Chapter 9 - A Resolved Sample

The inspiration for my resolved sample has come from this cropped picture of a staircase....I 'played' around with various shapes from it and hope the finished piece meets with approval!





























Sketchbook ideas....I was thinking of using a squared spiral design but although I like the idea it didnt work as well for me.


















I began by covering a dyed piece of cotton with machine embroidered whipped stitch spirals....starting small in the center and increasing in size as they covered the fabric.















At the next stage I added covered card to represent the spiral stairs


























Finally I wrapped the steps in a metallic thread linking the stairs, I still felt it needed pulling together as a whole piece which I feel has been done by sewing a knotted machine cord to the inside of the spiral.






























Another view of my final piece

Chapter 8 - Beads, Beads & more Beads!

Found it really hard to get going on the bead sampler and spent ages avoiding it. I didnt want a regular shaped grid so marked out a swirly part of spirals and hoped the beads would enhance the shape. I began to enjoy it as I progressed ....but now I've had enough of beads for a while and so has the hoover! The fabric colour hasn't come out too well in the photos....2nd photo down probably shows the nearest true colour.









































































































The next 4 photos show trapped and machined beads plus beading as an edging. 1st photo of the whole piece plus 3 close-ups.






































Merry Christmas to all distant stitchers and good health & stitching in 2010.

Chapter 7 - Button Making

Button Collection















I started with 4 cardboard shapes which I wrapped with fabric and threads adding beads to one and a bow on another. They look more like sweets to me!


















4 Dorset buttons using a variety of fabrics.




















Top left: A stacked covered button - a larger ring wrapped with thread, a smaller ring wrapped with a contrast and a knot in the middle. Top right: two overlapping mono printed fabrics with beads. Middle: 4 different coloured ribbons woven.


















Left: A woven cord button, Right: I spiraled a woollen cord leaving a loop for a toggle.




















Toggle Collection



















Painted tyvek toggles wrapped with metallic threads and burnt.


















Left: rolled fabric as a spiral with a fancy machine edge. Right: Same shape but using felt and adding ribbon and beads.



















From the left: dyed fabric with sequin edges rolled around a piece of BBQ stick. Rolled fabric with corded edging and finally a fabric wrapped stick.

Chapter 6 - Tassels

These first two tassels are fairly basic to get me into the mood! I really enjoyed this chapter and would lie awake thinking of ideas! (I know I need to get a life!)






















Left - Soft embroidery threads with a crochet bow. Right - A collection of novelty threads.





















The left tassel is made with cords from the previous chapter and the right one uses 'sari silk' ends which fray brilliantly.






















A regular tassel with a ring a baby tassels fixed around the fringe.



















A triangular tassel made on square cardboard, machined in the middle and then folded over twice.



















This one was made with machine covered wire which was then spiraled and fixed into a fimo head wrapped with novelty threads.




















A machine embroidered head folded over to form the fringe plus added beads.






















The tassel above is made from pink straws wrapped with ribbons and threads, cut into sections and reassembled into a fringe with threads, beads and buttons. The head is a felt ball.

























This is my version of a super tassel! 2 wooden balls at the top from a wrapped ring with the fringe wrapped into various sections + beads.

Chapter 5 - Cord Making

A - Machine stitched cords



















Machining cords on tights, fabric, wool,wire, plastic bag,ribbon and gimp.





B - Twisted Cords















Above from the left 5 samples of twisted cords using wool, machine cords, threads and fabric and 2 fabric twisted cords using only one twist with glue.



C - Knotted, plaited, and wrapped methods














Above from the left 2 knotted - 2 wrapped - 2 plaited - 1 (small) half knot and 1 twisted chain.



Turks Head Knots

Chapter 4 - Decorate with Stitchery

I was so keen to do some sewing of any kind that I began this sample without any idea where I was going!....to try and save it I did random machine spirals around the border...not sure it was saved more likely sunk!





















On the left rows of spirals creating a sort of background pattern. On the right same stitch but forming a spiral.


















Hand stitched background with a machine cable stitch over the top.


















Lots of tightly machined spirals




















Designed a 3 layered spiral pattern then stitched it in stem stitch using variegated silks & a shiny DMC....added a few beads for focus.





















Large spiral in buttonhole stitch increasing in size then added a knotted stem stitch in wool.






















Each of these large spirals are in whip stitch with varying threads - sometimes 2 threads wound on the bobbin or 2 on top or single threads varying the bobbin tension.



















This is a Spiral design worked on water-soluble fabric in hand stitching then free machined over the spiral before putting the support machining across to hold it together.
I think these would be effective when overlapped and couched onto fabrics.