A TECHNIQUE DRIVEN Blog dedicated to mastery of surface design techniques. First we dye, overdye, paint, stitch, resist, tie, fold, silk screen, stamp, thermofax, batik, bejewel, stretch, shrink, sprinkle, Smooch, fuse, slice, dice, AND then we set it on fire using a variety of heat tools.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Week 3 - Yvonne Watson

Hi Yvonne Watson here with my samples of parallel lines.

First of all I experimented with a piece of muslin and stitched a few lines along folds on the fabric.

I then dyed the fabric with a dilute mixture of Lemon Yellow and Magenta.

When the fabric was washed and dried I undid the stitching, ironed the fabric and re-stitched along some of the white lines. I stitched a couple more lines and then dyed the fabric again with Turquoise.

I’m sorry I don’t have a “before” photo but here is the “after.”


I envisage this being used as a background for more printing. It is a lighter colour than the photo shows. Whilst it didn’t really show the stitches it suited my idea to have lines that might appear in rocks in a landscape.

Next I experimented with stitching petal shape, which is normally repeated. However I decided work on one largish shape only until I had mastered the stitching. I was pleased with the result.


Many moons ago I had drawn the following with the intention of using it for stitch 


However I thought it might make an interesting motif for experimenting with stitching along the fold.

I drew a circle in the centre of my fabric and another around the edge for guidelines. I then drew lines where I wanted the stitching to go and stitched along the folded lines. I reduced the number of lines as I thought there were too many to sew successfully


I decided that this might be interesting in repeat so I have manipulated the image in Photoshop and come up with this, which I think, might make a Thermofax.


Experiment number four involved two different kinds of stitching along the fold.

I stitched along folds and I pulled up the threads as I went along. This made it difficult to sew new lines and this was the result.




Whilst not all of the stitches resisted the dye I really liked the marks that the stitches made and this made me think about how else I might use this technique.

Trees came to mind and so the first tree was overstitched along the folds.


The fabric was then dyed using black dye. I was not all that happy with the result, as there is not enough contrast. I think this is more to do with my dyeing method than the stitch.

The second tree below was stitched along the fold but this time I used a running stitch close to the fold. This seems to be easier to draw up really tight so I think this is a better result.

The marks made by the over stitched lines - maki –nui reminded me of skeletons. Not sure why but maybe it’s just that time of the year!! So I set about trying to sew two figures one for each of the type of stitch.

Sorry I only have the photo of the over sewn stitched figure before dyeing.



Here are the two resulting figures using a running stitch close to a fold Fig 1 (left) and a whipped stitch close to the fold. Fig 2 (right)




I like these and it opens up the possibilities of lots more room to experiment with more figures.

I have learnt a great deal from these experiments not least it has made me re- assess the way I dye my fabric.

Yvonne

4 comments:

  1. wow...I love what you have done here...the petals...the trees and the people!! Amazing!!

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  2. I like very much what you have been doing. Great forms and lines. It is inspiring, think I must try some of that....

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  3. This is a great way to take things forward.
    Sandy in the UK

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  4. Love all your results Yvonne. The people are particularly whimsical.
    Sheila

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