Textileartist.Org Stitch Challenge 2020 Workbook Collection
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TextileArtist.org Stitch challenge 2020 Workbook collection Featuring challenges from world-renowned artists: Sue Stone, Cas Holmes, Emily Tull, Richard McVetis, Emily Jo Gibbs, Anne Kelly & Christine Chester A freebie from TextileArtist.org 1 TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Preparing your sample " " 1 20cm / 8 12 15cm / 6 20cm 15cm / 8" / 6" Cut a square of fabric measuring Mark out a square measuring 15cm x 15cm 20cm x 20cm, which is about 8" x 8". or 6" x 6" using a pencil and a ruler. 3 7.5cm / 3" 7.5cm / 3" Divide the square into four equal areas measuring 7.5cm x 7.5cm or 3" x 3". Limitations & goals Choose one hand-stitch only to fill all four areas of the grid. My hand stitch choice is Your goal is to make each area of the grid as distinctive and different as possible using that one hand stitch. TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Variants To achieve your goal you can experiment with: Spacing The spacing in between stitches The spacing in between rows of stitches The length of the stitches themselves Vary the way the stitches relate to one another spatially. Which of these variants will I experiment with on my sample? TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 3 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Variants Thread choice and combinations • Vary the textures of the threads you choose. • Vary the weights of the threads you choose. • Vary the colours of the threads you choose. • Vary the tones of the threads you choose. Which of these variants will I experiment with on my sample? How many different threads will I use to create my sample? What are my thread choices? TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 4 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Variants Direction of stitch Horizontal stitches Vertical stitches Diagonal stitches Curved stitches Circular stitches Which of these directions of stitch will I use to create my sample? TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 5 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Challenge examples: Spacing TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 6 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Challenge examples: Spacing Sample by Emma Seaton Sample by Kerry Souter Sample by Jenny Berman Ross Sample by Hilary Blackburn Sample by Ruth Thompson Sample by Silvia Merletto TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 7 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Challenge examples: Threads Sample by Majo van der Woude Sample by Nancy Nordquist Sample by Liz Gregory Sample by Liz Gregory Sample by Christa Hülsmann Sample by Anita Yearsley TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 8 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Challenge examples: Direction Sample by Marie Astier Sample by Nancy Nordquist Sample by Anita Bruce Sample by Anita Bruce Sample by Marie Astier Sample by Liz Gregory TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 9 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Notes TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 10 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week one: Sue Stone workbook Notes TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 11 Week one: Sue Stone workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook Extreme stitching: What we value “My limited use of embroidery stitches provides textural interest to my mixed media cloth pieces. I create collages of layered fabric, paper and stitch as ‘loosening up’ exercises. This is an integral part of my process when working on landscape inspired work which contains a mix of machine and hand stitch. © Cas Holmes During these forthcoming weeks of isolation we will all be drawn to explore the landscape of our homes. The objects we have collected are sometimes decorated with patterns and colours reflected in nature and often carry with them memories of places visited, tea with friends and family. This challenge asks you to use these objects as inspiration for an exploration of cloth and paper as a surface for hand stitching. Following on from Sue Stones’ excellent introduction this week’s challenge will give you an opportunity to apply simple stitches to create a stitched collage sample. I’ll be encouraging you to use variations of straight stitch similar to techniques used to make quilts in the West and as seen in the Japanese arts of Boro and Sashiko and in Indian Kantha.” Cas Holmes TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook What you’ll need A range of collected cloth such as parts of clothing, patterned and plain fabric combined with paper, (brown wrapping paper, magazines and tissue) provide the working surfaces. Maybe you also have some dyed and painted cloth in your stash? • A small piece of calico/linen/cotton • Objects for reference or photographs to use as a base (Postcard size) • A piece of good quality watercolour • A selection of threads paper or card • Scissors, pins and needles suitable for your cloth TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook The challenge 1 Select an object or objects from around the home or an image as inspiration for the exercise. 2 Use a small piece of calico, linen or cotton fabric as a base for your collage – around postcard size. 3 Having collected scraps and offcuts of fabric and/or paper, start to pin some of these pieces to your base fabric to create a background collage as a starting point and to provide a background for your object. You can cheat and use a glue stick however, I prefer to feel the cloth and paper for this process. 4 Use simple straight stitches to hold down the pieces of fabric and paper. I often crumple strong paper to give it a textural feel and to make it easier to stitch through. 5 Cut out a simple shape in fabric or paper based on one of the objects you have selected and pin in place. You can cut it freehand or you can trace a shape from a drawing or photograph you have taken of the object and use that as a template. 6 Attach the shape to your collage background with thread and explore how the variation of straight stitch can create a simple textural pattern for the object. 7 Next you could begin to incorporate some other stitches into your piece but remember textile artist Constance Howard’s advice – there is huge potential in a limited range of simple stitches. 8 When you are satisfied with your composition hand stitch your piece to good quality watercolour paper or card. TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 3 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook Tips for exploration Look at stitch as a means of creating line and mark. How can you use it to define shapes? How might you incorporate some of the following techniques? • Running stitch • Cross stitch • Darning • Backstitch • Couching Explore how fabric and paper can be manipulated: • Torn • Rolled • Creased • Cut • Twisted Consider how colour, texture, tone relate to the work and the object of inspiration. How can you work with the following? • Contrasts, neutrals, black and white • Colours: Bold, restful, contrast, warm, cool • Textures: Floral, plaid, plain, textured weave, stitch, lace TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 4 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook Example work TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 5 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook Example work TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 6 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook Example work TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 7 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook Notes TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 8 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 2 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook Notes TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 9 Week two: Cas Holmes workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 3 Week three: Emily Tull workbook Observational skills “This challenge is not just about stitching but also our observational skills, inspired by a school teacher I had at nine years old. I was taught to really observe a subject before drawing it. In that particular school lesson the subject was the eye. In my own artwork the eye is the crucial starting point, whether it is an animal or human. And it all starts with studying the subject up close.” Emily Tull What you’ll need • A mirror, camera/photograph or willing model • A hand sewing needle • An embroidery hoop • Scissors • Pencil, chalk or pen • Black, white and mid grey sewing thread • Cotton/linen fabric in a neutral colour (not white and not too dark) TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 1 Week three: Emily Tull workbook TextileArtist.org community stitch challenge 3 Week three: Emily Tull workbook The challenge Observing and drawing 1 Spend some time looking at an eye. Use a mirror or take a photograph. Note how big the pupil is, the shape of the eyelid and the length and direction of the eyelashes.