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, December 11, 2011

dipping in and out.....






I am not focusing on any particular thing at the moment due to the nature of Christmas, families, classes and cleaning....so when I get a moment to embroider I have my finger in a few pies...my sketchbook has been getting a little attention in the form of extending the page. My hoop has been getting a little attention in the form of a few French Knots here and there...I have to finish preparation for the STITCHED workshops....(top right side bar) and I tell you something...I can't keep up with my button girls!! I got up this morning to a mass of new images in our flickr group. My guess is they all have bleeding fingers, that or a few elves hidden in a cupboard! Please do me a favour and go have a look at their amazing work here...you won't regret it.
The class blog for January's cloth class is taking shape too. There is a video on there about cloth and how I choose pieces for my embroidery along with a couple of pages that explain my motivation and my thought process when making and embroidering. Registration is still open here. and although we don't start until January 9 the blog is open to you now if you sign up. That way I hope you have chance to build up your stash for the class and begin to make decisions on your own personal motivations and thought process. 
Whether you wish to sign up or not there is some beautiful work in the flickr group of my last class that I am sure you would enjoy perusing...you can see that here.
The rest of Sunday? We are having a roast beef dinner......I don't have elves to do that, or a butler, oh what I wouldn't do to get a Butler!!! I keep asking Father Christmas....and I have been good.... but not a chance! so shortly I will be washing vegetables...then I am going to play with some cloth. I am so determined that cloth will play a part in my day...pressing, marking out, embroidering....even working on a hem would suffice....can you tell I am having withdrawals?


12 comments:

deanna7trees said...

oh yes. so many beautiful buttons from your girls. i do love the stitching on paper, especially the edge on that fold out piece. enjoy the day.

Anonymous said...

You aren't the only one suffering from withdrawal. It's very cold and miserably overcast here, and the light isn't good enough for what I want to do..

Tammie Lee said...

gorgeous as can be.
your embroidery and holes on the watercolor paper look like snowflakes in a snowy day... to me. lovely.

jan b. said...

*** swoon ***

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

I have just finished cooking the sunday roast and I'm now settling down to my stitching!
Good luck with your teaching, your students are producing some bea utiful work.M X

Jeannie said...

Wow! Your students are doing you proud! Amazing work. Speaking of amazing work, your paper work is so beautiful as is the white work. Have a beautiful week.

Carol Q said...

OMG - new Year's resolution - stitching on rag paper! just beautiful Karen.

Elizabeth said...

It is wonderful to read how proud you are of your girls!

Helena said...

White is perfect! Always.
Have a nice week.

Tina said...

Karen-

I love the paper work-I am also busy with Christmas. i just got home from swim coaching and will soon begin to make some pillowcases for my DD and hopefully finsh putting the hanging sleeve on a new holiday quilt! Always something to do-I hope you get to sew-you must be about sick from not sewing!

Suztats said...

Very Big Grin.....sigh. Love it!

Tatkis said...

Stunning worsk! thank you for sharing!

Hugs,
Tatyana