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, September 21, 2010

white silk

Boy it's quiet today...I know these things because I've got codes and counters everywhere. Where is everyone? Should we all hold hands and try to contact the living?? Yes I know I kind of plagiarised that from Robbie but it seemed apt. Well as there is nobody awake, around, interested I shall just share this with my one reader.
Big sigh.......glorious white silk, love it, love it, love it. Can't get enough of it, want more of it, want to touch it, want to hold it all day. O.K. you get my drift now. My white on white silk panel with hexagons is finished, complete, ready, backed with silk and edged with a little strip of hexagons along one edge, buttonhole stitch along the other three.







I have worked so hard on this one. Not in a bad way, I loved every minute and adored every stitch and don't get me wrong I have loved all the others too, especially the ones with vintage pieces in them as I feel I share that work with those who created the old cloth, the aged cloth. They have a connection to those pieces too. With this one I feel that special connection which comes from creating each and every section from the very beginning. Taking a piece of plain white silk and embellishing with embroidery, cutwork, text, before cutting and joining and arranging whilst arriving at the finished article. Nothing more to say really, the only thing left to do is touch and drool!
In other news, wait for it, I've been out today! I kid you not, I went to the supermarket and it made me realise why I would rather not go out!! You part with an awful lot of money, meet ignorant road users, get trampled, bumped and ignored. I am off to the shed, there's a much better ambience in there, see you soon.

15 comments:

BitnByAQuiltingBug said...

I'm here! I don't usually comment, but I do read and love those pics.

sylviesgarden said...

Your last sentence is so apt as to how I feel, it is almost like you have read my mind! I thought it was only me that felt that way, people have no manners anymore. I've got to the point where I dread going out.
Your work is amazing as usual, I love the hexagons along the edge.

x

ps. Yes, it does seem like it has been grey and wet since May. Again I thought it was just me.

Gracie said...

Me too! Don't comment, but visit!

Jane said...

See, two readers today, lol. As regards to the supermarket, why do you think I get my shopping delivered?
I love this for the hexagons and the text. I'd want to touch this too

Gina said...

I'm here too! And I know exactly what you mean about going out... unless I get it over and done with first thing I just don't do it because I'd rather be in!

Dolores said...

I too love the hexagons along the edge. Another question, and maybe you already answered this in a previous post but, what do you use to mark your lettering with? Do you use the wash-away pens or the fade-out ones and do you test it first? (OK so it's more than one question but they led into one another.)

Gina said...

What? You couldn't hear my drools hitting the floor? Oh..well...not a very nice image, I guess. I've been fantasizing over your books. I keep hoping they will be gone when I visit so that I won't agonize over which one I might pick if I were to dig up some cash. :-)

Helena said...

You make something good: you give us a lot of photos of your wonderful work. And that makes a lovely journay to us!
Have a nice night, I hope!
I'm making a post to invite my visitors to go to my daughter's blog and left there the congratulations for her's 22nd birthday!

Rachel said...

Lovely to see the silk piece finished!

Jackie said...

I'm still here..don't know what else to say but beautiful.

deanna7trees said...

been to lace class today and working on jude's weaving class so this is the first chance i got to visit you. the finished piece is just magnificent.
i like being in but i also like going out for a bit. i always manage to find someone nice to say a few words to at the supermarket and then it feels so good to be back home.

Christine said...

Hi Karen. I read your blog on Google Reader so I may not show up in your visitor counter, but I DO read every post. I don't comment often, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate your lovely work and that you share it with us here.
Hooroo,
Christine in sunny Sydney Australia
http://missmuffettwo.blogspot.com/

jennyflowerblue said...

I'm here too- but I reckon your blog radar software probably knew that already! The white is very special, and all your own work, I'm glad you enjoyed the process, now get back to your shed and make the next one! xx

Perpetua said...

Ha! Ask and ye shall receive---I read your blog too---and I really get that thing about leaving the house. I seem to get lost in my studio for days and only emerge when it is dead serious!! Hope the shed worked out better.....

Suztats said...

Drooling.....drooling.....wiping.....drooling.....I think this is a serious addiction.....