Chapter 8. Not what it seams

In this chapter we have had the chance to experiment with enhancing a seam by the insertion of fabrics which have been worked and decorated in their own right. I also love the play on words in the title. I have enjoyed this chapter enormously not just because of the techniques but because it was  lovely and quick to do and gave me a chance to make good headway and a sense of catching up.

I love the effects of frayed fabrics but found that my dyed fabrics didn’t fray at all well, at least not enough to produce the dramatic effect I wanted but cutting a fringe produced pleasing effects; I could produce enough fray to thread through the seam to mix amongst the ‘re-arranged’ fringed fabrics in the bottom sample above.

I’ve been concerned that I haven’t been able to show my work at it’s best  on my blog in this chapter, I added beads to the lower third of the bottom sample but I don’t think they are very visible whilst on my sample they really make it sing and come alive.I adjusted the brightness and contrast through Photoshop to try and show it at it’s best.

I enjoyed playing around with ideas both formal or informal, the top sample here is very symmetrical whilst the bottom one was so easy to do and I was thrilled with the effect of the swirls of the chiffon reflecting those of the printed fabric underneath.

More symmetry in the top sample and an experiment to see if I could continue trying to emulate the effect of feathers but in a totally different way to those of previous chapters.

The diversity I could achieve was fascinating and I decided to try sweeping the inserted threads to one side in the lower sample above.

Here I had a go at using 2 seams but found I could give it the feel of a single unit by placing the inserted fabrics so that they faced inwards giving an intimate and contained feel.

The simple insertion of a piece of muslin also looked very different and effective from the back [top sample]

MAKING RIBBONS AND CORDS

 

A wide variety of effects achieved with stitching, couching, layering and machine stitched wrapping

I particularly love sample 5 of the toggles and the lovely mix of dyed fabric strips with wrapped cords [made of thin strips of  the same fabrics wrapped with thread on the sewing machine]