Fiber Emballage
What is
it?
Fiber Emballage is a form of fiber art that integrates the techniques from Macrame to create fiber art forms by wrapping of yarn and other natural materials around structural materials like rope and wire. This technique was popularized by Mandi Smethells in 2017 and has emerged as a novel trend in fiber arts. Tutorials of this technique have been recently published in the June 21st, 2018, issue of Molly Makes.
Examples of Fiber Emballage by Mandi Smethells can be found at:
https://www.instagram.com/mandismoothhills/?hl=en
But if you
look at it closely, emballage, or wrapping with fiber has been around for
longer than seven years. Mandi just brought the technique back into popularity
and made it something of a trend. As the
saying goes… what was old is new again.
We are
going to start with some inspiration and look at what textile artists from
around the world are doing with this interesting textile art form.
Then we
will look at materials that we can use to practice emballage and begin to learn
basic wrapping techniques.
Inspirational
Textile Artists
Mandi Smethells https://www.instagram.com/mandismoothhills/?hl=en
Alicia
Scardetta aliciascardetta.com
Maria Elena
Sotomayor telaresytapices.blogspot.com
Michaela Kučerová https://www.instagram.com/made_bymishel/
Sheila
Hicks WORKS
Bisa Butler Home |Bisa Butler Art
Julia
Wright Julia Wright (@julia_._wright)• Instagram photos and videos
Aude Franjou Instagram
Fin & Nox Instagram
Evalepri Instagram
Ruben Marroquin Ruben Marroquin Art
Ana Mariani Ana Mariani
Genevieve Bozec https://www.totems-et-tubes.com/
Annienke ANNIENKE
Helena Emmans Hand dyed thread pieces —Helena Emmans
Abigail Doan https://www.abigaildoan.com
Marjeane MARJEANE(Marion Coudert) - Textile artist
Thomas Defalco Instagram
Myra Burg Art For The Wall | Myra Burg Quiet Oboes |United States
Amanda McLaurin Amanda McLaurin - Contemporary AbstractFiber Artist
Ateliepitoresco Instagram
Jennifer Christie Instagram
Charlene Jol Instagram
Tammy Kanat Tammy Kanat
Anton Alverez ThreadWrapping Architecture – Anton Alvarez
Wrapping
Techniques
As far as I
have been able to discover, there are three basic wrapping techniques. They are pretty much the same, they just vary a bit in the way they finish off
and it will be up to you to choose the one that you find easiest or most appropriate
to use for the job. I find that I use
different approaches for different types of projects. Some are just easier in different circumstances
and ease of wrapping seems to be what it’s all about.
Wrapping Technique
1
This
technique I found used more in jewelry making and by Mexican and South American
makers. It involves using a doubled fiber and a lark’s head knot and using glue
to secure the end.
You attach
the double strand of fiber to the rope by means of a lark’s head knot and then
wrap the double strand of fiber around the rope. If a variegated fiber is used this results in
an interesting pattern. The fiber is
usually secured at the end with glue.
Wrapping
Technique 2
Gathering
Knot or Whipping
This is
used in macrame and in sailing:
The only
difficulty with this technique is that you need to have some idea, in advance,
of how much colour you want to wrap because you need to make a loop, the length
of the desired wrap, in advance of wrapping.
Typically, you would use this for small areas of colour though there is
nothing to prevent you from adding another section in the same colour in just
the same way. It is often done.
Wrapping
Technique 3
The
difference with this technique is that the loop is at the top end not the
bottom and you start wrapping there to secure the tail, Once the tail has been
secured, you pull on the tail to carefully pull the loop under the wrapping and
continue wrapping the rope. When you
have finished wrapping (which can be as long as you want), you thread your
loose end on a needle and hide it by inserting the needle up several layers of
the wrap and then cutting off the fiber as close as you can.
(Forgive my
drawing – it was last minute – I couldn’t find one)
