Exploring Texture & Pattern

I have neglected my blog lately because I have been busy with several things—deadlines for shows, a quilt retreat, company, travel, and an embroidery class. The class is what I want to talk about today.   

I follow www.textileartist.org and receive their newsletter. Check that out here. It is a great resource. If you have never checked it out, you definitely should. They have such wonderful fiber art articles. Anyway, they recently offered a class called Exploring Texture & Pattern taught by Sue Stone. This class is NOT a “how-to” class. Each student works on a project (challenge) totally their own. So far, I have worked on projects (called a Creative Challenges) for the first three classes. There is a private Facebook group for the class where students share their questions, concerns, and pictures of their projects. It is really fun to see how each student interprets the challenges.

For the challenges, we are not to work for perfection; these are samples only. We are to explore and see what works and what doesn't. We are to experiment with each of the concepts presented in the classes.

Right now, we are concentrating on the simple running stitch. For the Class 1 challenge, we were to explore the potential of the running stitch. To vary the look of each of the four squares on the cloth, we could change the threads we used and change the spacing. We were limited to using ONLY a horizontal running stitch. Here is my sample.  

For Class 2, we still used the running stitch. This time the challenge was to vary the look of each of the four squares on the cloth by mixing the threads in the needle. We were still to limit our stitches to horizontal running stitches. In the first square we were to use different tones of threads, in the second we were to use threads in complementary colors, in the third we were to use threads that are texturally different, and in the fourth we were to use threads that are texturally and totally different. Here is my sample.  

I am currently working on Class 3 and the Creative Challenge that goes with it. I’ll report on that when I finish my sample(s). I am enjoying this class VERY much. I like the structure, design limitations, and challenges of the class. It is really stretching my thinking about the simple stitches I use in my work. If you think you might be interested in the class, check it out here. You can find out about the class and what is covered in it (and start saving up your money). Registration closed as of June 23 for this run of the class, but I'd think it would be offered again.