festive | Mr X Stitch

A Festive Window I simply adore Christmas and although I no longer go to church I love visiting over the festive period. My Religious Collection is inspired by the classical architecture, stonework and stained glass windows. Using traditional techniques of padded applique and patchwork produce strong textile designs to be adorned in light reflective embellishment. Let us explore how to create a festive window. A FESTIVE WINDOW - ARCHITECTURE INSPIRING DESIGN The thick stone of inset windows is easy to replicate in fabric using layers of wadding between your background and design fabric. The thicker the padding the more 3D effect you will achieve producing a contoured surface into which you can design your flat 'window'. 'Jesus 1' was created from patterned recycled vintage fabrics from my childhood. Combining pattern and texture (crushed velvet) creates a visual density within the design. thick padded walls pattern and texture A FESTIVE WINDOW - STAINED GLASS Original church windows were hand crafted and inset with lead in a basic colour palette of blue, green, red, yellow and white depicting images from the bible. stained glass church window Simple fragmented shapes using flat and padded applique creates a sharp design. The face of Jesus in 'Jesus 1' was machine stitched with neat edges and no embellishment other than the beard detail (machine embroidery) in a warm colour palette of black, peach, white and red. The flat face is encased in individual 3D velvet roses. Recycled materials include velvet, silk and satin, each possessing their own light reflective qualities. simple applique - face of Jesus 1 Jesus 2 is embellished in buttons and layered off-cuts, hand embroidered with a cross stitch, to raise the flat surface. Red sequins enhance eyes, a nod to the suffering of Christ. A sombre colour palette of brown, mushroom and ivory is enriched by the carefully chosen buttons. embellished applique - face of Jesus 2 A FESTIVE WINDOW - STORYTELLING Church windows were created with images from the bible, tales of morality for the masses. 'Mother and Child' depicts a padded alter adorned in 3D flowers, the vintage fabric enhanced in beads and sequins. The figures of Mary and baby Jesus are thickly padded, creating an undulating surface of deep folds. The huge halo surround is an extension of the gold crochet halo panels inspired by the depiction of saints. morality and storytelling Applique joins are embellished in a panel of layered sequins, the 'lead' between stained glass. Mirrored tiles and sequins are light reflective, adding a dimension of eternal life. applique joins embellished in sequins I do hope you have enjoyed 'A FESTIVE WINDOW' and are inspired to visit a church over the Christmas period. For more detail on my Religious Collection visit https://www.ccunningham-textileartist.com/ and https://ma9798.wixsite.com/natural-gallery . You could collect the wrappers from your chocolates and make a window design in place of fabric. Sellotape blocks of colour together to create a panel for your window and let the light shine through. cellophane chocolate wrappers Wishing you all a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS xxx