Intentions

Intentions Brief - Samples

These are two samples that I was testing out. I was wondering what would happen if you used black thread on black fabric and then a light coloured thread on dark fabric (rather than the white fabric and black thread that I have been using) I really like the black on black sample as you have to look really closely at the stitches. It also forces you to feel the fabric in order to under stand what it is. I feel that this relates to my brief about London and the image I have used is just of a block of flats with offices behind them, something that the tourists wouldn't even bother to look at. I really like this idea and would quite like to experiment by starting with a layer of dark thread and then going lighter and lighter with a different image each time. I feel that the grey thread one, does not have the same effect as the black one as it looks quite plain and boring. 

Intentions

Intentions Brief - Workshops - Faggoter and Big Bernina - 17th October 2013

Faggoter Machine

This first sample is from the Faggoter machine. This machine creates a join in fabrics, the seam almost interlocks the threads and creates a sort of chain pattern. To use this machine you need two separate pieces of fabric in order to connect them together, it does not work on the same piece. When using this machine you have to use very stable fabrics, if unstable add a backing fabric to it. It also needs to have a very stable and strong thread as well as it it broken very easily. I found this machine very interesting to learn how to use however what it can do is very limited. I think that it is a good thing to know how to use though as you never know when you are going to need it. 

Big Bernina 

The Big Bernina machine creates a zig-zag stitch that can vary in width. When using it you need, just the faggoter machine and very strong fabric, or a backing fabric if weak. I found this machine very interesting and could see it fitting into my brief nicely. The Big Bernina is good for creating repeat patterns as well.

I created a little guide on how to thread up the machine; 

1. Connect the thread to the stand going from back to front, do not let your thread get tangled.

2. Thread through both holes of the large pin onto of the machine, again going top then bottom.

3. Take the thread through the guide hole above the tension ring.

4. Wrap round underneath the right tension ring.

5. Take the thread down towards the disc underneath and over the small wire spring.

6. Take it up through the guide hole of the lever.

7. Take the thread down towards the needle and pass it behind the guide pin.

8. Then through the guide at the front.

9. Finally, thread the needle, making sure there is no other threads in the way or blocking the bobbin. 

Intentions

 Intentions Brief - Samples 

These are some samples that I created after having a tutorial with Lynn. I took her advice and tried to experiment by using different fabrics. I decided to use some linen scrim as during the first year, I really liked this fabric as you could easily do hand stitch on it and it has quite an open weave. I still stuck to the same technique as my last samples by using a simple black out-line. I again felt that these were a little plain so I decided to add some hand stitch onto. I chose to do one with bright colours thats stood out and then one with colour that were quite nature and that blended with the fabric. I decided to use the bright colours on the image of the o2 Arena as its very well known, bright and full of lights whereas as a contrast I decided to use the natural colours on a image of a bridge that goes over the thames as it's quite un-noticed with tourists and not many people pay attention to the lesser known things in London. I really like how these have turned out, however I did find it a bit hard to do machine embroidery on the fabric as it is quite loose and very easy to loose control of it. 

Intentions

Intentions Brief - Tutorial - 10th October 2013

Today, I had a group tutorial with my new embroidery tutor, Lynn. There were five of us in the group, we each showed our work and chatted about what our brief is going to be about and what ideas/samples we had done so far. I really enjoy taking part in group tutorials in order to see where everyone else is with their brief and how each person is experimenting. I also like that you can bounce ideas of each other and take inspiration from other peoples work. 

Lynn discussed with me about my samples and how to experiment a bit more. She suggested that I try new materials and fabrics instead of just sticking to the black on white that I started off with. She also mentioned to try and experiment with larger samples, rather than sticking to the little pieces of fabric. She also gave me some cards to look at in order to expand my drawings and experimenting with different techniques in order to become a bit looser with my drawings -

make a drawing a long drawing

make a drawing using 5 coloured pencils

make a drawing using only 20 lines

make a drawing out of collage

make a drawing on folded or crumpled paper

make a drawing using transparent paper

make a drawing every 5 minutes for 60 minutes

make a drawing on a dark background

make a drawing on photographs

make a drawing with your eyes shut

make a drawing using the opposite hand

I found her input and everyone else's so helpful and it's sparked lots of ideas for me to run with. 

Intentions

Intentions Brief - Samples

These are some of my starting point samples that I created in order to launch my into my brief. These samples are taken from my drawings that I collected whilst in London. I tried to pick images that are instantly recognisable as London, for example the Tate Modern (top left), St Paul Cathedral (top right) a red postbox (bottom left) and the millennium bridge and the shard (bottom right)

I created this samples to carry on with the samples that I made over the summer. I created these using white fabric with a black thread and using machine stitch. When I finished them, I thought that they look quite boring, with a simple line drawing and no colour. I decided to add some colour by hand stitching over the top of them in the appropriate colours, ranging of heavy stitching on some samples to a really light stitch on others. I tried to add as many different types of hand techniques thats I could do, for example french knot, cross stitch and chain stitch. I think it has worked very well in adding colour as well as texture and mark making into my work. 

Intentions

Intentions Brief  - Subject Matter

After collecting lots of visual research over the summer and the drawing workshop that I attended, I decided that for my 'Urban Influences' brief that I would choose the subject matter of London. Having spent a lot of time in London during the summer, I thought that it would be a good choice for my brief to focus on. I love London and everything about it, from its busy underground to its historic landmarks. I think it's a good choice to focus on as there are so many different aspects of London that it is hard to become stuck on one thing. I think that I can produce a good variety of work from this subject matter without becoming bored or stuck in a continuous loop. I plan to look at the buildings and architecture of London and try and mix them together with the unseen side of London, the underground. I will do this by creating a range of samples in order to help my ideas move along and progress. 

Intentions

Intentions Brief - Artist Research 

This is an artist that I found on Pinterest whilst researching for my brief. The artist Sophie Miller is a textiles student (there wasn't much information about her that I could research) What I really love most about Sophie's work is the playfulness she has with texture and surface. Miller uses lots of different threads, wool and materials to build up the surface. This mixture of media makes the picture seem to have lots of different layers. From studying her work, she starts off with plain white fabric with a simple outline of black thread, which I think she does on the machine and then starts to build up her work. I really like the mixture of stitches she uses as well, mixing machine and hand stitching so well that each one blends perfectly together.

I really like Sophie's work and this is something I would really like to experiment with in my own work. She takes influences from the urban landscape, using the textures and shapes of the buildings rather than the outline and a straight copy of what she sees, this is something I have been trying to create. I really like the idea of mark-making, especially with stitch and I think Sophie's work is very inspirational for me.