Catch Up Again! Fall Hand Stitching: Texture

Gretchen K.

I'm catching my breath again and trying to catch up! I want to share with you these amazing stitched works by the students in my fall Hand Stitching class. You've already seen examples of Line and Pattern. The third session focused on Texture and stitches such as French and Bullion Knots, Straight Stitch (used for seeding), a self couching stitch and composite stitches such as Raised Stem and Surface Darning. We also tried lacing and wrapping stitches for texture. I challenged students to design some of their own stitches. Some students continued to add texture stitches to works they started in one of the previous two sessions. I hope you enjoy seeing each student's unique take on Texture. Next blog post: Layers.

Gretchen K.

Gretchen K.

Alice A.: Based on a photo.

Alice A.

Alice A.

Alissa W.

Alissa W.

Grace M.

Grace M.

Grace M.

Grace M.

Judy M.

Judy M.

Judy M.

Kerstin W.

Kerstin W.

Kerstin W.

Maria S.

Maria S.

Maria S.

Maria S.

Maria S.

Maria S.

Marine W.

Marine W.

Marine W.

Kitchen Couture at Artistic Artifacts

Marine W.: Autumn scarf in process.

This past Saturday, I taught my workshop, Kitchen Couture: Print-Your-Own-Scarves at Artistic Artifacts. I had four very industrious and talented students.

Marine W.: Autumn scarf in process.

Marine W.: Adding the final layer.

We covered a number of printing techniques and created a number of print blocks including: hot glue on cardboard, adhesive craft foam and Speedy Carve.

Lexi T.: Printed with a cabbage!

Lexi T.: Detail of cabbage prints.

We also printed with fruit and vegetables...some that we carved.

Marjie C: Corn and Star Fruit prints.

Jodie F.: Rubbings and prints with hot glue blocks.

There was a lot of experimenting, a lot of beautiful color mixing and just a fun day!

Jodie F.: Corn prints, plastic needlepoint canvas and Speedy Carve blocks (scissor blocks designed and carved by me).

Lexi T.: Corn prints and adhesive craft foam block.

Lexi T.: Detail.

Marine W.: Detail of scarf printed with corn and Speedy Carve fish.

Marine W.: Rubbings with hot glue block.

Marine W.: Monoprinting.

Marine W.: Final scarf

Marjie and Lexi working on scarves.

Marjie C.: Scarf printed with foam and adhesive foam blocks.

Thanks students...great work!

Boro and Beyond: The Versatile Running Stitch Part 2

Julie B Booth: Woven sampler detail.

This is the second post about my two-day workshop, Boro and Beyond: The Versatile Running Stitch that was held at Artistic Artifacts.

In the previous post, I talked about how the Running Stitch could be used to explore different types of line and pattern. In today's post, I'll focus on construction, mending and distorting.

Julie B Booth : Boro/mending sampler #1 on patchwork base.

Julie B Booth: Boro/mending sampler #2 on a patchwork base.

I asked the students to make some "bases" or foundations on which to experiment with Running Stitch. These included a patchwork base, a woven base, and a fabric collage base. Most students did the first two types of bases.

Gloria W.: Boro sampler.

Judy G.: Boro sampler.

Kate G.: Boro sampler using heirloom pillow cases.

Kathy F.: Boro sampler

Peggy G.: Boro sampler.

Barbara C.: Woven base.

Gloria W.: Woven base.

Judy G.: Woven base.

Linda M.: Woven base.

Peggy G.: Woven base.

Roxana F.: Woven base.

On these foundations, students stitched and experimented with different ways of patching and mending fabric.

Alice A. working on her Boro sampler.

Alice A.: Boro sampler.

Laurie T working on her Boro sampler.

Laurie T.: Boro sampler.

Linda M.: Boro sampler.

Linda M.: Fabric collage sampler.

I threw in my technique for reverse applique and challenged students with a fabric patch inlay and a floating patch with surface darning.

Barbara C. working on her Boro sampler

Barbara C.: Detail showing surface darning.

Roxana F.: Boro sampler.

Wendy S.: Boro sampler

Later, we played with distorting fabric with the Running Stitch, including a variation on kantha stitching and ruching (gathering) those wonderful sari silk strips!

Julie B Booth: Distorting the fabric with kantha stitch.

Kate G.: Kantha stitch.

Julie B Booth: Ruching (pleating) with sari silk strips.

Kathy F.: Ruching. Silk strips on right were ironed before pleating.

Peggy G.: Rushing with sari silk strips.

This was the first time I taught this workshop and it was great to see the different approaches students took. I was so excited that I went home and continued to stitch! I plan to have more samplers to share and maybe even a few more ideas.

Thanks students for being such an inspiration!!

If you live in the Washington, D.C. area and would like to take this workshop, I am offering it again on January 21 and 22 at Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria, VA.

If you think your fiber group would like to do this two day workshop, please feel free to leave a comment and a way to get in touch.