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, May 11, 2010

even smaller books...

Well, what have I been doing? I have been taking it easy honest and I do feel much, much better now. It seems a lot of people I know are coming down with this cold but it wasn't me, some of these people I haven't seen for ages so it can't be me (phew). I do sympathise though, a lot and I hope you are feeling bright as a button soon, all of you. I put off the cutting and mounting for 24 hours and think that was probably the key to the recovery. When I start to put these together there is so much stuff everywhere that it truly just looks a mess, chaos and disorder. Eventually it all comes together though and all the mess has gone, pasted and placed into these little books. This time I have made some smaller ones, teeny ones for your pocket or hanbag maybe. Just 4 inches (10cm) square. These have three little pieces of embroidery in and lots and lots of other papers for you to doodle on. Please, please will someone doodle in one of these and send me a picture, I really want to see how you use them.



Alongside the teeny pocket books I have also made and listed some bigger ones, the same size as before.






I'm not quite sure what I want to do now, what I want to make. I picked up a little piece of crazy patchwork last night, just as a small filler because it was too late to start anything major and I had the things I needed for that to hand. Maybe I just need to work on that for a while and let my mind travel, see where it takes me.
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Posted by Karen at 1:25 PM

8 comments:

deanna7trees said...

I just ordered one of the little ones. Just had to have one. They are delicious.

May 11, 2010 at 2:50 PM
Tammie Lee said...

These are wonderful Karen. I love all the details and mixes of materials... and you know i love the embroidery.

May 11, 2010 at 5:32 PM
vintagerockchick said...

Blimey Karen, that's asking a lot! I have enough trouble drawing in a common or garden sketchbook - I'd be far too scared to even make the faintest pencil mark in one of your beautiful treasures! I'd just take it out and look at it. x

May 11, 2010 at 10:34 PM
Gina said...

I've not been brave enough to draw in mine yet... but I do keep taking it out to look at! Promise I'll post a picture if I ever dare draw in it.

May 12, 2010 at 8:04 AM
Elizabeth Braun said...

I *am* glad you're feeling so much better and also that there'll be no need for another all-nighter.=)

Onwards and upwards!=)

May 12, 2010 at 11:03 AM
jennyflowerblue said...

How cute are these?! Glad a rest has got you on the mend- tempted to do the same myself! xxx

May 12, 2010 at 11:30 AM
Wooni said...

I have a question for you, how did you come up with the idea of creating your books? Why did you create them?
They are beautiful, I just want to know your purpose for creating them.

May 12, 2010 at 12:49 PM
Rachel said...

Glad to know you are feeling better now - but did you have to throw it my way?

I'd never dare draw in one of these - they look too much like treasure!

May 12, 2010 at 9:52 PM

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