Evaluating Practice - Embroidery

I started this project by looking at my chance card drawings and selecting which would be suitable to use to sample in hand stitch. I then found ways of interpreting the drawings using the stitches i'd been taught; some more abstract than others. I then continued to progress with these samples developing them further by photocopying them and stitching on top of that; creating a series of samples that relate back to my drawings. In my machine stitch classes, I concentrated more on the stitch and how it can be used to create patterns than relating to more of my drawings. However, there are parts of some of my drawings incorporated in my samples (eg. the drawing of part of the New Art&Design Building).

Over the course of the past 6 weeks I have found my work to be very linear in both my drawings and my samples. I think this is how I chose which drawings to produce my samples from. I like using line in my work as I feel it simplifies it down so you can see the detail of the stitch rather than being lost in the more complicated design (at least at this stage where we are experimenting and learning new techniques). The linear nature of my work I feel is part of me wanting to be neat and organised. However, I do like my work to sometimes be uncontrollable and messy but again I find that if this is the case it tends to be more organised than uncontrolled.

During this project I have definitely learnt to manage my time more effectively. Doing a little a day has proven much better than rushing the night before a tutorial. This also gives me time to improve the samples that haven't turned out quite the way I wanted them to and to ask for help/advice if i've needed it.

The contextual references have not only influence my work, but also my way of working. For example, Pippa Andrews' work; where although the lines in one of her pieces are quite exact, they go in all different directions creating a sense of being 'out of control'. This I find very influential. I took this concept and used it in one of my hand embroidery and in one of my machine stitch samples; basing them again on the New Art&Design Building.
I would say my favourite part of this unit was the machine embroidery section as well as learning the hand stitches. Here are a few photos of the samples I have done over the course of this unit.

This was done using the double needled foot, but looking at the back

French knotting on a translucent fabric. I love the effect the thread on the back has given

 This was done using a 'hair pin', wrapping lace in and out of it then using a zipper foot to stitch it down; but overlapping the 'hair pin' each time

Drawing Days - October/November

To improve our drawing and to make us think about the composition of our drawings, we have the opportunity to attend a 'drawing day' every Friday. 

They have introduced me to new materials and media such as Designer Gouache as well as working on already made surface like magazine pages, envelopes, napkins. 

We have done a variety of tasks over the past few weeks; including, focusing on colour and tonal ranges; this was our first drawing day task where we had to follow a series of instructions that we had to interpret independently. 

We also had a task whereby we worked from a collection of different shoes as a single object; 

3 minute drawing of a collection of shoes without looking at the page

5 minute drawing of the negative space of the collection of shoes

  The above photo is of one of the tasks given to us. Looking at an object with sentimental value and using the emotions attached to it to create collage representing it. I chose a bracelet I was given by my Grandma before she passed away this April, which is very special to me. The final drawing Friday consisted of taking an object that can be deconstructed and deconstruct it into its key components (eg a kinder egg toy). Using these pieces we had to invent a series of drawing tools to make marks; and doing this by using the verbs in the vocabulary list provided. We then had to use these fragments again and create a 3D drawing by using assembly techniques to join the components and produce a new structure.

I found the Friday Drawing Days quite intriguing. At first I expected to be only doing observational drawings/still life to improve our attention to detail and to show us how drawing with different media can change the effect and outcome of a piece. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I went to the first session. I have enjoyed being set different tasks each week and expanding my creative knowledge; learning to think about the different ways to express myself through 'drawing'.

Pippa Andrews - Artist

Pippa Andrews' work, I find very relateable. I really like the almost linear nature of this piece especially. 

I like working linearly; the neatness and accuracy in this attracted me to it. I also like that she has mixed the way it 'should' be precise with a combination of it almost being unorganised.  

I like the way it looks like the grids are being manipulated by being bent in different directions and almost look like they overlap one another. I have taken this idea and used it in a few of my samples based on the windows of the New Art&Design Building.

I like the simplicity of this piece as it allows me to look at the piece as a whole rather than focusing on close up detail. Again this has influence my work, the samples I have done (hand and machine) mainly include quite simplistic ones. Allowing me and others to look closer at the techniques and stitches I have used.

Machine Stitch Samples

I am definitely finding it easier to create a collection of successful samples in this part of the embroidery 'world'. I have enjoyed learning about the different machine feet and the variety of ways they can be used in different techniques.

On Tuesday 5th November we learnt how to couch a thread or yarn using a cording foot as well as experimenting with the different pre-set stitches on the machines. We also had to think about not only the stitch being created on the fabric, but the way you would incorporate this when using a patterned fabric. For example, working with the pattern to create a new pattern and almost a new fabric all together.

We then went away and did a series of samples incorporating all of these things that we'd been shown.

Couching on black material with black ribbon and white thread

We then came back the next Tuesday (12th) to discuss as a whole group which of our samples worked, which ones had potential and could be developed, and which ones 'were a disaster'. I found this to be very useful as the constructive criticism gave me confidence that the samples I felt didn't work were ones that I could develop easily for them to be more successful. 

Tuesday 12th November we were introduced to a selection of new machine feet (zipper and tailor tacker foot). I really enjoyed using these feet, especially the tailor tacker. Experimenting with the different things you can do to change the look of the stitch. I think I prefer this one because I really like the raised surfaces that this produces and the textures that are made; especially when thread scissors are used to manipulate the original appearance of the stitch.
I have produced a series of samples incorporating the machine feet we learnt about. 2x using only the zipper foot, 2x using the tailor tacking foot, 1x using a combination of hand stitch and hair pinning, 1x using a combination of hand stitch and tailor tacking, and 1x a combination of tailor tacking and hair pinning. All of the samples I've done so far have been done primarily in black and white, or with a monochrome pallet. This has meant that I can concentrate more on the technique and design of each sample and the composition rather than the colour.

Tailor tacking foot then pulling the top thread out

Hair pinning using the zipper foot overlapping the hair pin with the previous 

Tailor tacking foot but this time leaving the top thread in

Tuesday 19th November we looked at the techniques that can be used using machine feet to create different patterns and the different ways in which they can be manipulated. We were introduced to the double needled foot; which comes in 3 different sizes that are used to give different effects. I would say this foot has been the most complicated to master; but i really love the outcome produced from it. I like the way it makes different weighted fabrics curl and pin tuck differently. This week we have been asked only to produce a series of 7-10 samples. These could be done by any means, with at least one of them being done using cold water dissolvable fabric, and one using bondaweb for a collage effect.

Double needled foot looking at the back

Double needled foot looking at the front

Out of all the new feet I've been introduced to in this half of the 'embroidery world' I would say the tailor tacker and the pin tuck feet were my favourite. Despite finding the pin tuck foot sometimes difficult to use, I liked the challenge as well as the finished product when i had spent time on my samples.

Hand Stitch Samples

To begin with I found it difficult to get started with making a collection of samples from the 16 chance cards. Since year 7 I have been used to being given/choosing a topic or starting point at which to base my samples and research on.

So I have been working outside my comfort zone so far. However, I am open to new ideas and different ways of working, and once I got started finding different artists that influenced me and picked my favourite drawings to work from I found it easier to come up with ideas for samples; developing them further photocopying and different materials and media to change the outcome.

Over the past 3 weeks I have been using the stitches I've been taught shown in my previous post to create a series of samples that have been influenced by my chance card drawings. I developed these initial samples further by creating my own instruction to take my work in another direction. Using the black and white photocopier gave my samples a tonal effect not seen previously. These were then used and hand stitched on top of, further abstracting the idea from the drawings in my sampling.
This is something I have really enjoyed over these weeks; developing a single idea from the drawings in the first weeks, and changing them into something that looks quite different to the initial idea. 

These 3 weeks have resulted in a series of 20 samples, developing them further each week. Not only did I use a single drawing, I combined multiple ideas stemmed from different drawings. 

Melissa Zexter - Artist

Melissa Zexter's work really interested me. I really like the composition of this piece specifically.

I like the contrast in colour between the background and the hand stitching in this; the muted background tones with the brighter bold colours of the threads. It creates a sense of juxtaposition. 

It was this colour contrast as well as the difference in textures that attracted me to her work.

I also really liked the way the threads overlap and are random over the dull, muted picture beneath. The contrast of the messy and the detailed drew my attention to it.

I'm really interested in giving my work different textures and contrasting colours that catch the eye.

In some of my samples based on the chance card drawings, I have used the work of Melissa Zexter to influence the outcome. For example in the sample below:-

I like the simplicity in this piece. I used a combination of 2 of the drawings I did using the chance cards. I used Melissa Zexter's work as inspiration as I really liked the layering of the paper and the thread.