Its all about texture...

These pictures all come in pairs - front then back

I got a bit obsessed with textures ...

1 and 2 - this is still a work in progress. The larger threads are 3 step cable stitch, with various stitch lengthes of whip stitch going diagonally.



















3 and 4 - this thread is too thick and bobbly to go through the bobbin so it is couched on with random loops added. These could be left or cut and left as loose thread ends



















5 and 6 - lots of whip stitch of various lengthes and widths in zig zag stitch



















7 and 8 - layers and layers of zig zag whip stitch, varying lengths, varying combinations of top and bottom threads



















9 and 10 - this is another work in progress. The spaces become raised so I want to work on this a bit more and modify the tone



















11 and 12 - pure texture no added colour. Thick thread is couched onto the reverse creating a subtle black surface


















13 and 14 - lines of straight stitch, with the bobbin tension set very loose. The white threads are building up a sort of ikat type pattern. The black raised sections between add texture. I also really like the subtle effect on the reverse of the looped black threads so may develop this in another sample




















15 and 16 - truly crazy, lots of tight circles with the bobbin tension very loose - its actually even more textured than the picture seems to show



















17 and 18 - simple black circles on black cloth, with a very loose bobbin tension



















19 - a very restrained one in comparison!

Chapter 11

Here are some pattern ideas made from my decorated papers.

Chapter 10

So chapter 10, ... gosh, I found this unexpectedly difficult. I did spend a long time producing endless piles of chopped up paper rearranged into various patterns. I didn't like any of them, but eventually I did produce one that was interesting. So the next four pictures were alternative arrangements and I settled on the last one because it looks quite different and very random and the least identifiable as a product of the original pattern. So far so good.

So I started to cut and piece. Initially this was technically successful on the whole (although one diagonal seam did go very askew).

I randomly alternated forward facing and backward facing seams.

The first diagonal seams were ok, although as mentioned above one did slip a little(!).







The seams are still randomly placed to back or front.











The pattern was working out quite well until the point when I realised I would have to start cutting through seam lines rather than though the middle of a piece of cloth. At that point technical accuracy went out of the window. I had to cut through the line that I would need to sew along and so many seams were missing, misplaced, and at the wrong angle. But I have to say I rather like the outcome.

Trimmings, ribbons and cords

Here are a few trimmings from the end of chapter 8.

My Urchfont 'works in progress'

I'm still letting them incubate ....

Urchfont 08

Here are a few photos from Urchfont and our wonderful summer school. First of all the friendship ribbons we made on the last morning, with everyone's names and a small momento of fabric or similar. Then just a small selection of the works produced from the workshop: -