The latest paper experiments.....with cloth and embroidery. Going forward I will gather all the recent paper samples, look at them for a while, go away then come back and look some more. Hopefully that will give me more ideas for moving these on. Having said that, last night I began to embroider a little silk and lace which I think will work with these. My plan is to combine cloth and paper, making pieces of various sizes which will either live in a ledger or be mounted as''stand alone'' pieces. Beyond that there isn't a plan.....it's also possible that I could change my mind.....
One thing I do know..... paper lives beautifully with silk and gimp and bling and stitch.
Yesterday i was tempted by bling, by beads, blue beads. Two scraps of the lace and paper surfaces I have been creating for the past couple of weeks have been given a blingy seam, royal blue bugle beads and tiny clear glass beads. The clear glass beads aren't very visible in these images but they are there.
Where do I go from here? If time wasn't a factor, if there was absolutely nothing else to do.....I would keep going with this, on and on and on. Time is a factor though, as is the fact I need these samples for something else. I can make more, it would be a pleasure to make more but do I really need another distraction? Do I?
I'm not here. I'm at mothers house, most likely eating cake and stroking a cat. Another page for an artist book....a tiny piece of patterned paper and a scrap of cloth.
Zip open, zip closed, I can't decide which looks better. Perhaps neither of them, they are equally as appealing. This is the third and last sheet from doodle class. Paper and lace, titivated, embroidered, zips added, stitched by hand, stitched on the sewing machine.
This piece along with my others from doodle class and more from the past couple of years are now safely put away ready to come to London. I want to make more of these, smaller, a series. That might not happen yet as I'm pushed for time at the moment but it's noted, it's written down, it's on a list.
Paper, paper pieces, pages, doodles, playing. The last image are the three oldest pieces, all created around the same time ages and ages ago. I told you I never throw anything away. These pieces were the closest to hand, easy to get hold of and photograph. It was a whim, no planning. My favourites today are the blue and white ones. I'm in blue and white mode. That could be because they are the most recent pieces I don't know. We'll see if I change my mind next week.
I'm sorry I didn't explain properly yesterday what ''gimp'' is. I found you a definition.
gimp1
ɡɪmp/
noun
1.
twisted silk, worsted, or cotton with cord or wire running through it, used chiefly as upholstery trimming.
I'm off on a jolly to London later this week but don't expect peace and quiet. I have scheduled three posts for you, put them on a timer. They will appear as if by magic. (I hope) The shop will close on Wednesday until I get back. Don't forget Doodle, Gather, Create which begins soon....appropriate really with today being about paper.
Finally, this is a beautiful video, gentle, with the most gorgeous work space I think I have ever seen. (more paper)
4 pm. Is anyone having trouble checking out at the shop? It works for me but it appears one or two people are having problems. Can you please let me know if that's the case for you.
I was gathering bits together yesterday which may play a part in doodle, gather, create. I was mostly looking at how my printed fabric worked alongside lace and how I could develop that with paper and stich. I hadn't planned to actually create anything, just make notes, think, jot down ideas. What can I say though, I just had to doodle, had to forget about embroidery and silk blingy things for a couple of hours and play with this idea.
It's out of my system now. Today, tonight, it's back to the bling and silk.
Another piece of cloth, mounted, presented. Another page in doodle doo filled, titivated. This ledger is getting full, it feels great holding it when it's closed, feeling the weight of it. It's wonderful to flick through the pages, to see something I had forgotten about, to become inspired all over again.
I hope you can make out the tiny silver droplets on the narrow strip, tiny beads of purl cut from a longer piece and applied as beads. Fiddly? You bet.....
First of all don't anyone mention Africa. Got it? In the five minutes since I took these photos I have developed a dislike for one piece which looks a lot like a map of that place we can't mention. If anyone else says it I will have a breakdown. Once I'm finished here it will be cut up, changed into something that resembles nowhere on earth.
These are the interrupted samples, the ones I didn't attend to because of unexpected visitors. They're not finished, oh no. First of all I need to figure a way to stop creating maps and then I want to add more, mix them up, swap layers, titivate, all in the name of my new class, Lace, paper, cloth and stitch.
It's been a busy weekend on the home front. My son went to London to watch the boxing at Wembley Stadium. Happiness at an empty house you might think but don't be fooled. Said son is also flying to New York on Wednesday and left his holiday laundry....so it's been washing, ironing, folding. Then ironing again, cloth this time.....for me.....a little sampling, some backing of a pillow, making rouleau loops, the stuffing of a pillow...lots of wonderful cloth related stuff amongst other, less exciting domestic stuff.
Later today I'm going in the Attic. I haven't been up there for ages. I may not come down again.
I'm a bit late...I've been busy playing, sampling, writing. Why? A new class....
Lace, paper, cloth and stitch
A surface for embroidery, layers of lace, paper, cloth, stitch, print. A new class, two weeks. No deadlines, permanent access...forever. A resource for you of inspiration and process from which you can create paper cloth that money could never buy.
Lace will be layered upon paper, patterned cloth will be layered under sheer cloth, embellished cloth will be trapped between layers of light paper and embroidered lace. Layer, build, create a unique surface.
Commencing Wednesday July 9 for two weeks.
No deadlines, no set tasks. Groups which are formed through my online learning programmes are communities, friendly, interactive, supportive communities. It is my hope that each course takes place within a relaxed, informal and ''comfortable'' online environment. You are welcome to dip and and out of our experience as and when it is convenient for YOU. Access is permanent....forever.
Access to a private flickr group will be provided on commencement.
***It is essential that you have access to a sewing machine for this class.***
This programme will include techniques from my former ''lace'' class, however techniques demonstrated during the ''lace'' programme will be applied in a different manner having been extended, sampled and developed in a different direction.
Unlike previous classes this programme will not have a dedicated blog. Video links will be delivered via e-mail, as will relevant images.
Three pieces, all different, one cloth, one thick paper, one thin paper. Three different processes of surface embellishment, rolled and flat. These will form a new piece. They will live together......they will. I'm determined.