More silk pages

After my last post I continued to set up the fabric collages on the silk noil 'pages'.

I started stitching the collages using threads supplied in the Inspiration Pack. I've used extended fly stitch, running stitch, whipped running stitch, seed stitch and cross stitch.

I'm showing you the pages laid out but when I assemble the book these will be folded in half.

I'm not keen on the collages on the right of the next two pages.  I think it's because I like things to be quite geometric - as in square or rectangular - whilst these two have curves.

I like these next two.

All of these are still works in progress.  I may put more stitches.  Possibly beads.  Or maybe some text.

I think I'll work on all the remaining pages first and then see what is needed before assembling the book.

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

Silk book

I bought an Inspiration Pack from Clare Bullock. You know that I have more than enough fabric but I couldn't resist.  I want to use the contents to make a fabric book.

I decided I would use some silk noil that I had for the 'pages'.  I tore it up into 21x10cm pieces.  I used the fabrics from the pack to put together little collages.

Then I realised the silk noil was too thin and needed backing.  I ironed a Vilene interfacing on which I had found in the cupboard.  It's a stabiliser more than a stiffener.  To iron the interfacing I had to remove all the little collages.

Looking at the fabrics I decided it was lacking in texture, and whilst I can add texture through stitch, I thought I would have a rummage through my bits box.

I had tried using little bits of Mistyfuse to bond the collage pieces.  Although it worked it made things a bit flat so I was going to pin everything.  However in the end I used a glue stick!  These collages are not necessarily how they were before I took them off the silk noil.

These pages will fold in half so the finished size of the book will be approximately 10cms square

I plan to stitch on top of thes collages and add other bits of fabric and ephemera as I go along.

So far I've only put together half ot the 'pages'.  I like to have thinking time away from my work.  I shall go back to these and check they are what I want before working on the next 5 pages.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

In conversation

In conversation with a friend about creativity, making a series of pieces of work and other related things, we began talking about how we move from one piece of work to another.  And I said that it was a good idea to reflect on a finished piece before moving onto the next as the first piece might inform the next.  Brilliant point!

However it's not what I do!  Do you?

So practising what I preach I'm going to reflect on all my map series at once.  Too late to do it after I finished each piece!  As several of the pieces are going to Eclectica exhibitions and need naming, I thought I could do that at the same time.

Hanging Book
Size: 114x10.5cms

I have made several of these before as books.  They usually fold up and have a button and a buttonhole.  This one has been made as a hanging with D rings at each end.  Making this was well within my comfort zone.

Map Collage #1-6
Size: 10cm square collages within a 20cm square box frame

Mapping
Size: Box frame 27cms square.
6 small fabric collages 3x approx 7x5cms, 3x approx 5x5cms

I had started the small collages before I started the Shelley Rhodes online course.  However I've done a workshop with her and have done lots of collage.  These collages were in a series with them laid out on the the table and different bits of fabric auditioned on the different collages to see where the best fit was.

Map Abstraction
Size: 42x45.5cms

The five pieces of fabric were left over from setting up 'Bits and Pieces' and the hanging book.  They were lightly bonded to the calcio.  Acrylic felt wadding was bonded to the calico and also to a backing calico.  I handstitched through the layers and finished the piece with bought bias binding.  The running stitch followed the marks on the fabrics and extended to the edge of the piece.  This piece was different from other pieces I've made - more abstract - but still within my comfort zone.

Bits and Pieces
Size:53x41cms

This was the first piece to be assembled and almost the last to be finished.  It has a mix of machine stiitching and handstitching.  I wasn't sure how much handstitching to put on. It fits with the other pieces in the series but I don't know to what extent this influenced the other pieces, and vice versa.

What Three Words
Size: Closed 19x15cms  Open 40x15cms

I had made the book using one piece of fabric, because I like making books.  It was made by folding into 16 and cutting along lines - the red lines in the diagram below.

The pages hade been bonded together and a cover added before I knew what I was going to do with it.  The blue fabric had been painted with dye whilst narrow masking tape had been stretched over it.  White paint had been stencilled on top.  The pages were too dark and patterned when I decided I want to stitch maps.  Stitching on organza was suggested.  It worked well but I don't think it's a technique I particularly want to repeat.

Maps & Grids
Size:  Closed 20x15cms   Open 40x15cms

Of all the series, this is my favourite.  It's more adventurous but still not particularly experimental. It contains both the running stitch element and the collage element with a few extra media - paper lamination, hessian strips, OS maps and machine-gridded paper.

On reflection

This has been a worthwhile activity although not necessarily informing a new piece from the previous piece in a series.  One reason for this is that I'm looking at the whole finished series.  The other is that when I work in a series like this I tend to have all of them on the go at once.  This enables me to work on which ever piece catches my attention on any particular day.  Or how much time I have to do something.

In actuality I suspect they all inform each other. But in looking back over the series in this way has been useful.  I think I will be looking to develop some of the ideas in the Maps & Grids book at a later date, possibly in another book or look at how I could make wall pieces.

But that's for the future.  For now, I'm going to have a rest from textiles and do some messy, painty stuff and also the Sally Tyrie workshop I signed up to and haven't done much with.

I started with a conversation with a friend which led to me having a conversation with my work.

Let me know in the comments below whether you reflect on finished pieces to see what you have learned about them and about yourself.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Paper Lamination

I spent 3 days last week at Littleheath Barn doing a workshop led by Christine Chester.  It was so enjoyable.

Transparent fabrics are notoriously difficult to photograph but here goes!  This is the basic paper lamination with newspaper and organza, with matte medium scraped through a Thermofax screen.

The next two are the result of a gesso lamination.  My fabrics don't really echo each other as they should.

Another newspaper two

The next two are dry brush lamination using magazine pages.

I handstitched this piece.  It needs pressing and binding.

Find out more about Christine's online Paper Lamination course.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Venice. And why not?

As I mentioned in this blogpost, I was inspired to use Amanda's method and make something that was more me.

You know I work on Venice inspired pieces all the time and I had lots of leftover bits of printed fabric from previous work.  The added bonus was that they all had Bondaweb or Mistyfuse ironed on the back.

I laid some of the pieces randomly on the backing fabric which is a fine calico.

Then I ironed them onto the backing fabric.

I started stitching.  With the seascape I started at one end and kept going to the other end, but this time I stitched in more random places.

I'm not quite sure what stitches I shall use.  I might need to look some up in a book.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice