This is a new piece I started yesterday. It has been planned for a while, a couple of weeks. It is still in its very early stages but has actually moved on already from here with the cross stitch piece being cut up and used in another way...more of that tomorrow probably.
Meanwhile I thought I should tell you about something exciting.....There are four images of my work included in this new embroidery book. Technically I suppose there are three images, one has been used twice as it is also on the back cover but I am being precise, specific and milking it...my work appears four times and that's good enough for me!
the back cover
Now I must go and clear a space on a bookshelf......
There are lots of images today and a video. My hope is that together these will inform you regarding the process, reason, emotion and commitment that I place within each of these pieces. I know that no matter how many of these I make each one will be individual and unique, each cloth will cointain a little bit of ''me''. I will never tire of my 'wrapping cloths', ever.
I am also hoping that you will be inspired to create a cloth of your own.....if so then the next run of embroider, embellish, create is listed here where you can read more about the course and how your work will evolve. This class is possibly reaching the end of it's shelf life, those who wished to learn this process have now done so with the audience diminishing. Therefore this is probably be the last time I will run this one, demand will fall, that is natural.
You will not see my new cloth on here now for a few weeks. I am putting that 'on hold' until the next class starts so that I can finish that piece alongside the class. Don't worry though, I do have plans for something else to keep me going....watch this space.
This week in class has been all about paperwork....of the pleasurable kind. There are a few glimpses here for you of that and I have big news! Drum roll.......there is now a page at the top of this blog where you can see some images from the Alchemy group, the first public viewing. I really hope you love those. Everyone is working so hard over there that it's about time the wider world got to see their efforts. I have enabled comments over there so please leave a few words. I am sure the girls would appreciate your thoughts and if you do have a look you will see what a diverse range of work there is going on.
Today has been hectic, I don't know where the time has gone. I have made a video about my cloth for tomorrow and I also made a video for the group that worked alongside me on that one. You should have that tomorrow too. I have taken tons of photographs so I must edit those first and then upload the video etc, hence the slight delay.
Yesterday evening I started more cross stitch, the same as I am using for my new cloth but this piece is for a completely new piece of work that I hope to share soon. As you can see it's all go here, housework getting ignored as usual.....and very soon the family will be wasting away with hunger. All in the name of embroidery.
This Monday morning, now, I feel a real sense of achievement. My wrapping cloth has a back. I turned it and the titivations I added to the edge didn't fall off. I love it, it's beautiful, it's precious, it's white and embellished and it has lace and pockets and adorned seams. Can you tell I am happy?
If you were in the class where I made this cloth then I videoed the turning for you. You will see that, sense my fear, listen to my inane fear induced chatter when it is complete later this week. You will see it first I promise.
I will then make a video for here, of this cloth in its entirety along with a mini comparison of this cloth and the cloth I am making for the new class. Can you tell I have plans? Later this week I will also put a page on here with images of the amazing work the Alchemy girls are doing....it's going to be a busy week.
I'm back properly now after my quick pit stop last Wednesday. Last week is consigned to the refuse tip of the past, a waste of time, zero achievement, lots of irrelevance and huge amounts of frustration. Never mind, it could be worse.
You may also note the lack of a newsletter. Basically there is a lack of news. That could be addressed in the coming weeks, I will keep you posted.
Today there are titivations, titivations for my wrapping cloth for embroider, embellish create. Cross stitch has been embroidered onto a large piece of cotton cloth, cut up and painstakingly hemmed, forming strips to use as loops. You can also see prairie points and plain loops for embellishing and use in another task that wasn't addressed last week....the finishing of my last wrapping cloth.
I'm not really here so shhhh.....don't tell anyone you saw me. Thing is I am going to be late getting back. Life has gone a bit awry this week and I have achieved very little, this is it. I cut some paper and put some stuff in the shop...that's it, the sum total of my achievements since you last saw me.
I am aiming now for a Monday return, with a newsletter. That's the plan, if life plays ball.
(Alchemy girls.....you will still receive your class on Monday so get your pencils sharpened!)
Also...if you purchase embroider, embellish create can you please allow 36 hours for delivery of relevant mailings as opposed to the usual 24. This is temporary and will hopefully change at the weekend. Thank you.
I have decided to go missing from here for a few days. Just here, not school or flickr or facebook or the new place, (instagram). I feel as if I need to regroup, take some time to sew intensively, do some catching up in cyber space, clear my head a little.
I'm early....that's because I have to clear the hall for the sack fulls of valentines cards I know the post man will be bringing me. Only kidding, I wish. It's because I have to get my hair cut....very boring and dull. Anyhow, I made you a video to have with a cup of tea basically so I could beg forgivness for keeping showing you the same thing over and over again. Variety is the spice of life they say...that's why there is no spice here... because there is a distinct lack of variety.
The phenomenon which is the rapid growth of my new wrapping cloth continues. I am actually astounded at how this one seems to grow. The pieces are a little smaller but definitely not tiny by comparison to the last cloth. The surface embroidery is less too, more delicate and focused....that must be the answer. I do intend though to have it equally as big overall as the last one. I am aiming for approximately 36 x 25 inches or thereabouts. This section here which is more of a strip measures 17 x 5 inches not including the seam allowance.
I received an e mail a couple of days ago asking if I could elaborate a little more on the references I make at times to traditional technique, time consuming technique, devotion, motherhood etc. That is mostly covered by this quote from my question and answer page.
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''.
In addition to this I should also say that within the term 'our female ancestors' I very much include both my Grandmothers, my Nanna's. I never create anything without having a thought for them, more than a thought for them, the memory of them is ever present. Although I rarely mention this aspect of my work on here I can assure you that the focus, the motivation remains unchanged. It is now second nature to me, it is who I am, it is what I do, it is why I do what I do....that's why I don't mention it often, it just 'happens' now.
If you have often wondered about this aspect of my work then there are also a few magazine interviews/articles I have been featured in previously where this is talked about a little more. You can read those here and here.
It may be a good idea to get those on a page on here....that will go on my ''to do'' list now!
I'm making good progress with this work, with these 7 inch embroidered squares for a new cloth book of embroidery. The paper piece featured in my last post and I...
