Further shading

Working one colour into another is not as simple as stopping one colour, and then starting the next.  When I shade through colours, I would possibly have four different colours/needles working together at the same time, but I would lessen the first colour, increase the second and third, and introduce a forth, before finishing the first, and then repeat . . . 

If one colour is worked, then stopped, then the next and stopped, and so on, the shading will be striped throughout, rather than softly and gradually shaded throughout.

Blending tones of colour, the angle and length of stitch need to be considered also, especially when working around a curve.

The start of shading . . .

Shading, long & short shading, natural shading, and blending . . . 

Contemporary trellis work . . .

Beginning the trellis . . .

Basic running stitch across the trellis . . .

Using four colours . . .

Using heavy chain stitch for the edging . . . 

Running stitch outside the heavy chain stitch . . .

Back on the crewel work . . .

Back on the crewel work, but only just!  So, so busy with the 'teaching', but hope to do more on this over the summer.  Still experimenting with ideas, and colours.

In the meantime, I have been feeding my creativity exploring textiles arts.  

Coming soon . . . 

An alternative to trellis work . . .

Straight stitch - working with the twill weave of the fabric

Whenever I have any time, when not teaching, I try to return to this crewel work piece.  I am still playing around with a few ideas, including working with the twill weave of the fabric.  

Experimenting with trellis work . . .

Experimenting with Colour

So far . . .

Trellis work ideas

Working on some ideas for this crewel work design.  Still sampling colour, and different approaches to trellis work. 

Colour for crewel work . . .

These are my proposed colours for my crewel work designs.  I will not use all of them, probably 4-5 for each design, which I am still deciding, or will probably just let it evolve.

The colours are - 724, 933, 185, 303, 313, 293, 643, 156, 325, 967 - Appletons crewel wool.

Red leaf veins . . .

Red leaf veins

Stem stitch rows of stitching

Not the easiest thing to photograph - but here is the red stem stitch veins of the bigger leaves using crewel wool on linen twill.  Not the easiest stitch for this technique as the wool yarn snaps constantly with the intensity of the stitch.  However, I am quite happy with the result!

Satin stitch and detail . . .

satin stitch and some detail
left hand side show a little of the split stitch which the satin stitch is worked over

satin stitch and close detail

satin stitch and closer detail

Further work on Nicola Jarvis's crewel work design with the deadline now looming!  This time I have included more detail on the small red leaves with stem stitch and a blue vein. Satin stitch worked over split stitch, almost completing that section of the design using another autumnal colour.

crewel work progress . . .

more progress . . . 

working on more Bayeux stitch around the berries

After a heavy month or two of other work, I have now returned to the crewel work needed for Nicola Jarvis's exhibition at the William Morris Gallery - "The Art of Embroidery".  

I have worked further on the Bayeux stitch around the berries, but as yet, I have not put in the holding lines or stitches.

Bayeux stitch

 

Bayeux stitch is a form of couching where the crewel wool is laid down first of all to cover the ground fabric completely. Further lines of crewel wool are laid over the top spaced apart at right angles and then couched to hold everything into place.  

Tip - Draw parallel lines on your fabric to keep the laid work parallel as it is easy to stray.

long and short in crewel wool . . .

shading using one strand of crewel wool and stem stitch for the leaves

long and short shading detail

Working one colour into another by shading can be quite tricky as the shading can look 'banded'.  To over come this, which takes a little experience, the second colour is introduced gradually, and 'feathered' in, whilst the first colour gradually disappears as shading continues.  On top of this, there is direction to cope with, as the shape expands outwards then curves back in.  However, it is such a pleasure to be stitching on lovely Scottish woven linen twill.

Kathy 'The Unbroken Thread' Andrews - is working the same design for Nicola Jarvis for her forthcoming exhibition which will be later in the year at the William Morris Gallery.  Dates will be issued in future posts.

next stage . . .

long and short, seeding and fishbone stitch

Slowly coming together - showing V-seeding, ordinary seeding, fishbone stitch for the small leaves, and more long and short shading . . .

New crewel work project . . .

Designed by Nicola Jarvis

Long and short shading with crewel wool

A new project - I have been commissioned by Nicola Jarvis to work her crewel work design.  More details later . . .

more herringbone stitch

more herringbone in detail

All hand stitched in miniature - using a variety of crewel wool, coton perlé, coton á broder and other found threads. Just experimenting with this stitch, and working out its possibilities!