For centuries women have used cloth as a tool of comfort and as an expression of beauty within their homes. Creating cloth for warmth, cloth for shelter, our female predecessors embellished these linens with hand stitch using laborious and time consuming techniques thereby enhancing the functional beauty of objects which enveloped and protected their families. Inspired by these women I hope my creations pay tribute to and recognise the devotion expressed in cloth by our female ancestors .







''the use of traditional often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''. c K. A. Ruane 2007







Saturday, May 16, 2009

Oh to make trims!

The tiny cross stitch flowers have been added to my new doll and she is all damp stretched and ready to go. I decided to ditch the green stems as I think these little flowers look pretty and dainty enough as they are. My pictures aren't as good as I had hoped. We have had so many heavy showers today and the best sunshine was this morning....when I was in the supermarket, wandering the aisles wishing I was taking photos! ''The edge of her dress'' was embroidered last night. I am really happy with the way this has turned out. It was so relaxing to embroider that I'm sure making haberdashery, (buttons and trims), for a living would be so creatively satisfying but I doubt it would be viable. These things take forever to make and who wants to pay £10 a metre for trim! Shame, could have been a plan.
That said though, my excitement is building! I have big plans for the Makey Do that I can't wait to start, little things, buttons, pincushions, things like that.


So plans...............tonight put my latest little lady together. Tomorrow, more work on my commission then after that it's Makey Do all the way!
Have a great weekend!

9 comments:

Jane said...

What a beautiful trim and the flowers look great as they are. Look forward to meeting doll number 4

connie said...

Oh, I can hardly wait!!! This is the best yet. I just LOVE the patches and then the dainty flowers are great.

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

So fresh and pretty.x

MargB said...

Lovely as ever. When you wet press do you spray and then press?
Your work looks so professional and fresh.

Denise said...

Sigh. Beautiful. I wish I could do what you do. I used to embroider as a child, inspired by my needlework teacher who had trained at the Royal School of Needlework and her wonderful portfolio. But never had the time to really take it up properly (you know, children, work, life). Now with the failing eyesight of middle age I read blogs like yours and dream of what could have been....

Ulla said...

She's a beauty! I can understand your wish to make embroidered ribbons for a living. - The cross stitch flowers are better without the green stems.

Gina said...

It is all so pretty Karen... and only £10 a metre for those trims... a bargain!

Mary Corbet said...

Oooooh PRETTY! I love the trim!

arlee said...

do you embroider an area, then cut into pieces, or do you embroider each as a portion on a patch? i think they are my favouritest thing yet here :}