Looking ahead to exploring new loop-pile embroidery pieces, I've created yet another workbook in which to collect my thoughts and ideas.
I have a workbook three-quarters of the way full of ideas, design, color and texture. Not one picture in this little book is a loop-pile embroidery piece. Its my goal to take bits and pieces of these ideas and make them into something of my own.
Some of the designs, such as this one, came from a very old book on wall hangings. I love the texture of this design - and would love to bring this type of texture into my work.
Others, such as this one, are made of clay - no fiber involved at all. And yet the colors, design and feeling of the piece appeal to me. I see something like this in my mind's eye using punchneedle, fiber, found objects.
Just opening this book - gazing at each design - thinking of the possibilities before me - makes me want to put needle to hand and get to work.
"Everything that is new or uncommon raises a pleasure in the imagination, because it fills the soul with an agreeable surprise, gratifies its curiosity, and gives it an idea of which it was not before possessed". - Joseph Addison
As you saw in my previous post, I am now working on 'petite pockets' which I hope to display at a show later this year. Because I enjoyed making the little 'heart' workbook, I thought it might help to make up a 'pocket' book.
This book began as a 4"x6" notebook which I purchased at a discount store for $1. It is supposed to be used for recipes, but works quite well as a small, handy dandy reference book. The size is good for me - it takes up little room on my messy work table and has a lot of pages.
I began by putting a cover on it (see the picture at the top) front and back. Much nicer looking than the original cover. Inside I have my own definition of what I am trying to create. I moved on to putting a picture of the general pattern and wrote down my guidelines for preparing these pockets. I've included pages where I will list ideas, themes, color schemes and designs as I think of them. As I go along I will include each piece - both the pattern design with notes and the final pictures with notes. Also 'stuffed' in here will be inspiration pictures - ideas I get from magazines or books or whatever.
When I make a punchneedle design -- I always have a copy that includes the floss number colors, the combinations (2 threads of one color, 1 thread of another, etc.) and the level that I punched that particular combination. For my book I have taken pictures of this pattern, reduced it and put it onto a page. I will now have a record of the colors I've used for future reference.
Lastly I take pictures of the finished project, put those into the book and then makes notes including the month/year that it was finished and notes to myself about what I liked and what might have gone wrong (hopefully not to duplicate that problem again).
At the completion of each 'pocket' I will add to my little book - making it a bit 'fatter' with each piece.
"First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination". - Napolean Hill
