Chapter 7

Fabric Manipulation

Gathers
 
Regular grid on Calico with an automatic pattern added.

 
Diagonal line grid with areas stitched with white

Curved line grid with areas stitched with a varigated thread.

Rayon crepe stitched with a regular grid and overstitched with Vermicelli

Diagonal grid with free zig-zag stitching

Curved grid with whip stitch, but the bobbin tension could have been a little looser

 
Rayon satin regular grid with free stitching in a varigated 30s thread

 
Diagonal grid with varigated running stitch

Curved grid with circles of free maching using a metallic thread which I think worked well.

Polyestee sheer in a regular grid with free machining

Diagonal grid with a regular grid stitched with the foot on over it.

Curved lines with free zig-zag over the top

Grilon

Patterned cotton free machined and shrunk with iron.  This has interesting areas but is not as textured as I expected.

A regular grid on silk Habutai and shrunk in hot water giving more of the result I expected

 Diagonl grid on Rayon satin but the Grilon appears only to have shrunk in one dirction

Diagonal grid on Calico using a varigated thread but as the fabriv is quite stiff there isn't much shrinking.

 
Shirring elastic


Random spaces straight lines on Rayon satin ( thought about the Fibronacci series)  I love the effect this gives.

 Varied curved lines on Rayon crepe.

 Random rows, some at right angles and some overlapping stitched on two layers of Polyester sheer fabric and was pleased with this result.  

I have used shirring elastic before so I know that it works best on soft and fine fabrics and chose the materials for my samples with this in mind.

Texture Magic. 
 I found a reference to this in a book so thought Id give it a try.  It is stitched to the back of the fabric, the more and closer the rows the better the result, then heated with a steam iron.  I tried it on cotton and a sheer and it works really well.  It is expensive, though.

Cotton stitched with wavy and straight and lines above and a sheer below stitched with straight and diagonal lines.