A Pulled Work Sampler – Second Installment
Pulled Work Detail 3
Pulled Work Detail 4
There are so many pulled work stitches that I was in more danger of running out of patience than of running out of stitches.
Star Stitches in the heavier thread create a strong horizontal divider, with the colour change rippling across the fabric.
Then I worked two pulled work stitches each at two different scales. One of the patterns creates something a little like festooned curtains, another creates the effect of a tiled roof. Although I worked this many years ago, this playing with scale is something that, when I was doing the Tudor and Stuart Goldwork Masterclass, I came to realise was a very important element of stitch choice and effect.
Pulled Work Detail 6
Pulled Work Detail 5
Again the heavier thread made a good divider, this time a dagged edge straight out of medieval heraldry, and then Wave Stitch ( the right- hand picture – possibly not pulled tightly enough!) and a brick pattern follow on.
I still cannot recall what I had in mind when I started this piece, except, perhaps, that I wanted to use the citrus-coloured thread for something. I think that if I were to start this again, I would work a narrower sampler and start by working the pulled stitches in a fine self-coloured thread. It seems to me now tht the pattern of spaces might be more interesting, in fact, than the stitches themselves.
What lovely work!
Pulled thread in self-colour is good, and can be very beautiful, but it is a different beast to the pulled thread in colour which you are experimenting with here. You have picked very apt stitches for working in colour – a lot of pulled stitches look a total mess done this way, especially the lacier ones. Again, you haven’t pulled the thread too tightly, which suits this version of pulled work. So you’ve made a lot of good technical decisions in this experimental piece, and it’s a useful reference for future projects. If I’d done it and didn’t want to display it, I’d keep it filed in my workbook, unmounted so that I could see the back. Make a white one one day, by all means, but don’t look down on this piece. It’s a good, practical sampler.
I love the Caron Watercolours and Wildflowers too.
I was trying to think what I would do with a piece like this, and wondering what you might be thinking of doing now that you’ve found it again … and then I read Sue’s comment above, and I thought yes, that’s it: you need a sketchbook / workbook / ledger (à la Karen R). It is so clearly a valuable reference for future projects.
Unless of course, you have other plans…?!
As Sue said, self coloured work is different and the techniques are quite different for using both types of threads. Both versions have their place and personally I like this piece. You could work the same design in the self coloured thread as a comparison, that could be interesting.
there is so much to love about this…the patterning and yes, the stitch forms. It is so refreshing, possibly the colour!!
I especially love the bricks in #5. These are some gorgeous patterns (and I still really love that thread).
This is so lovely. You have so much patience, far more than I do I’m sure! These colors certainly show off the stitches in a beautiful manner.
how fun! I really like the open tile stitches. Interesting that the spaces are beginning to come forward in your mind more than the stitches themselves.
A lovely sampler! I’ve never worked pulled thread with variegated thread and it’s interesting to see your sampler.I think you’ve picked the stitches which looks good with this thread,very clever!