The initial concept is the sketch with the peacock feathers indicated -- I think carrying on the peacock motif is an amusing conceit. Using cameos with the motif positioned in them didn't work for me in the long run and I decided to try out other ideas. The next set of drawings posted here were what I ended up choosing from. The middle one worked up roughly in colour is what I intend to develop.
The motif was inspired by a trade textile from Gujarat, dating from the 15thC and exported to Indonesia or East Timor. In this conceptual sketch I modified the quatrefoil to fit the shape of the axe head fan and made the indigo areas black.
The ground will be scraps of duppion silk again with applique for each layer of colour. I've prepped this by tacking it to a calico base large enough to form a two sided covering for the cardboard. Am currently working up the motif more precisely and drawing the patterns for each layer. The peacock feathers need to be sorted and graded -- I hadn't realised that peacock feathers are one sided so I need double the quantity, fortunately I suspect that there are enough to go around the outer rim of the fan in my stocks. The dots I will embroider in silk or cotton as the mood takes me or sourcing provides. At this stage it is a toss up as to whether I use satin or chain stitch.
The motif was inspired by a trade textile from Gujarat, dating from the 15thC and exported to Indonesia or East Timor. In this conceptual sketch I modified the quatrefoil to fit the shape of the axe head fan and made the indigo areas black.
The ground will be scraps of duppion silk again with applique for each layer of colour. I've prepped this by tacking it to a calico base large enough to form a two sided covering for the cardboard. Am currently working up the motif more precisely and drawing the patterns for each layer. The peacock feathers need to be sorted and graded -- I hadn't realised that peacock feathers are one sided so I need double the quantity, fortunately I suspect that there are enough to go around the outer rim of the fan in my stocks. The dots I will embroider in silk or cotton as the mood takes me or sourcing provides. At this stage it is a toss up as to whether I use satin or chain stitch.
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2 comments:
I like the top picture's bottom sketch best (personally.) Not that that's at all relevant to your work.
Also I got my silk flosses for the first ever silk floss use project that I'll be starting after the holiday.
It is in a way because it was an exercise in recalling the motif without having the reference book at hand.
Let me know how the silk works for you. I enjoy working with it. It doesn't hold up to a lot of abuse being hauled through canvas though. Has a wonderful luster when finished that you don't get with cotton.
Get yourself a good hand cream with AHA's in it. Use it as often as you can and especially last thing at night. You'll need it. Get a red emery board because you'll need it too to sandpaper some of the rough skin you'll get on your fingers working with silk -- yes it causes callouses! Get into the habit of scrubbing your hands with sugar and oil (I like olive) and rinse off at the sink with very hot water. Helps remove rough skin when you work a lot with silks and smooths those embroiderer's rough spots like on the left hand where you guide the needle coming through and get tiny surface pricks from the embroidering and the skin dies. Get a small sharp cuticle cutter on a stick -- look a little like a v shaped shovel that lets you trim around the cuticle. Keep it and your sewing stuff together.
There is nothing more annoying than when your rough skin shreds the silks as you're working.
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