Chapter 7 - Revisited: Colour and Texture in Stitch

Feedback from Sian on the samples I included in the posting were very positive and have helped me see how to improve my interpretation of "colour and texture in stitch".  I had lost sight of the two key words in the title colour and texture.  Although I enjoyed using colours observed in my digitally enhanced images, I was trying too hard to be precise in using the shape as the focus of the samples.  Using the dyed fabrics and threads from chapter 6 was not enough in itself to provide the inspiration.  At Sian's suggestion, I have looked again at some of the painted papers and designs from chapter 4 (revisited!) to find inspiration from the colours and textures that I created.

In my previous sketchbooks I noted that I particularly liked my revisions of Ch 4, exercise 17, with their coloured backgrounds, textured wallpaper, and added scrim.  I had also produced more painted papers using dilute Brusho spayed onto the paper with salt crystals thrown onto the surface of the wet paper.  These created very interesting abstract patterns and colours.

Below are some extra examples I have worked for colour and texture in stitch:

Sample 11:  Painted papers interpretation – Felted wools on linen scrim:  I had been struggling on how to interpret the background colours for this sample.  But I discovered the way forward by a happy accident!  I found brightly coloured tumble dryer fluff in the filter after washing a new set of towels.  I thought this is too good to waste, so used it to make a felted background on linen scrim using the embellishing machine (at last I have used the thing!).  Choosing the shades of turquoise and an orange colours as my guide, I stitched very large fly stitch and cross stitch with tapestry wool in relaxed lines and blocks.  These were felted into the background to build up another layer, then more stitching with strands of wools in blended colours to build up the texture.  Large overlapping cross stitch in shades of turquoise, large fly stitch in darker blue, and blocks of straight stitch finish the piece. Eight hours to complete this sample.

 

Sample 11: Sketchbook painted page source

Sample 11: stage 1 above, machine needle felting, below stage 2 with added hand stitching

I am much happier with this piece of work as I now understand more about creating a needle felted background and adding stitch as the texture.  The linen scrim has advantages and disadvantages:  It readily accepted the fluff at the first stage, but I added snippets of the wool to try to create blocks of colour where there were blank areas.  Here the linen fibres broke down, making large holes in the background.   This may be useful as an added texture if it is required, but can be messy if this is not a desired outcome.   The linen scrim was easy to stitch into with the wools, but overall the piece is flimsy and needs a bonded background to make it more robust.  However, this is a technique I will explore more in future.

Sample 12.1:  Stitching onto paper:  Overlapping lines and blocks of hand stitching.  I used one of my painted papers bonded to calico for this interpretation.  In chapter 8, I created a series of overlapping shapes then drew a line of interest through a horizontal section thus reflecting the idea of my shape without it being clearly defined.  Here I have used a similar idea to machine (thread-less) lines across the paper.  Some of the linear features intersect to produce new spaces which could be filled with stitches.  The linear features have been reproduced for overlaying more stitches.  The background colour is mainly a pale turquoise so for threads and yarns I have used the complimentary colours of shades of turquoise and orange. Eight hours to complete this sample.

Sample 12: Stitching onto paper

In sample 12.1, I used different stitch patterns with textured yarns to build up texture.  I struggled with this sample and I'm not altogether happy with it as I think it is too large (A4 size), too complicated, and I have tried to put too many different stitches in it. The small filled spaces with herringbone have not worked, either the scale is wrong or the colour is wrong of both! 

Sample 12.2:  Stitching onto paper:  In further attempts with this technique, I tried drawing onto paper versions at different scales and simplifying the lines to focus on a smaller simpler section. My final attempt is shown here:  Not all the lines were punched onto the paper, some have been elongated as I wanted to simplify the sketch even further.  I decided to not to stitch along the lines in previous attempts, but this time to stitch between the lines to fill the spaces.  Texture introduced with the use of the Oliver Twists' experimental yarns and threads in shades of orange on a pale green/turquoise background painted paper. Although I seemed to spend a lot of thinking time on this version, it only took three hours to stitch.

 

Sample 12.2:  Image source above.  Stitching on paper below

Sample 13: Digital printing onto paper with added hand and free machine stitching: For this sample I wanted to use linear stitching and layers to build up the texture.  My source was the image from Ch 4 exercise 17.  I used textured wallpaper and distressed dyed scrim for the surface texture, with layers of coloured wax crayon for the background.  I stretched the image to fit A4, then digitally printed it onto cartridge paper, then bonded it to a calico backing.  I hand stitched long running-stitches in a heavy turquoise cotton perle to mimic the wallpaper markings. Dyed scrim and strips of organza were distressed and roughly stitched in place as part of the surface texture.  A piece of pale turquoise chiffon (from my scrap bag!) overlaid to hold everything in place.  The chiffon was distressed with the point of scissors to create linear marks to reveal the fabrics below.  The whole piece was then stitched with free machining straight, using two multi-coloured threads on the top thread.  Using the two threads in one needle ensured that neither of the colours would dominate the surface stitching, rather there is a subtle blend of the threads. I didn't use a twin needle as I didn't want to wreck another needle by stitching through the paper. Two hours to complete this sample.

 

Sample 13: source image above, below layers with machine stitching onto paper

Sample 14: Linear texture with surface texture: In this sample I have tried to create the appearance of shadows and background texture from one of my digital images of the poppy seed head.  There are lighter and darker areas made by the undulating and mottled surface in predominantly grey colours, with splashes of green. I have ignored the splashes of yellow/orange, as I have used these colours for several of the other samples.  The fabric is from one of the bags of dyed with emerald + violet.   I have exaggerated the raised surface by using gathers on two opposite sides of the fabric.  The spaces between the gathers have been covered with seeding in shades grey threads to suggest the mottled background.   Eight hours to complete.

 

Sample 14: source image above, below raised surface with two side gathers and hand stitching

Sample 15: Raised surface background with surface texture:  For sample 15, I have used a different type of gathering; stitching four parallel lines horizontally and four lines vertically.  The gathers pulled up and basted to a square one quarter size of original piece of gathered fabric (a piece from dye bag mix of turquoise and lemon mix).  The created all over bumpy surface is a different exaggerated representation of the surface of the seed head.  To create the mottled effect, I used blocks and spaced out loose French knots in a complimentary colour.  Five hours to complete.

 

Sample 15: source image above, below raised surface with horizontal and vertical gathers and hand stitching

Sample 16: Couched cords and scrim on spaced dyed fabric for texture: For this sample the inspiration was the patterning in the source image above with the turquoise and orange mix of space dyed fabrics and threads from chapter 6.   This particular piece of fabric was crumpled up so the dye markings lend themselves to interesting patterns. Here I have used space dyed scrim and cords (made from twisted sari ribbon) plus a bundle of loose fibres dyed in the same lot to raise the surface.  Couched threads & yarns with different textures have provided added texture.  I left some spaces between the couched features to reveal the base fabric. Six hours to complete.

 

Sample 16: Couched cords and scrim

Sample 17: Machine stitching (vermicelli) on spaced dyed fabric for texture: For this sample I used a cropped portion of one of my digital colour enhanced images from chapter 5.  The chosen section was the inspiration for the turquoise and orange mix of space dyed fabric in chapter 6.  Here I have used the fabric, 'spiders web' and vermicelli stitch as the background. 

 

Sample 17: Surface texture with machine stitching

The aim was to see if I could make a pre-programmed decorative stitch look less linear and regular.   My free-machining skills are very basic, I have not mastered a true vermicelli stitch as a background.  For this sample I used a textured yarn in the bobbin with ordinary thread on the top.  Working from the back,  I used the pre-programmed vermicelli stitch on my machine, but rather than stitch in straight lines, I kept moving the fabric from side to side and overlapping previous areas to make the stitch flow less formally.  This technique worked well with a fine cord, but is limited to the amount of cord that can be wound onto the bobbin. However, it will enable me to build up a textured background more quickly for larger pieces of work. Very small sample 40 mins to complete.

Sample 18: Machine stitching with couching foot on spaced dyed fabric for texture: This is part 2 of the above sample using the same background fabric.  Here I used a much thicker multi-stranded combination of textured yarns from an Oliver Twists bag.  Working from the top side of the fabric with a specialist FME couching foot (for the yarns), and self-coloured threads on top and bottom of machine.  My attempt is a bit of a mess and it is basically a large scribble stitch – my lack of control of the fabric and cord through the machine.  Very small sample 20 mins to complete.

 

Sample 18: Surface texture with machine couching

With practise to control the movement and placing of cords I think this could be useful for creating a textured background where a variety of yarns is required. The drawback of the couching foot is that it is limited to using a straight stitch which often misses the cord leaving gaps in the design. Perhaps practising more zigzag FME would be more useful…

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Overall summary of chapter 7.

In re-visiting this section, I have learnt so much more about the process of taking an inspiration to stitch.  In thinking about interpreting colour and texture with stitch, I found different ways of using my subject that was clearly visible in some samples and how to use it as a suggestion.  At first, I would just 'go for it' with familiar stitches and ideas, but by really thinking more about the abstract ideas and sketching them out on paper with colour pencils, drawing stitch ideas helped me break away from the familiar and be more experimental.  There are other techniques I would have liked to include in this section, such as free machining on soluble fabrics and perhaps some faux chenille work, perhaps I can include them at some other point.  Not all my ideas worked out how I thought they would, there were several others that did not get photographed for this page…  Even now I still feel there is still a long way to go before I can really break out of the RSN mode of stitching and become confident with contemporary stitching… 

Having looked again at the early samples, I realise they do have a 'value' as they demonstrate ideas that have not worked.  I have also been prompted to do more research into artists that create texture for their work.  Some of the books from my collection that I have found useful are: Maggie Grey "Raising the Surface" and several of the booklets from Jan Beaney & Jean Littlejohn, particularly "Over the Line", "Embellish & Enrich", "Bonding & Beyond" and "Seductive Surfaces".  However, this has also made me realise that I have barely scratched the surface of the range of techniques that can be used to add texture; being quick is not good enough and, how much more experimental work I need to do.

In all I have spent about 42 hours on stitching these extra samples, and more hours thinking, evaluating and writing up the blog about them.  I have not yet mounted them in my sketchbook.