Part Three - Notes & Reflective Commentary

How does working with fabric in this way compare with working directly with stitch?

I found you can have more choice, It allows your design to stand out more with 3D effect. 
I think it also lets you have more variety because you can mix fabric & stitch together.
I had not done anything like this before so I did find some parts challenging.

Are you pleased with the shapes and movements that you have created in both 
applique and fabric manipulation? What would you do differently?
Overall I'm please how the projects have turned out. Stage two I wasn't sure if I had done this correctly.I did enjoy doing the designs.I loved the way the knitted Hollyhocks came out, I had not attempted anything like that and I can certainly see ways to got with them.I think on the cut back applique I would have hand stitched around the cut edge if I had only known my sewing machine was going to play up!

How did the pieces work in relation to your drawings? Were the final results very different from the drawings? Did the fabric manipulation technique take over and dictate the final result?

Some pieces were very different from the sketch such as Bunch of Flowers, I felt itcame out well but didn't look like the drawing at all. The stage 2 colourful drawing I felt didn't look like the painting, the threads of twisted wool were obviously going the correct way but the colours were different so I think this maybe had something to do with it. However Stage two I think some maybe looked too much like the drawings!

Was it helpful to work from the drawings in the applique' exercise? Would you have preferred to play directly with cut shapes and materials?

It helped in the way I knew in my mind I was going to make Hollyhocks and use cotton material and wool (at the time I wasn't sure how I would make them work together), to be fair I worked ideas in my head from previous knitting experience.

I think it might have been easier with cut shapes & materials not sure though.

How do you feel about working with stitch in general?  Is it a area you would like to pursue in more depth?  Do you find it limiting in any way?

I love working with stitch, I will be doing more with it. The only little issue I find is, 

it can take me longer which I think is just lack of experience in this field. 


Books used for research 

 The New Textiles Trends & Traditions - Chloe Colchesters
Textiles Today, A Global Survey Of Trends And Traditions - Chloe Colchester
Colour on Cloth - Ruth Isselt (Loved this book, loads of ideas) 
Drawn to stitch - Gwen Hedley (Very useful for drawing techniques)
Two Hour Silk Ribbon Embroidery - Malissa Williams
Textile Art - A practical & inspirational guide to manipulating colouring and embellishing fabric - This book was fantastic explaining how to make things. 
Stitch - February/March