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







Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Knots, running stitch and vintage lace

Hi! Hope you are all having a happy wednesday. I am really pleased with the feedback from my crazy patchwork, thanks so much. There is more of that to show you but first, a couple of people asked questions about the knotted edge in my last post. This edge was created using individual chinese knots stitched in a row, as shown on this piece.



Chinese knotes are made by stitching bias fabric strips over piping cord and then basically knotting the strips. I haven't done this for a while but it's a really relaxing technique even though it's extra fiddly to finish them off.
Now, back to the crazy patchwork. I have unpicked the barely visible embroidery from the pintucked fabric. What's the point in putting all that time in if you can't even see it. I did consider applique onto the pintucked silk, but I doubt if damp stretching this manipulated fabric piece would work, and I can't applique without damp stretching, just couldn't do it, OCD again. So I have embroidered with the ever present running stitch in a colour that mirrors the transfer colour. You can also see that I am embellishing the seams simply, again with running stitch. I feel this piece is 'busy' enough with the transfers, applique, text, embroidery etc and doesn't need anything over fussy.







We are a long way from being finished though. I still need to embroider a large piece of text to cut up and patchwork, (hexagon style) and I am in the process of creating another surface to add to the cloth. The cutwork here reveals vintage lace from scraps I have acquired over the years, to clarify, scraps, no whole pieces have been sacrificed here! I can't wait now to finish this piece of cutwork, damp stretch it and add it to the cloth.












9 comments:

méri said...

Your patchwork is more and more gorgeous!(i feel i'm doing a grammatical error...)
I also love those knots (i'm addicted to all kind of knots...)
I smiled when you clarify "no whole pieces have been sacrificed" just because I didn't like ALL vintage laces only SOME of them, you know what I mean? There many laces i could sacrifice for a work like yours whithout any problem :)

jude said...

i can only say fabulous. the knots are just beautiful...what an edge. the combinations of all these elements together is too much pleasure at once. addiction.

Threadspider said...

Thanks for the explanation Karen. That's a whole new area to investigate-knots. I'm with Jude on this-so many wonderful things to look at it's breathtaking.
Hope you are enjoying the brief interlude of summer in the grey gloom!

Gina said...

Gorgeous combination of techniques. Those knots are beautiful - don't think I would have the patience.

Jane said...

I do like the cut work and the antique lace. Fit so well together

Anonymous said...

Wow, this looks fabulous. Well done Jill

Victoria said...

I am just in awe. Always am when I look at your work.
The knots are stunning, (thanks for explaining them) as is all of the incredible detail you do!

By the way I posted today about your, (well, mine now!) wonderful pincushion and fabric buttons!

Jacky said...

I love those knots!!! Beautiful piece of art, this is going to be an awesome wrapping cloth!
Your embroidery and patchwork are amazing....

Anonymous said...

I keep coming back to just drool all over this. You do great and wonderful work, sistah!