Week 11 1st-5th Dec

Now I have finally handed in my dissertation draft I have been easing back into my practical work. I have been feeling a little bogged down with concept/context so thought I'd inject something new into my project. I had a go with the cording foot in the embroidery workshop. The structure resembles piping and I wanted to explore the possibilities of the technique. I used two sized cords and black felt to stitch onto. A lot of the products I have been researching have been made out of felt. Its soft, comforting, protective and warm. Perhaps the cold weather at the moment drew me to it. The process of stitching back and forth, back and forth was therapeutic and rhythmic.

The process of stitching down the cord is creating order, but sometimes the foot slipped and made the line irregular. What if I used a more unruly cord, more chaotic? Or left breaks in the stitching to reveal the cord, or a tassel?

I am pleased with the tactility of the surface and the rhythm it creates as you run your fingers along.
The finished surface is playable and holds its shape well. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how the surface changes when other materials are used for both the ground surface and the cord. Scale is something I am keen to investigate, although I won't be able to use the cording foot. What is the biggest "cord" I can stitch over? Maybe I will have to stitch by hand.

A selection of samples

Holding structure