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







Friday, February 11, 2011

damp stretched...

That's more like it, flowers finished and damp stretched...I am happy now. The prairie points are also ''in situ'', under a lacy band that absoluety killed my fingers to stitch on it is so thick. I reckon I was stitching through the equivalent of five layers of fabric putting that on. It was worth it though, the texture of the piece is gorgeous when you actually handle it. I don't want these pictures to mislead you so to clarify, the flower section finshed section three of toe wrap 2. The prairie points are on section four which still needs lots of work.
This is section three, a view of the full, finished piece. When I sprayed this for damp stretching last night the red didn't run again which was a relief. My heart was in my mouth for a while. I am not 100% sure that I will be happy with how the three finished pieces look together. I may play with that a bit later, take some time just to look and arrange, maybe even decide somthing else is needed to draw it all together.
Today has been really busy and I'm feeling a bit ''under the weather'', aching and hot. I have had a bit of a run on my books and I ran out of ink. Anyway it arrived yesterday so I have been cutting pages, wrapping and posting all morning. It's always a relief when they actually go in the bag at the post office, job done so to speak. The rest of the day I'm going to take it easy, no more cutting, printing, wrapping in fact nothing that requires standing or bending or exertion of any kind....what a tragedy, looks like I will have to sit and embroider...

13 comments:

Karen Larko said...

Love all this bright white and the pretty pastels! You have me addicted to this stuff. I had to go out and buy some pretty pastel print fabrics to play with. The red stripes are fabulous too!

Jane said...

A tragedy I can cope with!
All the points are lovely, the red ones have turned out really well with the edging.

Tammie Lee said...

oh, do take it easy until you are feeling better.
you have such a strong and unique style in your art. that is a wonderful thing.

Elizabeth said...

Love the flowers, they look perfect.

Good to hear that the book is still going strong!!!! Not so good that you don't feel bright-eyed and bushytailed but it is a good excuse to just sit down with your needle.

Have fun.

Anonymous said...

I like the sound of just sitting and stitching!

Love those cutwork flowers....

Storycloth said...

A feast for my eyes today. So upliftng and interesting all at once. Gilly

Anonymous said...

Take it easy until you feel better! Truly lovely work here.

Suztats said...

I just love those embroidered flower windows! And the gorgeous material beneath. I shall be sitting and stitching tonight, too!

jill said...

this is fantastic, love the stripes as well

Sheeprustler said...

Lovely! One day back at work and I am a wreck. Will keep up with my favorite blogs as much as possible. Love Judy

Sea Angels said...

Your work just keeps getting more and more lovely.
Hugs Lynn xxx

Lois Evensen said...

Your work is always so beautiful. I'm also glad to hear your book is selling well. :) That's such positive reinforcement, isn't it!

Hugs,
Lois

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I got my book!!! Definitely drool-worthy. Happy to hear they're selling well. Prairie points and flowers....mmmmmmm.