Rotation 4: Embroidery

Embroidery was the rotation I believe I lacked behind in. Unlike the other rotations I didn’t feel any sense of achievement or found a good enough reason to ever specialise in it.

The first week consisted of being inducted on the sewing machines and experimenting with the different techniques and stitches on 3 feet. Working with black and white fabrics, threads, ribbons and materials I had to create 10-15 samples. However, my confidence on the machine was minimal and once I finally started to understand how to use a sewing machine there was not enough time to create developed samples. I felt I was creating them just for the sake of getting them done.
I used no reference to my visual research from London or sketchbook as I was still learning whilst creating the samples. Therefore a lot of independent time went into trying to finish and develop them. The quality of my samples in the first week was basic and in order to improve I realised I needed to get on the machines when possible and practice. 

Best/ Worst sample

Despite my frustration with machine stitching, hand stitching was a pleasant surprise. I felt a lot more comfortable and expressive with hand stitch. The task consisted of using unusual materials to create samples which I really enjoyed – one on see through material, one on a handkerchief and one of unconventional/recycled material. I became interested to see how different materials could be used in this way.

Unconventional Embroidery

The second week of embroidery started with a critical analysis with the whole group which really helped me to understand the pathway I was taking and what I had to do to improve. It was also interesting to see what the others had done with their week and gave me a lot of new exciting ideas to take with me and try out. 

I decided to limit myself working with just white on white fabrics and materials as I believed it created a delicate kind of quality within one of my samples which I want to develop. From different mark making drawings from Friday drawing days.

Sample influenced from Mark making 

 As well as this, I used drawings within my initial collections sketchbook. My drawings from the collection of shells in the Manchester Museum inspired me to draw onto my fabrics with white thread using the darning foot. I used the technique and pattern of ‘tossed all over’ learnt in print for the composition for this sample. 

'Shells' sample

Although the tension of the thread was not quite right, I didn’t change it as it became a ‘happy mistake’ and I enjoyed the texture it was creating onto the fabric.

The task again was to create 10-15 samples however in the week I did not get that many done as I didn’t want to make the same mistake I did in the first week where I chose quantity over quality. I felt a lot better this week than I did in the first week as I felt I was heading in the right direction and I had a theme and point to my work. 

The third week was used to develop samples more. I used the technique of appliqué a lot this week when developing samples. I also started developing with colour on top of the white on white colour theme. First I started to combine natural colours such as hessian fabric with my white on white theme which worked really well. The tones worked together to create simple samples where the quality was up to standard finally. 

Use of natural hessian 

I then added a dark burgundy coloured fabric and thread, however only added it to my samples very subtly so it didn’t take over the neutral theme of my work. 

Introduction of colour 

I combined techniques in the third week as I had become a lot more confident with the machine work as well as the pathway of my work and themes. I merged hand stitched techniques like couching and applique with the simpler forms of machine stitch to finalise my developments.

Overall, I am pleased with my collection of samples as I really struggled at the start of this rotation. I believe I have improved the most within embroidery and feel that if I would like to, I could incorporate these techniques within my future developments.