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







Friday, January 8, 2010

white.........progress

White is such an appropriate colour for the moment. We are blanketed in white, no fresh falls but lots of frozen white, dangerous white. Yesterday I ventured out on four wheels, main roads slightly less risky than minor roads. Second gear all the way, never above 15-20 mph. Then I got to the dual cariageway, not too bad I thought, up into third gear, maybe 25 mph.....skid! Very scary, I said to my son...''that's it I'm not leaving the house again''! He replied....''mum it was fine until you did your Michael Schumacher!!'' O.K. point taken, but I still haven't been anywhere since. The salvation that is embroidery, I just adore this piece, my newest white piece. I have added to the bit I showed you the other day. It looks similar or even the same as some earlier pieces but I hope it is altered by being placed next to the regimented lines of flowers.
I have used a thicker thread on the cutwork part of this piece. It makes the knots almost jewel like and is a contrast to the fine thread of the first section. Plans for this are changing as it is evolving though. The pieces of lace behind the petals are very fragile and in some places are actually coming away. That isn't necessarily a disaster it just means that those areas will need strengthening so I am going to back this with some fine white muslin and then do a little hand quilting on top.








First though I need to finish the surface embroidery. There is a large section of un embellished cloth along the bottom of this that I want to stitch before adding the muslin. Then I have plans for the colourful piece I showed you last time. The next stage for that requires embroidering a large piece of text and I can't decide what to do first. It is looking increasingly likely that life will return to normal from monday meaning back to work. Inevitably things will slow down on the embroidery front just at the point where construction, backing and finishing needs to be done. It looks like I am in for a busy weekend, busy in the best sense of the word.

15 comments:

Dolores said...

I've said it before and I will say it again - simply beautiful.

Jane said...

This is getting better and better. I like the sound of hand quilting. Hope you manage to get plenty done before you have to go back to work. You never know, a fresh batch of snow might extend the holiday

Threadspider said...

I am thinking Elizabethan wedding dress. Wish I had been married in the sixteenth century if I could have had this to wear. Just beautiful.

Jackie said...

I love that large cutwork flower next to the rows of little ones.
Its b*******l

vintagerockchick said...

I love French knots, and worked in that thread they look fabulous and crunchy. (Maybe you are being inspired by the weather!)
I'm definitely going to try and come to the Landmark fair in March.

Ingrid said...

I agree,so beautiful!

Sarah Payne said...

When I look at your work it makes me feel all tingly inside. It is just so clean and pure and I find i respond to it in a way that is surprising.

I hope that doesn't sound too weird. Keep up the emotionally effective work!!

Elizabeth said...

Each time you know to amaze me with what you can do with white.

Have fun during your nice, busy weekend. (Is Bruce keeping you company?)

Anonymous said...

This piece is really lovely. I'm working with white myself at the moment, for possibly the first time ever. I agree that it's totally the right colour for 'now'.

méri said...

This is beautiful!
Have a good and warm weekend

hens teeth said...

Glad to see you happy.

Diane Cransac said...

Very winter wonderlandish! Looks so crisp and clean :) I also am staying house bound...but seriously wishing my grocery man can make his delivery soon...I am having to get quite inventive wtih the cooking!

JP said...

your work is so reflecting the current weather! - it is very beautiful

Helena said...

What a wonderfull work! Congratulations!

Emma said...

It is amazing, I love your french knots...