maybe, maybe not....

I have been working more on my next paper piece. There are more French knots, more pricked areas and a hand perforated edge. I have also almost cleared the washing pile too, now that is what I call exciting. Today, in between closing my eyes as I walk past the pile of ironing, I am deciding which cloth would work best with this piece. Muslin? Silk? Transfer printed silk? The jury is still out.

As for my sorting out...I have a list!! I have half a page of notes!! I have my eye on the first cupboard to be cleared...looking at it now...exhausted just thinking about it.

I am also still undecided over what to give you this week...postcards?? Well maybe but I didn't make them so I am perusing that one too. Who knows I may find something lurking in a cupboard....watch this space.

And...have you noticed all that gobbledegook has gone from the top of my page? Yay!! That's down to the ever so clever Richard, my daughters other half! What a guy!!

a superfluity of french knots

Or....more French knots than you can shake a stick at!! (for the non English that's one of our quirky sayings)

Yes, it may have gone wrong...the initial plan for this piece but not being one to be beaten, nothing is wasted, pulling myself up from failure, I give you a gorgeous, no wonderful.....fragment. O.K. maybe a little too much gushing but hey, I'm allowed occasionally! This piece is now residing in the shop and I go onwards towards my goal of a 32 x 32 cm piece of ruched muslin embellished with French knots. 

It is perhaps just as well that I have this to put in the shop as my plans for the other things have gone a little astray. Products!!! AAArgh....my heart isn't in products, my heart is in embroidery and cloth. For me it's enough. It doesn't have to be ''something'', have a purpose, a label, it just has to ''be''. I am constantly thinking about a quote I read a long time ago,. I have it written down somewhere....but as I don't know exactly where I can't give proper credit to the person who wrote it. I can't claim credit for it,  these are not my words but I truly believe them and they inspire me daily...or even hourly...It goes something like this,

''that which is wrapped and carefully put away for another time remains precious even if never looked at again.''

Back to my words now, if something exists, is loved, adored, cared for, protected...it doesn't matter if it has no purpose. It exists...that's enough for me.

A very deep way of expressing my personal aversion to products but I hope you get my drift!

With all that in mind..remember the pink patchwork? That is a small part of something which will be a gift but whilst working on it I have become inspired and new work will evolve from it. I hope to be able to finish and damp stretch that piece today and will show you next time.

As for my collection.....that will be ongoing but in all honesty I am struggling a little. It is hard to create thirty pieces of work for an opportunity which, because of its scale, will not arise for months. I need the diversion of making other pieces, at least for now.