Embroidery: machine stitch week three.

This final week in machine embroidery has been spent using 3 different sizes of pin tuck feet, developing samples and sketchbook work, along with choosing 25 samples out of both my hand and machine embroidery samples too mount as final samples.

Pin tuck background with tailor tack stitch- map lines.

Of my samples this week, this is my most successful. I think that pin tucking the fabric all over to use as a background worked really well as something too work on top of, and then adding the tailor tacked lines inspired by the lines of my map drawings made the sample come too life. The addition of the white filling some of the negative space between the lines also adds too the success of the sample.

Pin tuck background with satin stitched pin tuck map-like lines on either side of fabric.

If I was too improve a sample that I have done this week, I would choose this cream with black stitched pin tucks. I think that the cream cotton doesn't give the look that I'd like it too, and this is because my research and drawings are heavily focussed on black and white and so the addition of cream doesn't look success. 

Pin tuck- avoiding mapped out lines.

My most unsuccessful sample of the week is this simple pin tuck sample, filling in negative space to create lines. Although this idea of creating a drawing my stitching around the lines has made some of the most successful samples of this project over the last few weeks with use of the other machine feet, the pin tuck foot on this fabric has distorted and made unusual lines and marks which do not look as successful as my other samples.

Embroidery: machine stitch week two.

This week in machine embroidery, I have been using both the tailor tack foot and zipper foot with the hairpin technique (making use of the end of an old coat hanger too wrap a thick yarn around then sew too fabric).

Both of these feet allowed me too develop my ideas and theme with more interesting and unusual samples rather than just normal stitch into fabric.

Tailor tack tucks from the back- negative space line drawing.

Of this weeks samples, I think that this is one of my most successful ones. Created by using the tailor tacking foot on a folded edge of the fabric, then opening it out. It is much more interesting on the underneath rather than the tucked side. Again i used the drawing from negative space technique by stitching around lines I mapped out on the under side- creating a drawing from the not stitched space.

Hairpin technique with zipper foot overlayed with satin zig zag stitch- map line drawings.

A sample which I think would be better with improvement is this hair pinned and stitched over one. Although I like the idea of having this background of pile like yarns too stitch over, I think that if I was too do it again, I would improve it by hair pinning the yarn closer together too avoid gaps and give it a bit more substance. I would also stitch much more over the top too add more line and structure.

Hairpin technique and satin set pattern 6. - negative space drawing,

My least successful of the samples I have done this week would be this sample.This is because it didn't work out like I expected it too. The parts that are "hair pinned" look too "thrown on" against the black background and variable thread stitch. I'd like it to have been much softer and that it flowed better than it does.

Embroidery: machine stitch week one.

Week one of machine embroidery- spent developing the ideas I have been exploring through hand embroidery with machine techniques using machine feet 6 & 21.

set pattern 6 with machine foot no6- negative space drawing.

My most successful samples of the week would be this negative space piece, done simply with different kinds of stitches using the number 6 foot. The success of this sample is due to the way I've drawn around lines/shapes in the negative space too create a drawing, rather than simply stitching lines too represent lines. I think this technique could be developed a lot further with all techniques I'll be learning in machine embroidery.

Satin stitch with foot no6- negative space drawing.

Although this samples is a nice idea and the fabric i have create with the satin stitch feels and looks nice on the chequered fabric, I think that too improve on this, I should re-do it but instead of leaving the squares, draw around lines inspired by my map drawings as I have with the above sample. I think this will make it much more interesting and express my ideas and theme.

Cording with foot no26  and straight stitch with foot no6- mapping lines on sheer.

The least successful piece of the week, is this chiffon sample with cording. The marks and lines that the different stitch types and threads/yarns have created in this piece don't look effective enough, however I think that the folds the stitches have made are quite interesting and this idea could be explored in other samples.

Contextual Reference: Christine Mauersberger.

Artist Christine Mauresberger's "mind map installation" work instantly reminded me of some of the samples I have already done in this project, especially within machine embroidery. I love the importance of line, thread and fabric choice in these pieces as that's also of key importance in my work. Installation art is something that I have always had a keen interest in, because as a textiles student I see myself as much more of an artist than a designer. I always see my work as more one off pieces than something that would be mass produced.

Embroidery: hand stitch week three.

In this final week of hand embroidery, I have been continuing with sample development, learning and moving on from last weeks successes and failings. A group critic with the machine group has been very helpful in preparing my  thoughts and ideas for machine stitch and showed me the possibilities for progressing my work into machine stitch.

Squared hand stitch samples- mapping line drawings and inverted maps.

Inspired by some mark making drawings which I did relating to map imagery, these two samples have been really successful. Again I like the inverted look these samples have of each other, and also the marks and lines look very effective and interesting. They also relate well too both my drawings and research, and I think that techniques in machine stitch will allow me too develop these ideas much further.

Running and wide ladder stitch- map lines & filling negative space.

I also think this samples is very successful,I like the way the long stretched ladder stitch fills up the blocks of black, as without this the sample would not be as effective or interesting as it is. I also think the thread colour choice in this sample makes it so successful, as the white really stands out against the black and the grey gives it good tone.

Running and ladder stitch- compact map lines.

Due to the simplicity and lack of detailed sections in this sample, compared too the other samples I have done this week it is not as successful. This is because it shows much less development and structure like the others.

Overall, I have really enjoyed hand stitch over the past three weeks, and I'm really looking forward to be able too expand my knowledge of techniques as well as samples and ideas through machine stitch. I think that machine stitch will give me the opportunity to push my project much further and create new exciting samples.

Drawing development.

This week I have been focussing a lot on developing my drawings for this project, to give me more ideas and inspiration too push me further through this project and develop my samples. Inspired by imagery I found from contextual references and on pinterest, i have been drawing from maps and my routes taken on journeys. I think that by drawing using techniques I have never explored before until workshops in this sampling unit has definitely made my drawings more successful and given me more too work from in terms of samples. 

Embroidery: hand stitch week two.

This week in hand embroidery, I have been developing my samples much further focussing on my successful drawings and the research I have been doing through my sketchbook work.

Sketchbook Development.

Cornelli machine: negative space cut out samples.

Although these are two separate samples, I think they look much more successful when placed together- the sample on the right is like the inverted version of the left, which I think is a really nice idea. I have been using inverting as a technique in my sketchbook and drawings, inspired by some of the contextual references I have been looking at. 

Herringbone stitch and bondaweb sample- filling negative space.

This sample has been much more unsuccessful. The bonded on loose threads done have as good an impact as a hand stitched line does, I think it looks much more soft and flimsy compared too my other samples because of this technique. Also, the use of ice white threads on this cream peasant cotton is not a good combination to use for samples.

Embroidery: hand stitch week one.

Week one of hand embroidery after Christmas- has been about learning new stitches of my choice and developing with these stitches. I chose wheatear, cross, blanket, herringbone and feather stitch.

Wheatear stitch sample inspired my mapping drawings, focussing on filling the negative space.

Of the samples I have produced this week, this is my success. The composition of lines and difference in line is really interesting, and the filling in of negative space with the wheat eater stitch works really well and gives the sample a graphic feel.

This idea of filling negative is something I'd like too explore.

Feather stitch- map line drawing sample.

This sample is much more unsuccessful. Although I like the feather stitch and I think it could work well in my hand stitch samples, the lines and composition I have used are what makes it unsuccessful. Compared too the other samples I have done, this is much more simple, and the shades of grey and black don't work as well as the black, whites and creams I have been using in the others.

Christmas Holidays.

Over the Christmas holidays, focus for me has been on hand stitch samples along with developing my drawings and ideas for the "data" project.

After looking back on the initial work I produced before this Christmas break, the most successful drawings and possibility for development through my embroidery for this project is through the mapping ideas which I did in response too the feedback week task.

Map drawing- couched sample with ladder stitch.

This is what I feel is the most successful sample from over the Christmas break. Although it is technically simple, I love the drawn feeling of the lines and the different qualities they each have. It also directly relates too a drawing I did from my route too the city art gallery - this idea of line quality and space is what I have been interested in so far in my drawings.

Spiral drawing- chain stitch.

I was also asked to produce three stitched spiral samples inspired by the drawings workshop drawings done before Christmas. Although this isn't something I'll be carrying through this project, I like the marks and textures in this sample. The choice of fabric and thread work really well together in this particular piece, which shows the importance of these choices.

Embroidery introduction.

This week, I have been introduced too initial hand embroidery techniques such as chain, ladder, French knots and running stitch. I’ll be using these throughout the samples I will be completing over the Christmas holidays. These stitches are very flexible and will give me the chance to interperet and use them in many different ways inspired by by drawings.

 I have been developing my idea of mapping from my route to Manchester city art gallery, by working in my sketchbook from maps I have off google maps. These will be inspiring my samples along with the initial drawings I did last week such as the spirals and mark making drawings.

 I think that the drawings I’m doing are going well, and have many development opportunities that I will continue to explore. I am very interested and inspired by the lines, marks and shapes found in maps and this is what I’ll be translating into my embroidery.

Textiles World 2: Embroidery.

This first week in embroidery focus has been on drawing in different and unusual ways to create new exciting and interesting drawings for this unit. From a drawing workshop focussed on drawing spirals in uncomfortable conditions, in a continuous line with each like 3mm apart- too mark making with materials like kitchen scourers and fuse terminals.

These workshops have been really useful, educational and inspiring to the way of working and thinking.In future, I will take a different approach to my traditional drawing techniques, pushing myself out of my comfort zone and setting myself tasks, as this creates much more interesting and unusual drawings, with unusual lines and textures as produced in this weeks workshops.



Spiral drawing made by using an oil bar resist technique, stood over a table.



Spiral drawing done with ruler meausing precisely 3mm in between lines, stood over table.

 

Mark making "map drawing" focussed on line quality and negative space in maps.