These pieces are work which has been left 'hanging' due to 12 months of artists books coming to an end. There are more pieces in this collection and those pieces along with the ones shown here will become an oversized artist book with 'extra special' overlays. I had all this out this morning, thinking, assessing, trying to formulate a plan, make a list. As I progress this work I will pop back to my 12 month artist book group in order to keep them updated.
These pieces keep on coming, I have so many ideas inspired from this work and once I've created from those ideas more ideas pop up. It's never ending (in a good way) I must remember to refer back to this post next time I have a creative block, remind myself of the day when the ideas wouldn't stop coming.
These pieces will be taken further still in my 'artist book' class, there's a plan unfolding over there which I'm going to share with the girls later this week.
Meanwhile in 'stitch along' we are consumed with pockets. That too is feeding ideas and I'm working on something arising from that inpsiration which I am able to share with you so hopefully you will see that tomorrow.
Paper, some of it easier to stitch on than others yet all unique in how they respond to embroidery. Some of this paper was machine stitched prior to hand stitch being added, prior to embellishment with beads, buttons and sequins. The large sheet is the next piece for this project. One of the smaller white pieces is an overlay, the other the first piece of a new project we are working on in artist books.
I need more surfaces, more machine stitched papers to embellish by hand. That should happen later this week. I'm hoping to set aside a full day for that.....
A few ''randoms'' today, recent images of work in progress, work completed and everyday creative stuff. The large piece of silk with gingham and embroidery is damp stretching. That is a ''master sheet'' of items from class. There's a drawstring pouch, two pin pillows and six buttons all embroidered waiting to be put together and have final titivation's added. (you can't see the buttons but trust me, they're there) and yes, you did read that correctly, two more pin pillows. There are four finished pin pillows in these images too. The top three are mine, the last one, the blue and white one doesn't live here any more.
The next page for my own artist book. This one has embroidery, layering behind cut away areas, a little doodling with blue pen.......this one is different, the design is created as part of the page, mostly I add samples to pages rather than the page itself being the sample. I'm hoping it will add interest when the book is finished, when I'm leafing through it. There are plans to add cut away areas to a few more pages, to create beaded and/or embellished windows too.
The next page of the A3 sketchbook, ledger, journal is taking shape. This one has an edge of bullion knots with royal blue sequins. All I can say is it's a good thing I like ''fiddly''. Personally, I think ''fiddly'' is always worth the effort.
I tried to get a couple of images of the sketchbook, leaf through the book images, they're not too bad but there are two other pages you can't see here. perhaps I will need to turn these pages on camera in the near future.
Thishas now become this you see today. There is an embroidered lining along with a beaded seam. The lower and upper edges are hand finished with running stitch. I feel I can say the fiddling was worth it. This little pocket measures six and a half by seven inches if you include the lace edge. There are 112 bullion loops on two seams, 28 beaded bullion loops, 17 seed beads at the inner edge along with 14 applique ''flowers'' and 15 Suffolk puffs. Phew.....that doesn't include the beads, bullion's and puffs on the lining. (4 bullion knots, 5 beaded bullion knots and three Suffolk puffs in case you were wondering)
It's ''recipe'' like....ingredients and method for a tiny pocket.
In my quest to continue with the type of work I showed you yesterdayI have been titivating a scrap of stitched paper. Pieces like this need a stock of scraps to pull from...that is what this is. It's quite therapeutic to stitch a row of bullion knots onto collaged, stitched paper. The surface is obviously very different to cloth yet it has it's own unique appeal.
I have plans for a lot more work like the piece I showed you yesterday. More collage needs to be put together, more paper needs to be stitched to scraps of fabric. There is new lace on order for a lace cloth/paper combo I wish to make too so prepare yourself for quite a few ''scrappy, paper, collage'' posts over the next ten days or so.
Cloth hasn't been completely abandoned, don't worry. There is embroidery on cloth happening in ''embroidery school'' and I hope to give you a glimpse of that sometime soon. We have been open for almost a week now. You're not too late to join us if you'd like to be part of a wonderful group of creative people. There is more information here.
Yesterday afternoon was very productive......an idea was formed and this is the result. This is almost 100 percent what I have been aiming for, what I could partially visualise yet couldn't seem to get all the pieces together. Hopefully I'm off now, on a roll, will be able to create more of these with different colours, different papers, different snippets of cloth along with a few stitches....
This morning I made a video for ''embroidery school''. I talked this through with my group. It helped. (you will be getting that video shortly girls) Chatting about stuff.....it always helps even if you're only talking to yourself.