Random Stuff

I've finished my work for the forthcoming exhibition at John Clare and no I'm not going to finish the big piece, it would be a pity not to give it the full treatment and my energy levels are very low at the moment. So rather than beat myself up about it my thoughts have turned to Christmas presents.  I don't think the recipient of this one looks at my blog but she will know instantly who it is for if she does. This is all about the dogs and the beach we walk on in Ullapool, we should have been there at the end of October but the appointment with the neurologist clashes and is a priority at the moment.

Printing and dyeing have also been going on.

These are three separate directions I'm going in for some ideas for new work and just because I was enjoying the process. The first two are homemade blocks and the third is a tree stencil that I keep coming back to.

Husband's birthday today (we celebrated on Saturday) that meant our eldest daughter is enjoying a stay with us. We have both been printing and dyeing and today we felt like stitching, so out with the 'omiyage' book

and we have produce four little chrysanthemum bags.

These will hold  gifts of jewelry, silk scarves or chocolate and I usually make a dozen or so so that I can create a last minute prezzie as the need arises. I will use my hand printed papers to make tags to go with them. I think Lucy is now addicted to making them as well - nice to start up a tradition!

A Little Diversion

Not stretched or framed yet but I've just finished the second 'strewing herbs' piece. I have so much source material following my drawings and paintings that this went together without much thought in a couple of days. The lettering in the background took longest to stitch. Looking at it now maybe I will try a piece with the lettering painted in.

It made a break from the 'Remains of the Day' that I'm working on, however I must get back to it tomorrow if I have any hope of finishing in time for the 1st of Oct.

The photo again has not picked up the white layers very well so as per usual  I've shown an inverted colour version.

Secret's Out

I did try to keep this piece a secret but soon realised I wouldn't have any stitching to blog about because this is going to occupy the next three or four weeks. I've called it 'Remains of the Day'. It is a fairly ambitious piece given my current health, I hope to finish it in time for the J.C. exhibition in October. The last two weeks have been spent sewing it down with hundreds of (hopefully) invisible stitches. Then I have added stripes of gesso followed by copper gilding on various areas. I have over printed some beetle shapes and I'm using machine stitch to doodle and link the whole thing together. The final layer will be hand stitched and any embellishments I decide to use.

Some areas I will pick out existing patterns to stitch round, other areas will be more randomly stitched.

Linking different elements will be key to this piece. 

The cooler weather is a great help when stitching in my conservatory workroom but it does mean that I've run out of excuses for not working!