For this sample I decided to develop one of the pieces I prepared for the interlude. The collaged images were originally inspired by the word "Bleak" and I assembled a range of yarns and other materials to reflect one of the images. From the collage I created the preparatory yarn wrap.
The resulting piece aims to recreate the image. However, I originally made the wrap assuming following the lower edge working right to left. For this reason, the mounting on the board is arguably upside down!
On reflection, I think the piece works better working left to right across the lower edge, anchoring the heavier, more solid elements at the bottom of the piece. Looking at it afresh, with the wool and plastic at the top it seems top-heavy so I think it should be displayed the other way up. (Interestingly, I wove it following the colours and textures in the image left to right).
Starting with a rough grey Herdwick wool (a hill sheep specially adapted to living in the bleak, harsh conditions in areas such as the North Lakes so very appropriate). This represented the rough, snow-covered ground.
Grey, biodegradable, recycled packaging bags for the fencing.
More wool to anchor the plastic and create more rough, snowy ground, followed by a layer of loosely woven waste synthetic quilt wadding. This made great snow.
A black and grey boucle yarn and a deeper grey wool were woven together using a curved weft to create undulating snowy/gravelly ground. Next I added two rows of Soumak using strips of soft, sheer polyester fabric remnants. A further layer of snowy boucle scrub leads into a final sturdy layer of denser hedgerow.
Thoughts:
My first thought here is about the longevity of the piece. In using a biodegradable plastic I've probably given myself a bit of an issue in the longterm. Next time I'd either use a less environmentally friendly plastic or swap this for a different material, perhaps a grey/black tweed or similar wool-based variegated fabric.
There is some visible hemp warp here but it blends well with the other colours in the piece, giving the impression of rough grass stalks. It also needed to be sturdy to hold the stronger materials such as fabric, plastic and strong wool. A finer warp might have frayed or broken.
The upside-down mounting aside, I really like this piece. The monotone colour scheme creates harmony and the different materials give texture and interest. My piece isn't perhaps quite as bleak as my images but it still works well for me. Using an abstract concept was an interesting thing to interpret as a woven piece.
Action points:
Consider materials used and any specific needs. Using a short-life plastic for a piece that may be expected to have to last a number of years in a display setting, particularly, for example, if mounted outside or in bright sunlight would be potentially disastrous.
Although I had evaluated my yarns and done a yarn wrap, a smaller sample weave or additional wraps would have most likely flagged up the issues with the proportions of the various materials. I need to take more time to sample and resist the urge to get straight into a project.
