Sunday 19 January 2014

Module 3 - Chapter 5 - Twisted cords

B) Twisted cords

Making these always end up with a little surprise and are really great fun


IV a: dark and light orange coton thread, slightly twisted
IV b: petrol blue and light orange thread
IV c: orange chenille yarn with sparkly blue embroidrey thread


IV d: knitting ribbon
IV e: light blue with orange knitting yarn
IV f: tubular nylon knitting yarn with coton thread. because of the stretchy quality of the nylon thread, the        cord became very irregular
IV g: thick blue and orange knitting yarn



IV h: various textured knitting yarns
IV i: blue and orange silk ribbons




Module 3 - Chapter 5 - Cord making

A. Machine stitched cords

Although I had already done machine stitched cords in the past, I must admit that this time I had to struggle quite a lot, both with my machine (the needle went loose and got stuck in the darning foot) and the "drinking straw" technique.

I tried to use different cores and fabric strips wouldn't pass through the straw because they were too large. So I ended up by not using the straws and with a little bit of practice I could manage the job.

Generally I can say that the closer the zigzag stitch, the less visible the core will be.In the samples were I used chunkier threads and fabric strips I did less stitching and deliberately left some of the core unstitched, pulled the thread a bit further and continued the stitching. Heavier threads/strips were partly twisted before they were stitched.

Of course I will have to stitch greater lenghts of cords, the following samples will serve as reference for the future.




4 a+b: I started with a "basis" cord
core: organza ribbon, orange with blue and orange stitching
light blue with orange stitching


4 c: orange fabric strip with blue stitching

4 d: dyed Texere yarn, the wool part took the dye very well, whereas the other thread remained pale. I only stitched the "narrow" parts of the thread with light orange rayon thread


4 e: blue silk strip, knotted , core twisted before stitching
4 f: core: textured knitting yarn with blue thread
      stitching: light orange rayon thread


4 g: here the stem of a grass plant was covered with blue and orange thread


4 h: orange and blue pipe cleaners. The stitching is not very spectacular and seems to "disappear"
4 i: orange and blue silk thread covered with blue 



4 j: A strip cut form an old turquoise sweater and an orange knitting yarn were covered with blue stitching. While stitching I used advantage of the stretchy quality of the core material and pulled it slightly. This resulted in a "curly" cord.


4 k: blue fabric strip with tubular chainette ribbon twisted around it, covered with blue stitching

 4 l: commercial fabric strip with blue coton knitting yarn covered with copper metallic thread


4 m: core: a blue knitting yarn inserted into a nylon tubular knitting yarn, covered with copper metallic thread 
4 n: cling film, twisted, covered with blue and light orange thread


4 o: merino wool for felting, partly covered with orange thread


4 p: paper wire covered with blue stitching