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
This morning was all about playing, no pressure, adorning, going back to things which have languished for a while, adding a few pretty titivation's, surrounding myself with all things embroidery and basically relaxing and stitching. You should try it, I recommend it.
This piece was started in the Summer and taken on holiday with me. I haven't touched it since I got back, there have been new distractions, life, classes, domesticity but whilst I was adding sequins to this seam earlier I pretended I was back on my balcony in Spain. The sun has been shining here today so it kind of worked.
The silk piece, the petal piece is almost completely embroidered....just one or two petals left to embellish. Having said that, I may add something else to that surface, I'm thinking......
The gingham piece has more work needed too, lots more work. Thing is, I have wondered for some time whether these two pieces would live together happily so I tried it this morning. I think they do. What do you think?
I can't stay long today, there's cake to eat. Happy Birthday to me!
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It's been a busy week...I resisted temptation in Paperchase. I would say that was my biggest achievement. New cabinets have been bought, white of course....they go on the wall next week. An expert will be doing it so they don't immediately collapse which is what would happen if we did it. I sorted out a cupboard, (second image) and if you can spot anything alcohol related in that image it has nothing to do with me. The red box, I bought that from a Graduate at a Degree show several years ago. It was part of her final collection of gift wrapping paraphernalia. The ceramic bowls in that image are extra special, hold a lot of affection and good memories for me. I exhibited in London alongside the guy who made those several years ago. When I got home a parcel was waiting for me, those bowls, a gift from him. Since then he has become a superstar and was artist in residence at the V&A earlier this year....my claim to fame...he gifted me some of his work.
The cupboard with the untidy books...I still need to sort that out. I'm hoping to get a lot of things ''sorted out'' over the next couple of weeks. Famous last words I know but at least I have done one cabinet, that's further than I have ever gotten before. Finally, the last image....my post man making me happy....gifts...lace and pencils. Thank you. Marimekko pencils???? Who knew....
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Still inspired by thisbody of design work I have moved temporarily to paper. Hopefully the paper compliments the cloth and vice versa. I'm going to have to be careful here though. It occurred to me that I could easily, accidentally begin things here, (publicly) which should be private for my class.
The difference though, which I hope will stop me from doing that....over in class we are using a children's book both to embellish and for inspiration. Here with these I am using early sampling and my head....... and will almost certainly be mounting these on a plain background.
I added cross stitch and some bullion loops to the cloth piece last night as well as titivating the paper piece. I can't see myself making anything 'usable' for the near future in terms of pockets etc. I am minded to mount all this work in a book, on sheets, make a big song and dance about them on pages. The only thing I can see ''wrong'' with that is the fact that I then probably will never want to part with them meaning there won't be anything new in the shop for around 50 years!
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White lace, white silk, an embroidery hoop, pale thread, flowers, French knots, buttonhole stitch, lazy daisy stitch, cross stitch....a new piece of work started before I went to London and continued today on video. This one will eventually form a very small part of a wrapping cloth, eventually.
London was good, London was great, London is always great. We celebrated a birthday, visited some of the sights...and visited Liberty. I was very restrained, you would have been proud. (There are London pictures on my Instagram if you want to take a peek.)
It's all systems go now for ''stitching a story'' which starts tomorrow. I'm ready, videos made, pictures taken.
(I sent a mail to those of you who have registered for ''stitching a story'' this morning. If you didn't receive that can you please let me know. I know of three people who won't have received it as theirs just kept bouncing back. I tried 3 times. Laureen, Helen and Cynthia....any idea why that would be??? Laureen and Cynthia I have sent it to your flickr mail....Helen? Help)
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I'm convincing myself that I am capable of embroidering a bullion loop following on from my chat about failure in that department in France which I posted yesterday. I'm also unloading a bit today about my lack of direction, my floundering as I am ''between'' things, classes and such like. I'm also talking about the fact that I am going away again tomorrow......sorry.....it's compulsory, there's a special occasion I cannot avoid. Because of that, if you register for''Stitching a Story''after today you will need to wait 72 hours for your ''welcome'' mail....thought I best explain that one. I'm not completely abandoning you though. I am working very hard to pre time blog posts for when I'm away....you don't get rid of me that easily.
OK.....France again...you were warned. A video for you in which I ''bang on'' about the workshop and other things....
Your response to yesterdays post was phenomenal...thank you. I'm still not back to ''normal'' but this morning the unpacking, tidying and sorting out took a back seat as I introduced myself to Clara and prettified her a little ready for next Monday.
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I did it, I managed to find the two spare hours needed to satisfy the hankering I had for white lace cloth...I spoke about it yesterday. The two hours were hiding in the cupboard marked ''don't panic you are running on adrenalin''. I'm so pleased I did this, I love it, it makes me happy, it completes my preparations.
I'm closing the shop later today, the registration for my new classwill open again a week on Monday. I will be back on here a week on Monday. I need to pack. I need to iron. I miss you already.....got to dash....
(patched pockets girls....I am waiting for the men to vacate the house, go to the football before I make your video...an estimate....it will be ready in a couple of hours....when have I ever let you down?...OK...don't answer that!!)
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Lace cloth is now in rolls...as opposed to coming out of my ears like I said earlier in the week. I love how it looks rolled like this, it also makes me realise how little housework I've done lately....stitch and housework can't be done in unison. (my house is like a bomb site...I'm not in the least bit bothered...please don't judge me)
The puffs, the padded Suffolk puffs....I was going to say they are the final thing I am making to take with me but I'm not sure they are. I have an overwhelming desire to make a piece of white lace cloth....pure white.....I obviously haven't formed an aversion to creating lace cloth after the past weeks marathon which is good thing. I now just have to search for the spare couple of hours I need to actually satisfy that urge.
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