Marking Time

 This is my entry in the Marking Time Exhibition in Tasmania. The exhibition is curated  by Rita Summers of @gonerustic and is displayed in her workshop and studio.

It is handstitched using ecodyed fabrics and thread. Stitched on daily during Covid 19 lockdown to signify the minutae of the relative  peace in my backyard. This includes watching trees, turkeys, birds, plants and other imaginings as there are a few wee folk in there.

A sac for oddments

 This sac was made from some ecodyed hemp. I then embellished with small leftover bits of lace and linen  buttons, silk scraps and string. It is all handstitched and was so much fun to make from envisioning the shape and end product , to working in 3d to bring it together.

The side were added to in a Boro sort of way until it felt firm and well covered.

Inside are more scraps waiting for their special project to come along .

Embellishments

 I needed something to do on a recent stitching day and as usual I can never find anything to work on. Of course when I get home I realised that there are so many projects that would benefit from some time of simply stitching. So I took along sone rusty washers and cotton crochet thread. I wrapped each washer using  blanket stitch. Then dipped poured a little tea from the teapot and a splash of vinegar and left for 12 hours overnight. They turned out this lovely browny black which is a perfect tone.

I found another which is beautifully rusted and I am sure that I can find more hidden away in containers to work on more. Maybe I’ll wrap rusty screws as well. Just play and experiment,exploring techniques and ideas. This will build up,a stash of these wee beautiful textured and coloured embellishments. The time will be right when they are needed.

Finished at last

 This piece of stitching has taken so long to finally step over the finished line. The stitching went on in bursts and then it sat for so long. At that stage I was going to hang it with a rod pocket, so needed more work until I decided to stretch onto a canvas now that I have worked out how to do that quickly and easily with my staple gun. One thing changes a whole new perspective on presenting work.

There are many different embellishments and techniques as it really was a sampler of sorts, just working out what I could do and so added them. It is on a piece of rusted polycotton that was a light fawn colour to start with. 

Harriet goes exploring

 

I had fun with some collage and photocopied images of my granddaughters face. She looks so happy that I gave her a watermelon dress and bag and some funky legs and feet. Off to Buenos Aires.

I might continue as it was so relaxing ...could do a whole series of Harriet exploring different parts of the world that hopefully one day she will get to see. 

Feeling very creative and immersed in the activity without needing too much overthinking. It’s just for me , daily practice ? Not sure if I can , maybe weekly.