karen ruane: Preserving embroidered samples

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

Monday, August 10, 2026

Preserving embroidered samples

These samples have been languishing for quite some time.

Patchwork motifs mounted on painted silk backgrounds.

My intention was to create a little silk book with these, the painted area being the page background.

I have another eight or so patchwork motifs that do not have painted pages though and in all honesty I can't face painting more silk.

So, strips of Liberty fabric forming mounts...that was the brainwave.

They will be smaller than shown here when they are finished as I intend to turn the edges, mitre the corners and neaten them.

1 comment:

Magpie's Mumblings said...: Painting on silk scares me so I understand why you would try to find another way.; August 14, 2026 at 3:02 PM

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