Module 3 Chapter 9 - First stages.

For this design exercise, I chose to use a fragment taken from a photo of one of my module 2 metal thread samples (above left, it is the top sample in the sketchbook). The sample is very small so the photo already enlarges it. Above right shows my first try at continuing the design onto A4 paper and below is the second. Both used oil pastels and the second used gold pen.

I used the second design to take it to the next stage, changing to Markel sticks to make larger marks and reflect the texture of the original stitching. The blues/purples on black relate back to the colour scheme used in my research project in module 1. The photo below shows the fragment placed on the A4 sheet which is on top of the larger design.

Cogs - it's hard to let go

I know I have finished my cogs piece but I keep finding interesting things that relate to what I was doing. I have been admiring David Roy's kinetic sculptures for some time and in his blog this week, he hightlighted some videos of mechanical sculptures on YouTube. And guess what - full of cogs. I particularly like this one

Last part of Module 3 Chapter 8

Here are my ideas for ways to interpret the edge designs for my chosen fabric.

1) Above, a simple edge - the fabric has been pleated and beads sewn into the folds.
2) Below (on its own and with the design) - a more fanciful edge. This uses the idea from an earlier sample of pod shapes stitched on felt, cut out (as one piece) and applied to the edge. I stitched a couple more pods directly onto the fabric. However, the machine stitching did not stand out against the bold colours, so I added the pink cord (French knitting). Underneath are more loops of French knitted cord picking up the turquoise from the fabric - I used a little knitting mill so the cord is very quick to make by the metre.

Pulling Together Module 3 Chapter 8

I am continuing experimenting with edges for this chapter, working up to making an edge based on the designs in my last post. Once that is done, only one more chapter for module 3 - hoorah! I have downloaded the next module which is themed on flowers - a bit of a change of style for me. It will be fun to see how to tie it in with my personal machinery/industrial landscape theme; I have been reading about yarnbombing which suggests one way and I am sure there are others.

There follows a list of all the samples so far. The sizes vary, so I have put a 10p coin in the photos for scale.

Picture 1
is a repeat from an earlier post to keep all the images together. From the top there is
a) edge cut at 45 degrees and frayed on left, threads withdrawn on right with running stitch added.
b) horizontal threads withdrawn part way up the fabric, machining over vertical threads into bars, fabric folded and twisted to leave machined bars at the edge.
c) bottom edge frayed for about 2 inches then folded to the back and the frayed ends pulled through and stitched down in bunches.
d) bottom edge frayed as before and threads withdrawn further up. Folded back and machine stitched to make a hem with the area of withdrawn threads at the edge and the loose frayed ends hanging behind. A strip of dyed scrim is slotted through the loops.

Picture 2
a) Stitched peapod shapes inspired by the chosen fabric. There are two layers, the top one has been cut away at the edge and inside the pod shape while the bottom one is faced and stuffed.
b)The edge has been cut into triangles and zigzagged; 2 rows of triangles cut from stitched fabric have been applied above. (The triangles refer back to the research project in module 1).

Picture 3
More triangles from stitched fabric, this time connected by lines of straight stitching to spill over the edge.

Picture 4
3 small samples of edges created by joining two pieces of fabric with a water soluble material and stitching. These were then folded over to make a stitched edge. From left
a) yarn trapped in the stitching to hang down - this is not quite right as I should have worked from the right side of the fabric to stitch the yarn in. If you enlarge the picture, you will see that the hem is on the outside.
b) straight stitched lines
c)tried to make pod shapes.

Picture 5

Two samples using sheer fabric
a) distressed by running under an embellisher and slashing to give a frayed edge that continues up into the fabric.
b) 3 layers cut and joined using a stencil cutter in repeated cog shapes.


Next is batch of flounces - I got into these so there are quite a few. I found a useful resource was a book called Decorative Dressmaking by Sue Thompson which has a chapter on using flounces . I have shown them with the paper patterns to show how they work.

Picture 6
A straighforward circle gives an even flounce along the edge.

Picture 7

The same size circle but with the cut out part offset and cut apart at the narrowest point so the flounce is larger at the centre.

Picture 8
As 7 but this time cut at the widest point.

Picture 9

As 6 but cut apart at an angle which gives a slight taper and curved ends.

Picture 10

Changing the shape of the curve - I think this is more elegant than the circle.

Picture 11

Another trial shape - not as successful on a straight edge because the centre is boring, but might work better on a shaped edge.

Picture 12
Changing the edge of the flounce using a circular saw shape.

Picture 13
This one doesn't have a pattern as it is a cut out spiral - didn't really work on this scale, I think it would need to be much shorter and fatter.

Picture 14

Last two flounces. I like the sculptural possibilities of using stiffer materials - I can see how they would work vertically, for example on a vessel, holding the waved effect. These two are made from left over scraps from samples made for Cogitation, and both use a circle pattern as in picture 7. From the top
a) lightweight lutradur, painted and stitched, is attached to pelmet vilene. This holds the curves really well without flopping and looks quite delicate with light shining through. It could be put into seams or lots of layers could be added up with the curves lining up. And of course some of it it could be burned back.
b) loose threads on partly dissolved soluble (as we did at summer school) - this is a bit crunchy to the touch and doesn't have the elegance of earlier samples. However, it can be pinched and folded into shape when dry and does hold its shape well.

Picture 15Starting to think about interpreting the paper designs, these final two samples are based on the peapod shapes. From left
a) shapes stitched on soluble material and onto the fabric - I wanted to have some as outlines and some solid, but the outlines did not have enough stitching to hold together when I dissolved the water soluble material.
b)same idea but this time stitched on polyester felt which was cut away with a stencil cutter. The felt was applied to the fabric, some more stitching added and then the background was cut away to give a shaped edge.

Module 3 Chapter 8 Continued

I have revisited the edges I did back in June - above, the first one has been pleated and stitched in place and the others cut out to give a more definite edge.

Below, some new samples. Top left is a cut up photocopy of the fabric. The other two use stamping with foam to continue the pod shapes.

I am hoping to update my website soon with the final notes on Cogitation.

Cogitation - Finished

I think.


I have left it running so I can see if anything doesn't look right. Over the last week, I have added lots of random straight stitching to the top cogs to add more texture and couched down some wire to create the missing focal point. When I am sure, I will make another film and put some notes on my website - meanwhile, I am planning my trip to Alexandra Palace for the Knitting & Stitching show on Saturday.

More Work on 'Cogitation'

I give in - it started out as a pun but it has stuck in my head as the name for this piece so I am making it official.

I have added some more colour to the background shapes and linked them by stitching across water soluble fabric. Dissolving the fabric in situ left enough adhesive to keep it all stuck to the metal and I brushed some of the colour off the cogs into the spaces. (Click on the pictures to make them larger). The overall size is a little over A3.

The next picture shows how the clock movements have been fitted to the back and I have also added battens top and bottom so it can either stand on a table or be wall-mounted (still dithering). I put felt onto the battens to stop it from scratching my table while I work on it.

In my last post I mentioned I had tried placing lutradur shapes as the moving parts to replace the original idea. I made a second set of cogs, this time with the lutradur backed by craft vilene as they need to be more solid. I used the same paints and stitching and heated the pieces to break up the top layer and make it look a bit like metal wearing and flaking. My idea is that this is a very old piece of machinery that is just slowly running until it finally dies, achieving nothing; the cogs still working have worn through less than the ones that have stopped, but bits have broken off over time.

On a more cheerful note, this is the paper left behind after spraying the shapes - definitely keeping this for future use.

The short video further down this post shows how the pieces move using the minute hands of the clocks - I used time-lapse photography to take pictures over the course of just over an hour to show a complete cycle greatly speeded up; in real life you need to look twice to see that they are moving at all. (If this sounds very high-tech here's how I set it up

- note the children's videos and coffee table, a vital part of any photographic studio.) The reason for the flickering is that the daylight kept coming and going.

Looking at this, I can see that there is no focal point yet - I like the way that three of the cogs converge and separate so I am thinking I could make that meeting point the focus - nothing has been permanently fixed in place, except the clock movements, so I can make adjustments to the cog positions and how they rotate by changing where they are attached. The moving pieces need more definition so the next step may be to add handstitching for texture.