Couching samples

Couching is an embroidery technique in which you lay yarn or other materials across the surface of a ground fabric, then fasten it in place with small stitches.

The possibilities are endless when you start thinking about incorporating this technique in your work and wat kind of thread, cord, objects you can attach to it in this way!

This is the sampler I made for a workshop led by Hanny Newton (she has the most wonderful contemporary approach to goldwork embroidery!) : 

This is my take on a workshop led by Alice Fox  (an artist who works with found, gathered and grown materials) :

 

Anne of Green Gables

Jo March, Lizzie Bennett, Anne Shirley,.... I like these fierce girls with their seeking souls.

Some time ago, I bought this very fun book "Literary yarns, crochet projects inspired by classic books", partly because there is an  Anne of Green Gables pattern in it. I just knew I had to crochet it. So here she is, my Anne with an "e", love her!

I am not so very good at amigurumi, not so very fond of it either because I find it a little hard on my hands and wrists. But, as always , happy with my new friend!

(There is also a Sherlock Holmes, who screams to come to life in crochet!)

Connect

A cardboard base, stains of ecoline paint, like an archipelago in their formation, punctured holes that form curved lines and shapes (connecting the 'isles'), some stitching through them. The word 'connect' is stitched in large letters with a thin white thread over the whole length of the piece. Finally, the work is finished (as in classic sewing practice, connecting the different media used here unto a whole) with a biais ribbon. 

Photobroderie

Via a Textile Artist.org workshop I learned a great deal about photobroderie from the photographer Liz Jeary.

I stitched on my own photographs and used simple back stitch lines, matching the thread colours with the ones on the photo.

Lots of interesting ideas emerge from a workshop like this!

Linus shawl

It’s been a while since I finished a shawl, but here it is: the Linus shawl, a free pattern you can find here on Ravelry.

I used a recycled bourette mix yarn (cotton and silk), bought at Bart&Francis, who specialise in all kinds of yarn, thread and fiber. It’s always an adventure to browse through their shop, with lots of discoveries!

This is a very easy knit, it’s relaxing and I love the result. 

Ceci n'est pas une pipe

Inspired by the work of Sharon Peoples, I used the technique of random cross stitch to recreate the work "Ceci n'est pas un pipe" by the Belgian artist René Magritte.

the fabric is wrapped around a mount board and I also used some wadding to give the piece some depth.

It fits neatly in the tin in which it is presented. 

I hope to have added to the joke the artist intended. 

presented in the box:

the box:

An old piece of clothing gets reused :

Abstract stitching on paper

 

This is the work I made for the workshop by Jean Rill-Alberto.

The abstract design of geometric forms is first drawn, then stitched, onto paper. Some shapes I coloured in. It's fascinating to work with abstract shapes and to see what happens if you combine them, or highlight some of them. Also the stitching on paper is a real favourite of mine!

wet felted sample

Something I have wanted to try for a long time is wet felting,  a process of continually rubbing wool fibers together with soap and water to form a firmly felted object.

A workshop by Jeanette Appleton was the perfect opportunity : an exploration of contrasts in colour, texture and surface by using the felting technique on a sewed piece to which running stitch is added. 

I loved this technique and the surprising results, for instance how different the silk fabric and synthetic fabric reacted to the felting process. It calls for more exploration!  And using wool is always a big bonus!

I added some running stitch to silk and synthetic fabric, which then became the starting piece for the wet felting:

The back of the piece, the felted wool:

Cartoons

Inspired by another workshop I did with Saima Kaur (more information on the first one you can find here), I made this sampler with micro stories. I love the versatility, the humour and lightness of this method and will defenitely explore this further 😊.

Calender collage

For my second workshop with Anne Kelly (information on the first one you can find here ) I made these two collages. I used a calender with images of Claude Monet paintings, scraps of cotton fabric, silk fabric, ribbon and different kinds of paper (pages from an old book, illustrations, a paper napkin). I added some drawing, some painting, a bit of ink printing and a few embellishments. The pieces are then completely machine stitched.

This one is about my love for walking and the natural world:

This is a wish for the near future: a summer of reading and peace. Preferably in a beautiful natural setting: