I find this interesting to do, something that looks like nothing can easily be changed into something stunning by adding another dimension. Not that my work is stunning but I have been pleased with some of the pieces I have done.
I started off quite simple.
This is one of my print blocks printed onto a painted background with chunky threads machine stitched on.
Again, a painted background with strips of green tissue paper glued on and then hand stitched into. The yellow marsh marigolds are actually white fabric flowers I inherited and have painted yellow.
This is a sampler piece. I own several mediums that I use from time to time and I just wanted to see if I could use any of them in this exercise. On the left are some cut out flowers printed with music and glued to the background with crackle glaze brushed over. In the middle is expandaprint which makes a good bark finish when painted and at the right is a painting medium with pumic in it which gives a rough sand effect. I didn't use any in this chapter but I might in my final book.
I'm not very keen on using photographs in textile work, I think they look a bit too perfect and precise but I had a go here and I'm quite pleased with the outcome. The background is acrylic on wallpaper, the pieces glued on are lutradur which has been painted and some have moulding paste stencils on them. at the bottom is a strip of dyed scrim and some machine embroidery to hold it and bring the piece together.
I started this piece with the idea of going across the paper rather than up and down it. Firstly, nature doesn't really go side to side, it grows up and secondly, I didn't like my choice of papers. The wallpaper was too heavy beside the cellophane and lokta paper. So I changed it round and worked top to bottom.
I decided to have another go at adding a picture so I had this lovely one of trees in a forest and I was pleased with the way it covered most of the paper I didn't like but left some bits showing. I have added leaves from my print block which I have cut out and pasted on and then I have done machine embroidery down each side to bring it all together.
I don't think I can have hand stitched Khadi paper before otherwise I wouldn't have done it here. It is so difficult to get a needle through, I would have done more on these pieces but my fingers were too sore. This is fabrics and lace hand stitched to khadi paper with dried leaves glued on. I have kept the colours neutral with just a bit of added colour in the blue/grey fabric and some of the stitching. I quite like these two, I think they would have been better on a fabric background that I could have stitched into further. Even the slightly thinner paper with the embedded petals was not any easier to stitch.
Another enjoyable chapter. It has given me faith in adding photographs and pictures to work of this type.
