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
A new pillow, doodled silk, chain stitch, cutwork prairie points, applique, gingham and spotty fabric. It's cheerful if nothing else, brightens the day. I'm not sure if this one will come to France with me.....just a niggle that I can't quite put my finger on. Does that happen to you? I will decide last minute. I suppose I could take it but not get it out of the suitcase.......
I'm out today, for most of today anyway...celebrating with this gorgeous little man who is not so little any more.
Happy birthday James. Love you to the moon and back. - See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.borB22FF.dpuf
This week is becoming a ''finished pieces'' week.....that's a good thing which means it's been a good week. Two wrapping cloths are finished, (this one and this one) a white silk pocket is finished and now this one is finished. This pocket has a pin pillow in one end....on the left in the top image. It's going to be hard to part with this......and the white silk one...and almost every other piece I have finished recently. I do however get to keep the wrapping cloths, I have had that conversation with myself and it's non negotiable.
Back to this one, there are lots of Suffolk puffs on here, I am beginning to think they may be my new obsession. The pocket section opens on the right in the first image, a pocket big enough for folded cloth...sigh...If I were keeping it that's what I would do with it.
- See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.VfP9idTh.dpuf
I'm not sure you have seen much of this pocket before. This one came together slowly in class. Vintage white hankies folded and embroidered on to a white silk base. At one edge there are three tiny pockets which fall into the seam, the hankie corners you can see on one side here are those pockets. There is a little floral applique on the surface and also decorating the lining. Tiny silk beads which I made are dotted across the surface.
I am having sleepless nights about transporting this one to France...there is a lot of potential for creasing here. I will most likely loosely stitch this one onto card with a couple of strategically placed tiny stitches.
Yesterday, good to my word, I doodled on some silk and I have begun the embroidery on that one. There is another pocket almost finished too so I feel like I am making real progress.
Another reminder now about my new class......
Stitching a Story
A story.....
a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader...
or....in this case....to record with stitch.
Stitching a story, a children's book, a little doodling, play, stitch on pages, stitch on cloth.
Beginning Monday May 2 for 16 weeks.
There will be a two week break after week 7 (from June 19 to July 4)
Actual running length of class will therefore be 18 weeks.
Two posts a week on a private password protected blog. A minimum of two hours video per week.
Access to all resources is permanent.
**you do not need to have participated in any of my previous online learning programmes in order to participate in ''patched pockets.''***
No prerequisites. Suitable for the beginner and the more experienced stitcher.
In addition to a private blog you will be given access to a private Flickr group where you will be able to interact with other members of the group, upload images of your work, receive feedback, give feedback, share technique, hints, tips.....
Previous online learning programmes I have hosted have resulted in the formation of a tightly knit group of like minded people who share the creative process in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. It's almost as if groups ''hold hands'' throughout. For me, this is one of the most appealing and rewarding aspects of these classes.
(I am also aware that some people prefer to work quietly with minimal interaction. That is OK too.)
There are no deadlines, no set tasks. You are under no obligation to create what I am creating. Many people in previous classes have merely taken notes in order to apply ideas to their own work. Please take as much or as little as you wish from this programme, tailor my demonstrations to suit your own creative needs.
During the course of this 16 week online class, using a children's book for inspiration and as a ledger (sketchbook) for design ideas I hope to develop stitched pieces on cloth which will be inspired by images from my children's book. Using processes such as stitching, doodling, collage, layering, cutting, pleating etc on the pages of my children's book, I will develop ideas upon and within those pages by allowing paper and page to become a vehicle for sampling and developing embroidery before beginning embroidery on cloth.
Stitch
Collage
Doodle
Layer
Fold
etc etc
The use of a children's book or any other type of book is not compulsory. It is quite acceptable to participate in this class at a level of your own choosing. For example, you may have no desire to work in a book of any kind, preferring instead to take information from video and execute your ideas directly onto cloth. That is 100% OK. I want you to take from this experience whatever suits you, whatever works for you.
These are the lower edges of what will eventually be a pocket. You saw this before...here. It's not finished yet, the lining has to be created and then it all needs to be put together. I will be doing all that with class later this week hopefully.
I have 18 pieces of lace cloth to create for my workshop in France and I hope to make progress with that later today....no pressure then. Meantime I have finished the cloth from yesterdayand will share that with you tomorrow.
and a reminder....a new class.....read all about it here.....
- See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.IFQrNu2E.dpuf
You last saw this one here four days ago. Not a lot of work for four days you might think but I've been doing other stuff too....honest....
Four days ago this had a single, solitary bumpy bit. Now it has three rather large bumpy bits and five tiny ones along with stems, French knots and bullion knots. There will be more tiny bumpy bits, white ones, applied to the patterned cloth here before I begin a titivation marathon for the other areas. It's all planned out in my head, all that's needed now is an ironing board, an iron, some scissors, thread, cloth and sewing needles.....
- See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.xVbdjPlr.dpuf
I doodled on white silk....then I added applique and hand embroidery, voila, a pocket. The reverse is embroidered, the lining is embroidered. It's finished but it's not finished if that makes sense? It doesn't? Sorry, there's one more thing to add but that's been held up because I need to order a vital component......more of that when it happens.
I love it, I do. It's for France. It's the first finished thing for France and if I get my act together and stop getting my colours mixed up I should have a couple more pieces finished quite soon.
This morning I was surrounded by lace and hankies.....I was drooling......more pockets, online learning......I do believe I am quite organised. The first post is ready for the morning and half of the next post is done too. It's not difficult to motivate yourself when you get to play with lace and hankies all day.
- See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.P2Xq2dSk.dpuf
I made an executive decision yesterday. I decided this piece needed more lace cloth at the lower edge to balance it out. If you compare it now to how it looks here I am sure you will agree. This is another piece where the surface embellishment is almost finished. There will be more indecision soon about titivations, pillow or pocket, just like yesterday. - See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.Apu9fAtC.dpuf
Which came first? The silk piece is the answer. More has been added to that, more applique, more chain stitch. I am pondering on what, if anything I should put in the more open spaces. Maybe I will make titivations especially for those spaces........can you hear my brain ticking?
The lace piece was my afternoon task yesterday. For someone who used to avoid a sewing machine at all costs I would have been more than happy to stay there for hours yesterday.
