(re-post)
Usually when you sew on a sewing machine the feed dogs are up to pull the material forward and the pressure foot is down to hold the material flat and you guide the stitches in a straight line toward you.
When you put the feed dogs down (it's called "mending mode", I think, in the manual) and attach this kind of pressure foot (which does not flatten the material) you manipulate the fabric and 'draw' with the needle. You move the fabric as you want and the needle and thread 'draw'. The material needs to be kept fairly taut and different effects are achieved by the length of the stitch and the direction you take (sideways, forward, backward – all different!) and the colour(s) of the thread and how fast or slow you move.
I did this awhile ago using window screening (the flexible kind) as the fabric and scented plant clippings which have dried and kept their form. Scribbled with that amazing multi-coloured thread on top and around.
This is one of the 'gathering energy' pieces.
This skirt has been in process for ages. It was a purchase a long time ago when a local store was having a great re-location sale and I bought the (then) dress (too small) for the colour and hemp/cotton fibre content, intending to turn it into something else.
A skirt was decided upon last fall and then the question was how to increase the width. The top of the dress was cut off leaving as much material as possible. Finally, today, enough of that bodice fabric was cut away and then became a panel along one side seam of the skirt and turned to the front.
And I 'drew' on it. Doodled, actually. With the satisfaction which that always brings. Doodling is like day dreaming except you have a pencil in hand. Unless you are using thread.