Texture, texture!

A big focus in my work for this year will be texture, texture, texture.  As I work each section of a piece I hope to incorporate as many levels of stitch as possible...

...as many 'new to me' stitches as possible.

Go ahead, ask me if I'm having fun!!! 

"Little moments can have a feeling and a texture that is very real." - Ralph Fiennes 

With Needle and Thread

Here I am, with needle and thread taking small stitches on the body of an art doll.  This fabric just called out to be embellished with various stitches. 

Lots of running stitches (of course) some French knots, a feather stitch or two and a variation on the star filling stitch.  I'm using the book "Elegant Stitches" to guide me.  Loving a challenge as I do -- I'm thinking that each upcoming piece shall contain at least one new-to-me embroidery stitch.  Now that should make life interesting.

"Such a small thing -- embroidery -- but what a lesson it has to teach!" - Judith Baker Montano

"Elegant Stitches"

Perhaps you've seen this book, perhaps you are lucky enough to own a copy but if not, I just have to tell you about it.  "Elegant Stitches" is an 'illustrated stitch guide and source book of inspiration'.  The inspiration portion of that sentence is an understatement.  I was fortunate enough to find this book at a recent 'fiber swap meet'.  I immediately fell in love with it.

The book has a copyright of 1995 - so I know its been around quite awhile - but to me it is one of those timeless books -- the one that will stay near my worktable so that I can easily pull it out at a moment's notice.  The stitch illustrations are very clear and its smaller size and spiral binding make it so very easy to use.

 There is an 'extra bonus' for me because the author has a section entitled "Stitches for Left-Handers" - wow, do you know how rare that is?  Being a lefty, this section alone was exciting.

The last portion of the book is on free-form stitchery and the author Judith Baker Montano, shows illustrations which she drew in her journal and then translated into lovely forms of embroidery.  This is a curl up in a chair and read cover-to-cover book - knowing that if you do any embroidery at all you'll want to have it close at hand.

"Little moments can have a feeling and a texture that is very real". - Ralph Fiennes