A Reflective Commentary on Assignment 1

This first assignment has been an eye opener for me. I have always worked from charts and patterns with my needlework, even with projects that I've designed, I have used software to adapt the image into a pattern. It has been difficult to separate that methodical and organised part of my mind from the creative side.

I used to draw and paint a lot when I was younger, taking Art at A level and even drawing well into my 20s. However I never felt that my drawings were good enough, I wanted them to be exactly like the object or landscape that I was trying to capture and I fought against developing my own styles.

'Making Marks' was incredibly difficult for me. I had this firm idea that in order to represent the meanings of the words, I had to do the obvious. Whether that was someone being happy to convey happiness or a speeding car or someone running to represent 'fast', these were the images that raced through my head. As I practised, it felt more like I was reverting to the child that I was. I had to put away any natural inclinations to draw direct representations and try to free up my mind and my hand to 'just' make marks. It sounded so simple but it wasn't.

It felt like a trial, something to be endured to get to the sewing, if you like. I had to walk away on several occasions, trying to clear my mind and get a blank state to work from. And for me, that worked. My scribbles were very haphazard but the more I tried it, the easier it became. I really enjoyed this part of the assignment and it has definitely helped me to be more fluid in my sewing and my visions. It's no longer about copying something so that it is a perfect replica but now all about giving my view, my impression and thoughts of the image I'm trying to convey.

When it came to the sewing, I knew I had more confidence and more belief in my creativity. Over the years, I have blocked that creativity in a way, preferring to go the tried and tested routes of 'sewing by numbers' or that's how it seems. This section of the course had pushed me to climb a few of those walls and although I know that there are other barriers to get past, I feel as though I have the self belief to at least push myself a little further.

Being able to just let loose with the needle was very liberating for me. It has also enabled me to see everything differently now. I don't just see fabric, a skyline, a flower or faces, I see textures, I see lines and stitches. I see future projects. But I'm not seeing them being a project that is a direct replication but as a new and different version, even if it bears no resemblance whatsoever to the original sketch or photo, it will have been inspired by that.

How I see colours and shades of those colours is different now, as I am attributing moods and feelings to colours. I don't see things as being all one colour or all one texture, now I am seeing many, many variations and combinations.

This section of the course has encouraged me to draw more, to make notes and to try to be more organised about my ideas whilst giving rein to my thoughts and creativity. I'm finding it difficult to turn off at night, with stitches and colours, lines and ideas fighting for space. I'm enjoying that.

Review & Reflection

I chose the image of the woman gathering water from my sketch book, mainly because I liked the idea of having more scope with the fluidity of the water. I felt that once I had really looked at the photo that the sketch came from, there was more to this than just a straightforward idea of water as blue and flowing.

I had already started on a piece from this image and I was initially pleased with my progress. However I seemed to reach a point where I wasn't satisfied with the range of stitches or the ideas I was trying to get across. Nor with the size. I felt it was actually quite small when I reassessed it.

It's really difficult when having already done several hour's work, to make the decision to start again but I really wanted to do this, the image/sketch was important to me in that it had already stretched my imagination on the  ways in which I could move ahead.

I was still happy with my choice of base fabric and really happy with the effect of the netted material on it. This time, rather than use just a small section of the netting, I used a much larger piece and laid it on the fabric in such a way as to create layers. The frame held this in place while I stitched. I'm glad I didn't sew it into place, as the flexibility of it, helped to guide many of the stitches around and on it.

I used the sewing machine to create lines along the bottom of the image, going over the mesh fabric but I still don't feel confident enough in getting the right look with the machine. I need more practice in directing the stitches rather than letting the machine guide me. It did however form a really good base for me to add other stitches to, as can be seen in the photo below.

I did wonder at what point to stop. It was incredibly easy with this piece, to keep sewing and to keep adding to the work.

I like the way that the french knots in the white and lighter shades of blue give a seafoam effect on one side whereas the greener french knots on the left give an idea of plants.

I am really pleased with this piece of work. I feel as though I have managed to capture the lines and the flow of the water. I am left wondering though, if I could have achieved that feeling, if I had chosen another colour range, would it have appeared water like in shades of red or green?