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







Saturday, February 25, 2012

final touches.....




I am in the process of the final stages in finishing my white cloth. One section pinned, another damp stretched waiting to be pinned. I am hoping to have this backed by Monday...let's all hold hands and chant...it may help! There are Prairie Points,Rouleau Loops, hand embroidery stitches and needle weaving anchoring lace....a veritable feast of embellishment. I truly don't want to let this go....
I think yesterdays images were enjoyed...were they? I didn't have much to say about them then, just loved them so much I had to share. The white, the lace like structures are all my own work and along with the vintage scrap are things I am examining for my new class......not sure how much excitiement I can take to be honest...a finished white wrapping cloth and a new experience with different surfaces, different outcomes, more plans, more playing....I feel quite spoilt.

13 comments:

deanna7trees said...

the woven bars on the lace look like an architectural structure...magnificent. i completely understand having a hard time letting this piece go, but you'll be able to visit it since it's going to your mom.

Rosa said...

I liked the photos from yesterday, but as it was a 'quiet' post I just kept.. quiet :-)
So - it's almost finished. What a journey.
I look forward to seeing the cloth in all its glory. So much inspiration and yumminess:-)

Suztats said...

I love the woven bars...so exact and crisp. Looking forward to the unveiling.

dandelion said...

shush! I can't concentrate

Kate x

Carol Q said...

exquisite stitching Karen.

sewphie said...

It's beautiful and your photography is lovely. I love how clean it all looks.

Rachel said...

A feast indeed - well done!

Jensters said...

So beautiful and fresh.

Helena said...

LOVE IT!!!
Bravo!!!

Dolores said...

The images were a treat. I do want to ask, when you are making your web stitches, all in a row, do you mark their placement so that they are even or do you eyeball it?

Karen said...

I eyeball it Dolores.....

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Definitely looking forward to seeing this in all it's glory - and I know it will be glorious!!

Jacky said...

Karen that lace edging is divine...I like the architectural quality of it.
Always amazing.

Jacky xox

p.s. love the seersucker for your wrapping cloth...you were right...voila!