Sewing the Distance!: October 2022

Distant Stitch Diploma Module 5 Chapter 2 - Stitching in the Air

Removable grounds have many uses, acting as a stabiliser while stitching or becoming part of the finished piece. I have started with dissolvable fabrics.

I chose a hexagonal shapes as this relates to my theme of 'coral reefs'. Some coral skeletons are hexagonal. Using a range of free machine and hand stitching, in a varying densities, the sample is stitched with cocoon strippings and dissolvable fabric.

The fish are back! Two layers of stitching on dissolvable fabric, layered with fish attached.

Two layers of stitching on Romeo. The lower layer is made from 'rosettes' made by cutting a circle in a piece of fabric and machine stitching across the hole, then cutting the stitching away from the fabric. These rosettes were stitched together using free machine embroidery. The top layer is a series of rings stitched on soluble fabric.

Cords, free machine and hand stitched, worked between Aquabond 2 and Romeo.

Aquabond 2 layered with cocoon strippings, cling film and waxed honesty seed cases. Romeo placed over the top and machine stitched together.

Variegated metallic thread stitched in a circular pattern on soluble fabric.

Embellished felt cut into shapes. Lines of glue were applied to the join the shapes together and then painted white. The piece was turned over, as shown here. Simple but effective.

Experiments with painted and rolled tyvek.

Top right - tubes randomly arranged and loosely stitched in place.

Left - Tyvek 'fans' with small shells.

Bottom - Tyvek tubes mimicking organ coral, soldered together.

Two layers of acrylic sheeting, painted with alcohol inks and cut with a soldering iron. Loosely stitched together to give an impression of rippling water.

Coral skeleton shapes stitched on Thermagauze and burnt away with a heat gun.

Distant Stitch Diploma Module 5, Chapter 1 - To Research Stitched and Lace-Like Textiles

I have chosen to look at Broderie Anglaise because I have a few samples that have been passed down through the family and I would like to know more about the technique.

Broderie Anglaise is an ancient technique which is believed to have originated in Czech Republic. It was brought to England in the 19th Century. Traditionally, it is a type of whitework embroidery done with white thread (typically cotton) on a white fabric (usually a plain weave cotton or linen). During this period, it was very popular on women’s and children’s clothing.

1 - Hand stitched sample

2 - Reverse

To produce the embroidery, a series of round or oval holes (eyelets) of varying sizes are pierced in the ground material (usually a fine linen or cotton) with a metal die or a stiletto and then the edges are turned under and neatened with overcast stitch or buttonhole stitch. The eyelets are generally arranged in the form of geometric patterns (especially the earlier examples) and floral motifs (flowers, leaves, stems, etc). The designs are often delineated with simple embroidery. Over time the eyelet holes became bigger, which meant they had to be cut out. This was done with a pair of fine scissors.

There were several other decorative effects associated with Broderie Anglaise. In particular there was ‘beading’ with a fine ladder effect, which was made by drawing out one or more threads and then making very small eyelets along the line. In the twentieth century the beading holes became large and the ‘laddering’ (rectangular or crescent shapes) became more pronounced. Often patterns in whitework embroidery are stitched around the holes. Initially this was carried out with stem stitch, although later padded satin stitch, as well as padded dots and embroidered lace fillings (in the larger holes) were applied.

The designs and techniques were copied by St. Gallen embroidery machines from the 1870's onwards.