Samples 2015: Week 29, End of capitalism

Strips of sheer fabrics, fused to white cotton using Bondaweb

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 18/07/15:
“The end of capitalism has begun. Without us noticing, we are entering the postcapitalist era. At the heart of further change to come is information technology, new ways of working and the sharing economy. The old ways will take a long while to disappear, but it’s time to be utopian.”

Welcome to an age of sharing. Illustration by Joe Magee

Sample design
Only one solution here, to get the colour mixing effects where bands of colour cross.
I dug out my meagre collection of brightly coloured sheers. The first layer of strips touch, the second layer cross them at an angle and have gaps between them to get both pure and mixed colours with no white left showing.
To stitch or not to stitch? I was going to, but I liked it without so decided not to risk spoiling it!    

Samples 2015: Week 28, Greece

Automatic machine embroidery patterns. Rayon 30 thread on Kunin felt.  

 

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 11/07/15: 

“Going to Greece: a guide to the country, its islands and the best deals. Despite the economic storm, the sun is still shining in Greece, and the tavernas, beaches, ancient sites and vineyards are open for business. The country needs your help – so get a fistful of euros and go and have a good time with the help of our in-depth guide to the best deals, hotels, food and wine. 

Photograph: Alamy

Sample design
Wonderful patterns, but tricky to do a small sample in a short time!
So I chose built in embroidery stitches to give the impression of them rather than reproducing the precise patterns. At least the colours are about right.

Samples 2015: Week 27, Dune

Embellisher felting and hand stitch. Two layers of fine wool mix felt meshed together by using the embellisher on the purple side only, in the dune pattern.

Then stem stitch in stranded cotton.

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 04/07/15:
“Dune, 50 years on: how a science fiction novel changed the world. It has sold millions of copies, is perhaps the greatest novel in the science-fiction canon and Star Wars wouldn’t have existed without it. Frank Herbert’s Dune should endure as a politically relevant fantasy from the Age of Aquarius.”

On the desert planet... Illustration: Robert Ball/Review

Sample design

Love that tangerine and purple – reminds me of my teenage bedroom! Needle felting (using the embellisher) seemed the best match for the soft dune pattern, but I wasn’t sure if it would be enough… it wasn’t. Running stitch didn’t work on the thick felt, so I tried stem stitch – and really enjoyed it! The slowness didn’t help my post-holiday catch up, but I think it was worth it.     

Samples 2015: Week 26, Origami

Grid machine stitched on Aquasol using white Rayon 40 thread. Diamond shapes of Lutradur 70 added.

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 27/06/15:
“Into the fold: origami-inspired interiors. How the Japanese art form is reshaping home accessories.”

From left: Esti Barnes rug, £4,969. Jule Waibel seats, from £250. Foldability Chloe, £275, Leah, £495, and Petra pendants, £225. West Elm table, £249. Headsprung vase, £35. Scholten and Baijings mug, £22. Future Days vase cover, £16.73. Hay folders, from £20. Tracey Tubb Diamonds, £990, and Glacier, £700, wallpaper panels. Blu Dot chair, £295. Photograph: Stephen Lenthall

Sample design

I translated the pattern of folds from the Diamonds wallpaper panel above into an open grid of diamonds. The raised diamonds became cut out shapes applied on top.

Samples 2015: Week 25, Pollock

White cotton backed with pelmet Vilene. Thick and thin yarns sprinkled over, Aquasol pinned over the top to control them while free machining with black Rayon 30.    

 

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 20/06/15:

“Why Jackson Pollock gave up painting. With their sooty pools and block structures, the ‘black pour’ paintings of Pollock’s late period mark his rejection of sex and the erotic aspects of his drip techniques. A new exhibition shows how the artist formerly known as ‘Jack the Dripper’ reached the end of the line.”

Jackson Pollock, Number 34 1949. Courtesy of The Pollock-Krasner Foundation ARS, NY and DACS, London 2015/Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute/Art Resource, NY/Scala, Florence

Sample design

A mess of threads was the only way to go. I picked thick and thin yarns in the five main colours of the painting: red, yellow, pale blue, white and (mostly) black. They were just placed randomly and then stitched all over through Aquasol (so I couldn’t see what was happening), but the effect is almost embarrassingly similar to the painting!     

Samples 2015: Week 24, Polka Dots

Red felt punched with holes, machine stitched behind white felt cut away in a tree shape. Mounted on white paper to show through the holes.

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 13/06/15:
“Ping pong and polka dots in Gorky Park: Moscow's Garage gallery opens. Dasha Zhukova’s transformation of a vast Soviet-era cafeteria into a gallery designed by Rem Koolhaas has turned grim Gorky Park into a hipster hangout.”

Spotted in Gorky Park ... Yayoi Kusama’s decorated trees infront of the Garage museum. Photograph: David X Prutting/BFA.com

Sample design
This tree was very tempting, but embroidering all those spots didn’t bear thinking about! Or hand cutting spots to apply. Eventually I tried my Japanese screw punch and was delighted to find it happily punched tiny perfect holes from felt. So I decided on punched red felt with the white background showing through. The thickness of felt and tininess of holes means it doesn’t show very well though.