Flutter by, Butterfly: Dissolving Fabric and Machine Embroidery Workshops

Butterfly Brooches
Machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric 

When I first got really interested in textiles as an art form (in my early teens) I was fortunate enough to be introduced to a whole range of exciting media and techniques by a relative undertaking their City and Guilds qualification. She was very generous with her time and materials and I still use a lot of what she taught me today. One of the things I was introduced to was water-soluble fabric. Not very helpful for fabric to dissolve in water you might think but artistically it has many possibilities; particularly when combined with another of my passions which is free machine embroidery.

Creating leaves with machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric 

Creating leaves with machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric 

Leaves created with machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric 

I've always been fascinated by transparent and lacy fabrics and water-soluble fabric enables me to create intricate, unique fabrics and pieces with embroidery. In essence the process is very simple; draw with the sewing machine onto the water soluble fabric (making sure the stitches all join up) and then dissolve the fabric in water, leaving the delicate tracery of stitches.

Small bowl created with machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric 

Small bowl (detail) created with machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric 

It's a material and a technique that I've returned to repeatedly over the past 20 years (writing that makes me feel very old) and I'm still fascinated by the challenge of using it to create a self supporting and unique textile. Towards the end of last year I was asked if I wanted to run some workshops that expanded on the skills I teach in my basic machine embroidery workshop. Working on water-soluble fabric immediately popped into my head and over the past few weeks I've finally had a chance to get up into my studio and work up a few samples and ideas.

Work in progress

Camberwell Beauty
Machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric

When designing workshops it's often helpful to have a 'finished object' outcome and this technique lends itself really well to making textile jewellery. With this in mind I decided to develop some brooches (a good one size fits all object) and decided that the beautiful jewel like colours of insects, specifically butterflies, would be a good subject matter. So, I got out my books, my sewing machine and my threads and I started creating.

Adonis Blue
Machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric

I've really enjoyed making my little flock, refining my technique and thinking of how I will share this with participants. I want my workshops to be 'jumping off points.' I want to share my skills and knowledge but more importantly I want to give people the confidence to take what I've learnt and bend it to their interests and to take it further, try things I've never thought of and see where it could lead.

Large White
Machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric

Butterflies
Machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric

If this has sparked your interest and you'd like to join me to learn the techniques I've used to create my butterflies and to have a go at making your own unique textile piece then I will hopefully be running a workshop at Holm Sown, Castle Douglas on 15th February (TBC) and one at The Eden Workshop, Plumpton on 3rd April (TBC.) Please contact the respective venues for more details and to book a place. I hope to see you there!

Purple Hairstreak
Machine embroidery on water-soluble fabric

Light and Dark, Sun and Moon

Winter Solstice: Sun and Winter Solstice: Moon
Wax, collage, feathers and stitch 2018

For several years now I've taken part in Surface Gallery's excellent 'International Postcard Exhibition.' I really like this project as it's a great way to start a new year; it's manageable, affordable and a great way to test out new ideas and get them out into the world. Technically I ended the year with this project as I made my postcards last month but the exhibition is this month so I'm going to let myself off.

Winter Solstice: Sun
Wax, collage, feathers and stitch 2018

As I've been experimenting with wax and collage recently I decided that I would use the postcard show as an opportunity to create a couple of small pieces exploring this technique. I've also become very interested in using the sun and the moon in my work over the last year or so (continuing my interest in dichotomies) and again thought this would be an ideal opportunity to experiment a little with these ideas.

Winter Solstice: Moon
Wax, collage, feathers and stitch 2018

I made a pair of postcards, they're designed to work together but I think they also work apart from each other. I made them on the solstice, being inspired by the idea of the turning point of the year and how even in our 'advanced' technology saturated lives the cycle of light and dark is still so important to us.

Winter Solstice: Sun (Detail)
Wax, collage, feathers and stitch 2018

Winter Solstice: Sun (Detail)
Wax, collage, feathers and stitch 2018

Winter Solstice: Sun and Winter Solstice: Moon
Wax, collage, feathers and stitch 2018

One postcard is entitled Winter Solstice: Sun and the other Winter Solstice: Moon, representing the dark and the light, night and day. I love the way cloud can diffuse the light of the celestial bodies, creating an ethereal effect and I wanted to try and capture this in my pieces. I used metallic paper and layers of tissue paper, all held together with wax. I tore rather than cut the paper to try and capture that hazy quality. It's been partially successful and I think it's an idea worth pursuing. I incorporated feathers in my pieces to represent us and the importance of our relationship to the light and the cycle of the seasons and of night and day.

Winter Solstice: Moon (Detail)
Wax, collage, feathers and stitch 2018

Winter Solstice: Moon (Detail)
Wax, collage, feathers and stitch 2018

Winter Solstice: Moon (Detail)
Wax, collage, feathers and stitch 2018

Although theses postcards haven't come out exactly as I'd hoped it's given me a start on some ideas I've been wanting to explore for a while and I hope that over the course of this year I will be developing this work further. In the meantime, if you're in Nottingham do go and look at the show and see the amazing diversity and skill of all the artists who've submitted their work.

Life Drawing 7.1.19

Pen, continuous line
7.1.19

I didn't get around to blogging about last months life drawing session but it's a new year so I thought I'd start again! A few months ago I changed my sessions from a Tuesday evening to a Monday evening as it fitted in better with my work schedule and I'm so pleased I did. I find I'm less tired as it's the beginning of the week and I've been working in the same place all day so haven't had the stress of having to get to a different venue. All this means that I can settle into my drawing much faster and enjoy the sessions more.

Left handed drawing
7.1.19

Left handed drawing
7.1.19

Blind drawing
7.1.19

As often happens during the winter it was quite a quiet session with several of my regular artists unable to make it due to illness (get well soon all of you!) However, sometimes it's nice to have a quieter session and it gave us the opportunity to move around a bit more. We all tend to have our 'place' that we go to each session so sometimes when it's quieter people feel a bit more confident to move and try a different spot.

Pen, continuous line
7.1.19

Pen, continuous line
7.1.19

Pen, continuous line
7.1.19

I really enjoyed my drawing this session, in all aspects of my work and life I've been trying to be more mindful and focus on what I'm doing rather than trying to think of a hundred things at once. I think drawing is a very good mindful activity anyway, as I've written about before. I very much value my drawing time, it gives me an opportunity to focus solely on looking and drawing, keeping other thoughts at bay. It is also a multi sensory experience, the feel of the paper and the flow of the ink, the sound of the pen as well as the obvious visual information. I always feel much calmer after drawing, it's a chance to slow down and escape even if only for a short time.

Pen
7.1.19

Pen, continuous line, layered drawings
7.1.19

Pen, continuous line
7.1.19

Currently I have two lots of cartridge paper that I use for drawing; a perfectly serviceable mid weight paper and a much heavier and better quality one. By chance I picked up a stack of the heavyweight paper for this session and I was surprised by how much of a difference it made to my enjoyment of the drawing process. I've always strongly believed in using quality materials and working on this paper really is a much nicer experience than using the lighter stuff. I don't know that it made a great deal of difference to the quality of my drawings but in some ways the finished drawings are almost incidental; it's the process that I find most important.

Pen, continuous line
7.1.19

Blind drawing
7.1.19

Pen, continuous line, layered drawings
7.1.19

I'm continuing to enjoy layering up my sketches, creating some odd compositions but also some interesting shapes. I worked all in pen this session but last session I played about a bit with charcoal and maybe I'll have another go at that next time...

Pen, continuous line
3.12.18

Pen, continuous line
3.12.18

Pen, continuous line
3.12.18

One mindful week in...

New Year, new handmade sketchbook

We're just over a week into 2019 and as my first post of the year was about looking back over 2018 and looking forward to this year I thought my second post could focus on how I'm doing that. As I wrote last time I don't have any resolutions as such but I am trying to be more mindful and to focus on what I'm doing and enjoy it rather than trying to do several things at once and worrying that I'm not achieving any of them.

Handmade sketchbook (details)

Handmade sketchbook 

When I look back through my notebooks I always see 'need more time for my own work' so I'm trying to address that by blocking out time in my week specifically to be in the studio. I wear so many (metaphorical) hats and work on so many different projects that it can be easy to lose myself in planning, preparation and admin tasks. I'm hoping that by giving myself specific times to do certain things I can get a better balance and be able to achieve more of the things I want to in my personal practice (this morning, for instance, I'm blogging and photographing and this afternoon I AM going to work in my studio.)

Handmade sketchbook (details)

Handmade sketchbook (details)

Handmade sketchbook (details)

Towards the end of last year I got quite down and felt very low creatively. I decided that I would not make any 'proper' work at all in December and that I would instead focus on doing things that I wanted to do; crocheting, making decorations, dress making and so on. All creative things but also things that I often neglect. I'm really pleased that I did this, once I'd made the decision to not 'work' I was able to really enjoy making and playing with materials. It was a really good chance to refresh myself and towards the end of December I could feel myself getting itchy to get going on my 'proper' work again, I had new ideas and was ready to start again.

Daily Drawing 1.1.19

Daily Drawing 2 and 3.1.19

Daily Drawing 8.1.19

I began the new year by making a sketchbook and I've been using this for my daily drawing, another thing that I find hugely beneficial but which can also often be bumped down the priorities list. I love my drawing time, I always feel so much calmer and more focused after drawing, even if I only draw for a few minutes. I've started drawing in the mornings before I go out to work and I find it's a really good positive start to my day. Drawing also helps me work through and clarify ideas so as well as drawings I have some pages of notes (in a different sketchbook, I like to have several on the go at once) about how work might progress. 

Inspired by Winifred Nicholson
Hand dyed fabrics, applique and hand embroidery

Inspired by Winifred Nicholson
The painting that inspired me and my interpretation

Inspired by Winifred Nicholson
(detail)

Inspired by Winifred Nicholson
(detail)

As well as keeping up with my daily drawing I've been looking to clear a couple of things from my WIP (works in progress) list and so far I've finished two pieces started on workshops at Cumberland Embroiderers Guild last year. One was from a workshop with Mandy Pattullo, making textile interpretations of Winifred Nicholson's paintings. I loved this workshop and learnt a lot, it was a quite different way of working for me and I found it quite hard but exciting and I think there are elements that I will take forward and incorporate in my own work. Many is a really good tutor and I learnt a lot from her during this session. It was also a really good way of properly looking at Nicholson's paintings and I enjoyed that side of it too.

Bushkiri 

Bushkiri (detail)

Bushkiri (detail)

The second piece was from a workshop with Hilary Kimber, who showed us how to make Bushkiri (Indian dowry bags.) Again, I really enjoyed the workshop and had a lot of fun playing with colours and stitches. I'm very pleased to have these pieces finished as there is the catharsis of finishing and of having a clear desk (I don't actually have a clear desk, that would be silly...) and I'm also pleased with the finished pieces. I've learnt a lot form both of them and enjoyed making them.

Work in progress on sample for a new workshop

I've also been working on some samples for a new workshop I'm running this year, again new ideas are coming into my head and feeding into other areas of my work. I'm getting quite excited about the possibilities so I think I'm going to save writing any more about it for another post, watch this space...