7:6

Here two layers of net have been cut in a jagged strip and inserted allowing the fabric below to be seen.

7:7

Again following an idea discussed with Sian I made fish stitched and stuffed with cotton wool and given bead eyes.  In reality the sample is much more 3D than can be seen here.  The sample might be more successful with more fish of varying sizes to link seam and the piece of fabric together.

Simple Ideas for Trimming

Below are a range of ribbons, cords and toggles.  Once my imagination was fired I had no shortage of ideas and as I post this blog I have further thoughts still simmering in my mind.  I've tried to be flexible in my interpretation of ribbons, cords and toggles and used fabrics beyond those I had collected and dyed.  It was useful to go back to Chapter 4: Drawing Patterns, to look again at the mackerel, herring and trout.  I deliberately set out to use untried techniques, inspired by the books of Valerie Campbell-Harding and Janet Edmonds, whose structured approach and clear prose is always so helpful.

Ribbon - a long narrow strip of fabric used for tying something or for decoration.

Ribbons described from top to bottom:
1. Strip of hand-dyed fabric printed with acrylic paint using corrugated card, edges zigzagged and pinked.
2. Strip of the above fabric, silk threads bonded under organza and over-stitched along the edges.
3. Strip of the above fabric, sequined and mounted on a strip of black fringed fabric,
4. As above and zigzagged with hand-dyed cotton rayon slub.
5. Strips of three different scale and width spotted fabrics layered.

6. Interwoven lines of script, edges zigzagged.

7. Narrow strip of fabric hemmed, thin wire inserted and zigzagged in place.  Caution, where the needle catches the wire it puls through the fabric.

8.Narrow strip of fabric, stitched with a zigzag design along its length, hemmed and beaded.

9. Length of gathered black net stitched along a length of hand-dyed fabric, the edges pinked.

10. Strip of spotted fabric stitched along a length of wider black fabric and over-stitched.

11.Two wide strips of hand-dyed fabric sprinkled with black fabric scraps and over-stitched both width ways and length ways using Vilene Soluweb to stabilize during the process.  After washing through the edges are stitched with a decorative stitch.

Cord -- long thin string or rope made from several twisted strands.

The cords are described from left to right:

1. Fine strand of cotton perle corded with black machine thread.

2. Strip of brown-black velvet corded with silver-black metallic thread.  The fabric was threaded through the cording foot pile side down so that the pile showed.

3. Strips of black sari waste and black and white gingham corded with silver-black metallic thread.

4. Three single strands of thin grey wool corded with silver-black metallic thread and plaited.

5. A twist of three cords -- white knitting tape corded with black and two cords of Narvik wool corded with silver-black metallic thread.

6. Tube of grey-black dupion threaded with several strands of thin wool and gathered.

Again fro left to right:
1. Strip of black and white spotted fabric, rough edges turned in and knotted.
2. Strip of organza which has been dyed using a Shibori technique and knotted.  The result is very light and insubstatial.
3. Sari waste and knitting tape corded separately and then together with silver-black metallic thread and knotted at close intervals -- a very attractive cord with weight.
4. Sari waste corded yet again with silver-black metallic thread, then again to attach short strips of the sari waste.
5. Corded brown-black velvet with the addition of short lengths of raffia dyed with black ink and fine silver wire spirals.  This time the fabric was threaded through the cording foot pile side uppermost so that the pile did not show.

A toggle -- a narrow piece of wood or plastic attached to a garment, pushed through a loop to act as a fastener. 

The toggles are grouped and described clockwise from top left:

1. Rolled paper, printed on the white cartridge paper, or painted black and a range of threads or fine   beading wire wound on.  The ends are wound with a narrow strip of paper, again painted black as are the ends.

2. Elongated triangles of printed paper rolled to make a  rounded shape rather than the cylinders above.  Both groups one and two could be attached by threading a strip of fabric through the bead.

3. Long strips of fabric (dyed cotton and net) bound with thread and then coiled.  The smaller toggle is firm to the touch and the addition of a sequin or button allows it to be attached to an item.  The net toggle is more of a rosette, though attractive not really practical as a fastening.

4. Padded white muslin beaded with tiny matte grey beads.  A rounded scrunched piece of black muslin fastened with crosses of thick linen thread.

5, More paper cylinders wrapped in threads, felt embroidered with fine lines and trimmed with tiny sequins or sari waste wrapped with fine beading wire, creating smooth and textured surfaces.

Looking with New Eyes

What a wonderful transition the last month has brought: new eyes.

I left Urchfont preoccupied, knowing that my first eye "procedure" (a not entirely relaxing euphemism) would take place the following morning.  Dear husband came to drive me home and offer moral support.  The hospital isn't far away, and is brand new thanks to a substantial gift.

I am taken in and processed.  Sitting amongst the elderly, the wheelchair bound, at sixty two I feel misplaced.  We move inexorably towards the operating room, drop by antiseptic and dilating drop, wrist named, now left eyebrow marked and checked yet again before blue-hatted, hand held, I meet the team in the white-lit operating room.

Now ten days later after my second op, a veteran, no cataracts, new lenses, my brain accustomed to this state of play, I am amazed.  I joke I have the eyes of a seventeen year old, since that was the time at which my eyes began to fail.  It is a curious thing though to see myself and others without the barrier of external lenses.  It is exciting to see the world so sharply.  However, and isn't there always an however, small print and threading needles remain a challenge uncorrected by the "procedure" and must wait -- for glasses!