I couldn't help a wry smile when I saw the theme for this months 'Take it Further Challenge' was 'BALANCE' as I had just been diagnosed with Labyrinthitis after a bout of intense vertigo and dizziness caused by a viral infection. Happily this has now cleared up but what else could be the subject of my August TIF but the 'labyrinths' of the inner ear.
I searched for images on the web , thinking originally I would use the one above to tie in with the colour scheme but decided on the labelled b&w one below from the medical text book which looked like some exotic sea creature.
I printed out the image on cotton poplin and also on silk organza and then overlaid them , slightly offset, so the images didn't line up properly, giving a slightly blurred image.
I wanted a rough quality to the stitching in keeping with my feelings of becoming unravelled. Outlining the shapes on the top layer only became quite disorientating as I found I was following the wrong line, becoming sidetracked. The large tacking stitches along the labelling lines were more successful, holding things together.
Not a pretty or even very satisfying piece but thought provoking and very much about the process of matching stitch with intention. While I was sewing the long tacks, I was thinking how much I liked the mark they made and about doing more on future pieces. It's actually quite difficult to make such large stitches regular and I was questioning whether I actually wanted them to be regular and if not, how I could sustain that irregular look as I became more practiced in that stitch? I used to make quilts with very fine 12 stitches to the inch quilting then moved to using heavier threads for a bolder effect. How can I sew in a crude, random way when all my programming is to achieve a small, neat stitch?
I couldn't help a wry smile when I saw the theme for this months 'Take it Further Challenge' was 'BALANCE' as I had just been diagnosed with Labyrinthitis after a bout of intense vertigo and dizziness caused by a viral infection. Happily this has now cleared up but what else could be the subject of my August TIF but the 'labyrinths' of the inner ear.
I searched for images on the web , thinking originally I would use the one above to tie in with the colour scheme but decided on the labelled b&w one below from the medical text book which looked like some exotic sea creature. 
I printed out the image on cotton poplin and also on silk organza and then overlaid them , slightly offset, so the images didn't line up properly, giving a slightly blurred image. 
I wanted a rough quality to the stitching in keeping with my feelings of becoming unravelled. Outlining the shapes on the top layer only became quite disorientating as I found I was following the wrong line, becoming sidetracked. The large tacking stitches along the labelling lines were more successful, holding things together.
Not a pretty or even very satisfying piece but thought provoking and very much about the process of matching stitch with intention. While I was sewing the long tacks, I was thinking how much I liked the mark they made and about doing more on future pieces. It's actually quite difficult to make such large stitches regular and I was questioning whether I actually wanted them to be regular and if not, how I could sustain that irregular look as I became more practiced in that stitch? I used to make quilts with very fine 12 stitches to the inch quilting then moved to using heavier threads for a bolder effect. How can I sew in a crude, random way when all my programming is to achieve a small, neat stitch?
I think this is quite intriguing. Many possibilities to take the image further too.
ReplyDeleteAh, I think you should love the large irregular stitches! The piece I saw with the sea/boats at foq (sorry I can't quite remember the name) had similar stitches at the bottom which were covered in paint - I think! - and I absolutely loved them. They're so expressive and interesting. It's hard to leave the "baggage" of 12/14 stitches to the inch behind you, but Please Do!!
ReplyDeleteintriguing piece and thought too.
ReplyDeletesounds very promising
quote-the process of matching stitch with intention -end quote
neki desu
Very clever TIF, wonder what you will do this month with the theme? I have nominated this blog for an award, the details are on mine, so do, please have a look.
ReplyDeleteSue McB
Very interesting process! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSurprising, witty and successful interpretation of the theme - I love it - congrats!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great piece I would not have thought of using the inner ear for an embroidery piece ,but it has worked so well.I do hope you are over the labrinthitis, such a miserable disease
ReplyDeleteHow to sew in a random way? use the "wrong" size needle? sew with eyes shut? use left hand? The trouble is, randomness evens itself out as the events accumulate. Maybe it's a matter of veering off the straight line, rather than keeping the stitch length even?
ReplyDelete