Purpose

Material Witness will focus on extreme textile process. Images will be posted here showing the history of my work, new work, developing projects and inspiration.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Ultra


I spent the day yesterday being entertained by Fariba in the studio and stitching and stitching on a dissolvable stabilizer.

I was usung Ultra Solvy and it was amazing. The stitching was very dense and the threads were thin polyesther which would normally cut the stabilizer to pieces and would wrinkle and buckle the stabilizer and the fabric. Not this stuff! I wasn't even using a hoop and was going like mad in every direction and not even a wrinkle. Incredible.

I picked up this stuff in Oregon last summer at the Jo-anne's in New Port for half price and forgot about it. It felt about twice as heavy as the stuff I normally use.

All I can say is that this is the most amazing stuff I have ever stitched with. It held three layers of stitching and didn't budge at all. It was easy to manipulate and the threads didn't break. It did require changing the leather vinyl needle once for a day's stitching. It actually allowed easier movement than a hoop would have. I drew on the Ultra Solvy with a kid's washable Laurentian felt pen and there was no breakdown which means the drawn guidelines will wash out easily.

Applique worked well when the extra cloth was sandwiched between two layers and worked on top.

No doubt my allowance will be spent on Ultra Solvy if the stock market goes back up!

5 comments:

arlee said...

Solubles have to be one of THE best new inventions in the textile world :} Can we see whatcher doin'?

material witness said...

My kid has borrowed my camera!
Soon or I'll get Christine Hatfuul to take some pickies.

Donna said...

sounds like I need to unwrap my ultra and give it a try -- I got a s far as buying some, but haven't yet played...

Maggie Grey said...

Back at the frog - I once had to judge a creative tea-cosy competition for the K&S Show. Some were wonderful, by great textile artists, but there was also a knitted womb - complete with fallopian tubes. In pink! Does that trump the frog?

material witness said...

A definate trump! Gives taking a cuppa a whole new slant!