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







Thursday, December 29, 2011

what came next.....


The French Knot band with the ''shisha'' style buttons has been added to the larger piece of silk embellished with hand embroidery, The scrim edge/frill whatever you want to call it has now been added to that. 
It's a bit of a nightmare lately with anything blog related for some reason. Yesterday I had to use a tiny, tiny font as for some reason blogger wanted to spread my text all over my side bar...today it is dark as night so I only managed two pictures. Maybe blogger and the sun are still on their seasonal break whilst the rest of us try and get back to work. Still, onwards we go, undaunted by obstacles and counting to ten.
This piece I have decided is destined to become a sampler of sorts. A sampler of advanced (ha! me advanced??!!) OK, not advanced but extra, extra fiddly technique. From here on in it will be known as my ''fiddly'' sampler. I have already started the third section....next time....
This afternoon I am coming to see you, see what I have missed and say hello so get the kettle on. Tomorrow I am going ''up north'', yes.....AGAIN!! It's a Christmas hi de hi of the family kind being held now due to my London absence on the actual day so there will be cake....
and don't forget...if you want to embroider with me then you can! Just go here and register...then you will be sick of the sound of my voice in no time!

14 comments:

Joanna said...

Cake too! :D I'll be there in a shot

Jane said...

It makes the perfect edge. Nicely balanced with the heavily french knotted border. Beautiful

fabriquefantastique said...

back to the grindstone.....but since I know you love it I can't feel to sorry for you.

deanna7trees said...

definition of fiddly: 'requiring an annoying amount of close attention'. but it was worth it, i'd say.

barbara l. hale said...

Gorgeous cloth! I love the difference in the textures. Yes, blogger can be temperamental...at least for me. I usually just walk away and come back later when it has decided to behave itself.

Elizabeth said...

Stop being so modest, you are a fabulous embroiderist!!!!

Love the pictures, smile.

Doreen G said...

Your fiddly sampler reminds me of a sleeve on an early victorian dress or a mens shirt.
Absolutely beautiful Karen.

Anonymous said...

Yes, the textural variation is wonderful - well done!

Suztats said...

I love the fiddly sampler! Enjoy your cake.

sharon young said...

Fabulous! I love the contrast between the heavy silk and the mass French Knots, the Shisha buttons are wonderful too.

Els said...

Many, many more happy stitches in the year to come Karen!

Tammie Lee said...

it is all beautiful
the gauzy fabric with the embroidery catches my fancy tonight.

lovely new year to you
wishing you days and days that feel wonderful to you ~

Magpie's Mumblings said...

All those french knots scare me to death - obviously I had better get practicing! I love how they look and I'm determined to have lots of them on my cloth.

Linda Carole Bloom said...

I love the new piece - the heavily encrusted French knots next to the wafty whispy stuff is wonderful. I am getting so excited about the class. I bought a 1/4 yard of real silk duponi and I have a bunch of snippits and trims scattered over my guest bed and I have the muslin white white white all ready, and some doilys and a man's handkerchief and everything. I ordered the thread from Willow and they couldn't run my debit card, so back and forth with the bank to unblock it for this single transaction "overseas" - I am dealing with a wonderful person named Olwen at Willow - sounds so Celtic! Anyway, hope the stuff gets here on time. Love, Linda