KaysHappyPlace: Module 1: Chapter 7: Colour and Texture in Stitch PART 1

I liked the leaf lino cut that I did previously, so decided to make more to use in this stitching chapter. These are the leaves I selected as it's a pretty good mix of shapes. I kept the background rough and decided to enhance this background with straight stitches.

Two of the prints prepared for stitching

The finished pieces. A few variegated threads were used, and the prints were tinted with acrylic paints mixed with Liquitex Fabric Medium. The result reminded me of the black and white photos that my dad used to print, then colour with very dilute inks. It's a unique and distinctive look, and these tinted leaves took me straight back to my childhood.

I frayed the edges - which showed that the prints weren't straight with the grain of the fabric! - then mounted them on African Bark Cloth from Uganda.

I wanted to use a mix of the dyed fabrics I produced, so laid strips on a calico background and stitched them down with machined lines. I cut leaf shapes from the two green fabrics I did manage to produce, stitched them down, and laid pieces of net over as the edges are raw. I decorated this background with straight stitches and chain stitches. I think the result is quite pretty. The colours blend beautifully together, and there is a good contrast of light and dark.

Next I tried a few strips with frayed edges as a background and chose some foliage to stitch. The thread I used is an artificial silk thread that I bought at the Stitching and Knitting Show at Alexandra Palace this year. The seller wouldn't tell me what the thread is made of, but it has the look and feel of rayon. It has a beautiful sheen which doesn't really come across in the scan, but the colours are delicate and the finish attractive. The scan looks quite 'flat', but the sample has more life as the light reflects off the thread, and the green/cream colour is brighter.