Karen Ruane

The potential of paper

These aren't new pieces although I can't remember when I initially showed them to you.

Paper, stitched paper embellished with hand embroidery and various snippets of other stuff.

Did you know paper was this versatile?

I came across these when I was looking through my embroidery cabinet for something else.

As I am working on paper at the moment, (along with a few other things ha ha ) I thought it'd be a nice idea to occasionally glance at these for extra inspiration.

Talking of the cabinet...it needs a tidy. I'm wondering if I can do that on camera then you can see.

It could be difficult logistically but I'll have a think.

And it seems that since this post you are all busy stitching needlecases!! Let me know how you get on x

Finally....my Christmas books. (gifts) Thought you might like to see them.

 

stitched papers, artist books and paper cloth

In my last post I was busy stitching papers to use as a surface for hand embroidery.

Today I thought I would elaborate a little on my plans for these papers by posting a couple of videos from last year where I am creating embroidered works using these pieces.

(bear in mind, these videos were created last year so some time specific content may no longer be relevant)

Stitched papers, artist books.

 

An overview. Hand stitched papers.

 

Stitched paper surfaces for hand embroidery

I had a rare couple of hours on my sewing machine this morning.

Stitched papers, surfaces for hand stitch.....

 

paper and silk velvet

It's a sewing machine kind of day.

Storm Lilian is wreaking havoc outside so I am hunkered down stitching papers in order to develop this piece.

The video below was made a few weeks ago but explains where I am going with this.

 

still collecting

Another piece, collected scraps of paper and embroidery, beads, hand stitches, a little lace, all placed on a background of collaged Japanese tissue papers.

I considered calling this curating. What do you think?

I googled the definition.

Curating......select, organise and present.

I think I could justify that.

There's a video here from a couple of days ago which shows more of these pieces.

 

 

pages, pages, pages....

The pages I first spoke about here are now stitched.

This morning I put them together with past pages, already stitched pages and began the process of figuring out how to bind them together.

Whilst I was doing that I found more samples which need to be mounted which means more pages.....

Crack on Karen.

page progress

A quick update for you on my progress with embroidery from yesterday.

Pages are being stitched and embroidered pieces are ready to be mounted.

I have posted the video from yesterday again in case you missed it.

 

stitched papers

This morning.....I am slowly returning my embroidered works to their proper place at home.

(I have had some renovation work completed on the house and these were put away, far away for safe keeping)

These pieces were never 'forgotten' but handling them again inspires and generates new ideas.

Mostly samples, these pieces deserve a proper home, deserve recognition and extra care.

So, paper pages for a bound sample book.

 

paper, stitch and creativity

Work on my paper piece is continuing and if this is the first time you have seen this there is a short video about how I plan the surface design in this post.

If you scroll back through this blog, through the past 6 weeks or so of posts you will see a lot of this paper piece too.

For the past couple of days I have been adding to this work and today I prepared more embellishments for the surface.

I cut hexagons in Liberty cloth to continue the use of those and I cut circles of stitched paper to wrap rings.

I'm still not sure how big this piece will be when it's 'finished'. I have no plan, no plan for how to display it, no plan for how to back it.

I did consider backing it with lace cloth which is something I haven't written off yet but who knows, I may get a blinding flash of inspiration taking me in another direction as I continue to work on it.

embroidery on paper and five buttons

Progressing the paper piece.....it's growing.....it's time to join two pieces.

The seam from that joining will be embellished with bullion knots and I have made five little paper buttons to be added to this piece further down the line.

It's slow going but it's a happy growing, a pleasure to handle and to embroider.