Chapter 5

 My hanging tab sample, based on one of the 1950s coffee pots so I used coffee coloured silk and threads.  The sample is photographed on a square wood bar but a copper rod would suit it better.

  Fringes

The sample above uses a knitting tape and the loops cut.  This is quite full as it was quite closely wound on the frame .  The rainbow ribbon below was worked in the same way and didn't seem to work as well.  I made the frame wider and spaced the ribbon out a little more and this worked better.

 The wider frame was used with Perle8 with an the stitching on organdie ribbon.and a varigated thread.

A stitched cord made from apricot and peach coloured embroidery wool stitched with yellow to form bobbles ( as a sample in Chapter 4).  The pattern used to secure the top did not stitch evenly, but seems to echo the stitching on the cord.  I like this cord - idea for later??

Tiny Tassels

 Three tassels made from machine embroidery threads.  The centre sample matches the corded fringe above.  The pink of the left hand sample is stitched with a varigated cotton thread.

The sample on the left is made from a fine hand embroidery floss bought to be used for cable stitch.  A largermakeshift frame was made with wooden kebab spewers and cocktail sticks taped together to make a longer piece for the black/white tassel.  This worked well although a b it of masking tape kept sticking to the machine!

Uses for tiny tassels:
-ends of cords,                                                       - ends of Prairie Points,
-as an edging, as part of a larger tassel,                -to decorate the end of hanging poles and cords,
-corners of a cushion,                                             -ends of a small bolster cushion,
-at bottom corners of a decorative bag.


Three Designer/Makers

It was quite difficult to decide who inspires me and who has influenced my own work.  Although I chose Maggie Grey as inspirational and Alison Holt as influential it could just as easily been the other way round. (and then there is Valerie Campbell-Harding, Sandra Meech, Constance Howard, Alison Lilley, Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn......)  I really feel I should like Angie Hughes' work more!

Chapter 4 experiments

Braids using stuffed rayon knitting ribbon couched onto black felt with a varigated thread then a parallel row of stitches added.  I prefer the colours of the top, three strand plait as they have more of a glow.  There is too much black felt visible on the bottom, four strand plait .  A different stitch at the egde would have been better.

 

Chapter 4

I quite like the drawstring bag idea below.

            
 CORDS

From left -right:  -dark jade green/silver cord stitched in silver zig-zag
                            - shade dyed pink tubular cord sititched with zig-zag and a varigated thread
                            -stuffed cotton kniting yarn and black thread
                            - pale and dark apricot wool yarn twisted together and stitched with
                              yellow thread built up to form bobbles.  I quite like this- a possibility
                               for assessmenmt piece?

 L-R :  -piping cord with deep pink and turquoise in the needle and a turquoise bobbin
           -yellow cord with orange stitching and a purple cord knotted onto it
           - stuffed rayon tubular braid with gold stitching. 
           -square leather thonging with a varigated thread. 

 L-R:  - jade/silver lengths twisted and doubled
          - pink tubular yarn in a 3 strand plait
          -rayon tubular yarn in a 4 strand plait.  Would make a good handle.
          - yellow cord with knots
          - tubular rayon yarn with 2 strands knotted together
          -piping cord finger crocheted, picture shows the underside which has good texture    
            and could be used for a traansfer crayon rubbing

 THREAD BRAIDS

 From top: -colours of embroidery wool.  A first attempt and some strands were missed
                 -red, mustard and orange wool and better stitching
                 -varigated pinks/white, yellow and white yarn stitched in bobbles
                 -blue green wool stitched in turquoise then with metallic thread in the opposite direction
                 -shades of sage green stitched in both directions
           

 From top: - top two above stitched together
                  -three stands of stitched yarn stitched together
                  -pale lilac,pink and a varigated yarn stitched together, then 3 stranda together with an
                    automatic pattern added.  Couild I make it even wider?
                  - three shades of red stitched together then two layers together, all stitched with a
                    varigated matallic thread

THREAD BRAIDS

I love the bottom sample; the varigated cotton thread and stitch a folk art look.

 

I like the stuffed rayon sample-  perhaps a shade dyed yarn?  Narrow strips could be plainted or interwoven and I think the overlocker has possibilities too.


 TABS

 Dark red cotton fabric with medium Vilene interfaacing. Background stitched with a varigated cotton yarn and st. no. 25 which could be useful for the assessment piece.  The outline of the tabs  and the buttonhole in 30s thread.  The satin stitched edge was stitched twice to give better coverage. 

 Yellow cotton.  The tab was stitched wrong side out then clipped and turned to right side.  Fabric was then  printed and free machined triangles added.  The fastening is made from a rolled paper bead through a large buttonhole opening and secured with a stick found in the garden shed and painted with red nail polish.  The stick keeps falling out though so would need a narrower bead of pehaps  be attached to the piece by a thin cord.

 Purple cotton with   pink and lilac metallic and lilac  free machine stitched swirls.  The tab is black felt with Angelina and is fastened with a bead and eyelet buttonhole.  This could be useful as a fastening for a box.




PAPER BUTTONS

made from pieces in a scrapbooking pack.  Some are trianguler cut and some the hand-made paper ones painted with acrylic wax. A number of these could be threaded onto a cord to form a beaded edging or fringe.

 on the left; khadi paper prints left over from a previous exercise 

 on the right: coloured printer paper wrapped with yarns.  All are painted with acrylic wax. this held the threads in place and stops them unravelling.



ROUND FELT BUTTONS

some decorated with beads and hand embroidery 
 


FLAT FELT BUTTONS


some are machine stitched, others by hand with beads.