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?