Sampler Based on Thread and Yarn Widths.

For this sampler, I used this picture:

From the off, this time, I knew what I wanted as the base of my composition. I wanted to have a very raised surface for the tree's foliage, and the way I imagined it was taking a knitted garment, maybe even a jersey stretch, and unravelling it to get the lengths of warped thread. These I would drape over the frame and couch roughly down, giving an organic look to proceedings. In the end, I couldn't find a jersey that would unravel - not even in stockings! So I went bolder, knowing that I had my large slate frame at the ready. I went searching in charity shops, and eventually turned up a large knitted cardigan, the texture of which wasn't exactly yarn, more like a fine tape, wound around two very fine yarns. The main colour being a kind of subdued mint, and the two fine yarns being brown and white, I saw it as the perfect base for this piece.

I began, as I say, by tacking down long lengths of yarns, which, unravelled from the garment, bunched up beautifully. Once I had the outline of the branches sorted out, I needed a contrast for the background. For this I chose some edging ribbon, cut to different widths 'on the job', and tacked down, overlapping each-other. I think that, as I had to be certain of the lengths of ribbon I would be using, and therefore having to pin down the ribbon on each fold, this tacking down of ribbon became the most time-consuming element of the project. After I had tacked down the ribbon, I decided to use packaging string to create the branches, and couched them down, again with coordinating thread. At this point, I stood back, and wasn't too pleased. I hadn't been as inventive as I would've liked - I had an idea to represent the ivy and climbing plants at the lower edge of the picture. A while ago, there was a bit of a craze for plastic knotted bracelets and key-fobs, and I thought that a few strands of this rather unusual material, looped about, might be a good inclusion.

Unfortunately, they did come with one drawback. They are surprisingly resistant, and when couching them down, it is rather difficult to keep them from twisting, or from puckering the base fabric. Therefore I didn't use them in the way I had originally intended - in couched wheels - but looped them as tightly as was comfortable, and couched them down in those places. I still wasn't satisfied, however. Looking back at my original photo gave me the hint - I needed to highlight the places of highest contrast in the branches. For this, I got out a little old-fashioned embroidery thread and using some mint-green-white thread for the highlights and some rusty brown for the lows, I think I produced something pretty different.

Finally, for this post, I'd like to answer some of the questions that came at the end of this exercise.

Can you begin to see the relationship between stitching and drawing?
I can see it all right - it's always good to have an excuse to look closely at a subject before you begin a project based on it. And even if it's just an outline, you'll learn something. Of course, it depends on how you define 'relationship'. I think if you're just going to use straight stitching to copy a drawing, it seems a little pointless. As I say, as a preliminary way to explore a subject, or just get loosened up in preparation to work in a different way, it's useful.

Were you able to choose stitches which expressed the marks and lines of your drawings?
I don't think I focused too much on following the lines of the drawings - in fact, as I worked primarily from the photos and from my ink sketches of those photos secondarily, I already had a feeling for the texture of the objects seen in the pictures, and that helped me to pick my materials and stitches straight away. For instance, on the thatched roof, I knew I wanted to work in a rougher material than I usually would, and got out the packaging string.

Did you choose the right source material to work from?
I think I did, yes. Actually, when the folder mentioned picking six of my drawings to work from, I did jump the gun and made a good few samples before I realised there were further, more detailed instructions, so I got to do most of the work I wanted. There was one other drawing I took further to the ink sketch stage, but, in the end, I found it too restrictive.

Do you think your sample works well irrespective of your drawing? Or is your sample merely a good interpretation of your drawing?
I think that, as I mentioned, as I worked from my photo collection quite a bit, and as the photos were of places and things I was very familiar with, I feel as though my samples are more likely to be interpretations of the photos than my sketches, though sketching did help me to simplify the subjects. I'm pleased with all of them, but as I'm just getting used to working from preliminary drawings, I'm not sure I'm the best judge of how much I've imagined, and how much I've truthfully drawn!

Which did you prefer - working with stitch to create textures or working with yarns to make textures? Which worked best for you and why?
I definitely preferred working with stitch to create textures. I love puzzles, and figuring out how the difficult and twisting stitches went together on my large sampler was great fun. I especially love stitches like the plaited braid stitch, and the stitch I mentioned the tutorial for earlier, the 'casalguidi'. Working with a different method, to me, is just as good as working with a different material. And, though I know how boring it is to say, it is often more engaging, as you work out ways in which you could utilise your new (albeit, quite small) skill, rather than struggling to keep together bunches of experimental materials that often, just won't behave! I must make a note to be more ambitious this way.

Did you experiment enough? Did you feel inhibited in any way?
As I say, I prefer figuring out techniques, rather than using lots of applied materials. I have been creating something of a stash for later use, though - gathering plenty of scraps and old fabrics. I'm happy with my 'working with thread and yarn' texture piece, but I suspect I could be more adventurous when I comes to my materials. I didn't feel inhibited, as far as I can tell, because I enjoyed the projects very much, and therefore, was simply keen to get on with them!

Do you prefer to work from a drawing or by playing with materials and yarns to create effects? Which method produced the most interesting work?
I think I like to have a rough goal in my head, and find a good way to reflect the essence of the scene/subject/feeling in material or method, as above, where I wanted very much to be able to stitch with wonky, unravelled yarns, so I could convey that 'bobbly' texture of the tree's foliage.

Are there other techniques you would like to try? Are there any samples that you would like to do in a different way?
There are plenty of interesting stitches I would like to try - I've got books full of them! I think I would like to find an excuse to do, just off the top of my head this evening, some imitation Tudor 'strapwork' - a little like a woven fabric, with lots of strips interweaving (I may put up a little research on the project later), some blackwork, silk shading, some lacework, stumpwork, interlaced herringbone stitch (and other Celtic knots), finding a nice, not too scrappy way of including my cache of off-cuts and charity shop buys, and some goldwork. That'd be a good start! I think I'm happy with my samples, though I don't doubt that there is still plenty of potential left in the photos I took on my walk!

Is there anything you would like to change in your work?
Strangely, for someone quite fixated on the past and it's fine and delicate workings, this last project has actually made me want to work bigger. How I'll achieve that without a great deal of expense (or wood for frames!), I don't know!