How to Make a Fiber Vessel
By Susan Lenz
I started making fiber vessels years ago after a hair-brained idea occurred when looking at a giant stash of knitting yarn acquired at a local auction house. Since I don’t knit and never even learned to crochet, it seemed a shame to waste all that acrylic yarn. I thought to myself, “Maybe it could be stitched into something?” So, I shoved six to eight strands of yarn through the # 21 Braiding/cording foot of my Bernina.
Using old threads also bought at auction, I zigzag stitched over the strands of yarn to create a thick cord. When I ran out of a yarn, I substituted another. When I ran out of a thread, I substituted another. It was fun and a great way to use neglected materials. I continued zigzag stitching over the yarns until a relatively large ball of cording was made.
My idea was to take this cording and stitch it into “something” that resembled the braided rugs that were popular in the 60s and 70s. My family had one that looked like this:
I really had no idea that the stitching would automatically start shaping itself into a vessel but it did. After creating a dozen or more, I got familiar with the process and was able to control the shape. Below is a description of how I now stitch these pieces.
First, take the end of the cord in your fingers. Create a flat, relatively tight coil about the size of a quarter. It is easier to take a needle and thread and hand-stitch/baste the coil … though eventually, I became quite able to do this by machine as well. Position this coil under an “Open Embroidery” sewing machine foot … with the cord coming off the coil on the right side of the machine’s foot. On my Bernina, this is the #20 foot. The idea is just like the braided rug above … a cord is zigzag stitched in a flat spiral … growing bigger and bigger.
Stitch … cord to coil … in an ever-continuing circle. As the coil grows larger than the machine’s base, it will start forming a vessel by itself. I generally don’t use my slide-on or plastic extension-table … just the machine. Keep stitching.
Keep stitching!
This is how it looks … cord being zigzagged to the ever-growing coil/vessel.
Eventually, the coil forms a vessel. With practice, I became quite able to control the formation. I don’t know any easy way to articulate the feel, motions, and process of forming this shape except to say … TRY IT!
As the shape gets larger, it is often necessary to move the machine slightly off its support table. This allows the vessel to rotate in a perfect circle … like a very, very slow potter’s wheel!
When I’m satisfied with the vessel and want to stop stitching, I cut the cord about two feet away from the vessel. Using a seam ripper, I separate the yarns and snip them at various lengths. This prevents a “bump” on the rim of the vessel. It allows the cord to become thinner and thinner until a smooth rim is achieved. I put the vessel back under the #20 foot and continue zigzag stitching until the last, single length of yarn is attached.
Voila! A Vessel!
By the way ... though I've had a very busy week, I haven't yet blogged about it ... so this is the post being linked to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Fridays", a site sharing fiber artworks.
By the way ... though I've had a very busy week, I haven't yet blogged about it ... so this is the post being linked to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Fridays", a site sharing fiber artworks.
7 comments:
Brilliant! I've just learnt how to make coiled fabric pots with a washing line core, but I must try this too. We stitched the other way out ie the stitching was in the inside of the bowl, and it curved upwards. You can then hold it around the top of the machine instead of round the table!
This is an amazing idea! Clothesline is so dense, I have to use my industrial machine. But this! Beautiful, thrifty, interesting, no bulk, and fun!! Thank you!!
Must take absolutely ages though!
I really liked the idea about putting the machine over the edge of the table, it gives better space to form the bowl😃. Thank you
This is so similar to basket making. My last basket was started in 1981 and never finished. It set off arthritis in my fingers. Still carrying that basket around hoping to one day finish it. I think I could handle sewing a "basket" and will give it a try. Thanks for the inspiration.
Anita Stalls
As others have mentioned, this has similarities to clothesline baskets and vessels which use fabric strips wrapped around cord. Generally, one sews them from the inside, which limits how deep or narrow the vessel can be. I like this method, sewing around the outside, then letting the vessel hang down, which will enable a larger, deeper rounder and more evenly sewn basket form instead of having to deal with it curling up unevenly. I am imagining using the sewing machine platform table to support the forming vessel until the bottom is as wide and flat as one wants it, then removing the pull-away platform and letting the basket hang off the edge of the arm... I must experiment !
lotzacatz, I don't think the actual sewing of the vessel would take a lot of time... once you get going, it's repetitive... you snug the coil up against the previous row and just keep going with zigzagging round and round. At least that's how it is for my clothesline vessels.
Thank you for the tutorial, I'll have to give this a try with the stash of yarn I have that will never make it to kitting needles. I have done rope baskets and the rope is so hard to work with. Also trying to make a rug with covered rope not going so well frustrated with it curling. I want the rug for under my kitchen table, well it just may become baskets.
Post a Comment