Ink Spot Series

 The Ink Spot Series began with three bobbin lace pieces that were described in this blog in 2020 in the entry Point Fusion.  I decided that I wanted to make a fourth piece in that series using needle lace techniques.  The blossoms were made by hand as in Tenerife needle lace.  The leaves were made by machine on water soluble fabric.  The ink spots image was transferred to a piece of fabric for the background.  

Point Fusion

 In May I attended my first online class which was originally scheduled for Chicago in June.  It was a lace design class with Pierre Fouché.  We did a lot of doodling on a 4 sheets of grid that we attached.  We were learning to repeat motifs and join them in all possible ways.  

For my inspiration for designs, I chose a piece of freezer paper that I had used as a drop cloth when I was applying spots of ink to fabric a couple years ago.  

Then I chose some parts and arranged them in a circular format that had been suggested for this class.  We were working with a grid that is well-suited for hexagons.

This was the basis for 3 designs.

The first has large and small snowflakes (or spiders) within the hexagons.   

The second has long narrow hexagons within the regular hexagons.  

The third is based on Mechlin ground.  The shared sides of hexagons are CTTPCTT at both pins.  

Another assignment was to try making a design using different stitches to provide the shading.  

My sample used a pear.  Here's the pear on the pillow in process.  

Here's the finished pear.  

Splat!

 I began making masks.  One day my husband asked if I could put his own design on a mask.  He came back later with his design.  

Bookmarks & Coasters

 From January into April I worked on coasters and bookmarks using up scraps from the stash.

Liptov Lace Biscornu

 For the 2019 Christmas tree I made 2 squares of Liptov lace and stitched the edges together matching corners to mid-points like a biscornu.  

Three Blue Tube Men & 2020 Disintegration

 

Look carefully to see the 3 blue tube men across the bottom.

This piece had no title until I decided that it represents this year.  

These were exercises from classes with Jan Beaney & Jean Littlejohn many years ago.  I decided to have them framed for the 2020 CVCEGA exhibit which was cancelled due to COVID-19.

Drawn Thread

 This drawn thread hand towel was started long ago and finished in 2019.

Ripples

 

Ripples was completed in early 2019.

Techniques and materials:

·        oak leaf image printed on congress cloth

·        ripples backstitched on congress cloth with cotton floss

Design size: 4.125” x 10.125”

Dimensions: 11.875” height x 5.871” width x 1.25” depth

On a windy day, oak leaves fall onto water.  Ripples emanate from the leaves, echoing the shapes of the leaves until they interact with ripples from neighboring leaves. 

The ripples of some leaves are free to reverberate in many directions.  Others are immediately constrained.  As the wind blows, the relationships will change, some closer and others farther apart.

Is closeness support or a limitation? 

Does separation enable expression or prevent communication? 

Blackwork & Roseground

 

Blackwork & Roseground was completed early in 2020.  

Techniques: blackwork embroidery and roseground bobbin lace

Materials: Cotton embroidery floss red, Lugana 25 count cream

Design size: 3.6” w x 6.2” h (stitched area)

Total dimensions: 6” w x 12” h

Inspiration: Making roseground bobbin lace brought to mind the rhythm of the second movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and linear patterns of blackwork.  Bobbin lace weaves thread stored on pairs of bobbins.  In blackwork one thread stitches over then under the fabric while the other stitches under then over. 

Challenge: Using continuous threads, stitch blackwork then flow into roseground   Figure out how to support the fabric for each technique and how to transition between techniques. 

 

Another Angry Bird

Here's the second Angry Bird that was completed early in 2020.  

Techniques: bobbin lace, Kumihimo braids, couching/sewing

Materials: pearl cotton, flower thread, unidentified ground fabric from stash

Design size: 11 5/8” w x 13 5/8” h

Total dimensions: 12 7/8” w x 14 7/8” h

Inspiration: 2” squares, randomly selected from large sheet of random ink marks, made an image suggesting an angry bird. 

Motivation: Fiber Forum workshop instructor suggested that I try making this in lace. 

Challenge: Recreate irregular broad lines from the drawing in thread using lace and embroidery techniques.

Solution:

Bobbin lace tape and braids for the bird.

Kumihimo flat braids for other broad lines.

Trailing threads from tapes and braids arranged to form foliage and roots. 

Angry Bird

One of the exercises at the 2018 Fiber Forum workshop was to make random black marks on a large sheet of paper.  After the ink dried, the paper was turned over.  2" squares were marked and cut.  Each square was numbered.  Random numbers were called and the corresponding squares were arranged.  One of the arrangements appeared to have an angry bird.

Jean Draper suggested that I make the angry bird in lace.

I started working on the angry bird at the IOLI convention in July in a pictorial lace class with Dagmar Beckel-Machyckova.

Here's the angry bird on fabric.  I haven't decided how to embroider the background.        

I decided that the bird should look like his head is exploding.

Fiber Forum Workshop with Jean Draper

Our kits for this workshop included a couple wire loops and some very narrow slips of fabric, like would be cut from the selvage when making quilt blocks.  One of the activities was to make and wrap wire loops and use them in fiber art.  Here's a picture of the loops I wrapped.  I assembled them several ways before packing them to go home.

The list of supplies to bring included beads and wire.  I brought some beads that my mother had already put on wire.  I assembled some on one of the sticks that I brought. 









This is the table I shared with Flo. 

One exercise was stitched with black thread on muslin. 

Another exercise consisted of cutting a strip of black paper and arranging the pieces in different ways.



One arrangement was selected.  Pieces of fabric were cut in the same shapes and sewn onto muslin. 

Fiona Alice Irvin

This is for my grandniece who will be celebrating her first birthday soon.  

My niece's favorite animal is a giraffe.

The lace pattern is from a book that I bought from the Idrija Lace School, 

Idrija Lace: Narrow cloth stitch, 

edited by Maja Svetlik and Metka Fortuna.  

Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, Florida

In January I went to a workshop with Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn.  We were encouraged to work on something new each of the three days.

Winter Blossoms

•      Curvy, kinky cotton cordonnet left over from bobbin lace arranged on water solubles
•     Water soluble sandwich machine stitched with sewing thread and then hand stitched with unidentified heavy synthetic fiber in knots
•      Mother of pearl flower petals from a straw hat attached with pearl beads
•      Additional pearl beads and clear crystal beads inherited from my mother’s stash

Design size: approximately 17 x 4 inches

Total dimensions: 17.25 x 8.25 x .5 inches

As the snow melts, tiny blossoms emerge from the black soil, marking the beginning of a new growing season.  Through cooling and warming cycles, ice and snow form complex patterns of crystals and textures.  Trails are left by twigs blown around and meandering animals.  Clumps of snow drop off trees leaving impressions below.   

This piece recycles materials as nature recycles.  The paths and textures in this piece reflect the complexity in nature. 

Letting Go

•       Fabric constructed by embellisher felted from the back to the surface in kite shapes
•       Soft yarn stitched for the kite strings
•       Silk ribbon tied on for the kite tails
•      Chiffon covers the surface

 Design size: 11 x 14 inches

Total dimensions: 11 x 14 inches

The kites fade into the darkness with their trailing strings.  The kites represent the spirits of those who have left us.  We must let go. 

Forest Undergrowth

•       Network arranged on water soluble fabric from scraps of wool fibers
•       Network connected using machine thread and stitching
•       Surface embroidery with hand spun & hand dyed wool
•       Water solubles were washed out
•       Wool was felted using an embellisher

Design size: approximately 12.6 x 3 inches

Total dimensions: 12.6 x 3 inches

The felted fabric is reminiscent of the forest undergrowth.  

Sky Blue Pink with Purple Polka Dots

•       crochet cotton for logarithmic ground
•       pearl cotton for polka dots

Design size: approximately 14 x 14 inches

Total dimensions: 14 x 14 x 1 inches

When we asked our Dad what his favorite color was he would always respond “Sky Blue Pink with Purple Polka Dots”. 

Crochet cotton was woven in torchon ground by bobbin lace technique on a logarithmic grid that reminds me of the graph paper my father used for microwave engineering.    Purple polka dots were constructed by needle with detached buttonhole stitch. 

Thank You For Your Support

• Bobbin lace trellis made of cotton cordonnet on a logarithmic x logarithmic grid
• Twisted cords for vines made of pearl cotton
• Detached buttonhole blossoms made of overdyed cotton
• Needle woven leaves made of pearl cotton
• Canvas embroidery using pearl cotton for grass

Design size: 8.5 x 9.25 x 1.5 inches

Total dimensions: 12 x 10.25 x 2.5 inches

“Thank you for your support” is a phrase Dawn Cannon often heard as she helped engineers use software development tools.  I made a logarithmic grid for the trellis to represent her mathematical background and her relationships at work, home and in the community.  The trellis supports the vine as it blossoms as Dawn and her husband supported their two young children as they grew to adults while Dawn was going through years of cancer treatment. 

MN Manipulations

Last winter I prepared for the April 2018 EGA chapter exhibit by cutting out some of the work I had done at the Fiber Forum Workshop in Minnesota with Barbara Smith.  I used the scraps of Thai silk to mount the embroidered felted samples and construct an accordion book. 

The sample on the left was embellished by stitching through the felt near the surface.  The sample on the right has tiny Delica beads sewn into the surface.  Some wonky knitty yarn was disassembled and applied to the surface. 

The rectangle above has a variety of beads applied with straight stitches marking the surface. 

The circle below has orange beads that I never thought I would use combined with scraps of Mango Madness knitting yarn .   

Summer 2017 Travel Project

While travelling last summer I worked on First Step by Genny Morrow.  This was a program project for Cedar Valley Chapter EGA.  You were given 2 colors, in my case brown and green, and then you picked 2 more colors.  The values are arranged with lightest on the outside and darkest on the inside.  There is a challenge in finding the same value in the 4 hues.  Mine is mounted in a box that I purchased from Marion Scoular at EGA National Seminar. 

EGA Seminar August 2017 Asheville, NC

Chris Berry supplied a notebook and information pages for her 4-day class on detached buttonhole stitch variations.   Pieces of muslin were marked into sections, so there was one for each stitch exercise.  The muslin was attached to wooden stretcher bars with double-sided tape on the top and outsides of the bars.  This kept the muslin firmly attached while we were working in class.  Later the muslin was cut and the samples inserted in the notebook on the corresponding pages.  This was one of the most interesting classes I have taken.

Victoria Terrace

The creative juices were flowing when Victoria Terrace was built in Edinburgh, Scotland.  

This picture was taken from near George IV Bridge (street) (and the National Library of Scotland) looking down Victoria Street from the Terrace.  If you are walking up the Royal Mile and turn left at George IV, Victoria Street and Terrace are the first right.  Victoria Street is one-way going up hill to George IV.

Looking at Victoria Terrace from near George IV Bridge.

Looking over the railing of Victoria Terrace.

Looking over the terrace railing to Victoria Street to show how the terrace starts out as the sidewalk quickly becomes incorporated into the roofs of the buildings on Victoria Street which become taller as the street descends.

The Scottish Genealogical Society has its office near the far end of Victoria Terrace.  It appears to be in the basement or sub-basement of the buildings on Johnston Terrace.