Module 3, Chapter 10: Making the accessory

To start with my accessory I collated my previously decorated/coloured fabrics together along with a few new ones that I dyed and printed. I knew that my piece needed to be double sided so I composed them together into two separate but same sized rectangles. I ensured that the size of these were bigger than A3 to accommodate for the extra width I wanted in the spiral shape. I patch-worked the pieces together.

As my favourite technique from the whole project had been free machine embroidery I wanted to use this as my main embellishment onto the fabrics. I first worked back into the spirals that had been created with my print and dye effects. For some of these I simply followed the spiral shapes that were already there with my stitchery and for others I created new spirals within the spirals with a circular motion while stitching.

Once my rectangles of fabric had been constructed and had been free machine embroidery embellished I then 'Bondawebbed' them together so they were back to back- giving me my double sided fabric. I realised that the Bondaweb would not be enough to secure the sides together on their own with any strength so I used the opportunity to add more free-machine embroidery. On this occasion I worked into the spaces between spirals. I was conscious at this stage that anything I did on one side would automatically be visible on the other side so I would do a little stitching then flip the fabric over to do a little more then flip back. To enhance this further I used a blue bobbin with an orange top thread in the machine.


3/10/6: Embellishing my fabrics

The next stage was to cut in my spiral. I debated whether or not to mark out where to cut first, but decided to just take the plunge and go for it! that said I had already practised this a fair bit on plain paper. To see how this all worked as an accessory I then experimented with draping my spiral cut fabric over a mannequin.


3/10/7: Spiral cut fabric draped on the mannequin to see how it looked


I loved the fact I had created not one but endless accessories due to the nature of the variety of possibilities for draping my accessory around the neck. Although I felt that my free machine embroidery looked very effective I decided that my accessory was lacking something so enhanced each side with an additional spiral embellishment. On one side I added an orange pearl bead spiral. I made the point of graduating the bead size for this like I had previously done with my resolved sample for chapter 9. On the other side I used couching (one of my favourite hand embroidery techniques from my earlier hand stitched sampler). For the couching I used a yarn with a blended colour effect. I have to admit on reflection that I could have made a little more of this particular spiral- maybe I could have started the spiral a little tighter? Could I have composed it so that it would have been a little more dramatic? Was it too subtle? Maybe I could have embellished it further with a few beads? For both of these embellishments I once again had to be very conscious that what ever I was adding to one side would affect the other side.

Even with these new spirals I felt that the piece lacked something. I was also discovering at this stage that where I had cut the spiral (and after handling the piece quite a lot) that the edges were starting to come apart. I decided to use a hand applied blanket stitch around the edges to hold them together and give a contrast edging. The benefit of doing this is that I ended up enhancing the spiral effect, most notably when the piece was being stored flat. My final piece is as follows showing a few variations and possibilities for draping over the mannequin:


3/10/8: My final accessory

 


3/10/9: My final accessory close up views