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, November 27, 2010

labels.....

Look at my amazing new labels courtesy of AnnaWell they weren't free but you know what I mean. I'm sorry to tell you though that I think she has shut up shop but you can always sign up to be notified when she opens again. These are already spoken for, three christmas presents sorted and ticked off my list now, only about fifty more to go!! If you like these there are some in the shop. They don't have the new labels on but I can easily remedy that.  

I managed to get to the show yesterday too, courtesy of my good friend who acted as chauffer for the day. I spent a little bit, oh well o.k. I spent quite a lot but I think I've been a good girl this year and I deserve it. This beautiful fabric with birds I just couldn't resist. I won't use it in my work but I have visions of it becoming ''something'' for my bedroom in the future and look at that selvedge. It makes me drool, well worth the money just for the gorgeous selvedge.

I also bought lace, white lace and more fabric, bottom picture. The floral piece was also too enticing to ignore, for some reason it reminds me of when I was a little girl. So far I have no firm plans for any of this, truth be told I have merely spent hours fondling it!!
In addition to all this embroidery gorgeousness I bought myself a very pretty, detailed  framed stitched picture depicting the fairy tale the Princess and the Pea. I maintain that I too would sense a pea in my bed under 20 matresses, being an actual princess and everything! That is going in my bedroom too and I promise to show you soon.

19 comments:

Lois Evensen said...

Very pretty pin pillows! And, buying fabric for you is the same as buying yarn for me. I just can't resist sometimes. I get it home, then figure out what I will do with it. I always find something fun to do with what I buy.

Heather Woollove said...

What excellent purchases, Karen!!
It's always thrilling to have new supplies...and the attendant 'enthusiastic certainty' that something wonderful will be made from them!! XXO-

deanna7trees said...

glad you got to go to the show. some beautiful purchases. i love selvedges. i've been saving them lately for a special project that hasn't yet been decided.

Gina said...

I love the bird fabric! Apparently there is something you do with selvedges. I guess I should look into that. I've always left them on to save me finishing a edge when I could but I've seen projects that hinted of using the "cut off selvedge". Can't remain ignorant now, can I?

Jane said...

Looks like you had a good day, beautiful additions to the fabric and lace pile. I am sure you will find something fabulous to do with it all

Heartwideopen said...

I wish I could have spent the day shopping with you! You found some wonderful treasures! LOVE the laces, and the bird fabric is so "me" too. The cotton lawn fabric looks lovely, as does that great strip fabric!
Your pin pillows are so pretty. All three are great... I especially like the third one with the blue, orange and green embroidery, and that lovely striped fabric.

;~) Debi

jennyflowerblue said...

Love the labels! I also think your fabric is too too cute and of course you are a princess and would detect the pea in the bed, I have no doubt at all. xxx

Helena said...

What a wonderful stuff! Have a nice evening.

sylviesgarden said...

Love the pin pillows and the new labels!
You bought so many lovely things.
x

Jacky said...

The pin pillows look lovely with their new labels...what beautiful Christmas gifts.

Ooohhhh your fabrics and lace are gorgeous!

Jacky xox

Tammie Lee said...

your gifts are going to make eyes sparkle! wonderful labels!

Tammie Lee said...

hello again,
the link to Anna does not go to a website, but a page of endless websites, could you give us a direct link? many thanks.
t

Karen said...

thanks for letting me know Tammie, I have fixed it now....I hope!!

Anonymous said...

I had to laugh right out loud at your comment on my blog, Karen - sure, we can share a double cave (or maybe cave rows like the traditional row houses in Baltimore?:). You can damp stretch all your lovely white embroidery on top of the stones. :) Or, maybe, take up a more earth-toned palette? LOL

I love my iPad but I think my husband just wanted an excuse to buy one -- he is using it more than I am right now (girl's gotta work sometimes;)

Linda

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Hi Karen, remember me....?!!!!

What a busy life you lead, weddings, Swedish visitors, needlescraft fairs... Just been catching up. The wedding photos are lovely, the purchases delightful, and I'm loving these little pincushions.

My life has been hectic too, but without all the outings. Deadlines, deadlines and more deadlines. Managed to keep up with the blogging but the visiting had to fall by the by for a while. Still, I feel a great sense of achievement about the last few weeks.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend... You are hand stitching all your Christmas pressies...?!! Wow! What a star!

Janice. x

Elizabeth said...

The bird-fabric is just soooo cute. I also like the pink fabric, you know it's just my color to work with. Glad to hear you had a fun day.

Have a lovely sunday evening.

Anonymous said...

Glad you managed to get to the show after all. It was full of interesting stuff, wasn't it!

Anonymous said...

Glad to see you had fun at the show and found treasures :-)
Love those labels!

Ms Muffin said...

So cute! Really adorable!