Sample Project 2012 – December

Ta dah!  Sound of own trumpet being blown! This is the final instalment of my 2012 weekly sample project - textile titbits inspired by photos from the book “Underwater Eden, 365 Days” by Jeffrey L. Rotman.

Well at least I’ve completed something as intended this year!

 

Week 49: Many-Ribbed Hydomedusa

Navy felt base. Hand stitched fine wool thread overlaid with a fringe of textured yarn applied using the embellisher.

 

 

 

Week 50: Reef Table

Free machine embroidery on black cotton – cable stitch worked from the back with various thick threads on the bobbin (pearl cotton, Burmilana, Natesh).

 

 

 

 

Week 51: Triggerfish

White viscose fibres embellished onto pale blue felt, black felt silhouette of fish embellished on top.

 

 

 

Week 52: Sandy Lagoon, Jackson Reef

Background of beige felt embellished with scrim. French knots in various threads.

 

 

So that’s all folks… until the next one? I don’t suppose I’ll be able to resist doing this exercise again, for a seventh year – I’m addicted now. I’ve bought a 2013 Wild Nature Diary from The John Muir Trust, which has gorgeous (but scarily challenging) landscape and nature photos for each week. But can I really face it? Should l, is it healthy?! Watch this space…

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and creative 2013!

Sample Project 2012 – November

So near the end now, but it’s been a struggle to get through this five sample month. For any new readers (hi!), each week I’m choosing one of the seven photos for that week in  “Underwater Eden – 365 Days” by Jeffrey L. Rotman as the starting point for some kind of textiley doodle. It’d make more sense if you could see the photos, but it wouldn’t be fair to rip them off -you’ll just have to get hold of the (really gorgeous) book!   

Here we go then…

 

Week 44: Tail of an Ornate Surgeonfish

Commercial felt blended and textured using the Embellisher machine.

 

 

 

 

 

Week 45: Tail of a Stoplight Parrotfish

Gathered/pleated fabrics.

 

 

Week 46: Gorgonian Coral

Zigzag stitch over thick wool and fine wire on Aquasol. Polyps made separately by free machining on Kunin felt then “cutting” out with a soldering iron.

 

 

 

Week 47: Colony of Sea Urchins

Machine embroidery using Flower Stitch attachment.

 

 

 

 

 

Week 48: Pelagic Octopus

Free machine embroidery with shaded thread on black felt.

 

 

 

Only four more weeks to go! So now the question is, should I do another weekly sample project in 2013, or would it maybe be more of an achievement to resist? After 6 years, perhaps it’s just a tad too obsessive? What do you think?

Sample Project 2012 – October

It’s that time again! Another batch of my weekly samples, each inspired by one of the wonderful photos for that week in “Underwater Eden” by Jeffrey L. Rotman.

 

Week 40: Sheet Coral

Free machine embroidery and quilting on hand dyed calico, plus French knots.

 

 

 

 

Week 41: Crinoid

Hand stitch – couching.

The feathery arms looked just like bead fringes. But I didn’t have suitable beads - let alone the patience.

 

 

 

 

Week 42: Gills of whitetip reef shark

Curved tucks, overcast, on hand dyed cotton velvet.

A lot of close ups of sharks – skin, teeth, eyes - in this section of the book. Not the most inspiring stitchy subjects. 

 

Week 43: Skin of epaulette shark

White, black and tan felt plus tan net, melded together using the embellisher. Quite pleased with how close this came to the scaly, spotted skin in the end! And some interesting effects I might be able to use again.

 

Only two more months, nine more samples to do now to complete another year. Already wondering what, if anything, to do next year… perhaps I should give up, to prove that I can?! 

PS My little giveaway (see previous posts) closes in about 12 hours – leave a comment and Follow/Join to be in the running!

Sample Project 2012 - June

Running a little late, thanks to a sunny holiday (sorry!) – none of the stitching I took along was touched. But yes, I’ve kept this latest weekly sample project going for half a year now!

 

Week 23: Prickly alcyonarian coral

Machine embroidery using built-in pattern in ombre thread.

 

 

 

 

 

Week 24: Scarlet sea fan

Synthetic organza machine stitched over black cotton then burned away with a soldering iron.

 

 

 

 

Week 25: Blotched puffer fish

It was a ball of spines! Machine stitched on dissolvable fabric (shown against separate black background).

 

 

 

 

Week 26: Gorgonian coral

Red felt embellished onto pink, hand embroidery.

Sample Project 2012–April

Not quite such a fun bunch this month but I did manage to play with a variety of techniques.

 

Week 14: Violet-lined parrotfish

Cut-back applique, twin needle pin tucks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 15: Gorgonian coral

Hand stitch.

 

 

 

Week 16: Whale shark

Commercial felt embellished onto indigo-dyed cotton.

 

 

 

Week 17: Brittle star/fan coral

Coral open structure - free machined on soluble fabric. Brittle star arm - wire bound with chenille yarn.

Sample Project 2012 – February

I do wish you could see the amazing photos that are inspiring this project, from Underwater Eden – 365 Days, by Jeffrey L. Rotman. Call me old-fashioned, but it doesn’t seem right to scan and post someone else’s photos that haven’t been made available by them on the web. So my samples may not make a whole lot of sense – sorry! But I do recommend getting hold of the book if you can, it’s gorgeous – so tricky to choose only one in seven of the photos to work with.      

 

 

Week 5: Spider crab

Embellisher, yarn and Wensleydale curls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 6: Giant kelp

Bonded applique, machine stitch with built-in pattern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 7: Giant Pacific octopus

Background scrim and dyed wool tops Embellshed onto felt. Suckers - sheer fabric applied with satin stitch circles worked using Flower Stitcher, then cut back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 8: Purple anthias against knotty gorgonian coral

Coral pattern free machined, fish automatic satin stitch.

Under the Sea

Today sees the opening of this exhibition at Sheffield Millennium Gallery, which includes my two pieces as shown above – Sea Forms 1 (plankton) and Coral Bleaching.

“Under the Sea explores the beauty and importance of the oceans, their significance for our planet and what we as individuals can do to help protect them for the future.”

I’ve only seen photos so far but it looks great – a wide variety of contemporary art, craft and design alongside specimens and art from the museum collections. And I’m delighted to be able to take part in something with such a strong environmental education element.

BUT, the opening has been overshadowed by the announcement today of a devastating loss of funding for Museums Sheffield. According to their website, “Large scale staff redundancies, major reductions in exhibition programmes and scaled down learning provision for schools/adults are all now inevitable.”

Please take a look here and see if there’s anything you can do to help make the case for culture in Sheffield.

And of course, if at all possible do go and see the exhibition! It’s on until June, open every day, and entry’s free. There’s also a shop with related items including plankton brooches by yours truly. And a cafe. What more do you want?!