Saturday, March 31, 2007

Couching


I blogged about this piece a little while ago. It is threads couched by machine onto calico, painted with emulsion, covered in writing ink, then rubbed over with Treasure Gold. I had couched the threads on without putting the fabric in a frame first so the surface isn’t raised as much as I would have liked. So I decided to try some other ways of couching.

This first one is threads couched by hand onto calico held in a frame. The surface turned out to be raised far more than I wanted for the piece I had in mind

I painted over the top with white Liquitex Super Heavy Body acrylic paint.

Then covered with Ziller Wild Viola Violet ink with sea salt crystals sprinkled on top. But nothing very interesting happened here.

So I overpainted with more acrylics in (showing off here!) Deep Violet, Diarylide Yellow, Anthraquinone Blue and Fine Interference Gold....

.....then rubbed over with Treasure Gold.


This next piece is Sari Silk yarn, couched onto calico held in a frame, with zig zag machine stitching. It was painted over with white household emulsion paint then black Higgins Calligraphy ink (I run out of writing ink!!) A spot of bleach was dabbed on here and there but it didn’t seem to have too much effect.


A Markal Paintstik in Leaf Green was rubbed over the top of the raised surface.

Then the whole piece was covered heavily in Copper Treasure Gold.



Although it is very difficult to see properly from the photograph, this piece has a real old metallic look about it.

In this last piece the threads have been couched on using freehand zig zag machine embroidery stitch to two layers of calico covered by a layer of muslin. I used various thicknesses of silk, cotton and acrylic novelty knitting yarns. Xpandaprint was then added. I used a heat gun to expand the paste which also melted some of the acrylic yarns. The whole piece was then covered with Higgins Calligraphy ink. There was no need to use bleach on this piece as for some reason the ink diluted in places of its own accord. The close up shows the effect of the Xpandaprint.


The whole piece was then rubbed over with Pewter Treasure Gold.






In my next blog I will show how I have used these samples.

18 comments:

Doreen G said...

Well Lynda you have been busy--I love the "showing off" sample and the Sari silk one.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic Lynda! Can't wait to see how you use these.

Penny said...

Gosh you are so inspirational. I am on holidays at the moment but cant wait to get home and try some of this stuff.

Anonymous said...

These are incredible pieces. Can't wait to see what you do with them!

Micki said...

WOW! I love all of these. I can't wait to see them put to use.

Peggy said...

I like the textures and colors. Wonderfull.
Peggy

Susan D said...

WOW Lynda you have been busy. Can't wait to see what you do with them. I didn't know you could buy Sari Silk yarn?

Nancilyn (Fiberdabbler) said...

More great stuff! My very fave is the one using green paintstix and then treasure coppered.

SeamRippstress said...

Facinating techniques! I've gone back to your Nov 06 posts with each sample and am inspired to try it!

Unknown said...

They are really great Lynda, I always got the feeling I am walking one step behind you. I'm also busy, with threads on fabric and painting them, and than I see your exampels....I'm feeling very depressed!!!!! I love what your doing, keep up the good work!!

maggie said...

lynda - your blog is an inspiration. thanks for all of the detailed photos. i am taking the BA opus program now and it really helps to see what you are doing.

maggie

Unknown said...

lynda

Your work is such an inspiration. I really have not adventured too much into heavly altering my work with paint and glue, but every time I visit here I wonder more and more why I am not doing so.

Looking forward to seeing how you have used these samples.

Zoe

Anonymous said...

Couching? I thought that was a term for what I do of an evening when your grandchildren are in bed? Showing my ignorance again, back to the fish needlepoint for me!! ;-)

Unknown said...

How did I miss this, dam feedblitz fantastic, I am drooling over these samples as usual

Digitalgran said...

Lynda, these samples are wonderful, how I wish I lived nearer to you so I could touch them and feel that scrumptious texture.

gunnelsvensson said...

You samples are so wonderful! I like all the texture!

Alis Clair said...

These are great. Fab textures.
Hugs, Alis

Barbara said...

beautiful!! I'm looking forward to the result!!
Greetings Barbara