Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
I took a few machine classes to help me with this chapter
I am now not so terrified of my sewing machine
Hand embroidery
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7 & 8
Shape for possible resolved
sample
Wednesday 19 October 2022
Spiralling into Colour Module 3
Chapter 2
Chapter 4
I am now not so terrified of my sewing machine
Hand embroidery
Chapter 5
Shape for possible resolved
Wednesday 5 June 2019
Chapter 12 added thoughts. Chapter 13
Sian suggested a vertical pocket for the top of the apron, however, while working on this I decided the pocket needs to be horizontal in order for me to get my hand in to retrieve whatever, supplies I have placed there.
After finding out how much wastage there is in may forms of clothing design I decided to incorporate as much recycled fabric in my apron as I could.
The design for this top pocket uses the Seminole piecing method. As I had found the original working of this form of piecing rather difficult and decided to work at it again and produce something that I was happier with and could be displayed for all to see.
The lower pockets are a joyful selection of fabric strips with frayed edges and machine embroidery, including many of the techniques learned during this module. However, because I was using recycled fabric much of it is lovely and soft, which is super tactile, but, not brilliant for holding its shape. Please see photos below for how I resolved this.
Both pieces of fabric for the upper and lower main part of the apron, are recycled table cloth fabrics that have been cold watered dyed with black producing various shades and patterns in grey.
The final elements of the apron are the ties, from old sheets, which again are cold water dyed and then stamped with bleach circles.
Working towards the Seminole top pocket
Choosing fabric strips.
A.i
A. ii
My first attempt left me with piece too large to work as a pocket, I cut the piceing in half and resewed it together, its pretty rumpled, yet, I may keep it for chopping into something else at some later point
A.iii
A small band of Seminole piecing using left over strips
A.iv
A.v
A.vi
After feeling I had mastered this I made the final piece and completely forgot to take photos of the process.
I edged the piecing with plain cotton then turned that under and sewed I piece of felt to the back, partly to stabilise the pocket and partly because of the softness of the felt and its ability to not fray.
A.vii
More piecing
A.viii
I decided to create several pieced pieces to see what other backing would work best
Aix
A.x
A.xi
A.xii
A.xiii
After visiting the shops I purchased 2 different backing fabrics,
Viseline F200 and Viselene H250
I used 2 of each for the four samples.
A.xiv
A.xv
This was a very useful and informative exercise.
Both stabilised the fabrics and stopped any fraying.
The Viselene F200 is lovely and soft and allows a lot of movement of the fabric.
The Viselene H250 created a sturdier background.
The master plan for my pieced pockets began on the back of an envelope.
The envelope is a good size for fitting my hands in.
A.xvi
I started working out the sizes for the strips
A.xvii
Right hand side pocket
A.xviii
Left hand side pocket
A.ixx
Not equally sized, this was resolved when backing was added
A.xx
My initial thought was to back with more recycled fabrics.
This turned out to create a more 'floppy' pocket than I needed for an apron.
A.xxi
After the exercise above I decided to use the Viselene H250
A.xxii
The Viselene H250 gave the fabric some support, yet, left it soft and more in keeping with the general 'weight' of the rest of the apron.
At the beginning of this project, Sian wondered about my ability to sew the apron, (so did I).
The elements of the apron.
Apron in pieces.
The first job on the fabric for the top and bottom of the apron was to neaten the sides of the fabric as I am sure a super frayed edge would work well for the theme of the module, however, it would not be particularly practical for the apron. Choosing a shade of grey that would work well with the fabric was a lot trickier than expected
Grey threads.
I folded over the edges and ironed them and folded again, pinned, then stitched.
Despite my best efforts and the extensive use of my new best friend, the SEAM RIPPER; the lines of stitches are far from straight. On the positive side the edges will not fray. Also, I pulled the threads through to the back and knotted them before cutting.
Top pocket, Seminole piecing
I measured and placed and pinned the 2 lower pockets parallel and sewed them on. This was where I found out that my machine is not happy with more then 3 layers of fabric.
I used a 'decorative' stitch that I feel marries the seminole top pocket with the bottom 2 pockets.
Decorative stitch on pockets
Because I again used recycled fabric for the ties it is lovely and soft, excellent for round the neck, I wondered about adding the Viselene H250 to these and decided against this as the extra layer became slightly unwieldy thus not good for tying.
Apron ties
The finished apron.
Chapter 13
Hans Holbein, the Elder, born 1465 - 1524
Holbein influenced the beginning of the Renaissance style of painting. He was known for his use of rich colours for the religious works of art that he was commissioned to paint for churches.
The Dormition of the Virgin
He moved from Germany to France, possibly as a result of being seen as tax dodger. He had two sons Ambrosius and Hans who became known as Holbein the younger.
Hans Holbein, the Younger 1497 - 1543
During his early career Holbein painted religious pictures for patrons.
After making a name for himself he travelled to England and was appointed the Kings Painter to Henry VIII. This is where we can catch a glimpse at the exquisite hand embroidery made for royalty.
While I have been researching Hans Holbein the younger, I think the two things have stood out for me, first, his ability to use his art to be somewhat subversive and the attention to detail of the embroidery on clothes in his portraits. This lead to a form of Blackwork being known as Holbein Stitch, where the face and reverse are the same.
Traditionally Holbein stitch would have been sewn on silk or linen.
Bridget Riley 1931 -
A diverse career starting with training at Goldsmiths College London, then to an advertising agency where she was influenced by the pointillism style, especially Seurat.
Pink Landscape
Blaze
A copy of this was worn on a t-shirt by Kieth Moon (drummer for the band The Who).
Bridget and her partner Peter Sedgley founded SPACE. Space Provision Artistic Cultural and Educational, where they provided space for artists to work at a n affordable rent.
Op art, short for optical art, is a style of visual art that uses optical illusions.
This is the area of Bridget's work that she is most famous far.
Hesitate.
Study.
M.C. Escher 1898 - 1972
During this module we have covered a lot of black and white and a chapter on 'Not What It Seams'. These led me to M.C. Escher. https://www.mcescher.com/about/biography/
As a child I remember thinking I had almost sorted out the picture, only to find a column somewhere it couldn't possibly be.
Maurits Cornelis Escher was born in the Netherlands his early career he studied and drew items from nature. His interest in the mathematical nature of buildings came while he was in France and Spain producing sketches.
His work was appreciated by mathematicians before it became popular with the art community and the general public.
While living in Rome, Escher married Jetta Umiker in 1924.
In 1941 the family moved to the Netherlands, this is where most of Escher's more famous work was created.
Hands
Many people know parts of this and few realise it is one long, very long, piece. (follow the pictures down the left side then the right, I may not have made a very precise job of the joins).
Metamorphosis II
Snakes
As in a kaleidoscope the pattern is mirror imaged, and hand drawn, the same pattern is repeated in smaller scale right to the centre. This was to be M.C. Escher's last work.
Evaluation of Functional 3D Embroidered Item
The completed embroidered assessment piece for Module Two is an Apron for art and textile work, based on the design topic of Animal Magic.
How do you feel about the resulting conclusion?
I am pleased with how the apron finally turned out and can see that I will be happy to wear it for art and textile work
Is it the neatest apron ever? No. Most professionally executed? No.
Is it fit for purpose? Give reasons.
It covers the majority of my front and will keep accidental splashes away and protect my clothes.
The pockets are at the right level for me to quickly store and retrieve items while not working with them
If you were asked to make it again, what changes would you make to the way you designed it and the way you made it?
I am not sure there is much I would change, the design process was thorough and detailed leaving little that I can see needs improving.
Costing and Timing
Time Cost
Chapter 1
3 hours used items already owned
Chapter 2
6 hours stitch canvas £2 threads £6
Chapter 3
5 hours thread £4 fabric £23.50 used in later chapters
white cotton, black cotton, discharge fabric, Viselene H250 & F200
black felt, white felt, black & white fat quarter. Augmented by stash.
Chapter 4
4 hours fabric, see above
Chapter 5
3 hours black tissue £2
Chapter 6
6 hours black cold water dye £1.70
Chapter 7
8 hours fabric and threads, see above
Chapter 8
3 hours fabric and threads, see above
Chapter 9
8 hours black paper 60p
Chapter 10
2 hours fabric and threads, see above
Chapter 11
8 hours fabric and threads, as above
Chapter 12
10 hours fabric and threads, as above
Chapter 13
3 hours
Storage
Work in progress stored in a large dedicated bag, with file for notes.
Completed work put in Distant Stitch Module 2 book, labelled and kept in separate protective case.
Health & Safety
Keep scissors, rotary cutter, needles, pins and sharp objects out of reach of children.
Store sewing machine with cover on to keep dust out of mechanism.
Unplug machine when not in use and always check electric leads are not a trip hazard.
Store and use dyes, inks, acrylic paints, in a child proof area.
Work with bleach in a well ventilated room, if susceptible to breathing problems wear a mask. Store bleach out of reach of children.
Use dye powder with care. A mask may be used to prevent inhalation of powder.
Use rubber gloves or protective hand coverings for both bleach and dye work.
Use a waterproof table cover for bleach and dyes.
Use a cutting mat when using rotary cutter. Also helpful for scissor cutting and pinning.
Use an iron on a heat proof surface, make sure it is cool before storing.
Work in a well lit room.
After finding out how much wastage there is in may forms of clothing design I decided to incorporate as much recycled fabric in my apron as I could.
The design for this top pocket uses the Seminole piecing method. As I had found the original working of this form of piecing rather difficult and decided to work at it again and produce something that I was happier with and could be displayed for all to see.
The lower pockets are a joyful selection of fabric strips with frayed edges and machine embroidery, including many of the techniques learned during this module. However, because I was using recycled fabric much of it is lovely and soft, which is super tactile, but, not brilliant for holding its shape. Please see photos below for how I resolved this.
Both pieces of fabric for the upper and lower main part of the apron, are recycled table cloth fabrics that have been cold watered dyed with black producing various shades and patterns in grey.
The final elements of the apron are the ties, from old sheets, which again are cold water dyed and then stamped with bleach circles.
Working towards the Seminole top pocket
Choosing fabric strips.
A.i
A. iiMy first attempt left me with piece too large to work as a pocket, I cut the piceing in half and resewed it together, its pretty rumpled, yet, I may keep it for chopping into something else at some later point
A.iiiA small band of Seminole piecing using left over strips
A.iv
A.v
A.viAfter feeling I had mastered this I made the final piece and completely forgot to take photos of the process.
I edged the piecing with plain cotton then turned that under and sewed I piece of felt to the back, partly to stabilise the pocket and partly because of the softness of the felt and its ability to not fray.
A.viiMore piecing
A.viiiI decided to create several pieced pieces to see what other backing would work best
Aix
A.x
A.xi
A.xii
A.xiiiAfter visiting the shops I purchased 2 different backing fabrics,
Viseline F200 and Viselene H250
I used 2 of each for the four samples.
A.xiv
A.xvThis was a very useful and informative exercise.
Both stabilised the fabrics and stopped any fraying.
The Viselene F200 is lovely and soft and allows a lot of movement of the fabric.
The Viselene H250 created a sturdier background.
The master plan for my pieced pockets began on the back of an envelope.
The envelope is a good size for fitting my hands in.
A.xviI started working out the sizes for the strips
A.xviiRight hand side pocket
A.xviiiLeft hand side pocket
A.ixxNot equally sized, this was resolved when backing was added
A.xxMy initial thought was to back with more recycled fabrics.
This turned out to create a more 'floppy' pocket than I needed for an apron.
A.xxiAfter the exercise above I decided to use the Viselene H250
A.xxiiThe Viselene H250 gave the fabric some support, yet, left it soft and more in keeping with the general 'weight' of the rest of the apron.
At the beginning of this project, Sian wondered about my ability to sew the apron, (so did I).
The elements of the apron.
Apron in pieces.The first job on the fabric for the top and bottom of the apron was to neaten the sides of the fabric as I am sure a super frayed edge would work well for the theme of the module, however, it would not be particularly practical for the apron. Choosing a shade of grey that would work well with the fabric was a lot trickier than expected
Grey threads.I folded over the edges and ironed them and folded again, pinned, then stitched.
Despite my best efforts and the extensive use of my new best friend, the SEAM RIPPER; the lines of stitches are far from straight. On the positive side the edges will not fray. Also, I pulled the threads through to the back and knotted them before cutting.
Top pocket, Seminole piecingI measured and placed and pinned the 2 lower pockets parallel and sewed them on. This was where I found out that my machine is not happy with more then 3 layers of fabric.
I used a 'decorative' stitch that I feel marries the seminole top pocket with the bottom 2 pockets.
Decorative stitch on pocketsBecause I again used recycled fabric for the ties it is lovely and soft, excellent for round the neck, I wondered about adding the Viselene H250 to these and decided against this as the extra layer became slightly unwieldy thus not good for tying.
Apron ties
The finished apron.Chapter 13
Hans Holbein, the Elder, born 1465 - 1524
Holbein influenced the beginning of the Renaissance style of painting. He was known for his use of rich colours for the religious works of art that he was commissioned to paint for churches.
The Dormition of the Virgin
He moved from Germany to France, possibly as a result of being seen as tax dodger. He had two sons Ambrosius and Hans who became known as Holbein the younger.
Hans Holbein, the Younger 1497 - 1543
During his early career Holbein painted religious pictures for patrons.
After making a name for himself he travelled to England and was appointed the Kings Painter to Henry VIII. This is where we can catch a glimpse at the exquisite hand embroidery made for royalty.
While I have been researching Hans Holbein the younger, I think the two things have stood out for me, first, his ability to use his art to be somewhat subversive and the attention to detail of the embroidery on clothes in his portraits. This lead to a form of Blackwork being known as Holbein Stitch, where the face and reverse are the same.
Traditionally Holbein stitch would have been sewn on silk or linen.
Bridget Riley 1931 -
A diverse career starting with training at Goldsmiths College London, then to an advertising agency where she was influenced by the pointillism style, especially Seurat.
Pink Landscape
Blaze A copy of this was worn on a t-shirt by Kieth Moon (drummer for the band The Who).
Bridget and her partner Peter Sedgley founded SPACE. Space Provision Artistic Cultural and Educational, where they provided space for artists to work at a n affordable rent.
Op art, short for optical art, is a style of visual art that uses optical illusions.
This is the area of Bridget's work that she is most famous far.
Hesitate.
Study.M.C. Escher 1898 - 1972
During this module we have covered a lot of black and white and a chapter on 'Not What It Seams'. These led me to M.C. Escher. https://www.mcescher.com/about/biography/
As a child I remember thinking I had almost sorted out the picture, only to find a column somewhere it couldn't possibly be.
Maurits Cornelis Escher was born in the Netherlands his early career he studied and drew items from nature. His interest in the mathematical nature of buildings came while he was in France and Spain producing sketches.
His work was appreciated by mathematicians before it became popular with the art community and the general public.
While living in Rome, Escher married Jetta Umiker in 1924.
In 1941 the family moved to the Netherlands, this is where most of Escher's more famous work was created.
HandsMany people know parts of this and few realise it is one long, very long, piece. (follow the pictures down the left side then the right, I may not have made a very precise job of the joins).
Metamorphosis II
SnakesAs in a kaleidoscope the pattern is mirror imaged, and hand drawn, the same pattern is repeated in smaller scale right to the centre. This was to be M.C. Escher's last work.
Evaluation of Functional 3D Embroidered Item
The completed embroidered assessment piece for Module Two is an Apron for art and textile work, based on the design topic of Animal Magic.
How do you feel about the resulting conclusion?
I am pleased with how the apron finally turned out and can see that I will be happy to wear it for art and textile work
Is it the neatest apron ever? No. Most professionally executed? No.
Is it fit for purpose? Give reasons.
It covers the majority of my front and will keep accidental splashes away and protect my clothes.
The pockets are at the right level for me to quickly store and retrieve items while not working with them
If you were asked to make it again, what changes would you make to the way you designed it and the way you made it?
I am not sure there is much I would change, the design process was thorough and detailed leaving little that I can see needs improving.
Costing and Timing
Time Cost
Chapter 1
3 hours used items already owned
Chapter 2
6 hours stitch canvas £2 threads £6
Chapter 3
5 hours thread £4 fabric £23.50 used in later chapters
white cotton, black cotton, discharge fabric, Viselene H250 & F200
black felt, white felt, black & white fat quarter. Augmented by stash.
Chapter 4
4 hours fabric, see above
Chapter 5
3 hours black tissue £2
Chapter 6
6 hours black cold water dye £1.70
Chapter 7
8 hours fabric and threads, see above
Chapter 8
3 hours fabric and threads, see above
Chapter 9
8 hours black paper 60p
Chapter 10
2 hours fabric and threads, see above
Chapter 11
8 hours fabric and threads, as above
Chapter 12
10 hours fabric and threads, as above
Chapter 13
3 hours
Storage
Work in progress stored in a large dedicated bag, with file for notes.
Completed work put in Distant Stitch Module 2 book, labelled and kept in separate protective case.
Health & Safety
Keep scissors, rotary cutter, needles, pins and sharp objects out of reach of children.
Store sewing machine with cover on to keep dust out of mechanism.
Unplug machine when not in use and always check electric leads are not a trip hazard.
Store and use dyes, inks, acrylic paints, in a child proof area.
Work with bleach in a well ventilated room, if susceptible to breathing problems wear a mask. Store bleach out of reach of children.
Use dye powder with care. A mask may be used to prevent inhalation of powder.
Use rubber gloves or protective hand coverings for both bleach and dye work.
Use a waterproof table cover for bleach and dyes.
Use a cutting mat when using rotary cutter. Also helpful for scissor cutting and pinning.
Use an iron on a heat proof surface, make sure it is cool before storing.
Work in a well lit room.
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