Sunday 7 September 2014

Module 3 - Chapter 11 - Completed Accessory

My accessory was inspired by the following pictures
 11a
 11b
11c
I knew I wanted to do a necklace/neckpiece, something wearable, and I wanted to reproduce the idea of a wrapped core. From the first machine embroidery samples I was particularly attracted by the technique of stitching onto a dissolvable background

11d

So I tried out to stitch a small sample (strip) onto a sticky water-soluble background. I washed out the substance, but not completely and then wrapped it around a core to create a spiral. This proved to be a successful technique. When dry, the stitched strip retained its shape and showed off an interesting spiral.

The core around which I wanted to wrap this spiral was achieved by taking some of my threads (coming out from both ends) which were wrapped with a long piece of prefelt kept in place with some thread. I then wrapped this with turquoise wool and felted it. I further stitched unto in a spiralling movement.


11e


11f

The empbroidered spiral wrapped around it nicely and I liked the effect and the colours.

It  proved however that the wool cord was to big and to stiff to fit around the neck and wouldn't lay around it as it should.

Siân gave me some ideas at the Summer Schooland tutorial and so I gave it a play at home.

I first created some more spirals in plain white fabric in different lengths and widths by stiffening them with Powertex and wrapping them around different cores.

Here are some of the results

11g


11h:Large fabric strip

11i

 11j

11k

11l

The above samples seem to be pretty boring and I didn't really like them.

Siân had given me the idea of making a big knot with the woolen cord and I found some ideas on the internet of necklaces withg asymmetric "focal  points"


11m

11n

11o

I was very much attracted by this solution which also had the advantage that the threads coming out of the felted core would wrap around the neck and not the cord itself.

I then went on by embroidering a spiral long enough to wrap around the knot

11p

Some more playing then ended in this

11q

11r

11s

I cut back some of the felt on the left side (other side from knot), so that both sides end at the same height