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, July 5, 2012

bullions, cross stitch and hexagons...







The last 24 hours have been much more productive than the last few days...cross stitch on my latest white cloth, bullion knots on my extending piece and hexagons created for a Grandmothers Flower Garden patch. I even managed to make a little 4 minute video just for you. Mostly rambling but a couple of knots thrown in too.
Later today I aim to put the back on my last wrapping cloth.....it sits patiently waiting all pieced and beautiful. I do love it when I get to this stage but I also get a little nervous. You can do a lot of damage whizzing up 3 sides of something with a sewing machine. Deep breaths then....

7 comments:

Jane said...

Stunning pieces, sets me up very nicely for the afternoon

Suztats said...

I like those stuffed bits, but I love the bullions!

deanna7trees said...

i'm intrigued by that wool cutout sitting on your table.

henrietta (aka ani aka zani) said...

yes, i'm one of those that likes the video - especially since they are on YouTube and I can watch without stutters...so you don't trim the crusts for you tea sandwiches! shocking...domestic goddess are overrated me thinks. nice thing about living alone, no one bothers about your dust bunny collection! cheers

Christine B said...

I love your videos. For years I have never really mastered the French knot. Then I watched one of your videos and now I can't understand why I had so much trouble with them. You switched the light on for me - I owe you big time!!

Love the cross stitch. I so want to run my fingers over them (wash hands first of course!!)

Tammie Lee said...

lovely to see this piece as well as your video, it is wonderful to see you doing your stitching.

Rachel said...

Good progress indeed, Karen!