Surface Stitchery/Embroidery #4

One does not have to use combinations of thin straight lines to produce pattern in embroidery. Embroidery books are full of a multiplicity of hand embroidery stitches that can be used to produce patterns. Stitches exist that have threads that loop and cross leading to a wide variety of patterns.

Many sewing machines are also programed with a selection of decorative stitches. This is a selection of stitch patterns that can be found on an older model mechanical machine followed by examples of these stitches sewn out. Stitches can be further affected by changing the stitch width and or length.

Current electronic machines have 20, 30, 50 or more screens of possible stitches. Some produce patterned lines, some individual motifs and some an all over patterning.

By overlaying stitch pattern lines over stitch pattern lines, a surface pattern can be created.

The following are examples of pins, barrettes and earrings by Joanne Bast that use overlapping preprogrammed machine stitches to form an overall pattern.

Pattern stitches are preprogramed into the machines and when selected, stitch out using the ordinary sewing set up which involves an attachment called a presser foot which pushes the fabric to be stitched down onto a set of teeth called feed dogs. The feed dogs surge forward and are what moves the fabric so that the stitches do not end up all on top of each other.

Feed dogs:

Presser foot and feed dogs:

Sewing machines can also be used in a free form manner by dropping these feed dogs. When the feed dogs are not in play, the fabric does not move automatically, but can be moved by hand forward, backward, side to side, diagonally, back and forth or in circles. An open presser foot called a darning foot is often used in producing freeform machine embroidery.

Feed dogs retracted:

Darning foot with retracted feed dogs:

Freeform stitching:

Freeform machine embroidery may be done in an open fashion so that the fabric shows through or may be stitched so compactly that the stitching entirely covers the underlying fabric and forms a thread painting as in picture below "I'm So Sorry" by Joanne Bast.

Have a Happy Holiday weekend. Joanne

Surface Stitchery/Embroidery #3

In many cases stitching over the surface of fiber work with a threaded needle either by hand or by sewing machine may be used to add or enhance pattern as well as the previously discussed line.

In the wall quilt "Dandelions", Betty Ford uses lines closely spaced enough to read as an air flow or wind pattern.

Betty also embellishes fabric sections of the wall hanging "Orchard" with a pattern of closely spaced lines.

Patterns can be made of angular rows of stitching as in Floris FLam's business card case or Judy Gula's Brooch.

Serpentine lines convey an all over organic pattern to wall hangings by Cindy Grisdela and Floris Flam as well as eyeglass cases by Paige Garber and a brooch and barrettes by Joanne Bast.

Words and letters may also be used to form an all over pattern as in Anna Ebersole's Ebb Flow.

The above samples are all of embroidery done on the sewing machine, but pattern may be added by hand as well. Betty Ladd used cross stitching to pattern a quilt within a quilt.

Pattern may also be expressed by specific motifs as in the embroidered flowers and leaves on the knitted and fulled wool hats by Joanne Bast.

Surface stitching or embroidery can be used to embellish fiber works not only by emphasizing and decorating lines but also be adding pattern. The Potomac Fiberart Gallery members are pleased to offer such a wide variety of decorative, wearable and useful items to the public. Joanne

New Gallery Show: Opposites Attract

Monday April 11 a new show was installed in the Potomac Fiberarts Gallery in the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA. The theme is Opposites Attract--or do they?

Not all new work must be theme related, but theme related items are eligible for awards.

Annabel Ebersole and Carol Holmes, member jurors for April stated:

Opposites attract! What a wonderful bounty of creative responses to this theme. It was difficult to choose among the many gorgeous black and white pieces, as well as pieces that highlighted circles and squares, lines and curves, soft and hard, smooth and textured, shiny and matte.

We selected Dorothy Miller’s Thai silk purse in black and white which also highlighted floral and linear and curved vs. angular. Zita Simutis’ felted and stitched piece with squares and circles of heishi beads with offset layout of the stitching pattern added visual interest. Joanne Bast’s two felted rocks with their wooly texture contrasted by brick stitch beadwork of a lizard and turtle exemplified the theme.

Dorothy Miller's purse, available for $65: Dorothy states I had pieces of silk left over from a formal blouse I designed and made ( could send a picture of the blouse). The pieces seemed to cry for use in the black and white theme. I played with the fabric pieces until I drew a design I liked. The beads on the zipper are from an old necklace a friend gave me. This theme gave me chance to recycle.

Zita Simutis's felted wall piece "Standout" , $165:

Zita's thought process:

This is the process I used to create “Standout”. Hand felted some
white wool. Dyed it with a light color. Dyed it again using Japanese
resist techniques with a darker color. Dyed it one more time and was
surprised about what actually happened to the felt with the layers of
dye. I always am. Colors changed, patterns changed with each dye bath.
Thought, turned it around. Pinned the felt piece on the wall. Looked
at it once in a while for over a year. Thought again about what I
wanted to do with the piece. Cut it up into little pieces to make
pins? Turn it into wall art? Wall art, definitely. Combine it with
other pieces? That is what I did. Several hand dyed felt pieces were
sewn together with tiny stitches. And then I embroidered, added some
beads – why not do one in a different color, and it was done. Magical
fiber art processes, thinking, and many tiny decisions over time
turned it into a little work of art called “Standout”. I loved making
it and I am honored that the jurors liked it too. Thanks to the
incredible Chad Alice Hagen for the inspiration.

Joanne Bast's beadwork animals ($135 for the turtle and $250 for the lizard) are organic forms constructed out of hard glass bead elements seated on softly felted rocks. I am fascinated by the ability to actually draw with brick stitched beadwork. Making the living elements out of hard inorganic glass and the nonliving base out of soft organic wool provided an interesting reversal.

Many of our fiberartist members interpreted opposites attract as black and white.

Floris Flam quilted a black, white and red wall hanging titled "BlackHole" which hangs next to Anna Yakubouskaya's dyed a silk panel/scarf called "Night Butterflies".

Black and white scarves by JanetBarnard, Roz Hopuseknecht and Jannet Stollnitz hand below.

Details of "Black Hole" and "Night Butterfly":

Black and white purses are also in abundance.

Merle Thompson's tote bag.

A black and white summer hat by Bev Baker:

Fossil Series, wire work in fiber techniques by Marla Rudnick.A Black and white jacket by Merle Thompson:

Beadwork necklace in black and white by Elida De Sousa Moore, peyote stitched with glass and resin beads:

Cindy Grisdela pillow:

Ann Liddle's hand made paper wall sculpture "Phases of the Moon" hangs above "Time Travel", a wall quilt by Cindy Grisdela.

Eileen Doughty stitched paper necklace contrasts squares and circles.

Jewelry items be Joanne Bast, Emma Bednar, Eileen Doughty, Barbara Rushworth and Roz Houseknecht contrast hard and soft, black and white, square and round, night and day, line and pattern.

Opposites Attract sure provided an interesting array of fiber items in addition to a vast array of additional artistic fiber pieces to tempt the eye and wallet. Joanne