karen ruane: Small pattern studies

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, November 20, 2025

Small pattern studies

Tiny cut out thread cards, fabric scraps, torn paper pieces, beads, sequins.

Little pattern studies.

I mentioned in this post how the joy with these comes from the 'doing'.

That hasn't changed but it's also true that whilst you spend time on these exercises you are absorbing the details.

What goes with what, which piece compliments another, which colours work and it's also hoped that they inspire, allow you to take this exercise further.

These pieces will form part of the collection below.