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







Wednesday, June 8, 2011

muslin discs...circles...applique

Only three pictures today but may I tell you that is quite an achievement! Dark?? Ha! We have thunderstorms....now all we need is the locusts and we will have had the full set! 
I give you white....white muslin discs, appliqued onto cotton fabric. The early stages of my next piece...all damp stretched and beautiful just for you with a couple of prepared pieces anxiously waiting to be applied.

I got to wondering this morning, where would I be without French knots? Brings me out in a cold sweat just thinking about it. Can you imagine if they'd never been invented!!
In the background to all this white and all these knots I am being a very good girl. I have an article to write....oooo get me!! A proper article, all grown up and everything.... 750 words, now that isn't a lot considering the thousands of words I wrote at Uni but I can tell you after a few years the brain dries up. It's been...not hard but kind of a revelation...like how at one time in your life if you are expected to write thousands of words and it's a weekly thing you can work that way. It becomes easy..ish and then if you leave it too long the skill really does rust. I have enjoyed it though, not that it's finished but I am just about there and it really does feel like a big accomplishment. I am not going to say who it's for yet but if they like it and it does get ''published'''...(that's scary!!) you will be the first to know. They did approach me....so it should be O.K. I didn't hawk myself out as a literary master or anything...they asked aware of the fact that I am a hermit who merely stitches.........
I need to go now.....but don't forget my weekly tat clear out here incase you missed it yesterday!

16 comments:

Sue Krekorian said...

I love these muslin circles - a gorgeous effect, lovely contrasting textures. And I'm quite sure that, if french knots hadn't been invented yet, you would have discovered their technique, because they seem to be from your soul.

Joanna said...

I really like those white muslin discs, very pretty. I don't know what I would do without french knots either, I use them on practically everything too.

Now you know how I feel with regards to writing. I started back on studying three years ago now and the first year was real brain ache but unfortunately for me it hasn't necessarily got easier. Some assignments have been easy and some a real slog.

Flaming Nora said...

MERELY STITCHES! MERELY STITCHES? what you on about girl? Do you look at what you produce?
Though I suspect your world would crumble away like a house of sand when the tide runs in the day they disinvent the french knot!

deanna7trees said...

you probably would have invented the french knot had it not existed. maybe you can invent a new stitch. love the muslin discs.

Anonymous said...

Nice circles! Maybe I could add 'the pleated circle' to my repertoire... After all, I only have to think of another 25 variations...

Montreat Designs said...

Wow! Love the circles... So modern, so fresh, so O!!! :)

Elizabeth said...

You are definitely the White Queen. I am utterly amazed by what you can come up with in your favorite colour.

Have fun while writing or holding your needle if you are in need of some extra inspiration.

Jane said...

We were out when the thunder and lightening struck, not very pleasant, lol.
The muslin discs are amazing

sjmcdowell said...

Hi!!

Your work is so lovely and soothing to look at!

I always love to came visit you.

Blessings in every Stitch...

Susan

letrecivette said...

I love these muslin circles !
like always you have magic hand!
Thanks for your kind visit on my space!
Monica

Sheeprustler said...

We had locusts in country Victoria last summer. i could have sent you some :)

Tammie Lee said...

oh my pretty pretty pretty
maybe you created french knots in another life...

Beacee said...

These are just so beautiful!

Linda Carole Bloom said...

Karen, if French knots had never been invented, I'm sure you would have invented them!
I just made my first Etsy Treasury! It only took 2 hours! lol.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTI0OTI1NzZ8MzEzOTMyODI1/the-livin-is-easy
Love, Linda

Anonymous said...

Lovely, Karen. I, too, believe you would have invented French knots if no-one else had.

I agree that writing is a skill that one can lose. Hasn't writing a blog helped?

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I was about to say that you would have invented French knots, but I see several other people have beaten me to it. Can't wait to see where you will be published next (and hope I can get my hands on a copy this time).