Book du jour - couching II

Turning the "journey lines" into stitch - to represent "the journey to the studio" - perhaps this is a good way to start the day, with a little stitching? A way to ease into studio-time? Or just feeding my need to stitch....

First some decisions:
-on paper or on fabric?
-what size
-what kind (thickness, colour) of thread to couch down
-what kind of thread to couch with
-how much to do each day

I'm inspired by Judy Martin's ongoing daily stitched journal/journey (see it here).

Before the work on the actual piece can start I'm making a few samples. The one above uses overspun rayon, held down with cotton, sewn onto japanese paper. The width is the width of the roll; the depth is as much as can comfortably be held while stitching -- I don't believe in fighting with the materials. These could be sewn together but the practicalities and my preferences have me leaning towards using fabric, which can be scrunched while stitching ... and feels more congenial than paper!

Next, some experiments with colour - different inks (the blue bits in between are Quink). I quite like to have a bit of the colour showing. The next pic shows how the light shines through the parts the ink didn't reach -

Next, experiments with fabric (linen? I have a lot of recycled linen...) and a careful look through my threads, and thinking about whether to leave the original colour(s) or to ink it up or dye-paint it.