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







Thursday, May 3, 2012

extending 2







My second piece is now finished and I love it. I hope you like it....do you? and in case you missed it there is a link in the post below to a great feature about my work. Thanks Harpa....

17 comments:

Jane said...

I like it, lots. Both parts fit together so beautifully

deanna7trees said...

oh it is just fabulous, as usual.

silk said...

Watching this grow into a finished piece was a wonderful experience. There was a lot of chatter in the class about artist books. Your piece seems to have aspects of a book--the edge of the top layer references a torn page; to see the whole piece the viewer would need to lift or turn a page. This adds such an exciting dimension to your work. Bravo!

henrietta (aka ani aka zani) said...

there is such density of stitch/thread/fabric/thought but also a light transparency as well. almost like a dream. lovely

barbara l. hale said...

Yep, love it!

Gayle said...

This is a favorite! It is beautiful.

Rachel said...

You've got so many intriguing textures on this piece - lovely1

Elizabeth said...

Gorgeous as usual. Visited Harpa's place today and I have to say she has some awesome pictures on her blog and I really like the way she works. So thanks for introducing me to her.

Curtains in My Tree said...

I have not seen such beautiful work on another blog that compares to yours. I was looking aT Button Floosies and found you

beautiful is all I can say

One Artist Hand said...

WOW now this is what I call embroidery.

Karen I could just kiss your hands :-)

Suztats said...

I've been out of the loop for a bit...but wow! gorgeous! My first thought when seeing this: the two pieces look as though they should be sewn together along the left side, where the piece on top is almost straight, and stitched along the top edge, too, creating the left side of a vest.....the coloured bits down the right are fancy closures framed with your lace and lovely bullions.......maybe I'm seeing things.......but whatever I'm seeing, it's beautiful!

stitchinglife said...

Beautiful. Reminds me of a landscape.

Heather Woollove said...

Yes, Karen...this piece is really spectacular!! It's the best of both 'white' and 'color-filled' worlds! XXO-

Magpie's Mumblings said...

oh...bliss!

Say It In Color said...

Oh MY!!!! This has really peaked my interest and heart!!! I have ALL the white on white embroidered sheets I sewed on with my Mother when we lived in Spain in the fifties....I was eleven.....and NOW I think I know what I am going to do with them.....these of yours are exquisite!!! Found you a couple of weeks ago and have been busy trying to move to our downsized home....can't wait.....and then get going on some of this beauty you have so graciously shared with us!!!! Your work is beautiful, beautiful!!!! Blessings!!

Yvonne Moxon said...

I love it, it's beautiful, Im just catching up with posts I never forget your blog I just save it for when I have time to read, drool and savour the beautiful work that I aways find here:)

Nancy said...

Amazing...Gorgeous...Fantastic...and more! I love the hints of color. You've given me an idea (finally) for some family vintage cloths!