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STITCH AND STRUCTURE JEAN DRAPER
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For Ken and Matthew
First published in the United Kingdom in 2013 by Batsford 10 Southcombe Street London W14 0RA An imprint of Anova Books Company Ltd Copyright © Batsford 2013 Text © Jean Draper 2013 Illustrations © Jean Draper 2013 Unless otherwise stated, all drawings, diagrams and stitched textiles are by Jean Draper. The moral rights of the author have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. ISBN:9781849941211 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Repro by Rival Colour, UK Printed by Dot Gradations, UK This book can be ordered direct from the publisher at the website: www.anovabooks.com or try your local bookshop.
Right Lacy structure worked on soluble fabric. Layers of knotted stitching with covered wire supports. See Chapter 5.
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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 6 CHAPTER 1
DISCOVERING STRUCTURE AS A SOURCE FOR DESIGN
8
CHAPTER 2
AN APPROACH TO MAKING EXPERIMENTAL STITCHED TEXTILES
16
CHAPTER 3
MORE THAN THREAD
32
CHAPTER 4
CONSTRUCTING WITH THREADS AND LINEAR STRUCTURES
40
CHAPTER 5
STITCHES IN THIN AIR
56
CHAPTER 6
CONSTRUCTING WITH STITCH
76
CHAPTER 7
STRUCTURES USING STITCHED FABRIC
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6
Introduction
INTRODUCTION
This book has grown out of many years of practising, researching and teaching art and stitched textiles. It is solidly based in my continuing work around themes and textile techniques that interest me. While my natural way of working is hand stitching – and this is the way much of the work shown in this book has been made – some pieces are machine stitched. Many of the hand-stitching ideas shown could also be translated as machine embroidery. In these pages, I aim to explore how structure in the natural and built environment can offer inspiration for the design and construction of stitched textiles. As artists, embroiderers and makers, we can use these structures to shape our vision and to make that vision a reality through the ways in which we work with thread, stitch, cloth and other materials. Through a series of logical exploratory stages (beginning with thread and concluding with fabric) and based on the design concept of structure, I attempt to show how formations we see around us can be interpreted and represented in our chosen materials and methods which, in turn, allows us to create new structures. These can be very varied: different two-dimensional structural surfaces made from stitching, or more complex three-dimensional constructions fashioned either from stitch alone or from stitching, fabric and mixed media combined. Shown here is my progress so far in this immense subject. The overriding principle during my teaching career has been to encourage creative growth in others, giving them the opportunity to develop their own ideas and personal style of working. I certainly do not want to prescribe the outcomes of your work, but by suggesting starting points and possible additional working experiments you might carry out (under the heading ‘Further Work: You Could…’), my intention is to inspire and encourage you to develop interesting ideas for yourself. I have chosen only to illustrate and explain those methods that you may not already know or be able to reference easily. I have stated where my ideas begin and how my methods have evolved, in the knowledge that you can easily source basic information about stitches and techniques from the many good specialist books already in existence. I hope that you will enjoy reading and using this book and that it will help you to make expressive, individual and innovative work of your own.
Right After the Fire (54 x 38cm). Handstitched background in dense vertical lines of raised whip stitch (see p120), supporting an arrangement of wrapped sticks, thorns, stitched and painted hand-made paper and loose threads. Constructed from cotton fabric, various threads and mixed media.
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AN APPROACH TO MAKING EXPERIMENTAL STITCHED TEXTILES Recording information about structure for translation into stitch. Drawing with a purpose. Compiling your own database of knowledge for informing your work.
Left Detail of pastel drawing recording dramatic, twisted tree structures remaining after a wild fire.
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92 Constructing with stitch
METHOD: RANDOM OPEN HERRINGBONE STITCH OVER A THREAD FOUNDATION Follow method on page 89 steps 1 to 4. Stitch densely in layers over the foundation threads, in tightly pulled open herringbone stitch. A firm surface can be achieved as in the small baskets shown opposite.
Irregular, random herringbone stitch.
Layers of irregular herringbone worked over a foundation mesh.
Form must be covered with layers of stitch.
FURTHER WORK: YOU COULD‌ Practise a variety of stitches of different scales, densities and tensions with assorted threads, including some unconventional ones. Try making different-shaped moulds and working over them.
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Working over a mould 93
Above Three small basket forms made from Japanese paper and hemp threads using the method described opposite. They range in height from 8cm, 11cm and 13cm tall.
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STRUCTURES USING STITCHED FABRIC Making new surfaces from fabric. Using hand and machine stitching to transform the surface and character of existing fabrics.
Opposite Rock Rhythms (32 x 32cm). Sinuous lines of whip stitch cover the whole surface of the fabric. The tension of stitching combined with changes in direction of the lines creates a dynamic new surface structure. See diagram on page 120 and description on page 28.
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