Fabric manipulations

This is an experiment in fabric manipulation - essentially for a background print to my florals. I have used old scraps of fabric on calico and have tried to create surface interest and a ripple effect or undulating effect. When the colours are manipulated in Photoshop the design takes on depth which I think would translate well in a digital fabric print. This could then be embellished.

Stitched undulations / textured rhythms

I have been exploring texture in the form of embossed quality stitch and undulating rhythms in nature. I have used a silky knitting yarn in the bobbin of my sewing machine and free machined some zigzag patterns with a white colourway (which can be changed in Photoshop). I wanted some fairly abstract rthymic backgrounds for my floral designs. Here is one of a series based on a drawing I did of the Sussex Downs as seen through a train window.

Floral Mode Encore!

I have been rather remiss and not been updating my blog recently BUT I have been busy - here is a little floral number using scraps of pink jersey with a crochet centre. Don't tell anyone but the jersey were a pair of Primark knickers, the centre a not terribly successful crochet flower - but I thought the textures of the two would work well together. I may do some stitching into the "petals" to add a bit more textural interest.

Colour Stories

We are encouraged at college to keep a "Colour Book" so that when we do projects we have a wide vocabulary of colour themes to use. Ideally I should be creating one new page for my colour book every week - I've been very lax, so here is one to start me off on the right path.

I love using black in my colour palettes, particularly for fashion ideas - although it creeps into my interiors and gift projects too. A visit to the Towner Art Gallery's "Dark Monarch" exhbition yesterday has certainly got my inspirational juices flowing and I think it will help me move out of my comfort zone colour-wise - despite the profusion of black and monochrome! I am itching to do some drawing and painting and to try out some new techniques.