I cut two squares from my shiboried piece from the last post to see what would happen when the gathering stitches run different directions from the first set. I stitched from the opposite sides as round 1 on one piece and diagonally across the other. This, BJ, is why I save the threads. They had nice big knots in one end already and were easy to pull intact from the fabric. Not having to pick up scissors to cut knew lengths and make knots saved some time. And besides, waste not want not is my credo. Those threads being the heavy buttonhole kind have lots of life left in them!
I wanted to add a different color and couldn't decide between cobalt blue and buttercup yellow. So I did one of each. This time I didn't wet the fabric first, just dipped the bundles straight into the jar I'd thinned the paint in.
The results were better, I think, and I definitely like adding one paint color over another. This is the one with gathers made vertically and horizontally, front and back. Lots of texture.
And this is the one with the second set of gathers running diagonally, front and back. You can see the darker "v's" of the two colors pointing in different directions on both samples.
For comparison, here is the cloth after the first painting with fuchsia, front and back. Click on any of these pictures for larger more detailed views.
In thinking through why my results turned out so different from Margaret's, I decided one reason was the spacing on the lines of gathering. Hers were very close together, while I spaced mine about an inch apart. I'm wondering if machine gathering stitches would give an even different result.
Wil & BJ both counseled about pulling up the gathers very tightly, suggesting that might have been part of the reason for my results. (Read their comments here.) In my defense, I DID pull these up as tightly as I could (although I didn't pull again after the cloth was wet), and I DID knot off after gathering, although perhaps not as tightly as I could have.
As for Wil's question of why I wet the fabric before applying paint on round 1...faulty reasoning? Lack of research? Relying on my memory? In the past when using Setacolor, it was with techniques where I was instructed to dampen the fabric with water before applying the thinned paint. I reasoned that, like in dyeing, this would keep the paint from settling in one spot, would help it to reach all parts of it evenly. I figured out after the fact that his might be wrong which is why the second round was done without wetting the fabric. Then I read Wil's comment and my suspicions were confirmed...thanks!
Thanks to both of these readers for sharing their insights with me. I'm still pondering how much more of this I'll do. It's so time consuming putting in those gathering stitches - I can't imagine doing a large piece of cloth by hand. As I said, I have to admire the Japanese for their patience.
I wanted to add a different color and couldn't decide between cobalt blue and buttercup yellow. So I did one of each. This time I didn't wet the fabric first, just dipped the bundles straight into the jar I'd thinned the paint in.
The results were better, I think, and I definitely like adding one paint color over another. This is the one with gathers made vertically and horizontally, front and back. Lots of texture.
And this is the one with the second set of gathers running diagonally, front and back. You can see the darker "v's" of the two colors pointing in different directions on both samples.
For comparison, here is the cloth after the first painting with fuchsia, front and back. Click on any of these pictures for larger more detailed views.
In thinking through why my results turned out so different from Margaret's, I decided one reason was the spacing on the lines of gathering. Hers were very close together, while I spaced mine about an inch apart. I'm wondering if machine gathering stitches would give an even different result.
Wil & BJ both counseled about pulling up the gathers very tightly, suggesting that might have been part of the reason for my results. (Read their comments here.) In my defense, I DID pull these up as tightly as I could (although I didn't pull again after the cloth was wet), and I DID knot off after gathering, although perhaps not as tightly as I could have.
As for Wil's question of why I wet the fabric before applying paint on round 1...faulty reasoning? Lack of research? Relying on my memory? In the past when using Setacolor, it was with techniques where I was instructed to dampen the fabric with water before applying the thinned paint. I reasoned that, like in dyeing, this would keep the paint from settling in one spot, would help it to reach all parts of it evenly. I figured out after the fact that his might be wrong which is why the second round was done without wetting the fabric. Then I read Wil's comment and my suspicions were confirmed...thanks!
Thanks to both of these readers for sharing their insights with me. I'm still pondering how much more of this I'll do. It's so time consuming putting in those gathering stitches - I can't imagine doing a large piece of cloth by hand. As I said, I have to admire the Japanese for their patience.
4 comments:
Admiring the Japanese and realizing they made paper of fly's wings whereas the Chinese began tapestries that would take generations to finish. I can just imagine passing on my unfinished masterpiece to my son to finish!
Very interesting.
My son did shibori in art school. They used indigo dye.
Are you as socked in with fog there as we are?
Nora
I sense I'd be much happier with the process if I was using dyes instead of paints, but I'm not in a position to use dyes at the moment. I just find the way they work more predictable (or at least I understand how they work whereas I'm still learning about paints. Which reminds me, thanks for the info on what's going on with the rubbing alcohol and acrylic paint. That helps so much.)
Yes, it's been dreary here too but the fog lifting to low clouds during the day and settling back in at night. They're suggesting heading up to the ski resorts to break through and get some sun! This is supposed to keep on for several more days.
Cool photos, fun to see the process!
The dark marks remind me of mysterious, half-rubbed-out ancient writing...
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