FaceTime thoughts

Lockdown and its many FaceTime hours and thoughts were the inspiration for this embroidery piece. 

The stitch challenge came from the artist Emily Tull : create three mouths with different expressions using minimal hand stitch.

As a base fabric I used an old handkerchief, with holes and tears in it. I took pictures of the mouths of my family and started observing, and stitching. It was a difficult challenge, it took me quite a few hours! I learned a lot about observation, detail, light and colour.

In the end I also stitched a little poem that for me captures the essence of those hours on FaceTime. This piece will always be a memory of an exceptional time.

Clara's Cape

Clara's Cape is a pattern from Knitvent 2017, which is a lovely mix between an advent calendar and a mystery knit along. The collection was inspired by Tchaikovski's Nutcracker.

I used Rowan Big Wool, which meant it was a superfast knit. 

you can wear it as a lovely shoulder-warming cape or loosely as an oversized statement cowl. And, as the designer says "Combining a dollop of old-fashioned Edwardian charm with a dash of modern simplicity, Clara's Cape captures a bit of that timeless magic and makes it utterly accessible"

I am very happy to add it to my wardrobe! Hopefully next winter I can take some  strolls through a fairytale winter landscape...

The designer, Helen Stewart, hosts the lovely Curious Handmade Podcast, absolutely worth listening to!

               

Who will love a little sparrow?

When making this concertina book, I was inspired by a moving Paul Simon song : "Who will love a little sparrow" 

The book tells the tale of a little sparrow on its long journey. It is not loved, not by the Oak Tree, not by the Swan, not by the Golden Wheat. Only the Earth will love it, "for all I've created returns unto me, from dust were ye made and dust ye shall be". 

I made this book with fabric scraps, mostly from discarded clothes from my family. I used appliqué and lots of stitching.

The cover of the book used to be part of a pocketed flanel work shirt. To the button, I attached an acorn  embellished with some embroidery. 

Inside the book, you can flip the fabric pages so as to read the story. You can also unfold the story into one long strip by undoing the little button at the back.

This was another challenge by TextileArtist.org, in a workhop given by Mandy Pattullo, which I loved very much. I hope to make more of these books!

I made two little videos, one of the unfolded book and one flipping through the pages, you can watch them here  and here.

Landscape with birch

This is a textile collage, in which I also used paper that was processed with the momigami technique. Momigami paper making is a Japanese technique I learned from Cas Holmes. I am so happy with this new skill, it opens so many possibilities! 

Besides, I find it very pleasant to stitch through paper. I used a brown paper bag, a newspaper, a leaflet and a wallpaper sample.

To have and use some real Japanese paper in future is now definitely on my wish- and to do list!

I also used a bit of watercolour paint on the trunk of the birch and some crayon in the left upper corner.

This piece took lots of hours of stitching and I enjoyed every minute of it.