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







Sunday, July 31, 2011

soft white beads.....


A little something different.......for the weekend and for you. Soft, white fabric beads. Little windows of lace behind silk. Five of them to be precise. Created lovingly, by hand, by me....a comment.... a measly comment....a nice one... a not so nice one...I'm not fussy or easily offended....

Last weeks winner.....the buttons...Joanna. Who by the way only gave sympathy reluctantly in my hour of need. If any proof was needed that this is not fixed well there it is.

And then there is this... strips of cotton cloth. Different weights, different shades of white. These are being embellished to within an inch of their lives...I hope to damp stretch them this evening and then they will become part of the next piece of paperwork. 
Don't forget as well, tomorrow, my article. I am so excited I fear I will not sleep....

23 comments:

deanna7trees said...

love this patchwork of sorts.

Anonymous said...

Five little buttons of bliss.... do you never stop.. :)

Helena said...

Those strips of cotton cloth put toghether are wonderful! A wonderfulidea! Nice sunday!!!

Adorable said...

i haven't seen something so incredibly beautiful in a very long time !!

You are a true artist :-)

Flaming Nora said...

Those strips of fabric are divine, like little pieces of a person's life, cut up, stitched back together and becoming something new. Have I got it right this time? I've really tried hard!

Jane said...

I'm looking forward to seeing the transformation

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you're feeling better! and I'm so sorry I haven't been paying more attention to you!
I'm sure that between the interview and your article, your dreams will come true. Well, at least about the work. I can't say much about the empty house.

k

cateriksson said...

I have been on holiday and replaced your work which is so full of light, with real sunshine. Now I am back in dreary Scotland. Save me with some beads please!

Jan said...

Hi Karen ,bet you thought I had forsaken you... NO I have been lurching ,PC problems Grr love those beads ..love Jan xx

Lois Evensen said...

It is wonderful that you are feeling better. There is nothing worse than thinking of all the wonderful things that you want to do and you don't feel well enough to do it.

Beautiful beads! Of course, I love them!

Hugs,
Lois

Anonymous said...

Interesting to see the variations in the fabrics as you embellish them.

Jane S. said...

Those buttons are little puffs of beauty! They look light as a feather, like they could float off in a bit of breeze. Very pretty.

I really enjoyed seeing the work in progress. It's very interesting to see how you work, how it all comes together.

Joanna said...

Ooh thanks for the buttons. You should be grateful though, it was more sympathy than my kids ever got :o). I didn't get much sympathy tonight from my hubby and I'm aching all over, he just said I needed to learn to drive the tractor then he will use the two-wheel tractor and I can cut the hay with the our big little tractor (bigger than a two-wheeled one but still a little tractor really)

Jeannie said...

Beautiful white work. I have never been a fan of pure white, until I saw your work. Oh my, it reminds me of beautiful vintage linens, just gorgeous. The beads are like individual lily of the valley flowers, so delicate, and beautiful.

Suztats said...

Delicious little fabric beads!
Looking forward to seeing your article. Bravo!

DK said...

I took a pretty long internet break and am just now catching up on things, one blog at a time. I really like the paper work you've shared lately and I hope your arm gets better fast. Am looking forward to the article you mentioned.

Jane said...

Five little beads... so pretty! I would love to win them.
Jane

Beacee said...

Glad the horse pills are producing results. I love the little beads - so light and delicate.

Sheeprustler said...

These ones look less like donuts but still very pretty!

jan b. said...

you must be in cahoots with the Energizer bunny 'cause you just keep going, and going, and going ...

Angela said...

Those strips of cotton in the hoop look scrummy already!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I'm back online and trying to catch up - it's going to take me awhile! I'm anxious to see where you're going with the cotton strips - whatever it is, I already know it's going to be good!

dandelion said...

commenting quickly while my computer is working! Fancy giving your buttons to someone who only reluctantly gives you sympathy! Next you'll be giving them to Take That haters!!
xx