Floral lace scans in b&w

Some lace scans. Originally the lace came form a t-shirt like top I bought from a charity shop in town. The floral pattern on the top can be found on a previous post titled Chintz roses; odd colours of pink, red and purple-blue.

I haven't yet got a chance to use these pieces in any painting or work, but I used the rose print top part in my degree show exhibition as an appropriation of the typical floral patterns now commonly seen on the streetwalk and catwalk. A pattern that has been brought back out of the cupboards and dusted off, then given a pat down with modernisation - as has lace or lace imitation fabrics of course.

Thinking of doing a lace feature of prints/scans/photos for September.

So please by all means send in photos/scans of lace or bits of lace form anything via e-mail to patternandsurface@gmail.com  

 

The Old Reader, RSS feeds and links

The Old Reader is closing its doors, turning to become private and for people who are more likely to pay for it. I wouldn't mind at all except having already had to move from Google Reader to The Old Reader only a good few months ago and then getting used to (that didn't take long actually) the look, layout and workings of The Old Reader (I've grown to really like it).

At the moment I think I'll stay away from RSS feed applications and maybe experiment with other ones (both website built ins/extensions/stand-alone software) in the far future.

In the meanwhile some really interesting posts concerning patterns and surfaces found on the various blogs I have bookmarked:

Patternobserver.com
Michelle FifisStreet Patterns: Embroidery Details
This post is particularly interesting for me at the moment as I have been practising with hand stitched embroidery on various scraps of fabric, generally trying to work with different tensions to create textures as well as forming embroidered patterns or motifs.

Street Patterns Mexican Embroidery
Links in with the above post but whilst the above post was looking at contemporary or very geometric shapes, this one looks to the past, traditional floral motifs and vines and shapes used on ethnic embroidery of the past. I'm really liking the use of colour, very bold and striking, whilst the shapes themselves are large and blocky/like simple flower drawings.

iseepattern.com
Whitney Catarella
Buffalo Exchange Spring 203 Trends Part 1 
The first image/print is beautiful! The tulips look magnificent against the dark star lit sky, and the lines on their petals look particularly fascinating (these lines originally come form a virus or some kind of bacteria/illness the plant has - at first bred because they looked distinguished and pretty - later found to be a weakness in the plant). The subsequent images are just as interesting, but the tulips really stand out for me.

beelah.com
Beelah'Crazy prints:) long modest pakistani dress'
This blogger/fashion blogger often highlights beautiful fabrics and textures, particularly modest dress which is an important thing within Islamic society and culture. Known for the spectacular colours, prints and embroidery, this blogger presents a brilliant collection of the fashion of Asia and the Middle East - well any where that modest beautiful fashion exists :D 

Trend Tablet
Lidewig EdelkoortBloom  
Press Ctrl F (use the text search bar) and then look up the following:
'Tools for peace'
The photos are beautiful and sweet, as is the idea of using flowers as tools to create emotional stability, peace and a kind of prosperity.
Also have a look down the page, lots of photographs - sharp and crisp with excellent visuals and colours.

White wool and golden thread

Scarf made of white wool knit and golden glitter thread.

The patterns on it consist of wavy lines and almost like drawings.
The overall effect is lace like,
taking inspiration from the revival of lace and netting on clothing.

The popularity of wool throughout the autumn and winter has been really important in getting me to see this material in a contemporary light. Mixing coloured wools with glittering threads and beautifully designed knits has been a key textile popular trend.  

My first white woollen scarf in years.
A birthday present that is still in pretty good nick.

Boxes and weave together again

These interesting structures, squares
that align themselves into walls of squares
really stand out for me.
The buttons, plain and simple react
perfectly with the colour palette chosen.

The greys, subtle browns and navy blues alongside greys,
so dark they could be mistaken for blacks,
come together alongside whites and creams
to create great contrast that mimics a stone wall like structure,
where stones are not always one colour, and one may be
the one that stands out the most.
I imagine Sean Scully would love this sort of stuff.

It is another Next coat – well who knew?
I didn’t, but clearly all these coats came from the same or similar years, bearing in mind the designs of this and the previous posted one are clearly related, like brothers or sorts.

Again a great display of simple shapes melded
with an intricate pattern of weave using skeins of thread.

Lots of blue, lines and plastic

With pinks and silvers thrown in for extra points. 

 

The bead work on this kurta is coming off now but it still looks impressive. 

The interesting grid like structure above alongside wavy sequined lines 

shows great choice in colour. and shape.

 

The inside of the neckline shows an
interesting structure of thin plastic thread that is transparent and still visible. 

The slit eye like shape, clearly a shape referenced 

in Asia's own art and cultural heritage, 

an example would be the book cover of
The triumph of modernism: India's artists and the avant-garde, 1922-1947 by Partha Mitter,
which shows a painting that uses the idea of elongated eyes.

Shisha (also known as abla) Embroidery

An old kameez which I adored for the
embroidery and especially for its mirror work,
a traditional technique in India and Pakistan 

and other countries in which small pieces of mirror
are secured onto fabric and embroidered around

The simple grids of light pink thread, as seen above, 

are cleverly couched down with the actual thread
making up the material of the kameez (a tunic like top).

The two large mirrors above are
embroidered to look like mirror flowers.

 

Blue and pink make an amazing colour combination.
A play of colour fused with that of light and mirrors.

The unique bead work uses small wooden like tubular like beads.

Shisha Embroidery TIY (Try it yourself) with clear photos and instructions
There is a bit of information about Shisha Embroidery on 

Wikipedia but so far I haven't found much on the web or in the local library. 

Mirrors, reflection and...SHINEY!

I love photos of threads - yes...seriously,
better then photos of bunnies
(mostly as bunnies are very camera shy).

The thread used in the embroidery seems entwined
with strands of silver reflective colouring - beautiful.
Not forgetting its shiny, SHINY!
(Oh give me a break, I'm a magpie XD)

Alongside the flower and stem embroidery
are little paper thin circular mirrors. More reflection.

The fabric itself has a lovely texture and

is beautiful in this aqua like colour,

with more then a little hint of green.