I made a start on translating some of my recent watercolour doodles into stitch.
I’ve applied some tiny fragments (mostly about an inch or two) of hand-dyed silk, cotton, and linen to a strip of hand-woven (not by me!) cotton cloth, stitched them down around the edges, and then embroidered each one to illustrate the coming of Spring.
It’s a lovely opportunity to find a use for the very tiny precious fragments that we all seem to end up collecting. I’ve added bits of vintage lace motifs and a metal charm, and a flat white bead. Each fragment ended up as a tiny collage expressing hope and new life.
It measures about 4” x 17.5” and hangs from a piece of hand-dyed thick cotton boucle. After a couple of hectic months in my new occupation, it feels really good to be restarting my own work.
this is such a great idea, Karen. and I love what you did with this. it’s so alive and your needlework on top of the tiny bits of green is so lovely.
also, you have now convinced me it’s worth it to keep my tabletop loom. 😉
Weaving is one of those things I keep meaning to have a go at but haven’t quite got round to it yet. Look forward to seeing the results of yours in action 🙂
That looks delightful, and a wonderful use of some otherwise “unconsidered trifles”, as the Bard would have it!
Yes, just goes to show everything has a place in the world somewhere. Liking the Autolycus there, by the way 🙂
A plausible rogue, if ever there was one!
‘Though I am not naturally honest, I am sometimes so by chance’ – one of my favourite lines in Shakespeare
What beautiful little works of art and such a great idea!
Thank you 🙂 Just finding a home for some little orphans really.
Love it!
I love your work. This is so detailed and pleasing to the eye, not traditionally spring colours, actually more redolent of new leaves.
Thanks so much, Jacky. Yes, there’s nothing quite like the green you see in the spring, one of my favourite colours in the year.
from paper to cloth … to paper again? … I mean, how cool would it be to replicate your stitching in paint??
That is a Good Idea indeed 🙂
The ideas just keep flowing for you–and I love it–POSSIBILITIES—that is what this journey is all about! On we go!
Exactly!
This is so lovely 🥰 I wondered do you plan this out or sew the little bits and plan as you go leaving it to creatively come together?
Thank you, the sketchbook pages show some rudimentary planning (as in the basic idea) but generally I just place the fabric scraps and make the stitching up as I go along.
Each piece is a work of art on it’s own, it’s a beautiful representation of Spring to come.
Thank you 😊 the coming of spring really lifts the spirits
I love that you hung it! It’s so cool that you translated your beautiful water colours into actual stitching. Both sets of your work are so intricate and wonderfully done. Bernie
Thanks so much, Bernie. It was a truly relaxing and joyful exercise.