Chapter Five



Image 5.11
Cut credit card dragged + serrated knife dragged
Cut credit card dragged

All through this chapter I have been pleased with the variety of applicators I have used and the different effects achieved especially when reloading with ink, bleach or acrylic.

Image 5.10
Cut credit card dragged
Cut credit card dragged

Image 5.9
Cut credit card dragged
Cut credit card dragged

The final task in this chapter was to apply some acrylic paint to a glass surface, smooth over, make animal markings and then take a print with a sheet of cartridge paper.  I am quite pleased with the results of this task especially the later ones when the paint is starting to dry a little. In the bottom one on 5.11 the acrylic was quite thin and had started to dry.  The paper stuck to the glass and I had an interesting result when I pulled it off.

Image 5.8

Cut credit card in vertical stripes
Cotton wool bud
Cut section from cardboard egg box

Image 5.7
Cut credit card bent into a curve
Cut credit card at various angles
Cut credit card in same direction

Image 5.6
Cut section from cardboard egg box
Cut credit card dragged
Side of credit card

The second task was to use bleach to make the markings.  I chose to paint cartridge paper with Brusho, left it overnight to dry and then applied bleach.  I have never been very successful when I have used bleach in the past but the Brusho papers worked extremely well and I am pleased with the effect created when you recharged the applicator.  Before we had a shredder I used to put old credit cards in a drawer, now I know why I kept them!!  What a squirrel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Image 5.5
Ink put in small metal sieve and blown onto paper producing stippled effect
Cut section from cardboard egg box
Cut cardboard

Image 5.4
Sponge applicator – diagonal thin then wide drag
Sponge applicator - parallel vertical lines
Cut section from cardboard egg box

Image 5.3
Cut cardboard – some straight marks, some dragged
Cut cardboard dragged
Wooden kebab stick

Image 5.2
Corrugated cardboard
Cut cardboard
Four wooden kebab sticks held together with elastic band

Image 5.1

Flat paint brush
Cut section of a cardboard egg box
Bent piece of corrugated cardboard – super at first but did not hold shape.

In chapter five I had to use an ink to make animal markings on various papers.  For the first task I chose black Brusho on cartridge paper and used a variety of things to apply the ink. 

Chapter Four

Image 4.6 from workbook

Image 4.5 from workbook

Image 4.4 from workbook

Image 4.3 from workbook

Image 4.2 from workbook

Image 4.1 from workbook

In chapter four I have been asked to research some animals/birds which have distinctive decorative pattern markings and display photos in black and white.  I also had to make black & white linear drawings.  I have never been very confident with drawing but I went to a two day workshop about a month ago called Drawing for the Terrified with Richard Box.  He gave us so many simple tips together with lots of encouragement and I must say I have surprised myself with the resulting drawings in this chapter.  I am sure the more I practice the better they will get but I really enjoyed the exercise and have been totally engrossed all weekend! I have made some of the images negative in Photoshop which I found on my husband's computer and will certainly use it again to play with images.

Chapter Three

Image 3.6 Variety of machine stitched bands showing animal patterns

The last task in this chapter was to think about creating machine bands showing animal patterns for use in future chapters.  It was not until I looked closely at my automatic patterns and played about with the width & length of stitches that I found some pleasing results.
From the top the pattern numbers are: 2:22, 3:24, 3:31, 2:12, 3:34 & 2:15

Image 3.5 - One whipped stitch sample and three cable

The last page of samples show one whipped stitch sample and three cable stitch samples.  In future I must take care to use a contrasting top thread to the background material as I used white on the calico/vilene and found it difficult seeing my work.  I have a separate "speciality" bobbin case which I bought for cable work and it worked well.

Image 3.4 - Whipped stitch samples

I was very interested with the results of these samples especially (l) using black thread in the bobbin and white in the top.  I do wonder if sample (m) is correct as I was anticipating the bottom thread to come up more, not just at the end of rows.  I tightened the top tension and bypassed the bobbin tension in this sample and tried a second one where I loosened the tension screw on the speciality bobbin case - the result was the same.

Image 3.3 - Various tonal samples using automatic patterns

In these samples I have played about with the width & length of the automatic patterns to show tonal value.

Image 3.2 - Various samples showing tonal value

These samples show automatic patterns which have been over stitched and used space to show tonal value.  The last one is just straight stitching but done in a way to show tonal value - heavy stitching to show dark area getting lighter towards the other extreme.

Image 3.1 - Samples changing the width & length of zigzag

In chapter three I have to produce a number of samples using automatic patterns and straight stitch.  Each sample must show tonal value - graduating from dark to light.  I used a thin vilene under each sample and a mixture of black & white thread and perlé for the cable.   When creating the patterned strips in Image 3.6 I used a nappy liner under black felt and calico which I can cut back if necessary. 

My machine has a flat bobbin case into which you rest the plastic bobbins and I have now bought a separate "speciality bobbin case" so I can change the tension screw and use thicker threads for cable stitch.   Before getting the speciality bobbin case, I just by-passed the bobbin tension for whip stitch which seemed to work but I do wonder if sample (Image 3.4 m) has come out correctly. 

I have a function button (+/-) on a touch pad rather than a control knob which is not so easy to alter but after some practice it did get easier however I found it important to complete the sequence of a pattern before changing length/width.

Chapter Two



Image 2.3 from Workbook

This third sample was using even-weave material and blackwork.
The top sample shows a tonal square starting at the left with a very fine thread and graduating over to the right using perlé, embroidery threads and finally a thick tapestry wool making it dark.
The middle sample shows the spacing of stitches to show tones
The bottom sample shows a pattern which is developed to show tone.
I had never done blackwork before and did not find it easy counting the threads however it was an interesting challenge.

Image 2.2 from Workbook

This second task was done on graph paper building a pattern using a black pen.  The pattern is developed each row by adding an extra line to the design.

Image 2.1 from Workbook

In chapter two of this second module I have been asked to look at tonal value in stitch.  This first tast was to make a sample using only back and white threads of varying weights moving from white to black and mixing the two colours and size of stitch midway.  I did not find this exercise easy but hopefully I have achieved a reasonable effect.