Nearly half way

I think I am nearly half way through my free machine drawing - it is very addictive and I just can't manage to get any other uni work done - although I am thinking and planning textile ideas in my head.

Here are some more images, first a close up of the embroidered drawing with the work in progress

The Bristol, 16th Jan

and two more...

The Bristol, 20th Jan

The Bristol, 22nd Jan

During this process several people, including my tutor at uni, have suggested not finishing the drawing and to perhaps to make a second piece based on the blue lines - i.e. a line drawing that might come straight from a car maintenance manual.  But I really want to complete the Bristol Straight 6 because that is part of my challenge. Can I work fast enough and how will a large piece respond when I get it wet to remove the dissolvable fabric? Will I be able to complete this stage or will I be too concerned about the potential loss of structure and accuracy? I don't think I would be able to answer these questions if it was not  a completed drawing. 

During the making of the engine I spend a lot of time wondering why I am achieving such a sense of satisfaction in drawing a masculine object. I know part of it is the enormity of the challenge but also it is about my feelings of myself - my determination but also my insecurities as I have tried to manage my unexpected roles - all  will be reflected  when the water washes away the structure and I have to decide how I feel about the end result.  But it is not just about my ability to manage the roles that once belonged to a man - it is also about the strengths of others who have also been left to manage in an environment that they had not planned - having to take on roles that  were not expected from life.  This quote from  'The Subversive Stitch, embroidery and the making of the feminine (Parker, R. 1996)  possibly reflects this 

"The embroiderer sees a positive reflection of herself in her work and, importantly, in the reception of her work by others"

Some thoughts on my work...

Here is the latest picture of my free machine embroidered, straight 6, Bristol car engine. The work is very labour intensive and rather scary - 

First, will I manage to get the work finished in time - I think at least another 8 weeks will be needed. I have 19 weeks until hand in of all my degree work but I also need to prepare  for two 15 minute presentations, plus my textile project which has been parked at the moment (although it is constantly being considered in my head). But not only is there the time constraints, there is also the issue of will it work ? Potentially the removal of the dissolvable fabric will show any gaps and flaws in my technique such as overworked stitching that might expand and distort the shape, loss of detail as the stitches separate if there are too many weak spots and finally  the removal process will be difficult  to manage on such a large scale - many reasons for my restless nights.

The Bristol, Jan 13

Whilst I draw with my sewing machine there I am beginning to see another angle to my work and believe that I may be making a rather subversive statement! I was widowed and left to manage as both mother and father for my two boys. My work has been all about my need to be perfect and how I coped if there were any elements of failure in my endeavours to manage all the family needs. But - I am also demonstrating my feminine role - I am making a male image in delicate feminine embroidery - there is an issuer of gender and hierarchies in my practice which I love. There is something very powerful hiding in my stitches and a lot to be proved. I need to explore this further...

The Bristol - an exciting start

I have not posted recently due to the Christmas holidays and my enthusiasm to draw and do little else - i.e. update sketch book or blog. 

Whilst I normally draw from direct observation and make no preliminary marks on the dissolvable fabric, I have decided to break with this and trace the dominant lines of the Bristol engine. I know I am questioning the need for art to be perfect and by tracing it it may seem that I am not allowing the natural freedom encouraged in my previous works. For such a large, diagrammatic piece to work, there must be an element of accuracy in the design. However, the element of chance and distortion will still occur when I remove the dissolvable fabric - weaknesses will show, overstitching will bulk and the edges may expand. This feels rather scary because after hours of careful and controlled  working, the piece will then be subject to a random and free act which will turn the drawing into an organic image that may or may not work.

To trace the image of the Bristol engine  I broke it down into 9  manageable pieces to allow me to work on one part at a time. 

Here is the work so far -

Image traced onto solufleece

At the machine...

I have worked fairly constantly over the past three weeks and think about a quarter  of this free machine embroidered drawing has been completed. I will post more images soon.