Rooting around in the loft I came across an old sketchbook started when I began a City & Guilds in Embroidery. I don’t recall if we were all using the same theme, or whether this was one which I personally had chosen but I was looking at rocks, texture, light.
It’s plain to see that I’m no artist and am never more unhappy then when trying to create with pencil or paint. Actually, paint especially. So I hope you’ll forgive the quality of the work, I’m showing it because I thought it interesting to see the process by which the work evolved.
The image below is huge, worked on brown wrapping paper. It folds into a sixth of the size and that is still equal to A3. Strangely I don’t mind this – I’ve done worse!
Got a little fixated on moon craters. Developing the idea in mixed media, paper and fabric.
More paper 🙁 then finally, fabric 🙂
Back to paper and messing about. I didn’t completely hate this process but I’m never happy doing it.
Moving on to create some texture on hand dyed fabric, using hand and machine stitching plus quilting.
The light areas were created using batik.
More quilting in a different colour way.
I went back to an earlier design and worked it again in fabric but with better results.
However, I just couldn’t get away from the dark hand dyed fabrics, they were really working for me.
The final piece is overlaid with hand dyed scrim and it it quilted using hand and machine embroidery with stuffed quilting technique.
It’s mounted behind acetate so not the best picture but you get the idea. I was actually quite happy with this and still like it now. I’d like to think my work has moved on from this and that I’d make a better fist of it if trying it today. I’m definitely happier working with fabric. If you like this perhaps I should find one of my sketchbooks / workbooks from when I did my Felt Making City & Guilds course.