Chapter 5: Drawn thread work

I began my experiments for the first exercise on a jute hessian fabric, which I'd bought a pack of from a £1 shop and never found a use for. The fabric is coarse and was actually perfect for this exercise.

 Fig. 5.1

Sample 1 has two threads withdrawn vertically
Sample 2 has two threads withdrawn both vertically and horizontally

Fig. 5.2

Sample 3 has two threads withdrawn horizontally and four vertically. The threads remaining have been left in the same ratio.

Sample 4 has four threads withdrawn both horizontally and vertically.

 Fig. 5.3

Sample 5 has six threads withdrawn both horizontally and vertically with four threads left between.
Sample 6 has blocks of threads withdrawn to resemble a window pane.

Fig. 5.4

Sample 7 has increasing blocks of threads removed leaving four threads between each block.
Sample 8 has increasing blocks of threads removed leaving the remaining threads in the same ratio as those removed.

I did note the instruction to only remove threads in pairs but couldn't resist wondering what would happen if I didn't do that! What if I pulled alternate threads? I got some very interesting results which I'm currently needleweaving to highlight the resulting weaves so will include those in the next chapter.

The second exercise was to pull threads along rather than completely removing them. For these samples I dyed some linen scrim with cold water dyes in blue and brown.

Fig. 5.5

 Fig. 5.5 shows threads having been pulled to both top and bottom of the fabric to distort the striped pattern - I love this effect and will definitely do this again!

Fig. 5.6

Figure 5.6 shows threads having been pulled from the centre of the piece rather than from the ends. They have been pulled both vertically and horizontally resulting in some interesting checked patterns. The loops have been left on the surface as added decoration.

Fig. 5.7 

For figure 5.7 groups of threads were cut at one end, withdrawn and the threads were then bundled together, woven in along the length and secured with a knot. Although this photograph doesn't really show it, the fact that the knot has shortened the threads has added an interesting texture to the piece as well - one which could be exploited further if desired.

Fig. 5.8

Finally in Figure 5.8 blocks of threads were removed and the threads woven back in around the bars and loosely knotted around the intersections.I varied the sides from which I withdrew the threads so leaving some blocks empty while other areas are filled with spiralling threads.

Chapter 4: Paper making

I had never made paper before and didn't own a liquidiser so this was my first purchase. I did find a relatively cheap model but as I assume it can't thereafter be used in the kitchen I may have a lot of paper making ahead of me to justify the outlay!

However, armed with my new gadget, my piece of rigid metal mesh, a pile of j-cloths, another pile of newspapers and yet a further pile of papers from the recycling bin, I set to work. This is no quick job and it took me a few tries to find the optimum amount of paper relative to quantity of water to make a pulp which would coat the mesh sufficiently to make a useful sheet of paper. Nevertheless, once I had sorted all this out I thoroughly enjoyed the process and the pile of handmade paper soon mounted up.

 Fig.1

Figure 1 shows my first batch of paper - made from recycled bank statements and I was thrilled to see some tiny words and figures visible in these samples. 

Sample 2 has picked up some of the pink dye from the newspapers used to couch the sheets. 

Sample 3 has some silk threads embedded in the pulp, which, if it were better distributed across the full sheet, has definite possibilities for future use.

 Fig.2

Figure 2 shows my second batch of paper, this time incorporating some brown packaging paper in the pulp, which has given it a creamier colour and a pleasingly mottled surface.
In Sample 4 I left some of the pieces of brown paper quite large.
Sample 5 has some paper shapes embedded into the pulp.
Sample 6 has a piece of red nylon net, which has given the paper an interesting surface texture.
Sample 7 has small fern fronds embedded in the pulp .
Sample 8 has tea leaves from loose black tea mixed with the pulp. They have stained the paper brown as well as adding texture.
Sample 9 has dried lavender flowers added to the pulp. This was less successful as the lavender flowers are sitting on the surface and are easily knocked off. It would be worth trying again and sandwiching them between two thin sheets of paper to hold them in place.

 Fig.3

Sample 10 is still from my second batch of papers and has a green tea with dried petals added to the pulp. This has given the paper an interesting mix of colours and textures.
Batch 3 has a sheet of green tissue paper added to the pulp which turned the whole batch a very spring-like shade of green.
Sample 11 was embossed with a wooden print block
Sample 12 was embossed with string in a grid pattern.

Fig.4

Sample 13 has a soft cotton yarn embedded in the pulp, this was pulled back once the paper was almost dry. Sample 14 has the same yarn threads embedded and pulled back in both vertical and horizontal directions.

Fig.5

Sample 15 is a series of letter shapes which were formed on pieces of plastic canvas cut to shape. 

I've not really finished with this chapter yet but will come back to it later. I still want to try embossing letter shapes into the pulp - something I tried but it got flattened in the pile of papers; and also colouring the pulp with cold water dyes so I can spoon the pulp onto my grid to make layers of colours.

Chapter 3: Grids galore

Grid : a network of horizontal and vertical lines.
For this chapter we were asked to find as many grids as we could and it was surprising once I started looking around the house, just how many different gridded materials I owned.

 Fig. 1

Figure 1 shows small samples of (1) Chicken wire; (2) Nylon net; (3) Sinamay - hat making fabric; (4) Vegetable net; and (5) a piece of plastic canvas

 Fig. 2

(6) Perforated paper; (7) Aida fabric; (8) Canvas 10 tpi; (9) Waste canvas 14 tpi; (10) Open weave cotton fabric; (11) a piece of vintage crochet netting; (12) Jute hessian and (13) Silk scrim

Fig. 3

(14) Jute scrim; (15) Linen scrim; and (16) Linen scrim loomstate.

I also found a 'variety' pack of metal mesh purchased at a show several years ago and never used. One piece of this proved to be perfect for use in the following chapter on paper-making. The others are too thin and pliable to be of immediate use though they may well come into their own at a later stage.