Welcome to Stitching News at this, possibly the last, splurge of warm weather, late in October.
The photo to the right is of some autumn impressions of a selection of the plants in our garden. I printed these about a month ago now!
The clarity of colour and mark changes rapidly in some plants, but it is hardly noticeable in others.
I have been “out of action” for various reasons, over the last two to three weeks, so I have been chasing my tail very recently. I am almost back on track now, and making good headway with my list of jobs!! How would we manage without making lists!
“A Thread of an Idea”, Textiles+ exhibition is in the second week of November. A reminder of the details are at the end of this post.
My second Fantasy Jungle panel is complete and I have posted the first panel alongside the second below. I also made some additions to the first panel. I had had it pinned up for a while, and could see it really needed an extra ping of colour.
At the time I was working on the first panel, I had not dyed the very bright colours of thicker thread that I am using a great deal at the moment, and therefore had a more limited thread choice. Now I have an amazing array to chose from, and have used a space dyed orange/yellow thread and added it alongside the previous stitched marks, and it has made all the difference!
I also added a touch of coloured thread around the binding of both, to add interest, but in a calm and quiet focus!
I am pleased with the appearance of the two together, although they are brighter in true light than on the screen, and I am excited to plan and stitch a third panel over the winter! I actually prepared another two backgrounds right at the beginning of this project, and they look at me, every time I go into my sewing room! Let the adventure continue over the autumn / winter months!
I have spent some time looking through my sketchbooks of the last six months. I have had huge enjoyment and fun and realise that I have recorded such a wealth of ideas over a range of topics.
Every sketchbook holds inspiration which can be used with stitch, using either mixed media or traditional materials, or experimental media. Each piece I design and stitch inspired by them is totally unique, and I learn from every single piece. What more can anyone ask for. I feel very fortunate indeed to have such a resource to dip into and I am excited to move on and push the ideas further now.
I shall continue to create these “quick” sketchbooks. I say “quick” hesitantly because actually I have invested many many hours and days of work. But it is a wonderful way to be stretching myself, developing a palette of fresh ideas for the future and just to be creative in such a simple, very affordable and easy manner. Simple resources; one sheet of paper, some black drawing and marking pens, and a personal choice of source material to begin the process!
I have chosen some small sections from my latest batch of eco prints, to prepare a few more mixed media collage and and stitched panels.
I have already started with some simple stitch on these small sections… very little, as you can see, but the rest of the development will gradually build after I have mount them individually to their background.
The photo to the right of the selected small images shows a finished piece of work from September.
After the very bright and busy stitched work I have been doing recently, I really like the total contrast of this very limited colour palette, and the simplicity of this end result.
I shall be interested to see how these next panels will develop. When I see a unit placed onto the background I have an instant idea of how to get started. However, apart from that initial push the work becomes quite intuitive, and that in itself is quite liberating!
You may well wonder what has happened to the last unit of my embroidery course. Well, to be honest I had become rather drained of ideas, but I have had a complete break of 6 or 7 months now and I shall pick up the last unit again and complete it over the next few months. Coming back after a break, has given me fresh impetus and interest.
I am also in the throes of designing this years Christmas card. Ideas have been buzzing round my head, changing, and evolving continually, and I have now made my final decision. I shall get to work on it during November.
Watch this space!
Until next time, happy stitching!