continuing in cloth

Remember this from Tuesday? These images are of the piece which followed that. Layers of lace and fabric, doodling onto cloth, embroidery......I like it, I like the one from Tuesday...but....I still don't really know where I am going with this. I still feel directionless in terms of my own work, what I want to do outside of class, what I want to do for me. I need to shut my eyes for 10 minutes and think, get lost in thoughts of stitch, paper, doodles.........let my mind wander.....failing that I will look back at old work....that usually sparks something. - See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.wrKpvxPq.dpuf

layers, textures,

Yesterday if you remember I was talking about some thoughts I'm having about taking a different approach to ledgers, artist books. This is the start of that, mixing surfaces....cloth and stitch with doodles and texture....larger pieces than I normally use in my artist books. I wouldn't say I'm there yet in terms of firm plans, I'm still playing and thinking and making notes. Maybe I will overlay pages with fine papers, sheer, lace like papers......again I'm just wondering, considering, laying those down. At the moment the overlay in the fourth image is my favourite, it's lighter, more delicate.

There's still a long way to go with these. I will keep playing, testing....

- See more at: http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/#sthash.cOQ3T8Wk.dpuf

layer upon layer of hankies

Compare these images to these images......it's come a long way. The upper surface now has complimentary strips of silk habotai, metallic silk tissue and lace secured and embellished using gimp, bullion knots and French knots. This piece is slowly evolving over in class, one of many things evolving over there including buttons and pin pillows.

There is still quite a way to go with this one though. Two seams here still need bullion knots added and another panel is being embellished in the background to add to this later. It will then need to be backed...with what? and there is also a lining to consider.  It might be a good idea to put the kettle on....

pocket progress.....

I have added quite a bit of hand stitch to my pocket over the past couple of days, web stitch and French knots to be precise. There is a row of French knots along one edge which travels all the way down to the lower edge of the piece, other areas are scattered with knots and webs. There is still a large amount of space to embellish and I am thinking along the lines of a sampler for those areas. A mixture of cross stitch and embroidery perhaps, I'm not quite sure yet. Also, this Egyptian cotton looks beautiful when it has been damp stretched but don't let that fool you....as soon as you look at it creases appear from nowhere. Because of that I am giving a lot of thought to the backing and construction process. It is unlikely that I will sew up three sides from the reverse and then turn it right way out. If I did that it would probably resemble an old rag when it was finished....so the cogs are turning on that one. I do have a good idea of how to get around that, we shall see.

I am having some problems on the computer front lately too, I am going to ring a nice man today and see if he will come and have a look. At least I hope he turns out to be a nice man....who doesn't charge the earth!! 

In the sidebar, top left, I have put a link to the sketchbook video. I got so many hits on that but not a lot of comments....strange...I am happy with the hits though and am assuming there are hardly any comments because people thought it was rubbish!! and were far too polite to say.....

Before I go and phone this very nice man I would like to mention the girls from Karen's Embroidery School....please, please, please go take a look HERE at what they are making. They are so very talented......

PS. I really must say that my comment about comments WASN'T a complaint....I was thinking out loud is all.....