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







Saturday, September 11, 2010

stitching failure......

Only three pictures for you today I'm afraid. There hasn't been much embroidery going on here, some hospital visiting and a lot of driving but not much stitching. Someone very dear to me has had an horrendous accident, they will be o.k. after a little surgery but still, it gets you doesn't it. And then there's the ripple, how it affects everyone else who cares about them too. I know my husband recently had an accident, I'm kind of wondering if I'm a bit of a jinx but as I don't live with the second ''accidentee'' I guess it can't be my vibes. But then there's me.....I had an accident yesterday. The kind of freak accident that doesn't do much physical harm but the what ifs are mind blowing and the very accepting of ''how did this happen'' takes some time to get your head round!! I am going to tell you about my accident in great detail, it's the only way I can confirm to myself that it really happened, it wasn't a dream and I didn't imagine it. It's not gory or blood thirsty so there is no need to stop reading but honestly you couldn't make it up. Are you ready? Now sit comfortably and I shall begin....
Yesterday morning I was asleep in bed minding my own business, I was suddenly woken by a huge pain in my head and I actually thought someone had punched me. I opened my eyes, no one there, I rubbed my head, blood! I moved my hand down to look at the blood and cut the back of my hand open. I kid you not I was lying in a pile of broken glass. Now I didn't want to move incase I cut some other part of my body so knowing that hubby was downstairs I called him very calmly using my mobile phone and just said ''could you come here somethings happened''. Of course he came bounding up the stairs and was met by me lying in bed, covered in glass and bleeding from various places. I said you couldn't make it up. Anyway, I have very tall tubular glass bedside lamps and the one on my side was the culprit. All I can think is that I knocked it in my sleep, with an arm?? I still can't get my head round it. I am o.k. small cuts, not deep, I'm a tough northerner you see, sore head but now lacking matching bedside lamps! So sewing? Ha! I wish...
Because of all the goings on around here I think I can excuse myself for failing with my embroidery, I can accept it this time. What you see here was something I started on a plain piece of silk dupion. Do you know what? I really don't like it, can't put my finger on it but can't grow to love it. It is going in the bin. It doesn't matter though because all failures lead to something else, every piece is a learning curve that I take something from. There is a plan forming that will be more successful I promise.

26 comments:

Jane said...

How about keeping it and using pieces in other things later on?
What are we going to do with you? I am so pleased you are ok, even if slightly shocked. Glad the others are going to recover too, I've been thinking of you over the last few days. Try and keep out of trouble over the weekend xx

Anonymous said...

No! Not the bin! You can do something with it. Glad you're OK. That was quite a bizarre kind of accident.

sylviesgarden said...

Oh my giddy Aunt! Where to start? I am so glad that you are ok, it could have been a lot worse. I'm glad I don't have a glass lamp!
I'm also glad that the person who had an accident will be ok. I hope they are better soon.
Your embroidery is lovely, please don't throw it away. Maybe if you put it away for now you might feel differently in the future. If not I could rehome it.
I hope you have a lovely and rather less eventful weekend.
TAKE CARE x

deanna7trees said...

there must be something in the air because both you and jude have wanted to destroy beautiful pieces this week. glad you are ok and hope this is the beginning of a better period. i just know it is...

Amy Friend said...

Oh my goodness! How incredibly scary! I am glad you are ok but imagine that you are quite shaken. Don't toss your work. Put it away and look at it again after a couple of weeks or so.

Jackie said...

Good grief. well at least you've had the three now. And you didn't get any blood on the dupion.

Gina said...

The person before me said the words in my head - good grief and if things happen in 3's, then you're all good to go now. I'm glad to hear all's well!

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Glad your OK Karen,what a shock!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

That is totally freaky!! You were incredibly smart to call your husband and not move or you could have hurt yourself worse. So glad you didn't hurt yourself majorly!!

Ijeoma said...

Oh wow what a freak accident, glad you're on the mends.

The embroidery still looks fabulous. Enjoy the weekend. x

Things Hand Made said...

oh dear poor you! what a week. Hope it settles down now.

Jill said...

From now on I think I'll sleep with my mobile next to the bed - you never know!!!

Suztats said...

What an awful way to wake up! So glad you're okay! Take care.

Jan said...

Oh my best wishes to your friend who had the accident ,for a speedy and complete recovery ,and you poor you ,what an awful thing to happen to you I hope there are no ill effects ,please dont throw your embroidery away in to the bin ,you will like it another day ,...love Jan xx

vintagerockchick said...

Ooh dear, scary - you poor thing. Maybe you should keep the reject piece by on the bedside table to use as a makeshift tourniquet!

Rosa said...

Oh boy!

I just planned to buy a bedside lamp - yes, a glass-type-one - but from your awful experience I can understand, that it is nescessary for me to acquire a husband too in order to survive a lamp-attack *lol*
(Please don't mind my morbid sense of humour!)

So - that lamp is now out of the question. Instead I am planning to make a new (linen) lampshade and embroider it - รก la Shasiko. I just have to try it :-)

This I blame on you, your absolutely wonderfull work and your blog. You are so inspiring!
Be well and just toss the bin *S*

Lois Evensen said...

My goodness, attacked by a lamp in your sleep! Statistics tell us most accidents happen in the home, but being in bed asleep? I hope you heal soon!

Hugs,
Lois

Rachel said...

You've really been in the wars, lately. I hope you will soon move on to a period of quietness and contented and productive stitching!

Gina said...

Gosh, poor you. Glad it was only minor cuts and nothing serious. And don't whatever you do throw that piece away... I'd happily offer it a home ; )

**EYE-SNACKS** said...

today I found your blog and so your work. Gorgeous!So I think i have a lot to discover.

Victoria said...

Wow, Karen, truth really is stranger then fiction! So sorry for your bizarre mishap... hope the accident streak that you and love ones are experiencing is now over, (they do say that things happen in 3's, don't they?)

As for doing work that doesn't make the cut, (oh... maybe that was a poor choice of words!) I agree, it's all part of the learning curve and the process of getting from point A to B. I am sure something wonderful will be born from it. xo

Tammie Lee said...

I am sorry to hear about your accident and so glad that you will be ok. It is an odd thing that happened to you.
Last night I was woken by an animal in my ceiling and when I lay back down, in the dark I mistook my windowsill for my pillow. I thought there would be blood all over the place, but no. I am not quite myself today.... night time accidents...

I wonder what you do not like about this piece, I like the big circles...

wishing you and your friend swift healing.

The French Bear said...

Oh no, what a weird and freaky thing!!! Glad you are okay, that really was a close call.....I thought of the same thing as someone else, oh no you got blood on the embroidery!!! Ha ha, we women are so alike! You can't throw it away!!! I already have it finished in my head, there must be something you can make with it!!!
I love it!!!
Hugs,
Margaret B

Anonymous said...

Hi I'm Yumi.
I found this blog through the Blogger.

It's really sweet and nice!
I love it!!!

thank you.

Angela said...

What a scary thing
What a blessing you could call your man for help
Hope you are all healed up soon

Montreat Designs said...

Well I found your crazy story Karen! Good grief... It was nice that your husband was close at hand. I will stick with my bleeding thread! :)

Have a wonderful weekend!!!