

Free motion embroidery.

I drew rough ideas of what I would sew in my notebook. An ethnic type repeat pattern in primaries, a simple more linear design again in primaries, a little swirly pattern in red and yellow which could be possibly be elaborated on and founded perhaps in Celtic or aboriginal design. I then drew a treble clef facing the usual way and then reversed. I like reversing images - sometimes not easy to do but they remind me of Leonardo da Vinci who wrote backwards in code.

I used black felt backed with Stitch and Tear and a 100 needle and mostly Madeira thread. The fabric was mounted in a 10" wrapped embroidery hoop and tightened to prevent any rucking. I stitched my plan elaborating on odd bits. I used an darning foot throughout.

I then freed up a bit and did some wavy lines in several colours then added a variegated thread and made some circles which eventually became flowers so leaves were added when I reached the bottom end. Not planned but I like the effect.

The Plan in my little notebook

The stitched sample

The stitched words. 

Having stitched over 100 Prairie points with very straight lines I wanted to free up a bit so planned to Razzle Dazzle all over the fabric. Again black felt (although I possibly could have used another fabric) was mounted in a 10" wrapped hoop and backed with Stitch and Tear. 

I had drawn 12 possible styles of Razzle Dazzle and incorporated the majority into my sample. I used pink, lilac, blue, green and yellow threads and then around the end where I have stitched a couple of continuous Razzle Dazzles I used a variegated thread for variety. 

I used upper and lower case letters and in each case tried to make the styles differ to some extent from each other. Good fun.

Some ideas on how I might write the text with my needle

A rough idea of where the text might sit in the hoop, not followed exactly and more added around the edge

The finished sample for Razzle Dazzle. 

C&G Level 2, Module 1, Chapter 6, Prairie Points completed

Prairie Points resolved sample.

When I made the practice sample and was thinking about what I could make with prairie points as a resolved piece, I thought of dinosaurs, spiky extra-terrestrials (Star Wars or Doctor Who) and then as Christmas is approaching, I decided that my sample would have a purpose and be a Christmas tree as the points resemble the structure of a fir tree which when embroidered could be a decorated tree and possible be something that can be passed on through my family. Anyway, that was the starting point.

So I made a paper mock-up which is shown alongside my finished piece and it made me realise that I had taken on quite a task as I'd have to make over 100 points. I used over two metres of felt.

In order to be supported I decided to use pellet Vilene as an understructure, green felt as my fabric and mostly metallic Madeira threads for embroidery. I chose a bronzy gold, red and blue metallics to represent baubles, green metallic thread to represent the traditional holly and ivy, a variegated blue, red yellow thread to represent the berries of autumn, silver stars for the night sky, gold stars for the star of Bethlehem and the gold gift and a variegated gold and soft coloured thread just because I like it. I used a 100 needle throughout

The bottom of the Vilene was painted with red acrylic paint and hung to dry for 24 hours. This was to fill the gaps between the bottom layer of points and when asked why red and not green like the tree, I replied that the woodland elves who live in the tree were having a party and had red fairy lights!

I decided That the tree was best constructed on flat Vilene whereas I had made a card cone for the mock-up which was stuck together with sellotape and would not work for the stitched sample.

I measured the distance between each side of the cone at the base and decided to start with 20cm points. These were gradually reduced in size so that at the top of the tree they are 10cm.

First two layers of Prairie Points stitched to painted Vilene

Detail of first two layers

I reversed the points on each alternate row and gradually built it up, determining at the end of each two layers, the dimensions of the points for the following two and gradually decreasing the size. As I progressed up the tree, I was able to reduce the amount of rows of embroidery as the points grew smaller. Having started with eight rows of stitch, the top layers only contain four rows. 

Approaching the top of the tree after applying ten layers of points

Detail of first eight layers of points

As the felt was four layers thick when made into points, it somewhat lost it's shape. I had pressed the edges prior to stitching to help keep crispness but as the tree was to be conical, the crispness of the points would eventually be reduced.

As with the mock-up, I decided to top the tree with a conical 'hat'. I shaped a piece of felt and using all of my threads, stitched rows of the leaf pattern previously stitched in green in each. I then stitched a seam in the top ensuring that it covered the edges of the top layer of points. 

 The finished tree alongside the smaller mock-up

The tree from above.

I intend to connect the sides of the cone with ribbons which will be tied on bows making pretty detail down the seam but for the moment it is connected with Microstitch tacks. The ability for the bows to be undone will enable the tree to be stored flat between seasons. 

And finally, 

A fairy who was at the elves' party popped out to say, happy stitching!

Revised Prairie point tree

Nor being very pleased with my first effort, I removed the top section of points and reduced their size by a third. Then I made a little cone to top the tree off. I don't mind the result and will probably keep it and embellish it with gold rubbing and fiddle about with it. I may use dowelling and a base and keep it. Or not!

I'm glad that I cleaned the living room yesterday!!

Prairie point tree

Paper mock-up of Prairie Point Christmas tree

It goes a bit wonky at the top as the cone decreases in size. I will probably make bigger PPs so that there are less - the tree took nearly 100 - and when I get to the top I will use a separate piece of fabric, cut into a circle and embroidered then draped over the point to remove the irregular look at the top.

Fun though.

Prairie points exercise - for comment please

I have stitched the sample piece and to avoid having the frayed edges at the back of the work, have folded the solid piece down and behind and stitched it. I hope that the pictures will explain what on earth I'm talking about.

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