Sample Development | The Library of Birmingham
photos of print and embroidery samples.
After taking part in a couple of embroidery and print workshops, I started to apply these methods further to my city walk research in order to practise my skills and develop my ideas.
In embroidery, I started using the free embroidery foot on the sewing machine to create circle stitching patterns onto different fabrics, building them up slightly in different colour threads and to generally just have a bit of a play around. My main reason for doing this was just to experiment with the embroidery foot on the machine and practise my skills a bit more but it was fun learning to draw with the sewing machine!
I really enjoyed the couching process that we learned, and decided to give this another go and apply this again to a sample inspired by the Library. I took a piece of blue fabric and applied contrasting yellow circles over the top using bondaweb and an iron, then used a zig zag stitch in a black thread to contrast and to make the circle design stand out, just like on the front of the building.
To incorporate couching into this particular sample, I took a black shoe lace and worked it around the edge of the circles, stitching down as I went. I think this looks really effective, as it brings a 3D element to the sample and makes it look a bit more interesting and skillful than a flat piece of work. I definitely want to add couching into any future samples I create, and I think it will be fun to see what kinds of unconventional materials I can couch down onto fabric and what the outcome looks like.
I also applied my Library research to the techniques I'd learned in the print workshops. Since the stitch and tear fabric worked so well for me combined with the heat press last time and I was impressed with the colour payoff and overall result, I decided to try this out again using the colours of the library and the circle pattern seen all over it.
Much like the multicoloured one I played around with before, I painted some stitch and tear with procion (?) dyes in blue and yellow as seen at the library and waited for it to dry. Afterwards, I cut circles out of the stitch and tear and applied these face down onto my base fabric, pressing it in the heat press for around a minute. I love that the heat press intensifies the colour of the dyes used, and I was really pleased with the result as it made for a vibrant piece that stands out, just like the library does against the Birmingham skyline.
I replicated this process again, but this time choosing to cut an outline of the library into the stitch and tear and pressing this, creating a silhouette of the library onto my base fabric which, again, creates a bright and interesting result.
I decided to combine my embroidery skills to these prints, stitching rough black circles into my circle print to mimic the metal circle design that covers the library. I think the contrast of the black looks really stark and, again, stands out against the blue and yellow of the print.
Instead of again replicating the embroidery process I used on the circle print, I decided to use circular buttons to mimic the library's design. I think it's something a little bit different and built up with a lot of different buttons would look very effective and add a lot of texture to the print but I think I much prefer the last technique of embroidering the circles on as I really like the raw and handmade finish it gives.
work into print samples using embroidery
After taking part in a couple of embroidery and print workshops, I started to apply these methods further to my city walk research in order to practise my skills and develop my ideas.
In embroidery, I started using the free embroidery foot on the sewing machine to create circle stitching patterns onto different fabrics, building them up slightly in different colour threads and to generally just have a bit of a play around. My main reason for doing this was just to experiment with the embroidery foot on the machine and practise my skills a bit more but it was fun learning to draw with the sewing machine!
I really enjoyed the couching process that we learned, and decided to give this another go and apply this again to a sample inspired by the Library. I took a piece of blue fabric and applied contrasting yellow circles over the top using bondaweb and an iron, then used a zig zag stitch in a black thread to contrast and to make the circle design stand out, just like on the front of the building.
To incorporate couching into this particular sample, I took a black shoe lace and worked it around the edge of the circles, stitching down as I went. I think this looks really effective, as it brings a 3D element to the sample and makes it look a bit more interesting and skillful than a flat piece of work. I definitely want to add couching into any future samples I create, and I think it will be fun to see what kinds of unconventional materials I can couch down onto fabric and what the outcome looks like.
I also applied my Library research to the techniques I'd learned in the print workshops. Since the stitch and tear fabric worked so well for me combined with the heat press last time and I was impressed with the colour payoff and overall result, I decided to try this out again using the colours of the library and the circle pattern seen all over it.
Much like the multicoloured one I played around with before, I painted some stitch and tear with procion (?) dyes in blue and yellow as seen at the library and waited for it to dry. Afterwards, I cut circles out of the stitch and tear and applied these face down onto my base fabric, pressing it in the heat press for around a minute. I love that the heat press intensifies the colour of the dyes used, and I was really pleased with the result as it made for a vibrant piece that stands out, just like the library does against the Birmingham skyline.
I replicated this process again, but this time choosing to cut an outline of the library into the stitch and tear and pressing this, creating a silhouette of the library onto my base fabric which, again, creates a bright and interesting result.
I decided to combine my embroidery skills to these prints, stitching rough black circles into my circle print to mimic the metal circle design that covers the library. I think the contrast of the black looks really stark and, again, stands out against the blue and yellow of the print.
Instead of again replicating the embroidery process I used on the circle print, I decided to use circular buttons to mimic the library's design. I think it's something a little bit different and built up with a lot of different buttons would look very effective and add a lot of texture to the print but I think I much prefer the last technique of embroidering the circles on as I really like the raw and handmade finish it gives.
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