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, March 8, 2009

Bye bye pink!

It's been a funny day so far. I feel like I have been trying to do this post since 9 a.m. and never quite getting there. Telephone, washing machine, answering e-mails, taking pictures.....anyway, eventually. Cushion 4 is finished and in the shop. Huge sigh of relief, this one took much longer than the others, more embroidery, fiddly hooks and eyes etc. etc. I am really pleased with it but boy am I fed up of pink! I had a converstion with Kaija this morning about how colours, far removed from our usual style/choice, can look good if applied to something suitable. I do agree but can guarantee that pink will not feature in my work for a while, I'm afraid I am sick of looking at it today. The first images were taken during work in progress, applying the hooks and eyes, tacking lines still visible.
I am playing a little in the next one, satisfying my obsessive need to fold.


Then we have the beginning of that stage where it all seems to come together. Running stitch edges to finish off. Neat seams and folds of fabric, really satisfying to complete. Seeing those little details come to life that you had previously only imagined in your head.


Then in no time at all it has all come together. There it is finished, labelled, complete. Voila!! What do you think?



As promised, I have updated my link list. You should check these blogs out, they are vastly different in technique and creative approach and some of them belong to people I consider friends. Take a look, I hope I heven't left anyone out.....Yikes, sorry if I have, there are so many I look at when I can that it's hard to keep track.
Well I can't put it off any longer, a huge pile of ironing awaits as does 'my grandmother's tablecloth'. I still don't have a clue how that will evolve but one thing I guarantee........there will be no pink!

16 comments:

Victoria said...

Your work consistently fascinates and intrigues me. Completely original, and full of amazing detail. I hope you know Karen, how much you bring to the textile world. As always, fabulous!

Threadspider said...

I came by to visit just as I had finished the huge pile of ironing-my reward for being good -and as usual, I was left purring after admiring the stitchwork and the finishing of your cushion.So fresh. I'm looking forward to the tablecloth piece, however it develops.

Jane said...

Wonderful, I love the hooks and eyes. I have a load here that I acquired from someone, just need to find something creative to do with them. It will be much more fun doing your "grandmother's tablecloth" than ironing!

Ulla said...

Your cushion came out just wonderful! I can understand your feelings about pink, but you made it look great here.

Gina said...

Beautiful as ever Karen and I love the hooks and eyes. Thanks for the link too... I've not updated mine in ages and the list on my blog doesn't match my Google Reader list very well at all!

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Lovely cushion,beautiful stitching Karen.

Katy Swift said...

Beautiful cushion Karen. I love that the middle section looks as though it's "burst" open the hooks and eyes, rather like spring flower buds.

MargB said...

A wonderful cushion - the embroidery is wonderful and I love the hooks and eyes but certainly understand why you had had enough!

Diane Cransac said...

I have a love-hate relationship with pink. For years I wouldn't touch it. Then when I was pregnant with my daughter I wore pink the entire time. I knew it was a girl, there was no doubt in my mind! She came out a great lover of pink *go figure* Now I flirt with it. Lately hot pinks keep finding their way into my work. Who knows where that comes from?!?

Gayle said...

The hooks and eyes make this extra special. I love the colors and the exceptional needlework.

méri said...

lovely, wonderful, exquisite - these are not new words in my comments, but they always come to my mind when I see your work (for new ones I would go to the dictionary, but it's not necessary, i think)

Anonymous said...

Sooo pretty- your panel of summery embroidery ... it sits so well between the plain fabric panels. Great job!
Julie (uk)

Jacky said...

Housework... how it interferes with our creative time!!! I think we need a maid/housekeeper.

Beautiful pinchusion...love those petals.

Art4Sol said...

Another beauty....I go nuts just thinking of stitching all those hooks!

Kel said...

Amazing work
Well done

Needles said...

I think I need to stock up on air before I come, Karen. Each visit simply takes my breath away.

I absolutely adore the pillows. Even if they are pink. In fact, I love that pink and orange, such hot, sharp colours, so suited to thinking about anything but the weather outside.