Trey Gehring | Mr X Stitch

It's Wednesday; do you know where your stitching stash is? Keep your stitching close and your stitching fibers closer. I'll give you two reasons why, and then visual proof: Color can change your mood for the better. How many times have you arranged your spools or skeins and suddenly felt calmer? Consider it meditation, which the news says we need more of right now. If you need to calm down, refocus, or take a few deep breaths, just hold—or stitch with—a pretty blue fiber, for example. You never know when Creativity will nudge at your drudgery, saying "Let's make something!" You''ll need to strike while the feeling is playful, and having supplies nearby gets you to the fun faster. A spool of glow-in-the-dark Kreinik on your dresser may give you an idea for the next viral cross stitch, or inspire you to stitch a quick keychain for your bestie having a rough week. If it's in front of you, you're more likely to create. Creativity happens Here's some proof that having fibers on hand jump-starts that creativity and leads to amazing ideas. Trey Gehring is a weaver, embroiderer, and student who kept his sight on particular threads. The photos here of his recent weaving projects show how he uses Kreinik metallic threads. You may not be a weaver—yet; weaving is getting popular—but find inspiration in how he sees and uses fibers. There's always a common thread, so to speak, among makers, stitchers, sewers. This isn't your grandmother's weaving... Work by Trey Gehring from Kent State University. In the artist's words: Trey Gehring The awesome folks at Kreinik asked me if I would write a little something about how I use their threads in my work. Having met Doug and Dena this past summer, I can say that they are really helpful and friendly, and I love working with their thread, so I was more than happy to do so. A couple years ago I began experimenting with discontinuous brocading (inlay) and supplemental warp techniques such as the Theo Moorman technique. It quickly became apparent that inlay methods were ideal for using specialty yarns. Most of the time, weavers think of yarn in terms of hundreds if not thousands of yards. This makes it easy to dismiss any yarn that comes in a small quantity, no matter how attractive these threads might be. I was familiar with the Kreinik brand because I had used their iridescent thread in the past for an embroidery project. I was thrilled to see them at HGA Convergence 2016 in Milwaukee, and I walked away with lots of metallic thread, including a 50m cone of Pink Micro-Ice Chenille which I had been eyeing on their website. Worked on a TC-! digital jacquard loom at Kent State University. By Trey Gehring featuring Kreinik metallic Micro Ice Chenille in pink. I am currently working on my thesis exhibition for my Master of Fine Arts degree in Textile Arts from Kent State University, with the privilege of working on a TC-1 digital jacquard loom. I have finished two of the planned 6 weavings and used Kreinik thread in both of them. In the first one I used nearly my whole cone of Pink Micro Ice Chenille. I wound it together with pink rayon chenille that we had at the studio to add some opacity and increase the overall coverage. I love the sparkle and texture it adds to the weaving. Close up of Kreinik's fuzzy pink metallic fiber. Design by Trey Gehring. In the second weaving I used three different Kreinik metallic threads: green, dark silver, and black. I wound very thin polyester neon green thread that I had in my stash with the green metallic, just to add even more dimension. It took less than a yard of silver to weave the belt buckle. The gleam of the metallic threads adds dimensionality and interest to my work. I am already planning out my next weavings and trying decide which threads to use. I am most excited to see if I can incorporate some of the Petite Facets into one of my upcoming weavings. Gorgeous weaving by Trey Gehring using Kreinik Braids. Fabulous to use the silver for the belt buckle. You hear much ado about metallics, but reality is they add extraordinary texture and light to any project. Keep your fibers nearby; they want to be used. Something fabulous will happen. Weaving with Kreinik metallic, by Trey Gehring.