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, May 10, 2011

soft white and applique....

Is it that time again? Gifts for you, my one reader? Well yes, here is this weeks tat for someone to take off my hands. One winner, two buttons.....do you like? (just a comment...a hi!! is all that's required...even a ''I don't like your blog'' would suffice....thick skinned that's me!) The unlucky recipient of last weeks flotsam is Susan from Threads of Inspiration. Can you let me have the postal stuff please Susan and then I can send your buttons your way....
Apart from buttons I have been working on the white from last time. I have appliqued little petals around the cutwork....there are nagging doubts about this one. Pretty? Yep. Innovative? Not sure......the jury is out. I will finish it and who knows I may have a blinding flash of something resembling innovation before that happens...we shall see. It has been damp stretched and shall get more treatment later.



The third piece is finished too...my thumb hurts, my index finger hurts. sewing through the pleated silk did for me I'm afraid. I am going to damp stretch that later today ready to show you next time. In other news.....the illegal stalking of my postman continues....still no magazine. There are glimpses of said magazine online so it's not a figment of my imagination honestly. There just aren't any glimpses of my DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD. Yes, you heard right, a double page spread.....oh I do hope I'm not disappointed when it finally arrives...that would require a lie down in a darkened room.......... 

45 comments:

nayworthcottagecrafts said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE all your work inc these gorgeous buttons :0) xx

Jane said...

Ilike the applique and the splash of colour in the buttons was such a surprise-a good one

Anonymous said...

Delightful as usual, Karen, stop doing yourself down!

I do hope that magazine comes soon!

Heather Woollove said...

Oh, Karen, I wouldn't be nearly as patient as you, were there a two-page spread of mine in the works!
I love the new ovals...they're pretty and subtle. XXO-

dandelion said...

Ok this week I'm going to try flattery and eventually I will move onto illegal stalking but I will win some buttons!!

Kate x

dandelion said...

oops I forgot to put the flattery into my comment. Love love your buttons and all your lovely lovely lacey work

Kate x

Isisjem said...

Just gorgeous. I love the white with the pop of colour peaking through.

Joei Rhode Island said...

Karen...you won't be able to do any embroidery in a darkened room! We will all go through withdrawals! Then we will have to go lie down in a darkened room ... please NO! ... just think of what it would do to the global economy!

Kella said...

Found you via link on facebook, these buttons are spectacular, fingers cross I'm the lucky one.

Gemma said...

Hi there!
I have just discovered your blog and I love your work.
Gem
x
www.makedoandgem.blogspot.com

Gina said...

More gorgeous buttons... makes me want to stitch buttons again!

cateriksson said...

These are even more lovely than last week. I am inspired to think of what I could do with them. I recently had an idea to make fat little letters to put up in children's room in a bunting sort of way, perhaps these would work there!

Doreen G said...

Your work is amazing Karen as are the beautiful buttons.

Julie Shackson said...

I discovered your work recently on Flickr and it's lovely to find your blog. I'm amazed at how much work you produce; you must have lightening fingers!

Suztats said...

Susan is a lucky ducky!
Karen I love the appliqued petals!
White dreams.......

Dolores said...

Karen, I don't know how you do it but I am in awe each time I visit. And you do it all in white!!

Anonymous said...

Not sure how I got here nut I'm so glad I did! Beautiful!

Threads of Inspiration said...

Karen, Your work is so lovely! Thanks so much for the buttons that I won, I am so excited to see your beautiful work in person! I sent you my address at the contemporary embroidery @ hotmail address.

Brenda T said...

Greetings from Canada :) Beautiful work as always.

Anonymous said...

you already know Karen,

I don't like your blog! and want to add all the pieces of art you do as well - don't like at all!

;))))) is it enough????
Hope you are well, my dear!

Tammie Lee said...

so much beauty and yea for Susan.

Gill said...

Your work is so beautiful Karen!

Anonymous said...

Hope your sore fingers recover soon! :) Can't let them rest for _too_ long as they put out such beautiful images. :)

Linda (quilter at jagunet dot com)

Shelley: the Dread Pirate Rodgers said...

oh, I would be prostrate with ecstasy should I be the fantastically lucky recipient of ANY of your needlework! I am simply in awe of your skill and talent. I'm sure that you have forgotten more than I will ever know about hand needlework. :-)

Yvonne Moxon said...

These are beautiful buttons, I would love to own them! and your applique work is beautiful also. Your work has inspired me to pick up my needle and do some experimental hand embroidery, have always ment to but I have never tried open work before, my little sample was fun to do but its a far cry from yours.

letrecivette said...

Hi Karen,
I have just discovered your blog and it's faboulos!
Great work! I love everything!
Nice week,Monica

Jan said...

Well now Im sulking ..but great news for Susan,lucky girl....I love that cut away work,I do hope your poorly finger and thumb soon feel better ..love Jan xx

Carol said...

Oh eye candy!!! Lurvely stuff,live the cut work flower yummy . Can I be included in the draw please!!! Love Cxxx

Elizabeth said...

With the cutwork and the applique you can do all kinds of patterns and each time you can make it different. I like this play with opposites.

Have fun tonight.

Helena said...

Karen: I love the buttoms (yes i do!!!) but this white embroidery it's GORGEOUS as usually!
Good evening.

Heartwideopen said...

I LOVE those buttons! Especially laying against your latest white on white. It's always an extreme pleasure to come and visit your blog and see what you're up to!

;-) Debi

Gina said...

I'm happy to just look and admire. Well...almost...I really want to pick up a needle and stitch, if only I could get organized!

Angela said...

I'm a new visitor to your blog and am absolutely amazed at your work - it's all so beautiful.

Angela said...

Your cut flower is gorgeous! I don't think anyone in their right mind could come by your blog and say they don't like it!

Sheeprustler said...

I think postmen get used to being stalked... very pretty buttons!

Anonymous said...

Very cold here today in Sydney - I think I need some new buttons for my cardigan!!!!! is that a good hint?

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Looking beautiful Karen. I do hope you'll let us have a sneaky peek at your double page spread when it arrives..? Hope your thumb is better.
x

Wendy said...

just beautiful. It's about time you published a coffee table book of your beautiful work!

Patchwork Linda said...

please put me into the drawer and I will stop sending you messages you have no chance of understanding.

Jill said...

Just a catch up - you seem to have created acres of loveliness while I have been away.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Loverly, as always! Your poor postal person must be getting a complex?

Beacee said...

Love the buttons! Hope the thumb is better.

petal said...

Congratulations on the article, I'll have to see if I can find that magazine here. I love reading about your work.

Jeannie said...

Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Love the buttons. I need more hours in a day to fit in my stitching at the moment... maybe one day I can get the creativity out... Don't stop doing your thing!