Punchneedle Project

After meeting the 'challenge' I'm ready to explore a new punchneedle project.  I can't even begin to tell you how many 'ideas' are both in my head and cluttering up my studio.  Its a 'clutter' that I like but if I don't get busy and give life to some of these I'll end up totally frustrated.

So a drawing has been rendered -- floss has been chosen (and of course more will have to be added because that's just the way it is).

I think a few embellishments will make their way onto this piece.

I'm looking forward to hearing the tick-tick of the needle moving through the fabric and watching an idea become reality.

 

"You hit home runs not by chance but by preparation." - Roger Maris

From the Beginning

There's always something very exciting about beginning a new piece of work.  My thrust this coming year is to create abstract wall hangings - breaking out of the box of 5x7 pictures and oh so structured hearts, pockets and birds.  Just sitting around I doodled out these two designs on a piece of lined notebook paper (the closest thing at hand at the time).

From the scrap of notebook paper to a larger piece of paper for the 'real' design to be drawn.  Although I want to be as 'free' as I can be - there are a few limitations in working loop pile embroidery.  The fabric has to be very taut so I use a frame to stretch it.  The largest frame I've found is 10" x 10" square and I doubt if I would be comfortable using anything larger just due to the sometimes cumbersomeness (is that a word?) of the larger frame. So, when creating a design I must take my framed space into account - while I can have wavy edges, or go from thin to wider, I do have to stay within a 10" borders.  A longer or wider width/length can always be achieved by making two sections and stitching them together but I've not tried that yet.

So here we are, with punching begun.  This is the fun part because, although I have my design drawn, I now get to fiddle with colors and fibers and threads.  I can change a design component as I go along if I wish.  Who knows what I will end up with -- and that is part of the joy!

"Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiousity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit". - e. e. cummings.