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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