Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Boro and Beyond: The Versatile Running Stitch Part 1

Julie B Booth: Pattern Darning Sampler

I can't believe that it's been 3 weeks since my last post. I've been busy! Finishing up the Hand Stitching class (a blog post coming soon) and prepping and teaching a new workshop called Boro and Beyond: The Versatile Running Stitch.

I have so many great samples to share by students in the Boro class, that I decided to split the work into two posts (just like we split the stitching into two days!). The workshop was held at Artistic Artifacts...the  perfect setting for stitching and a wondrous shop loaded with temptations (that we all succumbed to!). I immediately had to purchase 2 skeins of the sari silk "yarn"...really strips of sari silk stitched together in a continuous length...perfect for some of the techniques (as you'll soon see!).

Julie B Booth: Using Running Stitches to create forms

The idea for this class came about because one of my students was interested in a workshop on Boro. Boro is the Japanese word for "rags" and refers to the tradition of patching and mending work clothing in rural Japan during the 17th to 19th (and some info says into the early 20th) centuries. Textiles were indigo dyed and stitched with layers of Running Stitch.

As I began to explore Boro, I came to the realization that the Running Stitch is a stitch found in just about every culture. So...that gave me the idea to really explore this versatile stitch and a number of different things you can do with it in a series of samplers.

Julie B Booth: Thick and thin; short and long stitches.

On Day #1 we explored line and pattern. We started with a list of adjectives describing different types of line. Students were asked to interpret some of the adjectives.

Alice A: Undulating and spiral lines
Ann Z.: Feathery lines
Kate G.L Radiating lines.
Peggy G.: Assorted lines.

Then we jumped to pattern and specifically two types of patterning traditions using the running stitch: Sashiko and Pattern Darning.

Julie B Booth: Sashiko sampler.
Barbara C.: Sashiko, Pattern Darning and lacing stitches.
Judy G.: Pattern Darning
Kate G.: Sashiko, Pattern Darning and lacing stitches.
Gloria W.: Stitch and pattern sampler.
Kathy F.: Sashiko and Pattern Darning.
Linda M. Sashiko and lacing.
Linda M.: Pattern Darning, Sashiko and lacing
Peggy G.: Sashiko and Pattern Darning.
Roxana F.: Pattern sampler.

We also did some lacing and wrapping over rows of Running Stitches.

Julie B Booth: Lacing sampler
Ann Z: Lacing.
Judy G.: Lacing.
Peggy G.: Lacing.

For homework, I asked students to create three bases for more stitching experiments. I'll show you those in the next post. If you are local and are interested in taking this workshop, I'll be teaching it again at Artistic Artifacts on January 21 and 22, 2017.


Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Fall Hand Stitching: Pattern and Rhythm

Maria S.: Chain stitch sampler

The theme for session #2 of Hand Stitching was Pattern and Rhythm. Students got to experiment with looped stitches...Fly, Detached Chain, Chain and Buttonhole/Blanket in a sampler. For the challenges they could also incorporate stitches from the previous class session on Line (and some even experimented with some other stitches!). Challenges included: using commercial or hand painted/printed fabric as a jumping off point; basing a composition on one of the patterns found in nature and playing with the concept of rhythm. I'm not happy with all the photos and hope to take better ones of these pieces before the end of the class.

Samplers:
Alissa W.
Grace M.
Gretchen K.
Maria S.: Buttonhole/Blanket
Maria S.: Fly and Chain

Jumping off from commercial fabrics:

Gretchen K.
Judy M.

Jumping off from hand printed fabrics:

Alice A: Bleached fabric.
Alice A.
Gretchen K.
Kerstin W.
Kerstin W.
Maria S.

Patterns in nature:

Alice A.: Symmetry
Alissa W: Mosaics
Grace M.: Spiral
Maria S.: Spiral

I have a couple of returning students both are working on landscapes:

Ann Z: Ireland
Jan B.
Stay tuned for Texture!!

Monday, October 10, 2016

Fun with Handmade Stencils

Day of the Dead sugar skulls by Denise R.

Last weekend, I taught Fun with Handmade Stencils at Artistic Artifacts.

We created stencils from freezer paper, packing tape and shelf liner. We played with layering textures. Students learned about designing multi-colored stencils and working with bridges. Here are the results:

Denise working with a freezer paper stencil.
More sugar skulls!
Denise R.: Packing tape stencil printed with a texture.
Buffy K.: Packing tape stencil.
Buffy also played with some freezer paper masks.
Combining the masks with the stencil.
Peggy G.: Packing tape stencil. Using more than one color through the stencil.
Peggy G.: Freezer paper stencil with multiple colors.
I even jumped in to play with stencils!
Detail of one of my freezer paper stencils. I used two different stencils to create this print.

Thanks students for an enjoyable class!

Monday, October 3, 2016

Fall Hand Stitching: Line

Grace M using different densities of line stitches

Last week, students in my Hand Stitching class brought in their line samplers and challenges. So much talent and so many great interpretations! The stitches that they used were: Running, Back and Stem. I love seeing how each student played and stretched and explored!

Grace M.: Sketches in her journal. I ask students to use their journals to have a continuing dialog with their work.
Grace M.
Alice A.
Gretchen K.
Gretchen K.
Gretchen K.
Maria S.: Playing with Running Stitch.
Maria S.: Playing with Stem Stitch.
Maria S.
Maria S.
Marine W.: Playing with Running Stitch.

The students also started in on Pattern and Rhythm samplers this past week. I'm looking forward to seeing how those and their challenges come out. Stay tuned!