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, September 16, 2009

Tiny

Boy is this a late, late post. I don't know how we got to this hour so quickly. Normally I post around 7 or 8 p.m. but hey, it doesn't really matter I'm here now. Thanks so much to everyone who commented and e-mailed about the canvas dilemma, 99.9% posititve and truly appreciated. I am going to get around to answering the stack of mail I have sitting in my inbox. It's work that delays me. When I'm working at the day job I sometimes feel as if I am living in some kind of twighlight world, bed, work, very little embroidery. The days become a blur and all blend into one. Now I'm off for four days I am feeling a little more normal and have lists about lists of things I want to do, all really exciting things so it's all good! These things you can see here are the tiniest of hexagons, stupidly small. Why do I do it? Answers on a postcard please! They are now tacked onto card templates and measure an unbelievable three quarters of an inch at the widest point, just under two centimetres. Anyway, they are quite pretty and extremely delicate so it was worth all the pricked fingers.

They are now joined and developing on a piece of ''un patchworked'' cloth to form the next canvas. This will be my last one, maybe ever, not sure yet but I have so much else I want to do. The Sparkle cloth is progressing and I have a burning desire to embroider text onto silk for something else I have in mind to show at Sparkle. I have really enjoyed creating with white on white again and that will be the basis of my text piece. Hopefully I will have some of that to show you soon. There is also a commission to start, not a huge one, four patchwork squares for a really good customer so I musn't let her down. Phew.....lots to do....love it!
Oh and I had a fantastic meal with the bonus of no washing up!
p.s. forgot to say, the blue lines you can see are tailors chalk markings, not visible on the finished thing!

9 comments:

Joei Rhode Island said...

Oh Karen!! These are tiny beautiful pieces of magic! Pure and white as tiny clouds and as delicate as downy feathers.
Need I say.... I *love* them.

Jane said...

So good to hear the excitement back in your "voice". Can't wait to see the end result of the hexagons. Enjoy your break

Elizabeth said...

It is so much fun to read your post. Your thrill for your embroidery is just great. Even if I hadn't seen the picture I would be convinced in a second that your hexogons are beautiful.

Kim said...

What FABULOUS bits! I can't wait to see the finished piece. Yes, you do create a little (pun intended) magic with your needle!

Threadspider said...

You are truly a crazy lady making hexagons that small. Crazy is what keeps the world turning : )

Marie said...

love the white on white!
beautiful!

Kickcan & Conkers said...

Your work is exquisite and I love white on white too.

Victoria said...

3/4 of an inch!?! You blow my mind! Love the white on white!

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Such beautiful little hexagons, and so small I couldn't even begin to contemplate such a project but I know you'll do it expertly and beautifully!
Janice.