Design for 3rd assessment piece- banner or panel

I could put it off no longer and tackled a design for a banner.
I have now got to stage where I want to get on with it and so thought I would post for comments and help from you all and from Sian.
It was back to the estuary - I did many sketches and coloured pencil drawings. I painted in water colour - it was not good- if it looked bad in paint it would be worse in stitch- so I simplified. - I decided on a felted background with machine and hand embroidery- though i did consider a canvas background and "collage" and machine and hand stitch.
Below are design developments. To increase contrast and interest I want to do 2 long thin textiles based on low tide and high tide, contrast in weather and contrast with the natural pebbles/ sand versus urban road bridge, oil tanks. They will each be about 21cm x 60cms ie half A2 size.

I was putting drawings in sketch pad so some are trying out format/ideas

I did simple collages to explore further

 I made small pieces of felt for stitching samples while waiting for wool to arrive

When wool arrived I made 2 sample pieces of felt in the designs above- they are 1/2 A3 size and I plan to sew embellish so I know how to do larger final pieces. These samples are 3 layers of wool and I would either have to back them eg with ready made felt or do more layers 4/5 - backing has the advantage of covering the back of the stitching
Also covers if there are thin patches- it is felting 101 for me-
low tide sun on L high water grey day on R

 

I originally thought I may lace them together with a gap between but have decided to wait and see.
Back to stitching.
Please comment distant stitchers- this is all very new.

module 4,ch 13: Artists and paper work

Completing module 4: Information on 2 artists Jeanette Appleton and Louise Gardiner.
I chose felting artist Jeanette Appleton because I enjoyed learning to make felt in this module and have been browsing the web for "how do people use felt and needlefelting".  Louise Gardiner came to NZ and I went to a class- drawing odd  looking people in machine stitch, it was a good class and fun to use sewing machine. I especially appreciated her design and drawing skills as well as machine stitching skills after the class.

And evaluation, authenticity and health and safety / storage

Now onto a slow start to module 5 and thinking about assessment pieces.
happy stitching to all distant stitchers

module 4 ch8-11 Forever flowers- ch11 Resolved samples

ch 11: resolved samples to develop a design in felt
The final 3D rose is my selected resolved sample. p33
Apart from breaking needles leading to much stress I also enjoyed making  the picture of flax p 32

I have posted 2 scans of p33 as  I rearranged both pieces to show different views.

Well its back to scavenging on the web for 3 artists and then the paperwork- or to dream about module 5 and lace. There will be a delay to go skiing and watch olympics etc
Enjoy your stitching distant stitchers and keep posting.

Module 4 (Ch8-11) Ch 10 Felt making

ch 10 and 11 were another GLE (great learning experience) as the only felting I had done was needle felting a ball. It was fun and an excuse to stand in the bath stomping on the wool.
However my beginner status meant I made felt: too thin and had to cover holes or join layers, or too thick so it was like springy turf.- I was looking forward to playing with the embellisher foot I bought  for my machine- it took me 11 broken needles before I learned that it really was for just embellishing with a single layer of wool and doesn't manage tangled scrim, or 6 layers /strips of fabric with close weave. I kept my fingers mostly intact and I was pleased I wear glasses as broken needles were ejected in all directions.

ch10 Felt making

 

module 4 Ch8-11 (chapter 8) Slips and prints

Ch 8
In module 4 of diploma you can choose between ch 7- shibori,  and ch 8 - make a slip from a printed image using transferred or direct digital printing methods.
I have not used transfer papers, or printed on to fabric so I chose chapter 8 and learned as i went along. There were near misses- the printer said it was jammed for days until I left it to sulk, and recover,  after one page of printing.
I thought distant stitchers may be experimenting with printing images at summer school in class with Sandra Meech so I wanted to experiment. My results are variable, or perhaps better to say "experimental".

module 4 forever flowers ch 8-11

Another posting.
Chapter 9
I was waiting until I had completed ch 8 before posting. As I wanted to play with making felt, I did the chapters in a different order and finished 8 last night, I have just put all the numbers on the pages in the wrong order so I shall start posting with chapter 9 - Design.

Module 4 Forever Flowers Ch 2-6

I started chapter 2 in February whilst on holiday in Gisborne, and the most suitable flower to draw was a rose. It is hot in gisborne and hibiscus and other heat loving flowers flourish and are more common than roses.  I saw this one at Matawhero vineyard and so I bought a case of wine and asked if I might have a rose to draw. They owners kindly gave me one, and said this rose was created for the previous owner's wife. It is a lovely colour, yellow and soft shades of peach and orange. The wine is good as well.

I finished chapter 6 at the start of May, garden roses are a distant memory as it now almost winter.

 

 

 

This module is useful for using all those pieces of dyed material and stamped fabric that did not make it into other modules work .
Enjoy your stitching