The work is authenticated by my neighbour, I have advised my tutor of her details should they be required.
Friday 26 June 2020
Authentication
The work is authenticated by my neighbour, I have advised my tutor of her details should they be required.
Evaluation. Costings and timings. Health and safety. Storage.
DISTANT
STITCH
Embroidery
certificate Module six
Evaluation
of wall hanging
The
completion of the embroidered assessment piece for module six is
based on the topic of Creative Conservation.
How
do you feel about the resulting completion?
My
original idea had been to create a piece of work which captured the
power and majesty of the wind farm off the Sussex coast. These
harness the power of the wind to produce a green, renewable energy
source thus reducing emissions of green house gases which contribute
to global warming.
I
am delighted with the finished piece and feel that it has captured my
love of the sea and wind as well as my concerns for global warming. I
am satisfied that the simple shapes I used to represent the sea and
the blades of the wind turbines in my original design have translated
well into my embroidered wall hanging
I
feel that the overall design captures the flow and rhythm required in
the brief. I’m particularly pleased not only with the main body of
stitching and it’s suggestion of the directional flow of water
influenced by the tides and movement of air but also the contrasting
and raised effect of the manipulated and embroidered fabrics which
depict the rising, falling and rippling of the water’s surface.
The
stitching also depicts effectively the patterning of the water’s
surface whilst suggesting volume and depth.
These
not only have a visual impact but also encapsulate the verbal prompts
and verses I used during my research for the project namely ‘I am
the wind that breathes on the sea, I am the wave, the wave on the
ocean’ and ‘The answer my friend is blowing in the wind’.
I
like the simplicity of the steely turbine blade surfaces against the
textures of the watery surfaces and the way the blades appear to
slice through the waves / air which in turn apparently produce
bubbles which led me to think of them as gills breathing life into
the sea and sky.
I
am pleased with the spherical shape in the centre which represents
our beautiful planet ‘hanging in the balance’, I like the
simplicity of the reverse corded piping used here in contrast to the
watery surfaces. The bamboo silk used took up the colours of the cold
water dyes beautifully and gave an ethereal feel to the concept of
planet Earth benefiting from the use of green energy sources.
Conversely
the half spheres appear less refined due to the use of cotton
organdie which gave a rougher finish perhaps suggesting a less stable
Earth state or work in progress.
I
particularly love viewing the wall hanging from the side where the
raised elements and the textural stitching is in evidence.
I
love the combination of the blue, turquoise and paler blue colours
worked to make the most of a whipped stitch and the wonderful
textural effects achieved.
To
serve as a complimentary colour I added a variegated yellow ochre /
orange thread to work the bubbles which picked up on the yellow /
orange areas of random dyeing in the spherical shapes to good effect.
These added vibrancy and energy.
Is
it fit for purpose?
I
feel the completed works well as a wall hanging and clearly
symbolises the concept behind my original idea.
If
you were to make it again what changes would you make to the way you
designed and made it?
I
would perhaps have preferred a space dyed background incorporating a
subtle use of all colours within the body of work.
It
would be interesting to try and make the hanging with freely
suspended elements which would move with the movement of air thus
adding to the rhythm and creating shadows in the spaces behind it.
Timings
Date
research and design started 4.11.2019 Date completed 3.1.2020 [total
no hours = 10]
Date
converting into embroidery and making wall hanging started 18.01.2020
Date
completed 26.06.2020 [total no hours =110]
Costings
A3
wirebound sketchbook £4
Tissue
paper
£1.50
Ink
cartridges
£5
Acrylic
paints
£2.50
Photocopies
£1.60
PVA
glue
£1
Cold
water dyes x4
£15.96
Oil
paint sticks
£1
Iron
on vilene 1m £6
Decovil
heavy
£6.25
Wool
felt
£6.20
Lining
fabric
£5
Chinese
silk 1m £10
Nylon
chiffon scarves £5
Bamboo
silk 0.5m £8.23
Water
soluble fabric 3m £13.35
Threads
variegated cotton 300m x2 £7
Rayon
threads
£13.50
Metallic
machine thread £0.50
Stranded
metallic thread £2.00
Stranded
cotton £2
TOTAL
118.09
STORAGE
OF WORK, MATERIALS, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Design
work in progress
Sketchbook
kept up to date with designs inserted, secured flat on page and
protected from direct sunlight and away from dust, spillages
Work
actually in progress stored flat on work desk also protected from the
above
Papers
for design work stored flat and in order for use, away from
direct sunlight
Tubes
of acrylic paints stored upright with lids tightly secured
in cool conditions.
PVA
glue stored upright with lid securely fastened to prevent
drying out or blockage of nozzle.
Embroidery
work in progress
Kept
accessible for continuous work on work desk and away from usual
hazards
Cold
water dye solutions stored away from direct sunlight in
jars with lids securely fastened. Fixative [soda crystals] also
stored in fastened containers ready to add to dyes as needed and then
used within 24 hours.
Fabrics
folded and kept with others intended for use in embroidery
Dry
dyed fabrics away from sun. Store flat or rolled in colour or fibre
order. Acid free tissue paper for storage
Threads
store alongside fabrics in
appropriate colour range and type order including metallics.
When
dyed dry away from sun, untangled and in colour and/or type order
Beads
and shells dyed and dried away from direct sunlight
Sewing
machine Kept
upright on desk in area designated for sewing for
convenient use and to
prevent having to lift heavy object unnecessarily.
Ensure easy
access to plug socket.
Keep
at normal room temp and humidity.
Other
electrical equipment namely
an electric iron. Ensure safe storage in dry place with flex neatly
wound. Protect iron
surface
with baking parchment when working fusible
web and iron -on vilene. I like to
keep
an old iron for this
purpose.
Completed
embroidery wrapped in acid free tissue paper. 2D pieces wrapped
separately in acid free tissue paper. When travelling work rolled in
acid free tissue paper and bubble wrap, 2D pieces wrapped separately
in acid free tissue paper.
HEALTH
AND SAFETY RULES
Electrical
appliances
Keep
a sewing machine upright on a stable surface with flexes kept
safely away from feet to prevent tripping, with use of an extension
lead as necessary. Keep plugs away from wet surfaces.
Use
an electric iron on a stable surface. Store in a secure place
with flex wound safely when cooled
Sharp
objects
Be
aware of keeping fingers away from sewing machine
needle during free
machine embroidery, use embroidery foot whenever possible.
Use
scissors / craft knife carefully to avoid injury to fingers.
Store in secure place.
Store
pin and needles in
allocated containers which can be stored safely
Inhalation
of powdered dyes and paints
Be wary of fly away powders
and use away from wind or draughts
Naked
flames / candles to
melt or dissolve fabrics, be aware of type of fabric and how it may
react to heat. Work in a well ventilated room to prevent inhalation
of fumes. Work on a non flammable surface so
that flammable fabrics can be put down quickly and keep a damp cloth
at close hand to douse any flames. Handle fabrics during this process
with tweezers not fingers.
Care
of back, neck and shoulders whilst sitting at sewing machine,
have machine at appropriate height to promote correct alignment of
back and shoulders. Take regular breaks and stretch / move to relieve
muscle tension.
composite sheet
Composite sheet 1 [paper and design exercises]
Key to
composite sheet 1
a. Photogragh of an
off shore wind farm [google earth]
b. Photograph of
design exercise of shapes and layers using decorated papers
c. Photograph of sea
water surface [my own]
d. Drawing / mark
making [inktense pencils] of water surface
e. Drawing /mark
making of bubbles [oil paint sticks]
f. Transparent
surface [bubble wrap and acrylic paints] used to represent bubbles
g. Exploration of
colour and complimentary colour ways [ Brusho paints]
h. Full size
decorated paper collage [design with shapes and layers].
I was very excited
by this collage with the cut away turbine shapes and the sense of
movement achieved
I. Decorated paper,
frottage sample. [Painted tissue paper which was then laid over a
cardboard surface for rubbing]
j. Decorated paper.
[Tissue paper glued to cartridge paper background, washed with
acrylic paint and rubbed with oil paint stick]
k. Composition for
design made up of decorated papers
l. Verbal prompts
for design.
Composite sheet 2 [stitched samples]
Key to
composite sheet 2
a. Background fabric
[space dyed wool felt].
b. Sample of free
machine stitchery using directional side ways zigzag. Several layers
of stitching on nylon chiffon.
c. Sample of single
layer of free machine stitchery on nylon chiffon.
d. Photogragh of
directional free machine stitchery used for rims of spheres.
e. Sample of corded
quilting worked from the ‘wrong side’ using twin needle on space
dyed bamboo silk. Fabric turned to right side and threaded with
metallic threads.
f. Sample of corded
quilting worked from right side and threaded with string on space
dyed cotton organdie. Couching of metallic threads along edges of
stitching
g. Samples of free
machined ‘bubbles’ on nylon chiffon
h. Sample of Shibori
dyed Chinese silk
i. Sample of above
with machine stitching using twin needles to create tucks in pleated
fabric and then gathered by hand [manipulated fabric].
j. Sample of Decovil
painted with cold water dye with the addition of metallic oil paint
sticks. Polished with soft cloth to buff and represent turbine blades
k. Photograph of
space dyed Chinese silk. Free machine stitchery using sideways zigzag
to create tucks. Cable stitch added in metallic thread. Hand gathered
to roll. Manipulated sample
l. Free machine
stitchery in circular shapes on background fabric.
m. Samples of fabric
[space dyed bamboo silk] to represent bubbles
n. Sample of free
machine stitched sideways zigzag on silk chiffon
o. Dyed shells and
beads
Chapter 11. Making my wall hanging
This is the final project of my City and Guilds Certificate in Embroidery and Design, the end of a fascinating and rewarding journey under the expert guidance of my tutor Sian Martin. I have loved every stitch along the way in which I've learnt how to develop ideas into beautiful pieces of work and now have a library of techniques to look back on with pride and satisfaction.
Just to recap this final module has been centred on Creative Conservation, a study of the colours of sea and sky and culminating in a wall hanging based on the subject of conservation. I have been inspired by the wind turbine farm situated off the Sussex coast. In previous chapters I have collected reference images and created paper and embroidered samples before using simple shapes to develop my final design to represent and symbolise the movement of water and the rhythm of the turbine blades as they slice through the atmosphere propelled by the wind, harnessing power and energy for our beautiful planet.
I have added a photo of each stage to make things easier as it's complicated!! I kept records and jottings in my diary as I worked as problem solving became very important, informing decisions and changes in the way I worked as I progressed. This was challenging at times but really enjoyable and rewarding. Many times I thought that I had certainly made life harder for myself by repeating the design rather than just enlarging the original as per the brief but I have to say having finished I'm very pleased with the result. Certainly Lockdown has given me a gift of time!
The backing fabric
I decided upon a supporting background fabric in wool felt which I coloured with a cold water dye in a dark blue.
11.1 Making my templates for the design
Having decided to repeat my design [see ch 10] I took a quarter and cut out each piece to isolate them and then work how many of each I would need to make templates for the entire design:
11.2
Having marked the central point I repeated the pattern pieces using newspaper and placed them as required. At this point I felt rather daunted! Working methodically was the answer and I decided to stitch each layer [i.e. each set of four pieces] one at a time, using the image 11.1 with the numbered pieces as a guide.
11.3a and 11.3b
I selected some nylon chiffon [gorgeous!] and used a backing of Solufleece cold water soluble to support it placing the latter in an embroidery hoop with the shape required drawn on and the chiffon laid on top. I decided upon a free style sideways zigzag [see 10.3a] using the variegated pale blue thread on top and turquoise on the lower bobbin with a whipped effect and then the addition of a darker blue thread on top for tonal value. It was important to pay attention to the direction of the stitching to ensure I captured the rhythm of the design and the watery tidal effect.
Each piece was then pinned out and dried on polystyrene.
I now had a slight dilemma as my piece of turquoise nylon chiffon was used up too quickly and I was dismayed to find that there was none available in shops or on line and with Lockdown approaching I was distraught. I decided to ask my trusted textiley friends who, like me never throw anything away! Fortunately my friend Barbara had a chiffon scarf but in a paler colour so I decided to work 2 of each shade and place them in opposition to become part of the rhythmic effect! Phew!
11.4
These are pieces no 5 and represent waves and tidal movement, it involved preparation of a piece of Chinese silk in the Shibori style using cold water dyes [see 10.3.e]. I needed finished pieces measuring 8cms in width. I therefore took pieces measuring 32 cms to allow for pleating and gathering. The beautiful Shibori pleated results were then stitched with a twin needle to capture and manipulate the pleats.
I then needed to work out how to further manipulate and shape the resulting pieces; I used the template as a guide as I hand gathered the pleats horizontally to the desired wave like and watery shapes.
11.5
Pieces 10 and 5 in place. Looking promising and very watery with suggestions of movement and tidal flow.
I realised that there will be variations [welcomed] and that the trick will be to achieve rhythm, colour and tonal values captured with directional stitching and manipulation of fabrics allowing the undulations and shadows to speak for themselves.
I'm very pleased with the raised effects of the no 5 pieces against the flatter background of no 10.
11.6.a
This will become the central sphere.
I space dyed bamboo silk using cold water dyes with fixative added. I initially tried using Jacquard silk dyes and to set the colour as instructed but the results were very disappointing and in any case concluded that it was best to stick with the same colours throughout.
11.6.b
Spherical shape in centre [pieces 1]. I decided to make this up as one whole shape.
For the corded quilting I drew guidelines for stitching on the calico backing and lay the bamboo silk on top ensuring that the layers were secure. Twin needles created channels of stitching from the wrong side and then flipped over to reveal empty channels through which I threaded lengths of silver embroidery floss , turquoise stranded cotton and space dyed linen threads, I used blue and turquoise threads on top and turquoise underneath. Space dyed threads picked up the colours in the bamboo silk beautifully. This central sphere represents our beautiful planet and I love this finish and the ethereal effect it gives.
11.6.c Using a paper template I worked out how to finish the edges of the sphere.
11.6.d
I cut a piece of Decovil heavy vilene to size and having allowed sufficient turnings on the bamboo silk laced the edges behind the Decovil which gave a smooth finish when turned over to the right side.
11.7
I was unsure how to work the surface of the side half circle pieces but I felt that I needed to maintain the rhythm achieved by the central sphere whilst putting in place a slightly different effect. I chose a cotton organdie and space dyed it in the same way but was interested in the less refined finish in contrast to the ethereal feel of the central sphere as if the side half spheres are less pure. This is a another style of corded quilting using 2 layers of fabric into which several rows of straight stitch have been worked in pairs through which I've threaded the string I used to tie the silk in place for the shibori dyeing in sample 11.4 which has taken up the colour of the dyes and shows through the slightly transparent cotton organdie. To emphasise the stitching I have couched the silver embroidery floss, stranded cotton and space dyed linen in place with a fine zigzag stitch so that the colours of the threads and cotton organdie dance together.
11.8
These are the side rims surrounding the spheres worked on chiffon, supported by Solufleece and worked in sideways zigzag as in piece no 10. but in a different direction to represent an opposing tidal flow.
11.9
These pieces represent the turbine blades. I experimented with Decovil vilene [heavy weight] and pondered how I'd use it. My tutor had suggested I consider the surface rather than texture for the blades. I agreed, feeling that the surface should be smooth and metallic in finish. I knew that Decovil takes colour very well so painted it with navy / turquoise cold water dyes over which I added metallic charcoal / blue / turquoise oil paint sticks. I then used a soft cloth to buff and polish the surface. Very pleased with this!
11.10.a
These are the pieces flanking the blades and represent moving water. I had originally planned to repeat the technique used for 11.4 but changed my mind favouring instead a dyed piece of Chinese silk covered in sideways zigzag which created tucks as I worked. I used blue and turquoise threads with a whipped effect. On top of this I added a cable stitch from the wrong side using a silver embroidery floss and a thick metallic turquoise thread [ Madeira Glamour].
11.10.b
Gathering this by hand horizontally gave me a raised and rolling surface on which the blade will sit giving the impression that it is slicing through the air or water.
11.11
These are pieces 7,8 and 9. The bubbles worked on orange nylon chiffon supported by Solufleece in an embroidery hoop using a yellow / orange variegated Madeira rayon thread. These have provided a complimentary colour interest adding vibrancy and interest.
11.12
These are the last pieces to be added, bubbles cut from the remaining bamboo silk and appliqued in place with free machined stitched circles alongside the bubbles stitched into the bubble wrap printed wool felt background.
11.13 The pieces of embroidery were added as they were worked. I have left ends of threads uncut in places to suggest movement.
11.14 For a final flourish I had fun adding some beads and tiny shells. The latter were once part of a necklace, so beautiful with mother of pearl swirls. I recycled them for use in this piece of work by dipping them into a bowl of the same turquoise cold water dye I used throughout the project. I wanted them to look as if they'd drifted with the tide and lodged themselves in the seabed.
11.15 Some favourite close ups of detail across the wall hanging
11.16 The time has come to decide how to hang the completed work and as I'd hoped this became clear as I reached the final stages. I wanted to keep it all as natural as possible and sourced some dried bamboo canes from the garden. I cut these to the correct length and added a screw-in hook at each end to take the supporting cord. I sanded the bamboo canes down, painted them with turquoise acrylic paint and finished with a coat of acrylic wax. I made casements along the upper and lower edges through which the canes would be threaded. I lined the entire piece, measured and aligned carefully before being stitched within the seam of the casement hem and left to hang naturally. The cord is made from the string used in the shibori dyeing in chapter 10 which I then machine wrapped using blue and turquoise threads to add a texture similar to those in the main body of work. This was then plaited and knotted at the ends. I added 2 flat, circular beads at each end, one each in blue and apricot colours; I felt the shape and colours reflected shapes and colours in the finished piece. For storage and transportation I will roll the hanging layering with acid free tissue paper; the spheres and blades are detachable and secured with velcro when hung and stored wrapped in acid free tissue paper.
11.17 The finished piece:
I'm very pleased with final result and especially love the sense of rhythm and movement achieved through directional free machine stitching representing the movement of water and air . As always it has been a joy to work with space dyed fabrics especially the silks as they give such an ethereal effect.
As I look out to sea in Brighton and Hove on a clear day and see the wind farm I feel I have a greater appreciation of the harnessing power of the wind creating and replenishing clean energy for our beautiful planet.
The verbal prompts in chapter 8 were an important contribution to the formation of my design, especially the beautiful The Answer my Friend is Blowing in the Wind lyrics which often played in my mind as I worked!
Click on the link to enjoy Bob Dylan singing this iconic song.
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