Fallingwater Clincher & Card

Following on from the previous Fallingwater samples I used mistyfuse to add merino wool tops and clippings of threads. This produced a delicate wispy effect.
I then painted some tyvek with acrylics, ironed to create texture and sewed to cloth using seed stitch and french knots. I think it looks like the earth from above.
Then whilst I had the paints out and was eating shop brought pizza, I used the polystyrene base to print on the surface of the cloth. Pizza definitely has a purpose!
I then had a look at all my samples to create a piece of my own. I chose a waist clincher/belt/under bust corset/thingy... The front is made from 4 panels, 2 printed with the pizza base (again!) and various dilutions of bleach (this really stripped the colour well), wisps of wool tops added with mistyfuse and lightly stitched; and 2 panels manipulated into a honeycomb effect. The back is plain green cotton and is linked with corset hooks. It is intended to can be worn with red ribbon wrapped around, to bring it back to my original sketch... remember?
Finally, my friend Paul is moving away from Glasgow, so in honour of many a night drinking in West - the only brewery in the UK to produce (intoxicating) beers to German purity laws. I made a cross stitch card, inspired by a pattern found in a charity shop bargain book Cross Stitch Year by Jo Verso.
After all this hard work, I think I am in need of a holiday ;)

Fallingwater texture samples

I'm currently working on 'a piece of my own'. I've taken as a starting point a collage that I did earlier in the year, based on a sketch of Fallingwater. I decided to focus on the right hand side of the collage; the contrasting textures and complementary colours of the red & green paper scraps.
I then did some rough collages focusing on this area using different papers:
And using fabric scraps:
I've then been trying to re-create the texture in the greens. Inspired by my current reading 'The Art of Knitting' by Francoise Teller-Loumagne, I used knitting stitches to create samples. All the swatches used the same yarn, needles and the same number of stitches cast on. I like the bobbly surface of moss stitch, the swirls of the random cable and the nodules created by little 'sock heels'.
Using some green cotton as a backing, I added layers of machine sewing using only two stitches. I like the way the fabric gets pulled and distorted by the stitches.
Finally using the green cotton background, I pinched the fabric together and sewed with embroidery thread. This created an odd honeycomb effect.
Next to create textured samples with tyvek, printing & mistyfuse!

September update

Things have been quiet on the blog front of late, I was busy finishing my work for the hand embroidery network exhibition. Must now get back on track with my OCA work! Remember my lovely jumper I'm knitting? I had a terrible incident where my circular needles broke, and am still awaiting a replacement. Fortunately the accident happened whilst I was at Stitch 'n' Bitch, and Gillian very kindly came to my rescue and saved my stitches. I'm sure if I was at home I would have just cried and ripped it all out, to start all over! Will my jumper get finished in time for winter? I am now working on a secret cross stitch instead (shhhh!!! details to follow I promise!).

A bargain bookstore has opened in town, which has forced (!) me to buy a book on International Arts and Crafts. Some gorgeous images in this book, especially by Lindsay P Butterfield and Charles Voysey. I found a company that produces Arts and Crafts wallpapers, if only we lived in an old property, they would be just perfect!