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







Friday, December 3, 2010

growing slowly....

There has been more progress on my throw. I didn't get much done yesterrday as I was christmas shopping, (more on that later) and basically I have only one new section to show you here, the cross stitch alpahabet, but finished sections have been added with stitch and some are pinned waiting for needle and thread. It is actually quite big now and I will try and take a picture of the whole thing when I have made a little more progress but for now I'm afraid you will have to make do with little glimpses.
In case you missed it I want to draw your attention to yesterdays post too. I put this up late, very late last night as in the absence of any lottery win I couldn't think of any other way to give you all a gift for christmas. It's not much but I felt it went a little way to wishing everyone a happy christmas.


Like I said, I went christmas shopping yetserday!! I slid and slipped my way around and bought some of the things I need, still more to do but I wasn't warm enough or brave enough yesterday to do any more than this. I am probably not giving too much away either as around 90% of what you can see here is for me!! I know, christmas shopping is supposed to be for others...what can I say, I have very poor self control and just can't resist all the gorgeous things out there!! Isn't the wrapping paper, (bottom pics) gorgeous!! I didn't leave the house for that. I got it here if you want some, love it!!

My plans for the weekend include putting together a piece of white. I do love the colour in my throw, the colour in my christmas shopping but it always comes back to white, I always have a need for white. Who knows I may also get my cards written and some gifts wrapped. I also hope we don't see any more snow, beautiful yes, pretty yes, mightily inconvenient and scary...yes. 
have a good one...x

14 comments:

sylviesgarden said...

It's looking more and more stunning.
Hope you have a great weekend.
x

deanna7trees said...

those cross stitched letters are beautiful...

connie said...

You are teasing us letting us know this is larger and we can not see it. :-) I can hardly wait. It is just beautiful, a work of art! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas season!

Angela said...

Hi Karen,
l just love the colour, although l do love the white, it is very beautiful. Snow is melting in west lothian, very slippy now. Still snowing though.
Angela

Elizabeth said...

Good to hear that you weekend is already totally filled with nice things to do.

Have blast and I'll see you soon.

e.

Dolores said...

Ha! It's always hard not to buy for yourself when looking for a gift for someone else. My daughter is constantly doing it. Me, I really try to stick to my list. We are not yet slip sliding here.
Love the cross-stitched alphabet.

Suztats said...

I love the little peaks at your throw! It seems very spring-like and cheery. Have a great weekend!

Jacky said...

Oh Karen, you are a woman after my own heart...I love your *shopping* finds!!!! Your gifts and home will look beautiful.

I love those little angels especially...can just see them strung up on the mantle.

YOur cloth may be coming along slowly (I actually am amazed by how much you get done!)...but it is so special. Such detail and the colours looks so fresh and crisp.

Sending you Christmas Cheer,

Jacky xox

Lois Evensen said...

Ah, Christmas shopping! We did ours very early because we will be away from home for Christmas. That doesn't bother the kids too much because they get more than one celebration that way. ;)

Helena said...

The alphabet is wonderful and very difficult to do over that kind of fabric.
Happy weekend.

Gina said...

I'm generally not big on cross stitch alphabets but this one popped right out at me and I love the arrangement of color in it. Beautiful!

Ingrid said...

Your throw is stunning,the letters i just love:-)

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I love those little birds on the wrapping paper!! I can 'see' those translated onto your white pieces. Wouldn't they be cute? I'm like the rest and really looking forward to seeing the entire throw.

Anonymous said...

Love the way the throw is going. I have to say that I think with all the white outside I would tend to embroider in any other colour I could find, but I know that you like white!