Trapping Threads

I admire those who keep their embroidery floss in an orderly fashion -- all neatly wrapped, labeled and organized by colors, shades and dye lot numbers.  Admiration or not, I have to admit that I am not one of them.

My threads are in glass jars above my work table.  These glass jars are filled to the brim with the various threads which make up my life and my work.  Each jar contains a collection of a color selection.  All purples together, all rose/pink/coral together, all greens together, all browns together, all rusts and golds together, etc.  Its really no way to work efficiently because with each project begun I must get down the jars that will apply to my color scheme and go through each skein of floss.

BUT - that's my joy: sorting, sifting, laying out the various color dye lots.  Laying out the shades in light, dark and in between, touching the threads and comparing them for density and shade.  Deciding what I will need to add to my 'collection'.  Last but not least - filling each jar to the brim with threads that I might or might not use in the future.  Sometimes organization is not necessary at all *smile*.

"Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable". - Mary Oliver

"Spring Garden"

This spring has brought a riot of color to our yard.  It seems that nature determined to give us a spring in which everything bloomed at the same time.  It is almost difficult to keep track of each new bloom as I walk out the door every morning.

Of course, I had to put this into loop-pile embroidery form.  The colors of the azalea, rhododendron, columbine, irises, roses, dahlias, lupine have all become part of this mix-up of spring color.

Working on this piece is not only a study in color but in loop heights.  I went as high in some places as level 5.  What fun this was - to transfer what I was seeing outside to something tangible inside.
"Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night". ~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke

"Into the Woods"

My first truly abstract punchneedle piece.  A larger piece than I've done before -- which was very freeing.  A test of colors and stitch heights and mixing and matching.  Of filling in spaces and running out of yarn and a kind soul rescuing me from delay and frustration.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this picture - drawing the design onto fabric and then changing it as I went along to make a better mixture of color and space filling.  There was no feeling of 'this has to be here or it won't make sense' - there was no sense to be made - just punching my needle in and out.  Sometimes a space was filled with loops only to be removed and replaced by different thread -- sometimes a shape was changed to make it fit better with those shapes around it.

This new-to-me journey is off to a start.  There will be much thought before starting the next design.  There are sketches to make and threads to choose.  I want to achieve a different awareness when I look at the world around me.  Perhaps I am trying to change my own perspective of a world which seems to have gone crazy.  Perhaps I am saying 'this is what a want to see - not necessarily what is really happening'.  If that is the case, so be it -- I highly recommend this type of 'therapy' to everyone!

"I am searching for abstract ways of expressing reality, abstract forms that will enlighten my own mystery". - Eric Cantona

"Homespun Heart" Bird

I really thought that my 'heart' month was over.  But then I came up with this design and just had to try it.  Here I am, ready for spring and all things green and I end up engaged with deep pinks/corals and blue.  I blame it on Caron's 'Wildflowers' yarn titled 'teak' -- once I saw the combination I had to use it.

This is the first time I've used 'Wildflowers' for the overall bird (rather than just the design) and it was an interesting experiment because it seems to have ended up looking 'homespun' - like a rag rug that has been made into a bird.  I discovered some wonderful grey buttons that I could use for eyes. I'm now on the lookout for 1/4" buttons in various colors.  Who knows what will come next - but I think I have hearts out of my system for awhile.

"Blessed are the hearts that can bend; they shall never be broken". - Albert Camus

"Strata"

Strata: Layer of material, formed either naturally or artificially, often one of a number of parallel layers placed one upon another.

As winter settled in I found myself longing for warmth - even the appearance of warmth was good enough.  And so this punchneedle piece came to life.  These warm colors layered one after another made me think of desert canyons and of the layers of rock on which this world is built.

Thread change after thread change defined this design.  Punchneedle uses its own unique needle which requires two steps for each thread change.  Once you add in the process of pulling yards of each color, blending colors and changing colors, the process of punching itself pales next to the constant thread changes.  It was a very good learning experience and you might be able to see the more frequent changes and my growing abilities to blend threads as you go from the top of the piece (where I started) to the bottom.

My goal for this year is one doll figure a month, one folk art punchneedle bird a month and one punchneedle picture a month.  So far I'm behind by only one picture so I guess I'd better get busy and draw up the next design and start choosing colors.

"And Life is Colour and Warmth and Light and a striving evermore for these..." - Julian Grenfell

The "Follow Me" Bird

I've just spotted the rare and elusive "Follow Me" bird.  He is hard to spot because as his name indicates he's always going somewhere, urging others to follow him.  I think this year he has had an easy time trying to convince everyone to follow him to warmer climes.  Most of the people I know, during this chilly winter, would follow him to sunshine and warmth without a pause.

I promised myself, after the first two punchneedle birds, that I would create brighter 'plumage' on future birds.  And so, here is a bird to brighten the day.  What a pleasure to sit here on a cold wintry day working with these bright colors and seeing a colorful bird appear beneath my fingertips.  Say the words 'follow me' quite rapidly and you'll hear the sound of his call.

"Birds have wings; they're free; they can fly where they want when they want. They have the kind of mobility many people envy". - Roger Tory Peterson

Little Fuzzies

Don't you think that even the most lowly thing can make it into our art?   Sometimes, even if I don't have a plan for something I keep it around, thinking 'who knows?'  So it is with these 'fuzzies' that have come off of the fat quarters after they've been thrown into the washing machine.  For my work, I guess I don't really have to wash the fat quarters - but I so love to feel that 'after the wash' soft fabric beneath my hands and then too, if I didn't wash the fabric where ever would I find these pieces of thread all twisted and tangled and matted. 

I store them in a jar and periodically I'll pull out a batch, wad it up and attach it to something.  What can I do with these cast offs?  I can scrunch some together and stitch them to the toes of an art doll or find a place for them in the middle of a stitchery.  I can finagle them together in a way that will create a head of hair for an art doll.  Or, I can just handle them (they are so soft) and admire the colors that have blended together in this mess of threads.

Sometimes - in fact quite often for me - its the little things that make me happy.

"Success in life is founded upon attention to the small things rather than to the large things; to the every day things nearest to us rather than to the things that are remote and uncommon". - Booker T. Washington

Pondering Fabric

Having said that I was going to focus on bright colors in a recent post -- I found myself pulling out this stack of colorful fat quarters.  There are oranges and greens and pinks and turquoise and the designs on the fabrics are modern and sleek and... Well, you get the picture.

It was time to start preparing a couple of new art dolls and I had all these marvelous designs and colors laid out in front of me.  Scissors ready I snipped away, I soon had a couple of bodies cut and fused and ready for embellishing and stitching.  It was at that point that I realized they weren't going to work for my particular style . 

For people who don't work in fabric art there might be a misunderstanding that you just cut it out, stitch it up and its done.  For me, working with fabric in a representatational way, each stitch is put onto the fabric with a lot of thought.  If the background fabric has a distinct pattern design of its own and says 'don't cover me up' -- its hard for me to find the spirit of the cloth. Don't get me wrong, I love the bold fabric designs and the colors, but for the work that I do I find that I need subdued fabric - something that will be a background for my stitchery.

And so I spent a morning pulling muted fabrics from my stash, laying pieces all over the table and looking at them.  An integral part of my work is the use of embroidery stitches to bring the background fabric to life. The stitch 'becomes' the fabric design.  Its very hard to explain but I guess I don't just want to make an art doll I want to imbue my very own consciousness into it.  I want to use my stitching and embellishment to create a theme that means something to me personally and that I hope will mean something to someone else somewhere along the way.

I love the work of others where the fabric is the key -- and I do so admire their skill at combining and displaying these beautiful, bright, modern designs.  Once again however, I've learned something about myself (do we ever stop learning?) and it relates to what is important to me in my work.  Because embroidery stitchery is important to me when creating art dolls I shall have to put aside bold patterns and go back, once again, to the subdued patterns and shades.

Now that I've figured out all of this about myself its back to the needle and thread.  Isn't the creative process wonderful?

"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside awakes". - Carl Jung

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice - the shortest, darkest day of the year.  To me winter feels like the most creative season.  It is a time when life slows down and more time is spent indoors where it is warm and cozy.  Because those waterfalls of summer aren't beckoning me I must search inward for my inspiration and muse.  Because I can't really hike the hills at this time of the year (my goodness just getting in my daily walk can be a challenge) - I seem to have time to work with my hands.  The shadows outside, the bare branches brushing the house, the full moon which I can see through those branches - these are my guides during this time of the year.

The above figure started out as a concept in deep blue colors and was to be called 'Nocturne' -- but for some reason the beads that lept onto my needle were not deep blue but were grey, grey blue and silver (unfortunately this picture shows the colors as pale green but they are not - sorry about that).  And so "Winter Solstice" was born and is being created during this month of the solstice.  Soft, wintery colors -- shiny silvers -- pieces of ribbon and fibers -- beads upon beads -- these are the beauties that will find themselves onto the surface of this figure.  She will become my winter memories for this 2009/2010 winter.  Stay tuned to see more of her as she comes fully to life.

"Wisdom comes with winters". - Oscar Wilde

Falling for Fall

I'm reveling in the beauty that surrounds me at this time of the year.  Fall brings with it colors and scents and sounds and feelings so particular to this time of year. 

Color - how many colors are seen during a walk in the woods?  Colors that only appear for a short time each year.  Colors to savor and remember later on when the trees have lost their leaves and the colors are mostly grey, black and white. 

Scents - the scent of stew cooking in the crockpot, of freshly poured tea awaiting its first sip, of cider and pumpkins and cinnamon and every manner of warm smells.

Pictures - because I know that fall won't last as long as I would like it to I must take picture after picture.  Pictures of the changes in the woods, of the blue sky peeking through coloring leaves. 

Sounds - the crunch of leaves underfoot as they pile up everywhere.  This is a Fraser Magnolia leaf - at least 15" long.  Its HUGE!  During the spring and summer we are blessed with beautiful white flowers - during the fall we find these large leaves on the ground, dwarfing all the leaves around it.

Feelings - who can resist the feeling of a cool, crisp October day.  This is a day to wear my favorite sweater, to sit with a cup of tea on the porch looking out over the ever changing woods beyond. 

This is fall!!

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus

Moon Dust

The moon has long been my talisman. As a child I had to begin wearing glasses and the first thing I noticed upon donning them was the 'man in the moon'. I had heard that phrase but never knew what people were talking about because to my eyes the moon was a flat disk up in the dark sky. Now I could see the 'man in the moon'. My bedroom window, which was right beside my bed often showed me the full moon and its light. It was often bright enough to wake me out of a sound sleep. I would lie there and make wishes and know that 'Mr. Moon' was watching over me. It was easy to fall back to sleep knowing that I was so gifted by this big, bright orb.

Today, when the trees are not in full bloom, the full moon shines into my studio. Still watching out for me I guess. When I choose bead colors I often think of the moon -- I call many of my choices 'moon colors' because to me they seem soft and muted as if a cloud has passed over the moon. I love the feeling that soft colors give to me. I honestly admire those who can bead with bright, colorful beads -- I love to see them -- but for my hands it is the muted, misty colors that seem to represent most clearly what I'm trying to portray in my work. Hmm, sort of a mix-up there that the muted colors would portray me more clearly!

I'm drawn to soft greys and lavenders, robin's egg blue and aquamarine. Do you think I'm still whispering in the dark to my friend the moon by using these oh so quiet colors?

"Follow your inner moonlight, don't hide the madness". - Allen Ginsburg