Machine Stitch Tea Cup

This is my final tea cup piece which is constructed from panels of free machining samples. I have used floral fabrics and silk voile over a heavy calico background. The free machining designs are based on my flower drawings, Mason Ironstone china and the floral fabric designs. The tea cup and tea bag are designed to go together as shown here.

Two views of the tea cup from opposite sides

The saucer which is constructed again from layered fabrics and free machining.

Evaluation of this piece
I like the photographs of this piece of work, but I am less pleased with the actual piece. I found the free machining more difficult to control than I had imagined and so the detail is less finished looking than I had hoped.
My favourite use of machine stitch within the project is the use of dense straight lines used in the tea bags and the curved version seen on the saucer. This is a technique I will use again.
I am really please to have finished this piece and excited about starting my dying and printing project.

Tea Bag Machine Stitch Samples

In these samples I layered up a variety of fabrics and quilting fleece and machined stitched with parallel stitches in order to explore the different textures and tones that could be achieved. This work was inspired by my drawings of tea bags and I have used this as a theme in the presentation of the samples.
My next project idea is to make a tea cup, similar to the one below, in which to present these samples.

My Tea Cup

I layered up a selection of fabrics and used machine stitch to join and strengthen the fabric. I then constructed a saucer and tea cup in the style of Lizzie Weirs work.

Layered fabrics inspired by Lizzie Weir

Work in progress

Machine Stitch Samples

Here are some of my quick machine stitch samples

Free machining drawing with my machine. Black on cream silk. I would like to improve the quality of my free machine stitch.

Layered and stitched fabrics. I really like the texture created by the lines of different colour stitch on the plain blue fabric.

Zig zag stitch on muslin.

Machine Stitch - Inspiration

For the next art part of my project about stitch, I am going to explore the use of machine stitch. I am particularly interested in free machining, quilting and appliqué. These three books have been inspirational, giving me ideas for using a range of different techniques and approaches.