today's table

Three cheers please......my cloth is backed. Not finished, just backed so I will save the pats on the back until it is ACTUALLY finished. It has to be finished by Sunday because that's when I'm giving it to the intended recipient....good incentive to get my finger out.....

the printed images? I wish......wish they were my work, unfortunately (or thankfully that he exists and creates such drool quality beauty) they are Christian Lacroix, you have no idea how I aspire...............they are there for something else....you may see that tomorrow....

Inspire

To prepare myself creatively for my new class I have been revisiting old techniques. Gathering images around me that inspire me, that I love. Adding scraps of lace and colour, manipulating cloth and adding touches of that here and there. You can probably detect that I adore Christian Lacroix....be still my beating heart. As for the work of Maxine Bristow...I aspire to such amazing pieces. I have travelled to see her pieces more than a few times and ''in the flesh' they really blow you away. Huge pockets, repetitive stitching...vessels of the beautiful kind.

It is as dark as night here today, hence no pictures of my white cloth. Somebody have a word with the necessary department please......I shall stitch whilst I wait....

happier........ish..

Progress...of sorts. I am so much happier with this one. Alhtough I'm not necessarily a huge fan of these colours they kind of ''lift'' me and of course there is the little problem of art supplies...I have very few. A limited colour range and an even smaller equipment range. I am not about to go out and buy loads of stuff though, I may get fed up of this ''drawing'' business in an instant, in a heart beat. I nearly tossed it all last night until I made the tiny stitched sample on here. That encounter with my needle fed the craving, for now at least. The large inspiration image is from Christian Lacroix, sadly there is no name on the smaller picture, the dress, so I can't credit that artist. If you happen to know whose work it is can you let me know. Suffice to say it isn't mine, sadly, as it is such a precious piece of needlework.

My favourite part of the whole sheet is this section above, kind of looks a bit like ice cream. That was the final piece of painting I did and that is the section which inspired the embroidered swatch. It feels good that the angst and doubt has led to embroidery. Well I suppose that is the whole purpose of design work, to come up with a design...

I really am gratefull for all the feedback on my last efforts. I actually had a pack of fine liner pens that I had forgotten about. Not a huge colour range but they were usefull on this sheet and I have started another...(yes, I have started another!) using the black pen, which is inspired by a Vivienne Westwood book. Very different from this and dare I say it...a little better. Hopefully it will avoid the rubbish bin and I will show you next time.

Now I'm a little scared, feel as if I am about to get a detention or something....If you have enlarged the top picture you will see that I used pinking shears on my cloth...oh dear. Very much frowned upon by the embroidery teachers I encountered so I hope none of you are looking but if you are can I just say in my defence that I never normally use them and I have banished them to the back of the cupboard again, honest! Rap on the nuckles accepted, ouch!!