karen ruane: Hand embroidered white on white artist book.

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, June 10, 2026

Hand embroidered white on white artist book.

The little book you have been watching evolve is now finished and for sale in my Big Cartel shop.

Five pages, sewn tissue bases heavily embellished with hand embroidery and scraps of vintage cloth.

Each page backed with stitched tissues before being joined with handmade ball buttons.

This one has been 'in progress' for some time, always a joy to pick up and embroider.

You can see more of this little books journey here, here, here and here.

2 comments:

Magpie's Mumblings said...: I can only imagine how this must feel texturally...soft and yet strong too.; June 11, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Rachel said...: This is familiar territory for you - white on white, lots of texture!; June 11, 2026 at 4:03 PM