This little lady is wearing her party dress

Here she is, my second Plantation Doll. I tell you what, I have a feeling this is going to become an addiction, doll number three is already underway! (Jenny...I PROMISE I will make for July!! PROMISE) This little lady is much more flamboyant then her sister, her silk dress is really very pretty with tiny embroiderd 'wheel thingy's' ( I don't know what they are called!!) and applique using vintage cloth. She is also a little bit taller than her sister. Along the edge of her dress there are matching fabric beads. I tied these on as opposed to sewing them, I find tying really therepeutic and I like the finish, little knots on the back of the work.

She even has a little embroidered hair band. Again, there is no face. I actually prefer it that way, it gives her an air of innocence. I have put her in the shop this evening.

Back in the real world, as opposed to doll world where I aspire to live, it has been really hectic.
James foot seems to be improving fingers crossed and thanks for all the good wishes. I am becoming an expert at bandaging and strapping after every shower. Work has been SOOOOOO busy, or maybe it's because it's the first week back after a long break, whichever, I'm exhausted! And all I want to do is stay home and make dolls. This weekend it's three days off because of the Bank Holiday and I am so looking forward to it. One day for the house and two for embroidery. I have so many e-mails to answer and comments to respond to and I promise I will, work just seems to take over, I'm sure you know how it is. So I wish you all a fantastic week, happy stitching, creating, whatever it is that gets you ''there'' you know what I mean. x

and the winner is....

Congratulations to Elizabeth, your name was drawn out of the hat and you win the give away. E-mail me your address and I will pop your prize in the post as soon as. I haven't posted an image here of my hand going into a bowl and all that, I know you trust me and for the record, Elizabeth left two comments but her name only went in once. I really, really wish you could all have won, sorry!
I had really intended to have so many pictures for you today, perhaps another finished doll and another one started.....ha...ha...ha!! My plans were mightily scuppered by one son, one game of football, one severely injured foot and another long visit to our local accident and emergency department. I know I love my embroidery but I will admit that it is probably the best thing to do, put your child first when his foot is hanging off!! Well maybe not hanging off, I exaggerate, but obviously not in the condition nature intended. Anyway, he has strapping, padding and crutches along with a very attentive mother, itching to stitch, who has to go back to work tommorrow. My first plantation doll sold almost immediately I put her in the shop!! Amazing!! and she has also been featured here, amazing again! I always intended to make more than one but the reception she got has given me a new impetus and this is the beginning of the next little lady. Applique this time, kind of like a party dress. Here it is damp stretching, ready for more embroidery, foot permitting!!! This one is going to be made with silk cloth then I can get a sense of what works best or whether both fabrics are equally as good for doll making.

Then I made these, little beads from vintage cloth to edge her party dress. She is going to be very pretty, not very practical but very pretty.

So I am sorry there isn't more to show you yet. Like I said it's back to work in the morning and I really need to give myself a good talking to. I need to be more organised, able to do more in the evening when I get home. I am going to try my very best to have this one finished in the week and then I definitely have to get my act together and start making for the july event. I have a vision, me with a stand and only two cushions and four brooches or something equally as pathetic! Have a great week.x

A new diversion

First of all.....I apologise! my brain must still be in holiday mode as I forgot to say when I would draw the winner of my holiday give away. It will be drawn some time on sunday so there is still time to get your name in the hat so to speak.
Before I went on holiday I had a moment, you know, one of those moments when you question what you are doing, what's the point and all that. I call it creative angst, creative insanity, Karen's curse. It didn't take me long to discover the point of it all however, all I had to do was pick up my essay's from Uni, re read the words I had written and that had inspired me to a degree show, exhibitions and lots of work since that time. Those of you who have been hanging around here for a long time will kind of know the motivation in most of my work, blaah, blaah, mothers, children, cloth as comfort, cloth as memory, cloth as history, cloth as a connection to our children and on and on and on, sorry if I am boring you. Anyway, with that in mind I popped on the plane with a burning desire to start this piece. These prairie points are for the edge,

This has been a work in progress all day, well the construction and finishing has, the embroidery has taken a couple of days. Hence the different tones of my images, all taken at different times today, some in good light some in not so good light.

Initially it was my plan to use applique on this piece, I seem to be over doing the cutwork. The cloth I measured though seemed too small for applique so I intend to use that next time. And here is the result of all the soul searching, my interpretation of a plantation doll. Plantation dolls were made during the American Revolutionary War using knotted mens handkerchief's as a way of keeping children quiet during long church services. (If any of my American friends have more info or different info on this I would be really interested.) Anyway, I think she fits perfectly with the concepts that drive my work. She doesn't have a face, originally she wouldn't have had a face and if I gave her a face she would not look nearly as appealing I can assure you. It's my understanding that Amish dolls don't have faces either so this is not so unusual.

I am so delighted with her, she is gentle, soft and comforting. Technically her head should be tied tightly with thread but me being me....I didn't like the idea of throttling her so she has luxurious ribbon instead and down her back hangs a piece of tape which reads '''the use of traditional often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''' This quote belongs to me, I created it for one of my pieces of written research and I feel it is appropriate for this little girl. I have put her in the shop tonight, just to test the water but if she doesn't sell it definitely won't be a hardship keeping her close.I hope you like her as much as I do because I am going to start another one. First though I think I should do some housework. I wasn't kidding on sunday when I said I had no intention of doing any but my house truly is like a tip and I can bear it no longer!! Tomorrow morning, dusting, hoovering, ironing, washing floors, then I will be all set for more stitching.

Home sweet home

Hi!! I'm back.....after an amazing, relaxing holiday in one of the most gorgeous places I have ever seen. The picture shows my daily view from the breakfast table overlooking Lake Malaren. I missed you though and had so many e-mails and comments to respond to when I got back. I have done some replying already and if you haven't heard from me yet you will very soon! Can I just make a plea...Miriam left me a comment, I tried to comment back but couldn't tell if it actually worked, so if you are Miriam can you please let me know if you got my message, ta!!
Well I went to bed at 1.30 a.m. saturday morning then got up again at 7 a.m. itching to stitch. I also had a mountain of unpacking and sorting out to do but once the washing machine was loaded I made a start on these. I just love how they look here, my brain is ticking now thinking of other ways to use them. Jam pot covers? Mop caps for babies? any suggestions?

And voila! Buttons, my original intention. The floral pair are a gift for a lovely Swedish lady who I spent the evening with on my holiday. She gave me a gift which I was totally unprepared for so hopefully this will make ammends.

Whilst I was putting things on cards I thought it would be a good idea to do the same with some chinese knots, maybe sell them at the ''Makey do'' in July.

As for the white buttons, they are going to be part of my give away. I said I would bring you a gift from my holiday didn't I. Well, I bought fabric, gorgeous Marimekko and some very pretty children's fabric from a designer called Karin Mannerstal who designed this range for Mairo. So there will be white buttons, (made by me) and a piece of each of these lovely fabrics. Not a huge piece, I can't bear to part with it!!!! (another illustration of what a tramp I am!!!)

and there will also be two delightful envelopes and a magnetic bookmark from Swedish Bookbinders Design, bought in the very posh NK store in Stockholm. Just leave me a comment, it's that easy.


Phew!! That seemed like such hard work, hope I have explained it all properly! The best thing about today though, I still have another week off work, yipee, lots of sewing, not much housework! Have a great week x

Now I have suitcases to pack

Remember I said I had ordered tape? Well here it is, isn't it lovely. I custom ordered it from Lillalotta, check out her shop it's glorious. This is new name tape to add to my work, already tested on one of my cushions. I think it looks so much better than my hand stitched efforts and the last labels I bought which were too ''plasticky'' , I didn't like them at all. Apologies if you have work with one of those on! Sorry!I also had some tape created using a quote from written research I carried out at university. This tape will find it's way onto some of my larger pieces, as an ''extra'' , a means of explanation about why I do what I do with regard to my embroidery.

Well I promised you smocking and boy do we have smocking! Lots of images for you to look at today. This is the part I don't like, squaring the cloth. I am always convinced I am going to mess it up, have wonky edges. I think I did it right though this time.

Then the relaxing part, threading the long ties through my dots. Someone asked me if I ever use smocking dots that you can buy. Well no because they are SO expensive and also require applying with a fairly hot iron. So I keep my money in my pocket and my cloth unscorched and do it the slow, safe, cheap way!!

Next, gather it all up ready to add the ties that will create the smocking. I think the cloth looks really organic like this yet I panic that it will form permanent creases so try not to leave it like this for too long.

And lots and lots of tying later, voila! here it is. I have a confession to make though, I still haven't made enough knots to finish the edge completely, that's why I am only showing you a small part of it.

I went back to work today, just for the morning as school closed at lunchtime. I could do with a job that's permanently one morning a week and then two and a half weeks holiday...any offers? Anyway the leg beared up really well, hardly a twinge, so it's all systems go for my holiday with my very sexy surgical stockings!! Now the suitcases need sorting out, the ironing needs to be done and I need to pack. I am off to Sweden friday tea time!!! Exciting!!

I am going to bring you a present back, as promised, so look out for the give away when I return. Bye for now.x