Chapter 6: Stitching on grids

For this chapter we had to form more grids on fabric and then stitch and weave into them. I began with a pulled thread sampler. Rows of threads were withdrawn in one direction and the remaining warp threads woven through with a variety of yarns and ribbons. The withdrawn weft threads were rewoven into the fabric.

Fig. 6.1

Reading from the top row:

1. a fluffy yarn

2. silk ribbon

3. dyed cotton string

4. bunches of warp threads knotted with silk ribbon

5. chain stitch worked over bundles of warp threads

6. wide ric-rac braid

7. broad ribbon

8. hemstitch worked in perle cotton

9. herringbone worked between two bands of withdrawn threads

10. hemstitch worked on both sides of a withdrawn band

11. twisted border.

Fig. 6.2

In sample 2 at the top of this page, small blocks of threads were removed. Some blocks were left unstitched and left with the ends loose on top of the fabric. Others have the withdrawn threads stitched down, while some blocks have hemstitch worked over the remaining threads.

In sample 3, blocks of two threads were withdrawn from both warp and weft and the withdrawn threads were stitched back into the edges of the fabric. The remaining threads in the grid were stitched as follows:

1. (bottom left) - overcast bars

2. diagonal stitches over the intersections worked in two directions.

3. diagonal stitches over the intersections worked in one direction only

4. spiders' web stitches worked around each intersection

5. buttonhole stitch worked in both directions - interlinked on the reverse journey.

Fig. 6.3

Blocks of four threads were removed from both warp and weft with the withdrawn threads being stitched back out of the way. The remaining grid threads were dealt with in the following ways:

1. cross stitch worked over the intersections

2. ghost stitch (interlinked buttonhole stitches) ... a needlelace filling stitch

3. cross stitches worked diagonally in both directions to form a star.

Fig. 6.4

I used various needleweaving fillings on this sample, including, at the very bottom, three dyed coffee stirrers. Jill Nordfors, in her book 'Needlelace and Needleweaving' describes needleweaving thus ...

"Fillings are woven int the warp using simple over-and-under darning and needle-lace stitches, either separately or together. It is similar in construction to some forms of traditional drawn-thread work."

The method is indeed a simple darning movement but some very pretty and interesting effects can be achieved.

Fig. 6.5

This came about by mistake, but the mistake having been made I decided to see what would happen if I went ahead and stitched. I had originally intended to withdraw alternate threads on both warp and weft but caught an extra warp thread with my scissors. This caused the warp to drop to the back of the work part way across the sample, resulting in a rather interesting effect once the threads have been needlewoven together.

Fig. 6.6

This time alternate threads were removed from both warp and weft, which gives two distinct layers for stitching.

Fig. 6.7

Removing alternate threads on the warp only results in three distinct layers for weaving. This is not quite so easy to see in this photograph but it gives a great feeling of depth and 'looking through' in real life.

Fig. 6.8

Removing alternate warp and weft threads with an extra thread removed in the centre of each results in this cross-over effect.

These last four samples have given some very interesting results - though all that needleweaving was very time consuming! It would be interesting to try the same experiments on a finer fabric - but maybe later!!

Fig. 6.9

Random blocks of warp and weft threads were removed then machine stitched with a zig-zag stitch. I love this trellis-like effect, which I'm thinking may reappear in my final piece for this module.

Fig.6.10

This is one of the pieces of linen scrim that I dyed a couple of chapters ago. A large block of weft threads were withdrawn and a machine zig-zag stitch was then worked randomly over the remaining warp threads. This could be very effective embedded in paper with the inner edges neatened with stitch (maybe).

Fig. 6.11

A very open-weave jute scrim was free machined - again very suitable for embedding in paper. This gives a lovely organic effect - like skeleton leaves or decaying stems of a climbing plant.

Fig. 6.12

This is the linen scrim again - beautifully soft fabric! - with rows of machine stitching used to make tucks in the fabric, from which bands of warp threads had been removed. Alternate bundles of the open weft threads were taken to the centre of the sample and hand stitched in place. The remaining bundles on the edges are left loose to form a loose fringe.

Fig. 6.13

I'm afraid this final sample doesn't show up awfully well on the photograph as it is worked white on white. I worked free machine embroidery on a piece of cotton scrim to make a lace background. Scraps of tissue paper were added randomly to add more solid patches. Holes (some naturally occurring, others formed afterwards) have been edged with buttonhole stitch. I couldn't resist adding just a couple of beads to one of the holes!

I've thoroughly enjoyed this chapter and did feel as though I could continue almost indefinitely but decided it was probably time to call a halt. I will end this post with another quote which caught my eye - this time from a 1945 edition of Embroidery and Needlework.

 

"Stitches are a means to an end in needlework, not an end in themselves. They are the words of our needle language; without them we cannot speak."

Rather apt for this particular module I felt.