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Friday, November 17, 2017

Mount Hood Home


Mount Hood Home
8x10

Our condominium social committee recently hosted an art show for the residents.  It was a fun event for everyone and a non-threatening way for residents to show their work as artists and crafters.  I was amazed at the number of ultra talented people in our building.  As I set up my own display of thread sketches, I did not know if I should be inspired or give up and go home!   

I stayed, of course, and the feedback was very generous.  I was flattered and, as always with a commission, a little intimidated when a neighbor asked if I would stitch one of her own photos.  At completion of her thread sketch, she agreed to allow creation process pictures to be posted here.   Each step is described with a few words.  Please feel free to post or email questions about the process or products used to create this thread sketch.

Friday, October 6, 2017

A Bridge For All Seasons

The Tillikum Crossing Bridge featured in my last post was the start of a thread sketch bridge binge.  These 8"x10" thread sketches are derivatives inspired by the photographs of others.  Because they were stitched in a time of healing, I made no pictures or notes documenting their creation.  I hope you will enjoy this simple tour of some of Portland's bridges decorated by the seasons.    

  
Fremont Bridge - Autumn Leaves

St. John's Bridge - A Winter Fog
Broadway Bridge - Spring Cherry Blossoms
Fremont bridge in background

Burnside Bridge - A Summer Sail

An additional thread sketch based on a vintage postcard of the Steel Bridge is posted on my Urban Stitcher Facebook page.  


Thank you for visiting.  I hope you return soon.



Thursday, August 17, 2017

Tilikum Crossing in Thread




The Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, opened for general use on September 12, 2015.  It is open to MAX, Portland Streetcar, TriMet buses, pedestrians and bicycles.  Public vehicle traffic is not allowed.  It is a sparkling beauty during the day, and breathtaking at night with a mesmerizing light show.  One of the best ways to view the bridge is on the Portland Aerial Tram.  This TriMet web page has great video of the lights and interesting facts about the science behind how the lights work.  

I was so intrigued with the lines of the bridge, that I completed two thread sketches from the same photo posted on Wikimedia Commons by Steve Morgon, 2016.  Some of you have already seen the second thread sketch posted on my Facebook banner.  Each thread sketch was created in a slightly different manner.  A few pictures and captions prove there are many ways to achieve similar end results.  

First thread sketch completed, approximately 6"x9"

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Iris and Tea

Our beautiful weather has made it hard to find motivation to return to the sewing machine.  When that happens, I usually find inspiration with bags or dolls.  Although I have a stash of fabrics perfect for bags, my heart wasn't in it.  I found new inspiration with two new dolls made from the old Nola Hart doll pattern that I have used for years.  Iris, the first doll, is entirely based on the Nola Hart pattern, but received a new look at the end.  Tea, the second doll, is my design based loosely on the Nola pattern.  She is jointed and her wardrobe is made of non-traditional materials.  Here are pictures and a few words describing the evolution of these dolls.  
Tea


Sunday, June 18, 2017

Gone Fishing


In honor of Father's Day, I thread-sketched fish to make greeting cards for all the Father's in our family.  King Sailfish Mounts allows use of their images of mounted fish.  There are so many beautiful images, I spent a lot of time perusing their site trying to decide which fish to use.  I stayed true to my normal materials and process, adding color to the fabric before stitching, then using machine free-motion to stitch the images.  The cards are posted here with very little explanation.  I hope you enjoy.
Peacock Bass
Anyone familiar with free-motion quilting will recognize the pebble stitch used here to give the illusion of scales.  Several layers of very small pebble stitches and running stitches allow colors to blend.  Stabilizer is key with so many stitches.


King Salmon
The hardest part to stitch on the King Salmon was the small black spots.  Each spot was stitched separately and the thread was cut between each spot.  It is important to ensure the threads are secure so they do not pull loose.

Mutton Snapper
Many, many tiny shell and pebble stitches.   

Bluegill
I selected this bluegill because it reminds me of the little bluegill and perch we caught as kids fishing with Mom and Dad in Arizona.  F
ree-motion shell stitches create the illusion of scales.
Striped Bass
This is the only fish not found on King Sailfish Mounts.  It was inspired by the artwork of Duane Raver Jr.  

Beautiful Portland summer months lure me away from my sewing machine.  Armed with my trusty iPhone camera, I plan to take advantage of the dry weather to capture stitchable pictures of our neighborhood.  I may sneak a project in here and there, so check back occasionally for updates.  Pictures of most all my projects are posted on my Urban Stitcher Facebook page.  Thank you for visiting.  Please come back!

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Thread-Sketched Wristlets: Orange You Special and Out of the Blue



As much as I enjoy thread-sketched pictures and cards, embroidered bags and clothing do not appeal to me.  A recent shopping trip to NW 23rd proved that, regardless of my feelings, embroidered clothing and accessories are very popular.  There were many cute and unique bags of all sizes and shapes, I was inspired to make a couple of small bags decorated with thread sketches.  I will share in this post how I modified a favorite pattern to make two new wristlets, "Orange You Special" and "Out of the Blue."

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Auditioning with a Portland Street Musician

The extraordinarily cold and wet Portland winter has made me reluctant to go out exploring for interesting street scenes to thread sketch.  Without pictures of my own, I turn to Wikimedia Commons for photographs that people have taken and posted for others to enjoy and use.  There are many beautiful photographs on Wikimedia Commons.  It is a great place to find inspiration.


I recently came across a picture posted in 2014 by photographer Henricus Hirschdorfer, entitled Musician in the Pearl District Portland Oregon.  I loved the picture and decided to try stitching it.   I started the sketch a few months ago and worked on it intermittently.  I followed my usual steps of cropping, printing, and transferring the image to stabilizer.  

My 8x10 version needs more detail.
By HenricusHirschdörfer (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Once the objects in the original photo were stitched, it reminded me of a page from a coloring book.  I set it aside to work on other projects.  Picking it up again last week, I decided it needed more background detail.

Auditioning

Working with a photocopy of the thread sketch makes it easy to audition elements before stitching.  This is especially helpful when adding objects that require proper scale and perspective.   


Objects can be drawn, erased and redrawn as many times as you like without marking the fabric or picking out stitches.  The objects can also be drawn on separate paper and cut out for audition.  

The table and chairs are drawn onto the photocopy.  The seated person was drawn on separate paper and added.  A dab of glue stick keeps her in the chair while tracing to stabilizer.

Once satisfied, the objects are transferred to the water soluble stabilizer.  Using several small pieces of stabilizer allows for adjustments in position without impacting other objects.  It is also a great way to use scraps of stabilizer left over from other projects.  


The permanent ink on the stabilizer can make it difficult to see your stitches, especially on small objects.  Follow the lines on the stabilizer with a single line of free-motion stitches and rinse the stabilizer away before adding color thread.

.  
A little acrylic paint added for background shadows completes the picture.

  If you are familiar with Portland, you may recognize the Biketown bike and one of Portland's "eye"conic bike racks in the upper left.  


Thank you for visiting!

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Basket Weaving

Basket weaving is one of the oldest known art forms.  Nearly every native people, dating back thousands of years, used a variety of organic materials to weave baskets, mats, even rafts.  

I had a chance to make a basket a few years ago when a friend of our daughter visited while we were visiting.  She brought all the supplies and patiently instructed while everyone participated.  It was great fun, but not an art form I could easily do living in a condominium.

The idea to thread-sketch woven baskets was sparked while working on the stitched interpretations of the F. Abel paintings.  The basket weave seemed perfect for thread sketching.  Shapes and designs would be limited only by the imagination, and as complex or simple as you like.  I completed four sketches.  Three of the sketches will be framed or used as cards.  One of the baskets turned into a learning experience.  Because I am unfamiliar with "basket weaver" terminology, I have included many pictures to help explain what worked for me and what did not. 


Flaw to Feature


 

Because the free-motion stitches are almost impossible to remove, mistakes need to be worked into the final design.  This first basket looks quite different than I originally intended.




The initial pencil sketch featured simple patterns around the body and the neck.  

It is important that the horizontal "reeds"  of the basket be drawn evenly across the basket.  This picture shows the lines in the neck of the basket were not evenly spaced creating an unintentional feature.

I first set my machine to a zig-zag stitch and used free motion to create the decorative features of the basket.  Because my reed lines were uneven, it was easier to use straight stitch setting and move the fabric back and forth to create the woven look.

Design elements were added and changed as I went.  The uneven lines in the basket neck became a featured flaw.





Loose zig-zag stitches were added to the neck.  I was satisfied enough with this first attempt to try a few more baskets.

Lessons Learned


Normally, tracing the design to the stabilizer is a quick step, transferring only a few lines as a guide.  Taking care to create even lines across the basket made it more time consuming.  My confidence was high, so I tried a bit more difficult decorative pattern.  You may recognize the insect wings as my logo.  

I started with black twill fabric as the canvas.  I thought I could stitch the reeds and the black fabric would create shadows and definition.  I set my machine to zig-zag stitch and used free motion to stitch the rows.  It did not work for me.  I lost the curve of the basket and it looks messy.  At this point, I still had hope of saving it.  However, because the decorative pattern was no longer visible under the zig-zag stitches, I had to re-draw the pattern onto a second piece of stabilizer.  egads!

A bit of frustration and a mile of thread later, I decided it was a lost cause.  Perhaps more practice using the machine zig-zag stitch in free-motion. 

Back to Basics


Not as confident after the last basket, I found a photo I could follow rather than making my own design.  I traced the shapes and reed lines onto the stabilizer.  I used free-motion with a straight stitch to create the reeds.  The white spokes, or perhaps they are called lashing, were stitched next.  They are long back-and-forth free motion stitches.  The final black stitching added definition and dimension to each row of the basket.  


Basket Composition

I do not have a trained eye for composition, so started with a pencil sketch and a very large eraser.  Looking closely, you can see remnants of a lid leaning against the basket on the right.  The lid created a busy feel with too many lines.  The eraser took care of the lid and the gourd ladle was added in its place.  


The pencil sketch and first layer of water soluble stabilizer with basic shapes and reed lines.

Before applying the layers of stabilizer, I treated the fabric by dampening it with a bit of water and scrunching to create wrinkles.  I gently straightened the fabric and while still damp, used acrylic paints and a dry-brush technique to highlight the wrinkles.  I ironed the fabric removing as many wrinkles as possible.  Once dry, I used an adhesive tear-away and a second layer of tear-away stabilizer on the back.  Make sure your fabric is completely dry before layering the water-soluble stabilizer on top!  The traced picture will dissolve with any moisture!

It is hard to see, but the basic shapes are stitched.
Easier to see on the back side



The reed lines were filled using free-motion and straight stitch setting.  



To create the decorative designs, I photocopied the original sketch and played with patterns on the copy until I found a combination that appealed to me.  Using the copy allowed me to audition and erase without erasing my original lines.  

Just the decorative elements on the stabilizer.  Precision is key.  If your stabilizer stretches or your stitches have puckered the canvas, the second layer of stabilizer will not align with what you have already stitched.  

A few shadows were added to the baskets before proceeding to the decorative stitches. Now, it is time to layer the second piece of water soluble stabilizer over the stitched basket shapes.  Using tape rather than pins to hold stabilizer in place made it easier to match all the lines. 


The stitch patterns can be seen in these close-up photos.  All stitches were free-motion on straight stitch setting. The black pattern lines on the small basket, and the rust colored pattern on the medium basket were created like satin stitches, moving the fabric back and forth multiple times with the needle inserting directly on the horizontal lines of the basket.  It takes a little practice, but does not need to be perfect to produce satisfying results.

I found that the free-motion satin-stitch type sewing requires same or similar color thread in the bobbin.  Pulling the thread across the fabric exposes some of the bobbin thread.  I like that look for some projects, but it was not something I wanted for this picture.

Re-stitching the horizontal lines with a dark color created contrast and draws the eye away from any errant needle entry points.  


The basket thread sketches are time-consuming and a little tedious.  It feels somewhat therapeutic, like,,,, well,,,,, like basket weaving!  I think there is a more fun, and therapy, to be had with thread sketching baskets.  Watch my Urban Stitcher Facebook page for more thread-sketched baskets.  

Thank you for visiting!




Sunday, January 22, 2017

Thread Sketched Africa


I have always been drawn to giraffes.  Their grace and beauty is hard to resist.   Elephants, recognized for demonstrating human-like emotions, are beloved and revered worldwide.  The unique features of these animals made them perfect subjects for whimsical thread sketches.    I hope you enjoy!



Starting From Sketch

It took several attempts to get a design that appealed to my sense (or lack of) balance.  For changes too large to erase, I taped a new layer of paper over the area to be redrawn.
   
The picture (far right) shows a layer of water soluble stabilizer on top of the drawing.  
I have started to trace the lines.  


How much of the drawing is traced to the stabilizer is personal preference.  I want freedom to develop the picture as I go along, but free motion stitches are not easily removed.  For this picture, I was comfortable with these basic shapes.

New Canvas

These sketches were stitched on 10 oz. canvas painter's drop cloth.  I found it in my stash, left over from a painting project.   I love the texture and thought the weight would hold up to heavier stitching.  I was not disappointed, but should warn that although heavier in weight, it still stretches.  I applied Sulky Sticky+ self-adhesive, tear-away stabilizer to the fabric back.  That was enough for these thread sketches, but a more densely stitched project might need additional or heavier stabilizer.

After the basic animal shapes were stitched, I stitched the background.  Although I try to have vague plan for background design before stitching, most background elements are added as I go.    

Elements can be auditioned on stabilizer before stitching. 



After the background is complete, I add detail to primary elements.  


The stitched canvas was sewn to a piece of burlap and a sleeve added to the back for hanging.  The final canvas size is about 11 x 15.


Elephant Stitches

I used the same process for the elephants.  Layers of paper tell the tale of edits.


Squiggly lines of stitching were used to depict a wrinkled hide.


Finished thread sketch is about 11 x 15 inches.

New Ideas to try

Using the 10 oz. canvas made me think of perhaps embellishing a thread sketch with paint.  And, a friend's generosity has inspired me to try sketching the prints of an African artist.  Sew much thread, sew little time!  

Thank you for visiting.  I hope you will return.