Here's where we are.
At this point the back looks quite Asian, Indonesian robe, japanese influenced large angular appliques, Indian sari silk fabric in the reverse appliques those little hexagons, and the overlay appliques.
The front is pretty European in feeling, what with the roses, the couching, the hammered flowers. The sashiko, running, stitching is Japanese though.
No idea why it shows, accurately, black in one pic, grey in the other.
These are just my design observations on standing back and looking. They weren't at the forefront of planning, such as it was.
I'm definitely thinking again about a dressmaker's dummy and how to make one, after Mary Ann's suggestion. It can display this piece and be useful for fitting actual wearable kit.
Sashiko stitching is so satisfying, because the repeated rows not only look interesting, they add body and heft to the fabric. In fact that was their original purpose -- weatherproofing work clothes and military wear long ago. Even when the stitch was functional, it still was done with thought. It's a quilting stitch, as quilting blogistas will have instantly noticed.
And that brings me to a couple of sashiko based works I did at the Embroiderers Guild.
As you see, the fabric was pre-printed with stitches. I didn't follow them literally, but selected what to stitch, what to leave.
I edged and backed them with Japanese fabric, thank you, stitcher Ginny, for the teaching and the materials. I stiffened these with card with some idea of making an artist's book. But now I'm thinking here are my inside pockets.
Writing in here is a spur to ideas. You as a reader and commenter are definitely part of the process. Thank you.
Stiches and appliques are interesting together.
ReplyDeleteSo much work converging. I can visualize it, emerging from drawers, shelves, closets, between book pages, many secret places, and not flying, slowly converging on to your sewing table. I hope it lands in an orderly way.
ReplyDeleteI love that image! Handsome Son saw it for the first time this evening, liked how it's going. He particularly approved the German white work. Said, wait, those silk stars, weren't they hanging in the kitchen window? Yes, until this afternoon.
DeleteThe Robe Of Many Nations (fitting name, don't you think?).
ReplyDeleteWell it will be by the time it's done! One if the knitting group asked to see it and noted the back looked Japanese. She asked if it's a kind of sampler of stitching styles. Which it is, in a way.
DeleteShe's been trying to get up the nerve to learn embroidery, evidently it's intimidating, and she looked with interest at the sashiko stitching. I think she was thinking hm, that's a stitch I could do..