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







Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Too lovely for canvas?

Tuesday post, don't pass out!! No work today, school closed, firmly shut to prepare for an open evening. I'm all for these open evenings please can we have one every week? Pretty please? What a productive monday night, (until the small hours)/ tuesday day I have had. Progress has been made with my commission and images sent to the customer to check all is well and thankfully she is happy with the way it's coming on. I will definitely show you when it's finished, hopefully before the weekend.
Look what else I have made...... my canvas piece, except it's not going on a canvas. Honestly it is far too lovely and I don't want to blow my own trumpet but I just don't think it belongs on a canvas and I can't bring myself to do it. So it will stay like this, not going in the shop but for sale none the less. It has sparked such inspiration for 'sparkle'. Now I have in mind lots of these, all different, displayed on a huge white background yet easy to remove if anyone wants to buy one, kind of like specimens in a museum. Now all I have to do is come up with a way of people getting them home (if they buy one) in one piece, something I can attach them to quickly yet will keep them flat. I normally stitch samples to card with little ties at the back. I don't think that would be practical though at a show, what do you think, any ideas? Lots and lots of pictures now for you to look at.








Now, if you look closely at the following pictures, proof I was up half the night! More text for my swaddling band. I am still so excited about this and I can't wait to get to the edge...I have plans.




Well I hope I haven't given you image overload, can you tell how much I love this piece? Have a great week, see you soon!x

17 comments:

Jackie said...

Beautiful.

Hello there! My name is June said...

I love the look of white embroidered on white... it's simply heavenly!

:o)

leilani said...

Is is possible to sandwich them between tissue paper then roll then around a tube? More tissue paper on the outside, tied up with a pretty ribbon. Just a thought.

PS I love your work and am working my way from the beginning.

Jane said...

Wonderful. and I can't wait for the egding, I love your edges!

Ulla said...

So beautiful.

jennyflowerblue said...

Lovely encrustation with the knots. I was wondering if you had thought of displaying your work against a contrast colour to allow each piece to really stand out from across a room?

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

It's magnificent, Karen.
Janice.

Walden said...

I love the little hexagons sewn together. Quite beautiful.

Silver Sisters said...

Stunning! You've outdone yourself again.... I just adore your work.

I also wondered if you could roll the pieces at the show around a tube or rolled cardstock.

Cerejeira said...

This is very special! I still think you could do a piece like these on a wedding dress...a very special one ...

Gina said...

I can't even begin to contemplate the hours of work in these beautiful pieces.

CJ STITCHING AND BLOOMS said...

Hello Karen, Your piece is extremely beautiful in everyway. Love it. Hugs Judy

Whitney-Anne Baker said...

it is awesome and I personally think you are nuts!! I've started playing around with pieced patchwork but nothing like this. I agree about the canvas, it's too special. Wish I had the money to buy . . . . maybe some day.

Threadspider said...

This piece really has a three dimensional appeal. I know lots of your pieces do, but this is begging to be touched. Good job there's no silk velvet in it or I might just have to come and steal it. It's really lovely Karen, and yes, I can tell how much you love it.

Anonymous said...

Thes are beautiful. Lots of work, but lots of love stitched in them as well.

I agree that these don't look right on canvas (canvas doesn't look elegant enough) but the basic idea could work. What about using a canvas frame but replacing the canvas (or covering it) with a special fabric like silk velvet or something similar. And if the corners are a problem, cover the edges with a band of ribbon or even a stitched band.

Jacqui (in Auckland, New Zealand)

Jacky said...

No overload!!! I just ADORE those little hexagons.

Jacky xox

mansuetude said...

Gorgeous! just beautiful.