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







Monday, September 20, 2010

five books.......

Just a tiny glimpse here of the five finished books. There is so much to see on these newly created pages that if I put all the images here I would not only use up my own bandwidth but probably yours too. and if the use of the word bandwith makes you think ''ah, she's a technical genius'' then please don't be fooled, I just heard it somewhere!! I adore these books. I'm not saying they are better than my last ones but believe me they are very, very different. More functional yet still unique, each with its own special appeal. I have doodled and scrawled on every page that has a creation on it. Hopefully this too will inspire people to add to it, to take it further. Perhaps in the same way, hopefully in a different way, a personal way.



They are also crammed with lots of paper for artwork, for sticking and glueing, for making notes or generally jotting down whatever. Pale graph and lined paper is included, sometimes as a fold out extending the page, sometimes as an extra page. I really can't gush over them any more without becoming nausea inducing so I will leave it here and there are lots and lots more images here if you want to see them.
After my paper cutting and sticking exercises of yesterday I actually did some ''proper'' embroidery last night. I made a little edge for my white silk piece that I hope will mean I can finish that piece later today. Then I really must get on with my wedding favours, 36? it has now risen to 42 and may even rise again. I wait with baited breath....

6 comments:

deanna7trees said...

that lined paper brings back memories of teaching my grade school students penmanship. the books are beautiful. wish i could see what people add to them.

Dolores said...

Looks like you really had fun with the books.

Rachel said...

Beware of clients with inflating requirements! I'm glad you've got the books done - they look like fun!

Jane said...

Another beautiful set of books, I love the use of the patterns

CJ STITCHING AND BLOOMS said...

Hello Karen, Your books are soooo very beautiful and unique. Love them. hugs Judy

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Absolutely loverly and so different from anything I've seen anywhere else. Yum!!