Chapter Six: Cutwork

Hi Sian, here are my cutwork samples based on my earlier design work.

I stitched by eye rather than tracing the designs out as I am trying to work more organically and spontaneously.

A is inspired by cloud formations

B is inspired by a sunset

C is inspired by a rainbow

There are 16 images in total, all labelled this time. I have tried to show the layers as I stitched them.



Sample A. CLOUD FORMATIONS


A1. The base layer of muslin with whip stitch spirals in orange and yellow. The sample is backed with another layer of muslin.














A2. A layer of hand-dyed purple muslin was added and stitched with yellow machine embroidery thread in zig-zag.

Cut away to reveal the layer below.















A3. The finished sample showing the final layer of hand-dyed yellow silk with a fine whip stitch, cut back to reveal the two layers below.

The sample was gently rubbed to distress the cut edges.














A4. The design inspired by cloud formations. The papers are oil pastel resist and Brusho.
















Sample B: SUNSET

B1. The base layer for this sample was one of my earlier samples with oil pastel bonded to it. I added a backing layer of muslin.



















B2. A mix of machine embroidery rayon and silk threads and hand-dyed threads bonded under strips of orange and yellow net.

The bondaweb on the base layer of fabric was reactivated when I added the hot iron.

















B3. Here I've added texture with straight-stitch spirals.















B4. Next I added a layer of blue hand-dyed muslin and straight-stitch in gold to echo the white lines in the design.

The finished sample with the blue muslin cut back and distressed to show the bonded and stitched fabric below.

My original cuts left the piece looking too neat and controlled so I took a deep breath and hacked away at it to get a more organic finish.







B5. This is the design source for this sample. The orginal inspiration was a sunset.

The papers are oil pastel resist and Brusho.





















Sample C: RAINBOW



C1. For my final sample, inspired by a rainbow, I decided to use my practice sample as my base layer of stitching.

Here is my squiggly stitching on hand-dyed calico, backed with muslin.













C2. I've added some extra straight and whip stitch to the sample.

I've used a mix of rayon and silk machine embroidery threads in rainbow colours. The centre spiral is cable stitch in space-dyed perle.



















C3. A layer of green mousseline was straight- stitched diagonally across the sample, then cut back.













C4. Hand-dyed mousseline strips layered diagonally and ready to stitch.

This was a cover-up as I wasn't happy with the previous layer of stitching.















C5. This is a detail of the finished sample showing the lines of cable stitch which are worked in straight stitch and zig-zag.

The thread is space-dyed perle.











C6. Design for the finished sample worked from Brusho papers discharged with bleach.

The source was a rainbow and this is one of the early versions of the design.












C7. The finished sample with mousseline layers cut back to show the stitching on the base layer.