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, August 10, 2010

pink.....

I'm still here wondering where the days have gone. I didn't mean to leave it this long to post again but being a party animal means you can't fit everything in, something had to give. We had a wonderful day on saturday and the day went so fast. It seemed to be over in a moment, that's what good food and good company does for you. My little girl stayed an extra day so I was busy enjoying her company, just knowing she is in the house gives me a good feeling, a contented feeling. Then I wanted to finish this, my raspberry silk and pink gingham creation. I love this piece so much, part of me wants to keep it but then I think ''what would I do with it''? My treasure cupboard is getting full now and I need to leave room for the future. I could drape it over my sofa but then the likelihood is that some huge male person over 6 foot tall will not notice and put his big you know what on it, so I shan't keep it instead it is listed so that one of your big men folk can put their big you know what on it!! and....it's got prairie points, don't you just love prairie points...I have also been titivating again. I got my fabric but as yet haven't made my curtains, tomorrow hopefully and I bought a little glass cupboard for the wall which is up but at the moment is empty. I tried a bit of imaginative draping of fabric next to the cupboard yesterday to give you an idea but the pictures were naff so I will try again when it's finished properly. My tumble dryer has broke, insert loud, blood curdling screams here, it was my freezer last month!! I am totally lost without it so need to go on a tumble dryer hunt which means visiting those huge shops where someone jumps on you the minute you step over the threshold. As for sewing....I don't know what to make next, terrible I know. No meaningful, inspirational forward thinking or planning has been going on, a sad indictment of me as a creative whizz. Something will probably come to me when I am fighting my way through all the damp washing that is lying around my house. Is it just me or do your neighbours come in the middle of the night and add to your washing pile too?? I swear it's breeding...

15 comments:

meri said...

Beautiful! I've already said before, i love that pink.

(many times my English isn't enough to understand everything: what do you mean by prairie points???)

Suztats said...

I love those hits of raspberry with the pink gingham. Delicious!

Rachel said...

Delightful as ever, Karen!

As for the washing - if you've had as much rain as we've had you've been putting it off...!

deanna7trees said...

love the raspberry circles making a path down the hexagon tiles. I invision a garden with hexagon tiles and raspberry circles in amongst the flowers. wouldn't that be grand. just go buy the dryer and soon it will all be over. I know how you feel as I just did that just a few weeks ago.

Jane said...

Very pretty. The raspberry silk looks just like buttons

Jan said...

Chop up some boxer shorts and make a bag, hee hee ..love Jan xx

meri said...

:)
Thanks, Karen!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

You have neighbours adding to your washing pile and I have gremlins that steal things in my studio. Must be a conspiracy! Seriously - I'm not a huge lover of pink, but I do like this piece. Must be that dupion silk that's doing it!!

connie said...

I love this piece! It is wonderful. So aren't appliances a pain! I hope you are able to easily find a dryer... :-(

vintagerockchick said...

Sooo girlie - must be the influence of having your baby at home x

Ingrid said...

Glad you had a good time with your girl:-)Hope you find a dryer fast
Beautiful embroidery,just love the way you photograf your work

sylviesgarden said...

I know exactly what you mean about the washing! It appears from nowhere.
I so love the colours in your piece.
x

Anonymous said...

That gingham works so beautifully as hexagons; the directional variation of the checks is so effective.
I love your phrase 'leave room for the future'.
There are only two of us in the house, and the washing basket seems to be permanently full. I've often wondered how that happens. It hadn't occurred to me that it might be the neighbours...

meandering pearl said...

this is just so beautiful, the perfect shade of pink!!! loveliest thoughts

Tina said...

Love the pink-even though I am a blue fan-this is stunning. You must like gingham as much as I like polka dots!