karen ruane: folded hankies

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

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

folded hankies

This surface was put together in class a few weeks ago. Vintage white hankies, folded, secured with embroidery, a tiny pocket at the top edge of one, (visible in the foreground of the second image with a bullion loop edge) and applique petals, flowers.....

More applique will be added to this before I decide on my options for the reverse and the lining. I am hoping to finish it in such a way that the longest hankie drape extends beyond the finished edge, remains free just like the folds and drapes have been preserved in this one.

- See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.qglOlHUl.dpuf

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