Roots of Rhythm X- Part 1

I’m often asked questions about my process so whenever I start a new piece, I try to make a commitment to document it along the way…and usually fail.

BUT the piece I just finished, Roots of Rhythm X was happily an exception. So, if you’re interested, here are a series of posts looking at the steps to its creation. This piece was under construction for the better part of two months.

Part 1

After sketching out some rough ideas and making some critical color decisions (documenting that step would involve many pictures of me pawing through piles of dyed silk and looking discouraged and lost), I chose the violet background silk, fused it onto a piece of Warm and Natural batting cut a few inches smaller. I then couched varigated yarn to build the cellular grid.

Roots of Rhythm X: step 1

When the grid was done, inner shapes were added. This red/rust silk is all one color. The variation comes from light catching the nap of the charmeuse at different angles.

Roots of Rhythm X: step 2

…till all spaces were filled. I then stitched around each red/rust shape.

Roots of Rhythm X: step 2

Please let me know if you have more specific questions about these steps.
Stay tuned for more…

Tags: cellular, fiber art, Process, silk, textile art

This entry was posted on June 23, 2015 at 2:59 pm and is filed under Artwork, Process. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

6 Responses to “Roots of Rhythm X- Part 1”

Sharon - creativityandfamily Says:
June 23, 2015 at 5:15 pm | Reply
Hi, it will be very interesting to see all the stages. What stitch did you use to attach the red/rust pieces? X
- karenkamenetzky Says:
  June 23, 2015 at 6:30 pm | Reply
  Hi Sharon-I used a straight free motion stitch with the feed dogs down. I wanted a more flowing line and curvey corners. Thanks for asking!
Julia R. Berkley Says:
June 24, 2015 at 8:11 am | Reply
I have the same problem with documenting, Karen — but people really enjoying seeing the steps, me included. My question: when you couched the yarn, was that by hand?
- karenkamenetzky Says:
  June 24, 2015 at 8:19 am | Reply
  No, not by hand, Julia. I am not that patient of a person! I zig zag stitch on my machine using a monofilament (invisible) thread.
Roots of Rhythm X-Part 2 | Karen Kamenetzky Fiber Art Says:
June 26, 2015 at 10:01 am | Reply
[…] Cellular imagery, metaphor and luscious fabrics stitched together « Roots of Rhythm X- Part 1 […]
Roots of Rhythm X-Part 3 | Karen Kamenetzky Fiber Art Says:
June 28, 2015 at 6:41 am | Reply
[…] you’re late to this party, here’s Part 1 and Part 2. Now that the lower left and upper right cellular sections were mostly complete, I […]