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, May 1, 2016

lace on silk



White lace, white silk, an embroidery hoop, pale thread, flowers, French knots, buttonhole stitch, lazy daisy stitch, cross stitch....a new piece of work started before I went to London and continued today on video. This one will eventually form a very small part of a wrapping cloth, eventually. 
London was good, London was great, London is always great. We celebrated a birthday, visited some of the sights...and visited Liberty. I was very restrained, you would have been proud. (There are London pictures on my Instagram if you want to take a peek.)
It's all systems go now for ''stitching a story'' which starts tomorrow. I'm ready, videos made, pictures taken.
(I sent a mail to those of you who have registered for ''stitching a story'' this morning. If you didn't receive that can you please let me know. I know of three people who won't have received it as theirs just kept bouncing back. I tried 3 times. Laureen, Helen and Cynthia....any idea why that would be??? Laureen and Cynthia I have sent it to your flickr mail....Helen? Help)
- See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.gb5DDvY6.dpuf



3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hello Karen (from Deborah in Oxnard, CA). I just want you to know how much I appreciate your videos and your blog. Your work is wonderful and your chatty commentary always warms my heart. Sending you long distance good wishes...

🌿

Karen said...

Thank you Deborah.....sending good wishes to you too!!

Sue Krekorian said...

That textured silk is scrumptious - where did you find it? And your stitchery is, as ever, exquisite.