02. Envelopes

The patterns found on the inside of envelopes and the colours and stripes on airmail envelopes have been used as source material.


2.1 Handmade paper with dye experiments. Based on airmail paper.

Left: Dye was dropped on to paper sheet before pressing.

Middle: Paper was pressed to remove as much water as possible before dye was added.

Right: Dye powder was placed on pressed, wet paper


2.2 Drawn thread embroidery based on airmail paper


2.3 These are wapped samples based on airmail paper. Different coloured threads were wrapped in bands over a frame. Diagonal lines were then machined stitched over the threads. The sample on the right has been developed by machine stitching the wrapped threads to form cords.


2.4 Thread was wrapped around a frame and covered with machine zig-zag to form a grid. Fabric in a contrasting colour was then woven through the grid.


2.5 Paper made from brown envelopes. Pressed on to a woven laundry basket to give a woven pattern.


2.6 Slits were cut into fabric and organza and threads were woven through slits. Embellished with machine stitching.

2.7 Drawn thread embroidery based on airmail paper. Border of handmade paper added as strips of paper pulp. Dye was dripped on to the wet pulp after pressing. The embroidery before the addition of the paper pulp can be seen here.

2.8 This woven sample was in my reject pile. I decided to rescue it and try out some hand stitching on paper. It's starting to look as if it could join the postmarks/stamps or handwriting section.

2.9 This is a border based on the woven envelope patterns. Threads withdrawn from dyed linen scrim were used. Holes were punched round the edge of the paper and threads were tied on. Bunches of threads were then woven through. The ends were tied off to stop it unravelling.

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03. Postmarks and Stamps

The following work was inspired by stamps and postmarks.

3.1 Drawn thread embroidery based on stamps. Threads were withdrawn to form a grid and covered with machine stitching. The gaps were filled with with needle weaving over crossed threads.

3.2 Paper pulp was made with bought tissue paper in red and blue. A blue sheet was placed on top of the red and pressed into a piece of crochet. The crochet had a wavy pattern similiar to postmarks.

3.3 Drawn thread embroidery based on postmarks.

3.4 Blue thread was wrapped over a frame and then machined stitched in red in a wavy pattern. The sample on the right was developed further by wrapping another layer of thread after the first machining and adding more wavy lines.

3.5 Paper samples based on postmarks. Thread was layed in a wavy pattern over a sheet of paper pulp. A second sheet of pulp was cast over the top and pressed. When dry, the thread was ripped out of the paper. The sample on the right was made by placing a tissue over the top of the sheet of paper pulp and threads.

3.6 Slits were cut into a piece of fabric and the resulting strips were machined stitched. Hand embroidery using drawn thread techniques in various thicknesses of yarns.

3.7 Needle weaving and drawn thread work based on postmarks.

3.8 Paper made from pulped brown envelopes. Pressed on to a piece of wavy patterned crochet.

3.9 Red and blue threads were wrapped around a frame. Thick wavy lines were handstitched onto the grid. The grid was placed on top of a sheet of paper pulp. Strips of paper pulp were placed on top and the water was pressed out. A kebab stick was dipped into blue dye and pressed onto the pulp strips in several places. The dye spread into the pulp as it dried.

3.10 Reverse applique technique with paper. Two pieces of handmade paper were sandwiched together and a postmark inspired design was stitched. I used backstitch - I stitched on the back so that the "wrong side" was on the front of the sample. I then cut away the paper between the stitching. I think it would have been better if the paper could have been torn rather than cut but the top layer of paper had been stuck to fabric before I had thought about this. I'm going to try and think of ways to soften the edges a bit.

The top layer of paper was made from brown envelopes - there's the impression of a letter "T" made by pressing a drinking straw into the pulp. The bottom layer is made from computer listing paper. Little gold stars were mixed in the pulp - these tend to fall off the paper.

3.11 This is an in-progress sample. Handmade paper was backed with fabric and then cut into sections. The horizontal lines are wavy to suggest postmarks. My original idea was to put all the pieces together again using insertion stitches - the horizontal lines in bright red and the vertical lines in a different colour or thread weight. I decided instead to just do the horizontal lines and then take it from there. The pieces have now been joined and they are articulated - I'm sure that I can do something with this! Ideas:

• Embroider a border around the outside edge of the whole piece - this would lose some of the movement but it would enable me to...
• Weave fabric, paper or threads through the vertical slits to continue postmark theme. If the edges weren't joined then I could still weave in the centre portion.
• Each section is suggestive of a stamp. Develop this - add embroidery around edge of each "stamp". Add more paper or embroidery to centre of "stamps" - use real stamps in some way?

Things I wish I had thought off before I started:

• Instead of cutting the paper vertically, I could have torn it to make the edges softer. The individual pieces could have then been backed with fabric
• Decorating the paper in some way, perhaps using ink and script as in chapter 1.

3.11a This is the finished sample. I used threads withdrawn from another sample and threaded bunches of them through the edges and then tied them off. On the centre panel I stitched the same threads through the paper using running stitch. Both ends of the threads were left loose and showing on the right side. Each of the outside pieces was edged using one strand.

3.12 Squares of paper pulp were cast in a 5x3 grid. Threads were then laid across the squares and a further layer of paper pulp added. Cocktail sticks were laid across the squares to suggest letters or characters and the whole piece was pressed and left to dry.
Ideas:

• Add dye to the paper pulp
• Have different colours of pulp on each side
• Add more threads
• Change thread weight/colour
• Add a border of paper pulp to make a page

3.13 Threads were withdrawn from dyed linen scrim and the grid was machine stitched. Squares of paper pulp were placed on the grid to suggest postage stamps. Dye powder in 3 shades of blue was sprinked on the wet pulp. The piece was then pressed and left to dry.
Idea:

• Capital leters could also be formed/suggested using this method

3.14 Machine embroidery on handmade paper based on post marks. Zig zag and straight stitch was used on fabric backed paper.

3.15 This sample has been made by pressing an embroidery into wet paper pulp. The embroidery is based on postmarks and the threads used were chosen for their chunky quality rather than the finished effect. The dye from the fabric leeched into the paper pulp but this faded as the paper dried.

3.16 This piece combines corrugated cardboard and the postmark theme. Yarn was threaded through the ridges of the cardboard and it was then embroidered as in drawn thread embroidery.

3.17 Postage stamps were torn in half diagonally and then stuck on to strips of paper to give a jagged edge. (I hope I haven't ruined a rare stamp!) The strips were folded along the edge of the paper and sewn to the paper with running stitch. Could also do this with envelopes, brown paper etc NB. Stamps are very cheap on Ebay.

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06. Lettering

Click for link to lettering designs.

6.1 Handmade paper incorporating letters.
Top: The deckle was masked with a W shape.
Middle: A water mark
Bottom: Sheets of red and blue pulp made from tissue paper was covered in a layer of pulp made from brown envelopes. A W was scratched away to reveal the other layers.

6.2
Top: Palm leaves were embedded in paper pulp in the shape of a W.

Bottom: The T shape was made by pressing a plastic drinking straw into the pulp.

6.3 Individual letters made from various types of paper pulp.

6.4 Thread was wound round a frame and machine stitched in the shape of a W.

6.5 Threads were withdrawn in horizontal bands from dyed scrim. The remaining threads were machine stitched to give the impression of letters.

6.6 A T shape frame was made from cardboard and threads were wrapped around the cardboard in both directions. The threads within the T shape were covered with machine stitching. The sample on the right was wrapped again after the intial stitching and the threads were then sewn down using the machine. The samples were then cut from the frames.

6.6a This is a picture showing the frame.

6.7 T shapes were cut from a piece of card board. Thread was wrapped round the cardboard in two directions. The threads within the T shapes were machine embroidered. To remove the embroidery from the frame I had to cut round the edges of the T shapes on one side of the cardboard.

6.8 Experiments with paper pulp letters based on exercises with the computer - duplicating the image.

6.9 This is a development of the sample 3.10. It has been developed from a postmark design to be a letter or character. Organza was sandwiched between two pieces of handmade paper. The design was backstitched from the reverse. The top layer of paper was torn away and the organza was cut and frayed. It really needed another layer of fabric on the back.

6.10 This is a drawn thread sample based on handwriting. Threads were withdrawn in one direction and the remaining threads were machined stitched into cords. The fabric was folded to form tucks and sewn down. This had the result of leaving long lengths of corded threads which could be manipulated into loops.

6.11 Another sample based on handwriting. Threads were withdawn and machine sewn into cords. Groups of cords were stitched with needle weaving.

Oops not sure what happened to photo 6.12!

6.13 Holes were burnt into strips of organza and chiffon and threads were laced through the holes to join the strips. The sample was folded by bringing the corners together into the centre. 6.14 Handstitching on paper. This piece of handmade paper was in my reject pile. There is supposed to be a letter "Q" embedded in the paper. The "Q" was made with pulped yellow pages - it looked disgusting. I stitched round the Q using running stitch. This was inspired by one of the computer generated letters. (click to see it) After the stitching, the "Q" didn't look quite so bad!

6.15 This is a development of sample 8.4. Yarn was threaded through fabric backed paper and tied in a knot. The yarn ends were then couched down to suggest handwriting.
6.16 Handmade paper using tracing paper pulp. A letter "L" was masked on the deckle. The resulting space was filled with stitching.

6.17
A "W" shape was cut out of corrugated cardboard. The cardboard was wrapped with red thread. The threads with the W shape were then stitched on the machine.>

08. Elastic Bands

8.1 Threads were withdrawn from linen scrim. Red elastic bands were knotted on to the remaining threads. Each band was cut down the centre.

8.2 Handmade paper with embedded elastic bands. On the left the bands have been cut into small pieces and mixed in with the pulp. On the right strips of elastic bands were laid across a layer of pulp before being covered with another layer.

8.3 Threads were withdrawn from a piece of fabric and yarn and ribbons were knotted over the remaining threads in a lattice pattern. The result looked like a rug and was a bit boring. Wire was wound round the tufts so that they can be manipulated. Some were reversed so that the bottom of the knot is showing. The knots were moved on the threads so that the lattice pattern was opened up. This was then embroidered using blanket stitch.

8.4 Stitching into handmade paper. This is simply red threads stitched into paper. The threads have been knotted together and left dangling to suggest elastic bands.

8.5 Red elastic bands were stretched over a frame and paper pulp was applied. When the pulp was dried, the bands were cut from the frame, making the paper contract.

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