Module 5 – Health and Safety

Item	Safety precaution
Machine stitching	Use chair with back support and easy access to pedal. Keep flexes out of the way of tripping or damaging wires.
Mono printing	Protect surfaces with newspaper to stop inks and paints transferring where not wanted
Rust dying	Wear protective gloves and clothes Use a container that will not be used for cooking e.g. an old saucepan or bucket
Cutting with blade / rotary cutter	Use self-healing mat Put cover on blade when not in use Cut away from yourself
Gluing	Protect surfaces. Do not touch wet glue when using hot glue gun
Ironing	Switch off when not in use Ensure flex is not trailing to cause trip hazard

Module 5 – Costs and time spent

Module 5 Chapter	Time (hours)	Cost
1	6.5	Photo printing £4.00
2	5	Various papers – already had these – used about £2 worth
3	3	0
4	6	Various fabrics – l already had these – used about £1 worth
5	6.5	Various fabrics – l already had these – used about £3 worth
6	11	Various fabrics – l already had these – used about £2 worth
7	8	Various fabrics – l already had these – used about £2 worth
8	8	Various fabrics – l already had these – used about £2 worth
9	11	Various fabrics – l already had these – used about £3 worth
10	5	0
11	8	Various papers – already had these – used about £2 worth
12	23	Various fabrics – l already had these – used about £10 worth
Total	101	£31

Module 5 – Evaluation

The completed embroidered assessment piece for Module 5 is a depiction of rocks on a coastline based on the design topic of textures in landscape.

Do you feel satisfied with the results?

Yes.

If yes, which parts in particular?

• The contrasts between the four sections whereby two have larger, block shapes and two are linear.  Whilst the sections are different, I feel that they blend together well to create a cohesive piece because of the similar fabrics and colours.
• The colouring of the fabrics which was all done using rusted objects found on the beach that I used as the basis for my design.  I ensured that some areas of fabric were more heavily rusted to ensure contrasts in the colours between sections.
• The sections of dense stitching on the bottom section which makes the boulder shapes more pronounced.
• The discrete lettering in one of the slashed sections…one has to look for it in the same way that one has to look for the fossils in the rock-face that the piece is depicting.

Is it fit for its purpose?

Yes.  The piece showcases four areas created from different fabric manipulation methods.  There are contrasts between each of the areas, both in shape, and in height; the bottom section is very flat whilst the block shaped ‘cushions’ stand proud of the backing cloth.  Whilst it clearly represents the textures in the original source photographs, it has been made more abstract through the stages of the design process. 

 If you were asked to make it again, what changes would you make to the way you designed it?

I don’t think I would change anything in the way it was designed.   I found the process very useful whereby each chapter created a more abstract depiction of the source material e.g. by basing a stitch sample on a rubbing of a paper manipulation based on the source photo…each step took me one stage further into looking at shape and texture rather than seeing the obvious features in the photo.  Throughout each chapter I had in the back of my mind that I wanted to depict the different types of rock on the beach cliffs, and so was imaging each technique (e.g. the various paper manipulations) translated into fabric.  By the end I was very excited to select a few techniques to use in the final piece.

If you were asked to make it again, what changes would you make to to the way you made it?

 I struggled to get the top section to work.  I was pleased with the pleating which created a linear effect like the rock strata, but it lacked contrast…it was all fairly flat.  To remedy this I stuffed some of the sections and was very pleased with the effect achieved.  As I did this as an afterthought, it was quite hard to stuff some of the sections as I had already embroidered over some of them.  With hindsight, I would lave stuffed the sections from the rear (trapunto) and then done the embroidery over the top to flatten some sections down for contrast.

Module 5 – Chapter 13

Study of three artists

Jennie Rayment

Jennie’s interest in fabric manipulation grew out of a fascination with patchwork quilting in the early ‘90s.  As a teacher of Patchwork, Quilting and Appliqué she found that there was little information on texture and so she created her own techniques.   Jennie devised numerous ways of nipping, tucking, folding and manipulating fabric and has become very well-known as a teacher, lecturer and exhibitor.

Jenny often works in calico in order to let the textures that she creates in fabrics speak for themselves.  The textures are made by very precise tucks and folds, held in place by tiny stitches.  See below an example of Jennie’s work. 

Image 13.1

Relevance to Module 5:  Jennie uses fabrics and manipulates them i.e folds, twists, tucks to create different textures.  I did the same to create the textures in various samples in Module 5, albeit in a much less formal and less precise manner to create more organic shapes and textures.

I was lucky to take part in one of Jennie’s workshops at the Festival of Quilts a few years ago. 

 

Michael Brennand-Wood

Michael Brennand -Wood has an international reputation as an innovative and and inspiring textile artist.  Over the last 40 years he has held numerous exhibitions and has also worked as a lecturer at Goldsmiths College, London, and as a curator and arts consultant. 

He has explored and developed his own techniques inventing many new and imaginative ways of integrating textiles with other media such as embroidery, pattern, lace .  He makes elaborate, eye-catching wall-hung pieces that are part sculpture, part textile using a variety of materials ranging from conventional textiles to flags, CDs and badges, the pieces have elaborate visual patterns which mask more profound meanings.  Recent work, inspired by the traditions of floral imagery has utilized computerized machine embroidery, acrylic paint, photography and collage.

Image 13.2

Image 13.3

Relevance to Module 5:  Michael creates artworks with highly varied textures some of which are textiles.  Whilst the breadth of materials that he uses is far greater than those that I used in this module, it is relevant as his work shows the added interest that is achieved by varying the textures in a piece of art.

Ann Small

Ann Small is a textile artist, teacher and exhibitor whose work progressed from machine embroidery to fabric manipulation – layering, slashing and manipulating fabrics to create texture, colour and design.   She has taught City and Guilds courses, Degree courses and privately and founded and mentored the smallCHAT exhibiting group and Studio One. 

Image 13.4

Image 13.5

Relevance to Module 5:  Ann published a book called ‘Layered Cloth’ which I referred to during Module 5.  I found it extremely relevant as she produces beautiful organic looking surfaces through manipulating fabric.  I used an idea from her book in one of my experimental samples, to create fabric book stacks as shown in image 13.5 above.