The final chapter.
I settled on a swirling design for the top of the base, using free machine embroidery to create the lines and filling in with clusters of French knots. I added shisha mirrors to add reflection, as this is an 'under water' piece. I worked on white faux silk with silver machine thread. I used 2 strands of Wonderfil Glamore thread, which is white with a silver metallic thread twisted through it for the French knots. I then painted the fabric with Dynaflow paints (azure blue and turquoise), and added salt crystals of concentrate the colours.
This is the sketch I drew to translate into stitch for the swirling wave/water.
I stitched onto soluble fabric and added covered wires to give the stitching support, so that it stands vertically on the base. Shisha mirrors were added in the circles later on.
Close up of the stitching.
I made 2 circular shaped pieces to go round the sides.
Next I made some shapes to create sea cabbage coral.
I stitched the pieces together to form the coral. I added metallic orange paint at a later time to check the effect.
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| Front |
I have placed the piece on a box to display it. In the centre the fish are suspended on wire around a central column of covered wire. Below the fish there is a circle of blue lights to add 'coral luminescence' at night. It could be loosely called a night light. The machine lace has shisha mirrors on it and when the sun catches them, circles of light are reflected round the room.
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| Side |
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| Back |
... I was very disappointed with the result. It looks like an iced cake! Not the underwater world I had hoped to create. The circular shape is too rigid. It should have been soft and undulating. The upright lace doesn't combine well with the base and the fish look rather odd!
So, back to the drawing board. I unpicked the 'cake' and looked at all the separate pieces. However I was going to adapt the pieces, the main shape would still be round as the base stitching was very attractive, with its variegated colours, machine stitching and French knots.
I have a large collection of shells that I have collected over many years and the one that was on the top of the pile was a nautilus shell. It was round, hurray! I went on the search for photos.
Studying the shape of the nautilus shell, I re-cut the base so that the top is at an angle. The shell is much thicker/higher at the bottom than at the top. I cut through the sides of the base at an angle so that the top part is lower/narrower than the bottom part. I then stuck the top down again, this time at an angle instead of flat.
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| Displayed hanging on the wall |
The swirling pattern was already easily visible from my previous stitching and can be clearly seen here. There are 3 distinct swirl of pattern. There is an inner swirl of shisha mirrors, next an unstitched area widening over the edge of the base and thirdly the swirls of machine embroidery and French knots around and over the edge. To add another swirl, I padded out the outer edge of the base. The lower part of the base has more padding than the top part, to mimic the shape of the nautilus shell. I stitched the padding in place by stitching down around the centre to form a channel. There had been extra fabric on one side of the base, so I opened this out to extend the shape of the shell and left the edge raw. I re-used the soluble lace pieces to make tentacles and added orange thread covered wires to add shape and contrast. I used the outer ring of one of the sea cabbage coral to surround the 'eye'. The lighting was in place when I completed the 'cake', so I didn't have to make any adjustments here.
The circle/body has a diameter of 8" and measures 16" across.
Close up with lights on.
Close up with lights off.
This was not the outcome I was anticipating but I'm delighted with the final result. I started out with the idea of making an underwater lantern and I think I have achieved this although by a long and winding route!
I have enjoyed experimenting with different media and learnt some useful lessons along the way, including not to give up hope of success! I would still like to work with alcohol inks on acetate. The effect is wonderful but machine stitching into it was not successful. Maybe hand stitching through pre-cut holes might work. I also loved the shapes I created with the glue gun so maybe they'll turn up in something else. More challenges and experimenting ahead!
Luminescing Nautilus!
SUMMARY
Costs:
Fabric | £1.00 |
Felt | £0.50 |
Wadding | £0.10 |
Paints | £5.00 |
Acetate | £2.00 |
Alcohol inks | £10.00 |
Metallic thread | £10.00 |
Madeira thread | £2.00 |
Wire | £5.00 |
Cardboard | £0.50 |
Soluble fabric | £4.00 |
LEDs + conductive thread | £4.00 |
Switch coin cell holder | £1.85 |
Battery | £0.25 |
TOTAL | £46.20 |
Time Taken: | |
21 Dec 2020 | Design stage started |
21 Mar 2021 | Final designs completed |
23 Dec 2020 | Samples and embroidery started |
24 Jun 2021 | Redesign completed |
27 Jun 2021 | Nautilus night light completed |
Time spent on Design | 56 hours |
Time spent on Samples/Embroidery | 125 hours |
