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







Tuesday, June 21, 2011

continuing....

It's a real hive of activity here....paperwork two in progress here. This one is finished completely now and looks very different laying near me on the table as does number one which is next to it. Number three is almost there too. Things have been tested and tried and some disregarded. I want you to wipe zip fasteners from your minds and also machine embroidered paper...neither added anything to these pieces so have fallen into the pit of tried and struck from the consciousness.



I am enjoying working this way so much. I have a hankering to make a massive one of these for myself, to hang above my bed perhaps. It is going on the wish list but as this work takes longer than my 'conventional' embroidery I am not going to hold my breath. If you like fiddly then this way of working will be right up your street. There is also the added factor that obviously this cannot be damp stretched so it requires constant vigilance, trying not to create even the slightest crease in the paper as it's being stitched...go on try it...see what I mean.
I really hope you are not getting bored with this because it will be at the forefront of posting for another week at least. I am going away next week, off to London for daughter time and will keep working with these until I go. Can't say what will happen when I get back, there will definitely be more attention given to my embroidery but who knows, these may still be around.

16 comments:

Jane said...

The patience it must take so it doen't perforate in the wrong place too. Amazing

Elizabeth said...

Just love it.

When you are in London, will you be visiting Stitched Science at the Science museum?

Anonymous said...

It's intriguing to see your finished and in progress pieces, but I would love to see some of the experiments that don't make it into finished pieces...

Joanna said...

I'm still doing paperwork too, and I would still rather be doing your paperwork than mine. Enjoy your daughter time. :)

deanna7trees said...

i like the deckled edges. very maplike.

Dolores said...

I love it. You do seem to be having a lot of fun.

Tammie Lee said...

i don't think i will get tired of this any time soon, gorgeous art! wishing you a grand time away.

Gina said...

I was just wondering how you kept from bending the paper in any way and then you mention that it IS an issue of concern!

Carol Q said...

gorgeous beautiful work as usual Karen. love the texture created on the smooth paper. I've always been into fiddly so this is right up my street lol

rasamalai said...

I love it!!! :D I'm glad you'll be posting more of it! What will it be used for and why can't you keep it? I should probably catch up on previous posts! o.O Have a wonderful time in London! One of my favorite places in the world <3 :)

Helena said...

I love it!!! So beautiful!
Good evening.

Flaming Nora said...

Loving the texture and shape of the torn edges, almost looks like a mad map, with the road of the stitcher's life dissecting the middle of it. Flowers on one side, weird twisty paths on the other. The way to the flowers blocked by pinpricks and french knots, the way to the twisty path made easy by lovely stitches guiding your way. Ok is it me or has the phrase "The way to the flowers blocked by pinpricks and french knots" left any one else in hysterics? Its late I've been drinking,I should go!.....

Suztats said...

Can't imagine creating embroidery on watercolor paper! Beautiful results.

Doreen G said...

How could I get bored with such beautiful work Karen -it mesmerises me.

Anonymous said...

It's really beautiful. I'd never be able to keep it so clean while working on it. I especially like the hand 'drawn' lines.

Christine said...

What is the name of that bumpy stitch you make that looks like a half marshmallow? Is it a bullion of some sort?