Humpty finally finished & in situ ! ...

The Humpty's finally finished & it's now in place - here's just the top of it ... clean with all the 'knots & ties' replaced.

Humpty Stitching ...

Here is the reverse side of the central panel, backed with fine nylon net curtain for ease of stitching. The smaller stitches are those used for the initial 'smaller' smocked lines - the large stitches are those of the second smocking (ie the fatter of the rows (see image below).

If you want to know more about transfers & their use, click here.

This shows the 2 sets of smocking lines as well as the black machine stitching rows that hold the embroidered mats in place. Also visible are the various crochet edges of some mats as well as some original 1940s embroidery.

The final outer 'bag' is now on the Humpty, all missing rings replaced. It's now ready for the outer panels & base to be laced on.

As an alternative at this stage, the corner 'ears' could just be left or tied with a cord as per the original 1930's Humpty instructions (specific books mentioned can be found in Bibliography here).

Machine Embroidered book : Its Making …

 

NOTE: This book can be viewed in detail as separate pages in earlier posts, an updated version as tab above 'The Embroidered Codex'
& viewed as a slide show here

An embroidered book was made as a result of researching the diversity and inspiration behind ‘Make-Do-and-Mend’ during World War II (1939-45). What initially began as a simple study, soon became a collection of interesting and inspirational facts that I wanted to document. Selecting this textile-based topic for research, I continued the same theme for display of it: similar to a child’s rag book yet resembling a photo album. This 'book' would contain separate pages, each one relating to a particular needlecraft topic of the period. These would be: clarification of Make-Do-and-Mend – Household - Magazines and use of Transfers – Knitting – Embroidery and stitching techniques – Fashion and Accessories. Each topic would either be shown with original technique detail or interpreted using a more up-to-date method. To maintain continuity, the majority of fabrics and threads used for the book’s construction and sample making were either actual pieces from worn items of the period or remnants from past personal projects.

All inner pages of the book were made from a length of 1950s black ottoman fabric that had been stored in a cupboard for several years! I envisaged it as being 'Blackout fabric' & similar to that of the wartime period, so was chosen to represent the blackness, darkness and gloom between 1939 and 1945. It was also closely woven and ideal for machine stitching. To enable pages to 'be turned' when viewed in the book and also allow them to be displayed at a later date, 2 pages were each decoratively stitched back-to-back then stiffened with card for completion. The pages were made removable (from the book) for ease of handling and their method of attachment to the book's spine (defined by underwear of the period!) was chosen as being hook and eye tape.

Hand-written style notes to accompany samples or provide explanation were computer printed on black paper in white ink and used wartime-style stud fastenings to attach to the pages – other wording was machine stitched directly to fabric. This style of notation had been the format of many archived documents found during research. Its interpretation by using modern computerised sewing machine techniques would represent this and the importance of the wartime ‘Enigma’ machine. Many wartime slogans and other official recommendations had been shown in film footage, newspapers and various original memorabilia - this was repeated throughout the book by ‘writing’ them using computerised/pre-programmed stitching. For a variety of reasons, original books or magazine pages were unable to be stitched so photos and photocopies of them were used instead. Their permanent attachment to a page resulted in a selection of machine embroidery techniques being adapted and created. One of these was a method of making lace entirely by machine without the need for any form of backing or retaining fabric (more on this and others from March 2013 where they will be found by clicking to the link here).

Machine Embroidered book – Page 14 …

The final page shows a variety of uses for other needlecrafts – designs once again having simple shapes and colours being bright.

Some suggested ideas are: dolls from wooden spoons, accessories from blankets and matching fashion accessories.

Machine Embroidered book – Pages 12-13 …

These 2 pages concentrate on the use of yarn or thread.





The first of these pages shows some examples for different thicknesses. The upper example shows creating a new fabric by weaving on net; the central example decoratively stitching on a plain knitted fabric and the third example shows a yarn being used in a different manner – the example of rug wool used to make some shoes.








The second of these pages shows some knitting samples of the period – typical stitch patterns and colours of those suggested items of clothing. Swatches of patterns were knitted using yarns and colours as close to those as recommended within the original instructions.

Again on this page, I continued with the theme of a photo album to display the samples with machine embroidery used to ‘write’ notes (eg. bright colours were cheerful) and secure swatches and photocopies of patterns.

Machine Embroidered book – Page 11 …

This page is worked entirely in machine embroidery and shows a typical set of wartime clothes that had been recycled or made using different needlecraft techniques.


‘Stitched notes’ provide explanations (eg. old raincoat to make gas mask bag).

Machine Embroidered book – Pages 7-10 …

These 4 pages reference the variety of transfers that were available for stitching for varied uses and on many different fabrics.

With wide ranging uses, transfers could ‘brighten up’ any recycled material as well as enhance drab (fabric) colours.


The samples shown were stitched using today’s threads but in colours as close as possible to the ones of the period.

There were also suggestions to use other items of haberdashery for making or enhancing clothes and home furnishings.

Machine Embroidered book – Pages 5 & 6 …

These 2 pages show some of the reference books and magazines printed during the war period. Providing instructions for a wide range of needlecrafts and fashion-related projects, the majority encouraged the recycling of various items of clothing and textiles.






On this page, an ‘economy’ slippers pattern was referenced. Transformed with a modern interpretation, a partial sample was handstitched in crazy patchwork using sections of post-war ties.













The next page shows a selection of popular wartime magazines that were available – sewing technique shown here is magazine photos held together by machine quilting on a netting layer together with various wording in free-machining.

Machine Embroidered book – Pages 3 & 4 …

This page briefly details the overall effect of WWII on London and the Home Front.



Lower left pocket contains samples of parachute fabric and cords to show the quality for a wide variety of 'home' uses.








The next page shows a typical house interior during the war. Items shown are those suggested during the 1939-45 period and could be made using a variety of textiles and/or needlecrafts. Often made to 'brighten up' a particular room - many were recommended to make ‘for economy’ with instructions found in magazines and books of the period. This page is machine embroidered – a colour photocopy enhanced with stitching and further embroidery.

Machine Embroidered Book - Pages 1 & 2 ...

The 'Make-Do-and-Mend book' has detachable pages inside - here are the first 2.



Page 1 (left) - machine embroidery on chiffon.



Page 2 (right) - discharge dye/resist technique and machine embroidery on grosgrain fabric.

When the book is first opened, these 2 pages initially appear as 1 (see below) and depict St. Pauls Cathedral (London) amidst the smoke and fires of the Blitz.

Machine Embroidered Book …

Several years ago, I researched ‘Make-Do-and-Mend’ from WW II & it included reading many official and factual books. The conclusion of  that research was the making of an oversized (appx. 60cm x 40cm) and machine embroidered (rag-style) book. Samples of a variety of needle-craft techniques from the period were included and depicted in a manner more familiar today.


Here is my book:

I am showing it over the next few days together with brief descriptions for each set of pages.

The image (above right), shows the front of the book and represents London during the Blitz. It is worked in a variety of machine stitchings using mainly metal thread. The black/red central panel is raised and depicts the bombed and burning London buildings or metalwork. The outer coloured 'stitched hatching' is a quilted layer representing radial beams of tracer lights and bombing patterns visible during the night raids (better shown on the book's reverse - above left).

Inspiration: Necessity is the mother of invention ...

Sometimes reading a book can provide inspiration. When very young, I remember seeing this pink booklet – it was only many years later (for a final assessment in a textile course) did it get remembered and provide an initial inspiration for a stitched ‘Make-Do-and-Mend’ project - World War II based.Whether it was the phrase ‘Make-Do-and-Mend’, the iconic doll and logo of ‘Mrs. Sew-and-Sew’ or just something within the contents of the booklet but something inspired research of the topic … and specifically the subject of textiles and fashion during World War II. Maybe because personal memories of ‘MAKING DO’ had always made me question ‘HOW, WHY or WHAT’ but I found the subject fascinating. And initial research soon highlighted something else of particular interest! So to discover more, a greater in-depth investigation and research was needed.

Conducting personal and group interviews (both historians and local residents who could remember what was done during the war ‘to make do’), I also read a variety of narrative and factual books and made samples. This continued with further research of documents and other actual samples in museums and it wasn’t long before a reasonable amount of useful facts, recollections and copies of samples had been collated. (Today I continue to collect snippets of additional information and add to that already recorded.) It also became gradually apparent that one main reason for the lack of previously detailed/recorded information (and samples) was that it had just been lost … burnt during wartime damage - given away (during and after the war) for re-cycling and/or charity events - or just disappeared through wear and tear ! Plus, during the war years 1939-45 or soon after in the 1950-60s rebuilding of the country/countries, it appears to have ‘just vanished’. Many records being swallowed into a variety of ‘lost and forgotten’ company archives – no doubt because it’s content appeared to be of little use in a post-war world.

From information I’ve seen, read and been told … from personal recollections to museum exhibits … from wartime archives to narrative books …I discovered that this particular period of 1939-45 was one of immense imagination and inventiveness. Indeed, “Necessity was the mother of invention” - many people's aims were to brighten up a drab and indefinite wartime existence as well as ensuring all rations lasted for far longer than required. I also discovered that many ideas issued for this war’s use were not new but had also existed during 1914-18 in World War I … they had just been reissued or redesigned!

Projects: The ‘Make Do & Mend’ 1940s suit ...

I've made several ‘complete’ outfits during my dressmaking experiences that also include a range of fashion accessories (bag, hat etc). Here’s one of them – a suit (skirt and jacket), top, garment cover, hat, bag and some textile jewellery (all individually detailed over the next few days).

This entire outfit was made for a promotional event that related to ‘Make Do & Mend’ during World War II.

The suit was 1940s military-styled, reflected the glamour of 1930s evening wear yet also stepped towards 1947 ‘New Look’. It was made using black viscose fabric that was ‘seconds’ - the main interest of it being that it shimmered under artificial light showing a small geometric motif between raised stripes. Unfortunately it had little ‘body’ and was initially unsuitable for the chosen design. However, with the addition of an interlining (as well as a lining) and stiffened lace inset panels on the jacket, the fabric was totally transformed. The skirt was cut in shaped panels and had an uneven hemline.

Here's the original jacket sketch also showing some of the cords used for buttons. As you will notice from the jacket itself, it's almost identical to the original sketch.


Matching earrings and buttons were made from recycled odd 1940s raincoat buttons.









Laces and edgings (for both jacket and top) were made entirely on the sewing machine (but used no base fabric to work from and was stitched rather like a netting process) - here shown samples right.












2 styles of inset panels were made for the jacket - one in black and white with black machine made lace covering a white satin (see left with buttons and striped lining)



- the other used small offcuts that had been randomly patchworked together to create an almost ‘pile’ type of fabric (see left showing lower sleeve edge).





The skirt was panelled with an uneven hemline - shown close-up at right with metallic thread finishing.