Sketching with Thread

Ever since I read Twyla Tharp's book on building the creative habit, early every morning I sit at the sewing machine and practice freemotion quilting, even if only for a few minutes.  More often than not I do not have a predetermined idea of what I will make, but today it was different.  The fabric that Deborah Stanley gave to me last Saturday was calling for something more than random freemotion stitching.

I began with a  7" x 8" fabric sandwich of commercially printed fabric .  It was very light and had tiny little blue and green dots on it.  Because it was so light, it was almost invisible here so I didn't  post a picture but you will see it as you see the process develops.

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 I also had some left over water thinned Setacolor fabric paints that I had used in another project and wanted to see if drawing with it might produce a painterly effect..

Thinned Setacolor Fabric Paints

Stiff Fabric Painting Brush

First Application of Thinned Fabric Paints

 After the fabric paint dried, I used an Ultra Thin Retractable Sharpie pen to do a loose floral sketch.

Loose Sketch with Sharpie Pen

 I then dropped the feedogs on my sewing machine and set about freemotion sketching a more detailed floral image.

Thread Sketching

 Sharpie now has a product called "Stained" markers for use on fabrics and I deepened each of the floral units near their centers with the pink marker.  The red was much too dark and would have made for a contrast that was too stark.  Here is the unbound finished practice piece. 

Close-up of Stitching and Highlighting.

Until I have used all the fabric swatches that Deborah gave me, I just may continue to create freemotion sketched practice pieces that have a semblance to something that is recognizable, even if nature may never produce anything akin to my loose application of color and line.