Gesture Sketches with Thread
After discovering the excitement of doing gesture sketches with charcoal, I decided that I would try to do something similar with fabric and thread. First, I set up a still life composition.
Then, I did a quick gesture sketch with a very fat marker, just to practice before going to the sewing machine. (I turned the cup a little, for a different view point.)
Finally, I set my machine to the widest possible zigzag stitch, and gave it a shot.
Boy, that was challenging. I couldn’t move the fabric nearly as fast as I could the marker, and the fixed width of the stitch limited my options. Therefore, I decided to try drawing with thread in a much more controlled manner. (I turned the cup again. Click on the photo to see it larger.)
This was much more viable, but I quickly discovered that I didn’t have the patience for it. The big problem with drawing this way is the need to retrace lines. Another issue is poor visibility when stitching away from your body.
Playing in this way was a good creative exercise, and a valuable experiment in determining the pros and cons of drawing with thread. As a result of what I learned, I think I’ll limit my drawing to paper from now on.
Ellen Lindner
