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, September 23, 2011

therapy.....of the best kind.






Take it from me...stress doesn't stay around for too long when you can pick up cloth and thread. I am much less stressed today and thanks for all the comments on my ramblings yesterday....
This is the latest creation for my cloth for Helen. I am so delighted with this piece and I could gaze at it forever.....It is already attached, in a different form. That may not make much sense but I will show you next time, have to let my girls see it first.
I can't believe that we only have two weeks of class left. I would love to go straight into running it again without a break but I am going away in November so it would be tricky. For that reason it will be the New Year before I can do it again. My 'nod' list is getting longer and I am really happy that so many of you think you can learn something from me...just a normal Lancashire lass with big opinions. Who'd have thought it? Certainly not my teachers from schooldays I bet!

11 comments:

Jane said...

Love the changes I can pick up from the photos. look forward to the reveal

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Oh Karen, I love how you have had the tape specially made for this piece. It's absolutely delightful - I mean the whole thing, not just the tape. :) I wonder, at the end do we get to see H wrapped in it?

Suztats said...

The fabric tape is a wonderful addition, and so appropriate since you are stitching from love as a mother! Looking forward to seeing it in all its glory!

Tammie Lee said...

quite beautiful, i can see why you are pleased with this! How wonderful that your teaching is going well. I am so happy for you and I love how our arts do release stress. There is something so nurturing about getting present, creating things we love and not worrying about other things... ah the time to do so is a treasure.

Elizabeth said...

You're right, nothing helps as good as picking up a needle. One just relaxes no matter what, although it can take some time.
Hope this means that the computerproblems are history for now.

Have a fabulous weekend, one that is so relaxed that this week will be ancient history by monday.

Anonymous said...

Yes, stitching does a pretty good job of de-stressing. Lovely clean simple textures on this fragment, too - not a hint of stress about them!

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Glad your beautiful stitching is helping with the stress,now I know why I am stitching so much!! x

Montreat Designs said...

Bravo Karen!!!

Libby U said...

I'm so glad to be one of your "girls" taking the class. I have not done every activity, but in time will. I'm almost overwhelmed by the wealth of knowledge you have given us. My brain is full of techniques and we still have two weeks to go! I'm also finding a direction I want to take my future work.

To anyone having second thoughts about taking Karen's course, do not hesitate! She's an awesome and generous teacher!!!

Jackie said...

Congratulations on the obvious success of your class. I'm glad your stress has been relieved. I feel much the same when I can't answer comments but what can you do?
x

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I'm almost hoping for winter (almost!!) so that I can take your class in the new year. I must get my nose to the grindstone and get my other stuff finished up and out of the way so I can have fun learning from you...can't wait!