Module 5 - Chapter 7 - Tactile Contrasts

An experimental sampler using different fabrics in different manipulative ways. Samples were arranged so that there was a strong contrast between each neighbouring patch.

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Inspired by Jane Chipp, buttons were wrapped and tied into the cotton fabric. This gave a lovely creased, randomly cracked surface texture, whilst maintaining a smooth, flat, low relief surface.

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Strips of cotton scrim were torn and knotted, giving an irregular, bumpy, lumpy, knobbly, but soft feel.

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Narrow strips of nylon tulle netting were gathered tightly & twisted, forming frothy, bristly, rough, coarse bands, like foaming waves breaking on the shore.

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Hand smocking gathers on plain cotton fabric gave a corrugated, ridged, linear, even texture with a firm feel.

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Cotton scrim was hand gathered in circular patterns giving soft, fluffy, puffy bubbles that are delicate, gentle and pliable.

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Strips of cotton were frayed heavily on both sides, then knotted giving a very tactile, soft fluffy surface over hard irregular knotty bumps. Choppy and foamy like rapidly flowing water over rocks.

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Rows of machine stitched pin tucks created a low relief, regular grid with a very firm texture. Viewed from side-on it reminds me of rows of stylised ears of corn standing erect in a field!

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My lovely little Suffolk puff jellyfish! A double layer of nylon tulle netting gave a springy texture allowing firm, bouncy, spongy movement. Doubled threads were used for the gathers & left long to give more emphasis to the loose 'tendril' threads that also have free flowing movement.

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Smocking gathers on nylon tulle netting was hand stitched to manipulate the gathers, giving a firm, scratchy surface. The transparent nature of the tulle means that the stitching shows from behind, and in conjunction with the surface stitching, gives useful visual texture.

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Cotton fabric was gathered tightly at irregular intervals, and in opposite directions. This gave a crumpled, erratic, organic, sinuous texture that has a tight, firm feel. It reminds me of masses of worm casts on my neglected lawn!

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Cotton scrim was gathered tightly in spirals, giving soft, supple, high relief spikes. The Gaudi like, organic twists give a visual textural appearance of brambles or rose thorns, but the contrasting feel, although pointy, is soft, gentle and delicate.

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Linear tucks were gathered onto straws giving a rough, tight, raised rows of wrinkled, ridged bands over dips of rippled furrows, looking almost like crops, growing in a field.

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Small stones wrapped and twisted into a piece of cotton scrim gives a hard, bumpy texture contrasting with the soft, gentle characteristics of the scrim.
The transparent, open nature of the scrim means that the subtle difference in the colours of the stones can show through.

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A circular, hand stitched tuck on cotton fabric gives an interesting contrast either side of the firm, upright ridge.
Inside the circle the fabric is held tight, leaving it smooth and flat, whereas irregular ripples radiate gently from the outside of the circle.

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Nylon tulle netting was gathered onto strips of wire, which were attached onto the tulle with wide zig zag stitching.
The wire meant that this coarse, rough surface texture could be moulded into high peaks and low dips allowing it to be formed into a highly irregular surface.
The rows of stitching stand out in contrast to the tulle offering loopy twists of rich visual texture.

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Strips of cotton were cut with pinking shears to give a zig-zagged edge, then tied in the middle to form little clusters in gentle, bow like, individual forms. Arranged loosely, thereby taking advantage of negative space, the gentle fans create high relief contrasts, like scattered seed pods, or flower heads.