TAST 2007 - running stitch

I wish it was more exciting...........:(

I started with this scrap of dyed and discharged linen/viscose fabric.



I outlined the shapes in running stitch in variegated perle and stranded cotton. Then I thought it needed more and I decided to stuff the lines with yarn and some of the other areas with wadding, trapunto style.


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I didn't think ahead, and I stitched right up to the edge, not leaving myself a margin so that I could use this sample later on.

I wish I hadn't bothered!! Never mind, you can't win 'em all....

Well, I couldn't leave it like that!

I had to do something with it:


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I'd stitched right to the edges of the piece, so I wondered if I could add an extra strip by applying it to a piece of felt with the needlepunch machine. That worked OK, although I broke my first needle in the process. Then I wondered if I could recreate the stitched and stuffed effect with needlepunching, so I added a bit more on one end using felt, wool tops (roving) and some scraps of silk and tried to harmonise it. That worked quite well too. (bottom picture)


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To help the new bit to blend in better, I needle punched some of the unstuffed areas of the original piece and added more running stitches. (middle picture)

Then I decided to make it into something - that turned out to be a textile vessel. There is no back seam, because I needle punched the pieces together before I had finished decorating it. I needle punched wool tops (roving) onto a piece of muslin (scrim), cut it to shape and stitched it in as a lining.

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I was about to stitch in a covered cardboard circle for the base, when I read the Week 18 TAST stitch. Now I am tempted to turn it inside out first and add embellishment to the lining with woven wheels.