Notan trees, sort of.

I just found this unpublished post, will post it now, even though it is out of sequence and the world has changed mightily.

This was done in early March, before the virus hit us and also before our beloved dog died! It has been strange to read it now. But I will still post it because I really do use this site as a visual diary for myself. I was much more light-hearted then.

My machine embroidery group at the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria, has the theme of trees this year. There are no specifications apart from the sewing part.

As I have done lots of tree pieces in the past, I have decided to either go back and see if I can finish unfinished pieces, reuse them or just come up with something slightly different with a new piece.

I came across Notan images recently. They are positive and negative images, coming from a Japanese tradition. That's about all I know really. Didn't do a lot of research, just liked what I saw and thought it might be fun to try.

I drew up an image and then cut it out. You paste that down and then do the cut out bits flipped over and you have your positive and negative image. Sounds easy!

Well, I did't do it the way I had been reading about, which uses a square or rectangular shape and you cut into all 4 sides. Sample here.

I came across a post which had trees but had only used two sides of the rectangle and had flipped them horizontally. I thought I would give that a go - without really trying the all four sides version first.

I did it with paper first. Don't ask why I chose orange paper, it was just to hand. No other reason.

This worked out ok so I tried it with fabric.
I had gone away for the weekend and took some of my sewing stuff with me. Unfortunately, I took the adhesive interfacing rather than the Vleisofix, so that made things a bit harder than I had planned!!

Not to be put off, I drew my design on the interfacing and ironed my fabric to it. The ironing obscured some of the drawing. And I realised it was going to be in reverse when I placed it on the backing fabric. Not to worry, there is no particular orientation.

Then I realised that my cut out pieces would have to be flipped and the interfacing would be on the wrong side. So I reversed the image and traced it again.

As I handled the pieces the interfacing started to peel off, so I took it all off, leaving a light residue of glue. That helped enormously with the ironing into place, ready for me to sew.

I chose a very bright background piece of fabric that reminded me of a sunset (or bushfires - can't get them out of my head yet). The reverse image didn't work at all well, so I only used the initial piece.

I wanted to see how the reverse image would look on less dominant fabric, so trialled two pieces I had.

I decided on a different grey, even though I wasn't sure I was going to be able to see the tree shapes. I can usually see them but have to concentrate on the light parts, they aren't always obvious to me. 

So now I have two pieces and no idea what to do with them! I know that they are just me playing around with an idea and seeing if it would work but it seems awfully wasteful to just put them in my experimental pile and/or visual diary. So I will keep thinking about them and see what occurs to me. 

Revisiting the past

Well, what a year it is turning out to be!

Being in the social distancing period, I have started a tapestry. It was for an exhibition that I assume will not go ahead but I went with my initial idea anyway.

I was going to do an image of trees with a background that is either sunset or bushfires. It is up the viewer. I was going to call it What Do You See?

I was feeling rather stressed by the initial instructions to stay home, so have warped up the loom - it took me the usual ridiculous amount of time. I really must practise!

Then I decided to do the small tapestry hitching on. I also decided to do the image sideways, so the tree trunks would be relatively smooth.

The image changes colour all along the edge. I really didn't do a good job of making a cartoon. I have played around with several images, some from the internet, one from a photo of a piece of fabric.

I am using a piece of sewing I played around with, using the fabric and the basic idea.

I did a rough idea of what I wanted. I also found another image I might like to use and photocopied it in black and white.

So now I have a cartoon with no colour! But I started anyway, the stress of all the changes to our lives made me desperate to be deep into weaving.

Now I am making it up as I go. I think some of the colours are way too strong. But I am not going to do anything about that. It will be what it will be (as someone or other said).

I have got past the stressful hitching on, I have coloured, roughly, the cartoon (very roughly) but I am still making it up as I go.

I think the image would work much better if I turned it around and did the portrait orientation but it is too late now.

The weaving is giving me some much needed concentration that is not about COVID 19! It will serve its purpose whether the colours are right or not.