Mind Games

I'm always looking for ways to try to make my fabric work looser and more spontaneous, but it wasn't until I read Paula's comment on my Extreme Journaling post that I realized I could use the same techniques that I apply to journaling to my fabric work.  (Thank you Paula!)

I decided to try the prompts I made for Mixed Media journaling and see how well they could be adapted to fiber.  I know I could use mixed media on fiber and the prompts would work just fine, but I wanted to limit myself to fabric and thread for now.

I started by slapping on background color.  I quickly pulled 5 pieces from my fabric pile, tore them in strips and patches.  I randomly drew one after another and stitched it to my background:

Drawing from my prompts, I got "Find something unusual to add texture."  Sticking with fabric and thread, there wasn't much unusual I could add, but I did find a linen selvedge I had dyed and  pieces of embroidered gauze that I used wrong side out:

Next I drew, "Add line."  The gauze flowers were floating in the sky, so I decided to add a ladder up to them.  I also outlined the flowers to help them pop:

Finally I drew, "Add dots."  I wanted a bit of brightness, so I scrunched up off-white sheer fabric and stitched it with a black cross stitch to tie in with the ladder.  I also added black straight stitches to integrate the brown background, but they don't show up much in the photo:

It's really exciting to work so freely and have no idea where I'm headed with a piece.  I'm going to make a new set of prompts especially for fiber work and play with those for a while.

And now for something completely different.  As much as I love spontaneous work, I adore the meticulous, creative embroidery Karen does at Contemporary Embroidery.   And for sheer lusciousness, check out the wearable art Kayla Kennington does.