Hand stitching? Me?

Ah but... still using dissolvable fabrics!

No Bernina was tortured in the making of these.

 

And no background fabric was used either. They're made entirely of various threads - and full of holes! I've been developing this technique for a while, think I've cracked it now.

 

Several of these little pieces are now available, mounted ready to frame, in my Etsy shop. Postage is free to UK addresses.

Sample Project 2013 – July

And still it goes on… four more textile samples inspired (sometimes obliquely) by the weekly photos in a 2013 John Muir Trust Wild Nature Diary.

 

 

Week 27: Bee Orchid
(Photo of bee orchids)
Crocheted to my own design in stranded cottons (the only threads I had with the right colours).

Week 28: Coastal wild flowers

(Photo of Bedruthan Cove, Cornwall)

Background of brown felt with bits of green yarn embellished on, then green straight stitches. French knots in yellow and lilac pearl cotton.

Week 29: Red squirrel tail

(Photo of red squirrel)

Red-brown tapestry wool machine stitched onto hand dyed calico then fluffed out with a teasel brush.

 

Week 30: Cwm Idwal gate

(Photo of Afon Idwal draining from Llyn Idwal)

This is one of my favourite places anywhere! Went a bit off piste with my sample…

 

I decided to use the design of the gate on the path to Cwm Idwal, designed by Joe Roberts, one of the National Park’s Seasonal Wardens, as a tribute to conservationist Evan Roberts, who was appointed first Warden of Cwm Idwal in 1953.

 

The top of the gate represents the topographic profile of the Cwm's headwall, whilst the rails show the bedding planes of the geology and the notch of Twll Du (Devil's Kitchen). The lower part shows a lateral moraine and the whole scene reflected in Llyn Idwal.

 

I machine stitched the design on Aquasol using wire on the bobbin so the curves would keep their shape, and then zigzagged over it. Fiddly! I couldn’t just stitch it out on fabric, could I…

 

 

 

Sample Project 2013 - June

Halfway!

Week 23: Orange Tip butterfly wing
(Photo of male Orange Tip)
White felt over green, free machine veins.
Then embellished from the back to create green mottling on the white.

 Week 24: Lady's Smock
(Photo of Lady's Smock wildflower)
Eight different names for the plant, free machined on hand dyed cotton using the colours of the flowers and the photo background. 

Week 25: Afon Lledr, tumbling water
(Photo of Afon Lledr rushing through narrow chasm)
Bamboo sliver embellished onto blue Kunin felt.

Week 26: Red-throated diver
(Photo of bird largely concealed amongst cotton grass)
Simplified head free machined on patterned fabric.

Sample Project 2013 - May

A little late - but I had a good excuse, see previous post!

Five samples this month, some more literal* than others.

* They're inspired by the photo for that week in a 2013 John Muir Trust Wild Nature Diary.

Week 18: Frost-shattered rock

(Photo of jagged summit rocks of Glyder Fawr)

My own handmade  mottled grey paper over black cotton fabric. Machine stitched then cut back.

 

Week 19: Dipper

(Photo of dipper bird with moss in its beak)

White felt embellished onto brown for the bird's distinctive "bib".

Its Latin name Cinlus cinlus free machined across this in moss green. But not boldly enough!

 

Week 20: Larch flower

(Photo of larch flowers - cones-to-be)

Green Lutradur "petals" free machined then burned out with a soldering iron and hand stitched together in overlapping pattern. Hmm, potential...

 

Week 21: Mupe Rocks at sunset

(Photo of Mupe Rocks, Dorset)

Black cotton bonded to pelmet Vilene. Very long straight stitches in Stef Francis space dyed fine cotton threads, leaving rock areas unstitched.

  

Week 22: Wood sorrel leaves

(Photo of wood sorrel plants)

Tweedy fabric embellished with scrim from the back. Heart shapes cut from green paper and hand stitched to the background in threes. I resisted doing the flowers because I did so many wood anemones recently! And because the leaves are wonderful on their own.