Two images were selected from my photos to give me basic sources of curves and lines. The first was taken in a garden in Ethiopia, so I am not sure what the fruit is...... I had tried two other source images as shown in my sketch book below, but this one enabled me to find a more abstract focus.
Page 30 Curved source
Page 30. Linear source
The linear image is part of a wood and string sculpture by Barbara Hepworth taken during a visit to her sculpture garden in St. Ives this year.
I found section in both images using an L shaped frame - the curved image took a couple of false starts ...
First look for suitable images
Second look; I liked the lines but wasn't happy with the curves
Third look and I found the Ethiopian fruit abstracted well
I made notes as to how I might develop the ideas into stitch, thinking about colour, texture, fabric etc.
Page 30. Line
Page 30. Curve
Counterchange
I cheated and used felt tip to develop my counterchanged images - I was as neat as possible! I created the voided elements for each design
Page 30. Curve
Page 31. Line
Stitched counterchange
I made a list in my notebook a list of ways that I could use to interpret counterchange for design and decided to use metal with felt, so shiny and matt.
Heat changed Copper
Using my blowtorch, I developed an interesting pattern on a sheet of soft copper. A 10x10cm piece (slightly larger to be cut back later) was cut with a scalpel to create the lined design using a cutting mat to protect surfaces. Supported on heavy Vilene and above a similar coloured felt, was stitched together, using a suitable needle and strong glove thread.
Page 31. Shiny and matt linear piece
For my second sample, I used a previously made base fabric which had been created using Gelli Plates and fabric paints. To this I added some cotton fabric in a matching colour and using a variegated thread granite stitched the cut cotton pieces. So both pieces were matt, the contrasts being pattern and plain.
Page 32. Sample 2
I wanted to try another texture for my third sample, so I chose to use contrasting colours and fabrics. I used some glove leather in yellow stitching on the 'suede' side. Under the leather and again supported by Vilene, I used some wool from a purple wool top, chopped up pieces of Cadbury's chocolate foil wrapper for some sparkle and covered these with purple net. The pattern was reversed for this piece. When I stitched, some of the sparkle found it's way throughout the honeycombs of the net, so there was rather less at the end than I started with. An interesting piece to stitch.. the soft leather stretched as I stitched, so I stitched more to hold it more firmly and resulted in a more solid piece than I first anticipated. I enjoyed the linear stitching around the piece, quite absorbing. As the leather had stretched, the piece was a bit larger than the 10cm square, so I satin stitched the edge and cut the edges down to size.
Page 32. Leather and net sample
Developing Counterchange
I used all the suggested ideas with tracing paper and created a range of ideas with both the linear and curved ideas.
Page 33. Rotated curved
Page 33. Rotated linear
Page 33. Linear design development 1
Page 33. Linear design development 2
Page 33. Linear design development 3
Page 33. Linear design development 4
Curved design development 2
Page 34. Curved design development 2 with voided elements
Page 34. Curved design development 4
Stitched Counterchange
Using the rotated curved design with a base layer of Vilene and mustard coloured felt, the rotated counterchange curved design was granite stitched to the fabric using a green contrasting thread. In order to transfer the design, I stitched through Stitch'n'tear on which I had drawn the design. Big mistake! I spent all evening picking out little bits of white from my sample and still some of the design (black) shows through the stitching. In a further piece in this chapter I stitched the the back to prevent this happening again. Lesson learnt....
Page 34. Curved rotated stitched sample
The linear design was rotated using my fourth development design, a bit like windmill sails, and I used a piece of orange felt supported on Vilene. Strips of yellow silk sari waste were stitched down with a jagged free embroidered yellow thread and the design sketched in the same yellow thread. The top thread was then changed to a stronger brown glove thread and stitched with lines of free straight stitches. The pattern was transferred this time with a transfer screen which worked reasonably well but I had to make sure that I overstitched all the marks on the fabric.
Page 35. Linear rotated stitched sample
I traced the curved shaped design and deconstructed the image into shapes.
Page 34. Deconstructed curved design to simple shapes
This square was then cut into pieces and put back together into a different design and simple shapes found
Page 35. Further simplification of design
A piece of blue/green felt was used as a base; the design was drawn onto a piece of tracing paper and the thread that would show on the front of the piece were used in the bobbin. The sample was stitched from the back using a variety of variegated threads and using granite stitch and some circular straight stitch in one small area. On reflection, I should probably not have used the top left metallic darker thread as it stands out too much
Stitched design.
What a journey! I am amazed at how an idea can be transformed from such different beginnings - I particularly like the straight line development and how mesmerising the designs can become as they change.
An interesting chapter.
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