Adding Texture with Stitching

Texture in Process 2015 Cindy Grisdela

I’ve been working this week on a quilt for a project that has to be kept under wraps for right now, so it’s been difficult to find something to post about. I’m at the point now where I can share some of the texture I’m creating though.

This piece is an abstracted landscape inspired by a trip to Alaska my family took last summer. The section in the picture at left is part of the foreground and I’m having a great time playing with different stitching motifs and different textures.

I’m using a combination of patterned batik fabrics and hand dyed solids, which makes the stitching decisions a little more challenging. One of the reasons I stopped using much patterned fabric in my designs is that the texture doesn’t show up as well, and you can see that in the image. It really depends on the pattern that’s already in the fabric, as well as the stitch motif I choose, however. The pebbles in the green and brown sections are both stitched on solid fabric and show up well. The abstract flowers in the green slice are easy to see, and the waves in the light brown section. But the fans in the dark brown section at the bottom where the sewing machine needle is don’t show up very well, although the combination of the texture and the crosshatch pattern in the fabric is interesting to me.

The piece will measure 44″ h x 20″ wide, so I have lots of opportunities to try new stitching motifs and combinations!

I’m challenging myself by participating in this project–trying some new things and working within size and content restrictions.  I’ve had to go into my book collection and research techniques for doing what I want to do–both new methods and some that I haven’t used in a while. Stretching my creative muscles. I don’t know if any of this will appear in my regular work any time soon, but it’s good to change things up every now and then!

Hopefully I’ll be able to post more details soon.

My show season starts in a few short weeks–mark your calendars!

February 20-22, American Craft Council – Baltimore, Baltimore, MD. Click here to get an online discount on tickets.

February 27 – March 1, Palm Beach Fine Craft Show, Palm Beach, FL

March 13-15 – American Craft Council – Atlanta, Atlanta, GA.

April 24-26 – American Fine Craft Show/Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT