Module four Chapter 5

I've made a start on drawn thread work.

First I dyed various types of fabric, plus some bamboo knitting ribbon, which dyes beautifully. Above is some of the ribbon (spooled onto loo-roll tubes) and some pieces of evenweave fabric.

1. First-ever attempt at drawn thread work - I used a very loosely-woven linen and gingerly withdrew enough threads for a pattern to start to appear.

2.  I got a little bolder with this sample.  This linen is not very good quality.

3.  This hand-dyed evenweave fabric was a little more robust.

4.  This fabric was part of a set of unfinished hardanger napkins which was being sold off at a local event.  I cut away the work that had already been started and overyed it to fit in with the colour scheme for this module.  It was very easy to remove the threads and they leave behind a naturally "rippled" effect.

Tip - Once ready for photographing, or before applying paint, I used a large A4 single label to temporarily hold the fabric in place.

5.  I used ink and permanent pen to colour this piece of evenweave.  I think I made it far too fussy for the purpose of the exercise.

6.  Threads pulled to left and right, as shown here.  There is an interesting "tweeded" effect.

7.  Another over-fussy piece of fabric.

8.  I've shifted threads in this central band.  The effect is very subtle (too subtle?)

9.  A different view of the same sample.  This is possibly nearer to the effect I was hoping for.
I shall prepare more fabric with larger and more solid blocks of colour, which should give better results.

10.  I pulled loops of thread from the central area of a fabric sample and wove them back into the fabric.  Tip - I found self-threading needles really useful for this!

I cut away blocks of threads on alternate sides of this sample in preparation for weaving them back in.  I found it so much easier and less damaging to the threads once I had removed the crossing threads.  This is ready for me to start weaving.