Embroidery & Finalised Prints.

I wanted to use the multihead embroidery machine on my linen prints, as I had done on the printed wool. The embroidery I find to be really successful at linking in with the collage aspect of the project, and lifting certain areas of print in terms of colour. It worked well to fill out the patterns more, and add different elements that I haven't had exposed on screens.

I'm pleased with how this collection has finished with large variety of coloured grounds, textures and pigments. I feel I've explored and experimented thoroughly with materials to create a refined selection of final prints. 

I changed the fabric for my latest collection to smooth cottons, trying a mixture of cotton satin, mantra and poplin. I found a mixture of the satin and mantra worked to have a combination of a heavier weight ground and a much lighter weight. Working on different weights and fabric grounds adds more variety to my portfolio and is really helping my knowledge of fabrics and how they work when printed. 

The smooth grounds are a lot more successful, comparing them to the earlier linen samples I created of these designs, it is obvious how wrong of a choice linen was for these particular prints. The graphic qualities are a lot more prominent on a smooth ground. 

I've been working with a range of different colour combinations, which create different feels and moods, which I will then refine to the prints which work. The prints I choose may then be displayed at my degree show and as part of my final portfolio.