Faggoting

1.

decorative needlework done by tying vertical threads together in bundles

2.

a decorative way of joining two hems by crisscross stitches

Faggoting, no matter how you spell it (faggoting, faggotting, fagotting), is both useful and quite
beautiful. It is used in joining two pieces of material by means of an insertion stitch. Victorian ladies
used this most often on delicate lingerie. Silk, satin, linen and cotton are most suitable for this type
of work. Thicker materials can also be faggoted together although this is done less often than in fine
embroidery.

A great many stitches can be used as the insertion stitch. The stitches suggested to use are either
crisscross or twisted type stitches.

The thread used varies according to the material or the purpose for which the faggoting is required.
A lightly twisted embroidery thread or twisted silk is best used for fine embroidery, and stranded
cotton and wool may be used for thicker, coarser materials.

In early Victorian times, the edge of the hem was first finished with a tiny hem or with over-sewing
along the seam line once the hem had been turned under. To make a very strong edge, they would
work two lines of over-sewing. As time progressed, ladies dispensed with the two lines of over-
sewing.

To work:

Turn under the raw edges as if for an ordinary hem and tack place. hemmed or slip stitched these
edges. If a narrow hem, they can be left just tacked, as the faggot stitch will keep the edges together.
All stitches should be made as invisible as possible.

The edges of the material are then tacked on to firm paper, parallel to one another and about 1/8
inch apart. The tacking through to the paper holds the material in place while the Faggot stitching is
being worked. The distance between the hems can vary, depending on the material used or the use
to which the faggoting is put. No matter what the spacing is, it must be kept regular and at the same
tension throughout the work piece.

Two types of faggoting are shown below.

Bar Faggoting

Join the thread to the bottom edge at left-hand side; about 1/8 inch of the hem is picked up at each
side. The needle is now inserted into the top edge immediately above where the thread emerges,
making a straight single thread across the gap as shown in A-1.

Twisted Faggot
This is worked from right to left. Join the thread to the bottom edge, move about 1/8 inch to the left
and make a stitch into the

top edge, inserting the

needle towards the gap. See B-1.

natural dyeing

The ability of natural dyes to color textiles has been known since ancient times. The earliest written
record of the use of natural dyes was found in China dated 2600BC. Chemical tests of red fabrics
found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen in Egypt show the presence of alizarin, a pigment extracted
from madder. In more modern times, Alexander the Great mentions having found purple robes
dating to 541BC in the royal treasury when he conquered Susa, the Persian capital. Kermes (from the
Kermes insect) is identified in the bible book of Exodus, where references are made to scarlet
colored linen. By the 4th century AD, dyes such as wood, madder, weld, Brazilwood, and indigo and a
dark reddish-purple were known. Brazil was named for the wood found there. Purple was made
from a mollusk and clothing made from it was so expensive only the royal family could afford it. It
was extracted from a small gastropod mollusk found in all seas or from a crustacean called a
Trumpet Shell or Purple Fish, found near Tyre on the Mediterranean coast. Their body secreted a
deep purple fluid which was harvested by cracking the shell and digging out a vein located near the
shellfish head with a small pointed utensil

By the 15th century, dyes from insects, such as cochineal and Kermes, were becoming more
common. By the 17th century, dyeing cloth "in the wood" was introduced in England: logwood, fustic,
etc. In the 18thcentury a method of bleaching linen with kelp was introduced in Scotland, a Swedish
chemist discovered chlorine destroys vegetable colors and the French began to recommend chlorine
water for commercial bleaching. Indigo began to be grown in England, and Cudbear, a natural dye
prepared from a variety of lichens, is patented. Another natural dye, Quercitron, from the inner bark
of the North American oak, is patented in 1775.
By the 1800's, Prussian Blue and Sulphuric acid are available commercially. Prussian blue was formed
from prussite of potash and iron salt, making it one of the earliest known chemical dyes. In 1856,
William Henry Perkin, while experimenting with coal tar in hopes of finding an artificial quinine as a
cure for malaria, discovered the first synthetic dye stuff which he called "Mauve".

Natural dyes can be sorted into three categories: natural dyes obtained from plants (indigo), those
obtained from animals (cochineal), and those obtained from minerals (ocher). Although some fabrics
such as silk and wool can be colored simply by being dipped in the dye, others such as cotton,
require a mordant.A mordant is an element which aids the chemical reaction that takes place
between the dye and the fiber so that the dye is absorbed. Containers used for dying must be non-
reactive (enamel, stainless steel.) Brass, copper or iron pots will do their own mordanting. Not all
dyes need mordants to help them adhere to fabric. If they need no mordants, such as lichens and
walnut hulls, they are called substantive dyes. If they do need a mordant, they are called adjective
dyes.

Common mordants are: ALUM, usually used with cream of tartar, which helps evenness and
brightens slightly; IRON (or copperas) which saddens or darken colors, bringing out green shades;
TIN, usually used with cream of tartar, which blooms or brightens colors, especially reds, oranges
and yellows; BLUE VITRIOL which saddens colors and brings out greens and TANNIC ACID used for
tans and browns.

Natural dyes obtained from plants

One example of a natural dye obtained from plants is madder, which is obtained from the roots of
the madder plant. The plants are dug up, the roots washed and dried and ground into powder.
During the 19th century, the most widely available fabrics were those which had been dyed with
madder. The 'turkey red that was so popular at that time, was based on madder. This red was
considered brilliant and exotic. The madder plant continued to be used for dyeing until the mid-
1800s when a synthetic substitute was developed.Another example of a natural dye obtained from
plants is woad. Until the Middle Ages, Europeans used woad to create a blue fabric dye. The woad
was a shrub that grew abundantly in parts of Europe. The coloring was in the leaves, which were
dried and ground, mixed with water and made into a paste. This dye was supplanted by indigo, an
ancient shrub well known to the Egyptians and Indians. Like woad, its color lay in its leaflets and
branches. The leaves were fermented, the sediment purified, and the remaining substance was
pressed into cakes.

Indigo prevailed as the preferred blue dye for a number of reasons. It is a substantive dye, needing
no mordant, yet the color achieved is extremely fast to washing and to light. The manufacture of
natural indigo lasted well into the early 1900s.

In 1905 Adolf von Baeyer (the scientist who also formulated aspirin) was awarded the Nobel Prize
for discovering the molecular structure of indigo, and developing a process to produce it
synthetically. The natural dye was quickly replaced by the new synthetic, ending an ancient and
honored botanical history.

Natural dyes obtained from minerals

Ocher is a dye obtained from an impure earthy ore of iron or a ferruginous clay, usually red
(hematite) or yellow (limonite). In addition to being the principal ore of iron, hematite is a
constituent of a number of abrasives and pigments.
Natural dyes obtained from animals

A good example is cochineal, which is a brilliant red dye produced from insects living on cactus
plants. The properties of the cochineal bug was discovered by pre-Columbian Indians who would dry
the females in the sun, and then ground the dried bodies to produce a rich, rich red powder. When
mixed with water, the powder produced a deep, vibrant red coloring. Cochineal is still harvested
today on the Canary Islands. In fact, most cherries today are given their bright red appearance
through the artificial color "carmine", which comes from the cochineal insect.

History[edit]

Further information: Shading

Using shading or creating an ombr effect is ubiquitous. For instance, in fabric printing, using a
special printing block called a "rainbowed" block, was used in the early 19th century to produce
textiles with graduated color designs.[3] Ombr as a textile treatment came back into fashion in
around 1840 and was used throughout the 19th century.[3][4] In machine embroidery an ombr
effect was achieved by dyeing the threads in graded colors beforehand.[5]

21st century[edit]

Khloe Kardashian with ombre hair, 2011

Ombr as a hair-coloring technique is believed to have been popularised in 2000 when the artist
Aaliyah had her hair dyed in a subtle gradual fade from black at the roots to lighter towards the hair
tips.[6] As of 2010, the ombr hair trend was still popular.[7] The style has been adopted by many
celebrities such as Alexa Chung, Lauren Conrad, Nicole Kidman, Beyonc, and even Jared Leto,
among others.[7] One stylist finds that the ombr hairstyle requires very little upkeep, making it
easier for it to remain on trend.[2] While ombre was initially the gradual lightening of the hair from
dark to light, it has expanded to take on various other techniques, including the fading of a natural
color from the roots to a more unnatural color (such as turquoise or lavender) at the tips.

Following the early 21st-century trend, many popular home decorators have incorporated ombr
into their home decorating styles. Ombr can be used in many products from textiles to glassware,
and as a wall-painting technique, where walls are painted in colors graduating to a lighter or darker
tone towards the other end. Martha Stewart describes the gentle progression of color in ombr as a
transition from wakefulness to slumber.[9]. David Kohn Architects have explored the Ombr effect in
the design of the floor tiling of the interior of an apartment, Carrer Aviny, Barcelona. The tile
pattern is graded in colour from green at one end of the apartment to red at the other to
differentiate the two owners' private spaces. The encaustic tiles were manufactured by Mosaics
Mart, suppliers of tiles to Antoni Gaud.

Being the incredibly expressive and creative species that we are, it is no surprise that we have been
creating art for as long as we have known how to, or at least for as long as we have had the
resources to actually create art.

Fabric painting, both as an art form as a type of symbolism, showing various messages, giving status
to royals and people of power, etc., has been around since at least 3000 B.C, the earliest date at
which printing blocks have been discovered in various parts of the ancient world.
Using these blocks, weavers and artisans used minerals and colours created from plants and animals
to leave printed patterns and symbols on fabrics, which were then sold or given as gifts to elders and
affluent members of society. By 300 B.C, painted fabrics were common among even regular people
in India, and would soon become popular around the world.

One of the most common uses of fabric paint was for the creation of house flags which were carried
into battle to show which families were being represented. The patterns and colours used were
personalized to each family or city, and were later used to brand clothing and all kinds of
possessions, and even weapon sheathes and homes.

By around 1000 B.C, a form of fabric paining called Kalamkari, literally meaning pen workwas
developed in India, and made use of brushes made from animal hair, sticks and bamboo shoots to
draw patterns on cloths. While cotton sheets were most commonly used, as they allow the paint to
be absorbed easier, later examples of silk painting has been found, obviously from after the artists
found ways of making it hold the paint properly.

By around 200 A.D, as painted fabrics were traded and sold to other societies as the world started to
expand and explorers began discovering new worlds, different techniques started forming in
countries such as China and Japan, who commonly used stencils and resists in order to create even
more detailed patterns in a shorter time than it would take if done completely by hand.

These techniques, while they have obviously changed over the last 19 centuries, remain commonly
used to this day. We make use of much more advanced tools and paints, which allow us to both,
make fabric art that lasts a long time, while increasing the variety of colours we are able to make use
of in painting.

Fabric painting is the application of specialized paints to fabric. It is possible to paint any fabric, but
tightly woven natural fabrics like cotton and silk are easiest to decorate if a crafter is attempting to
create images. Some people use paint on fabrics for other effects, such as splattering or sponging,
and these are less dependent on the type of fabric or paint for clean effects. Many different looks
can be achieved with paint on fabrics, although some are more common than others.

One of the most common styles of fabric painting is using a paintbrush to apply paint to a fabric just
as one might do on paper. The dried painting can then be worn. Some people find that stenciling or
transferring the design onto the fabric in advance can be helpful when attempting to draw complex
designs. Fabric paint that is opaque can completely cover any marks placed on the shirt, but slightly
transparent paint will allow markings to show through.

Some people use tools other than brushes to apply paint to fabric, and sponges, rollers, and stamps
can all be used. When people speak of fabric painting, they usually mean something more ordered
than merely spattering paint on fabric. Generally, it involves creating an image or at least a coherent
pattern, although anything is acceptable.

The actual paints used vary widely. There are runny paints that can be used to create transparent
effects, opaque paints that cover the fabric entirely, and even puff paints that stand up from the
fabric creating edges. These paints themselves come in a variety of colors, and it is even possible to
find metallic paints. By combining these materials, it is possible to create even more variations.

One consideration when using fabric paint is that the stiffness of the paint can change the way the
fabric stretches or drapes. Additionally, if the painter does use a fabric that can stretch, the paint can
be stressed in such a way that it will crack. People who are particularly attached to a painted image
may not want to wear the piece of fabric it is on.
While it is possible to use fabric painting to decorate material before sewing, it is very common to
use paint on items that are already assembled. Pants, jackets, and shirts can all be painted, as can
household items such as napkins and drapes. Items that need to be washed must be treated with
additional care when they have been painted, as the paint can come off. Painting is an excellent and
versatile technique for decorating fabric items and can be used to give old clothes new style.