Diarists Sectional revisited

I have several pieces of work started, some long long ago, others in the last year or so.  I am going to attempt to finish them all – having “said” it out loud it may actually happen.

This is the first one that I am actually working on:

This started life here and these are some of the bits I am loving so far:

tiny piece of weaving:

soluble stitching:

cross-stitched divisions:

a bit of painted lace:

as ever, a leaf:

couching:

Doubtless I shall add more bits and pieces, I shall certainly embroider and stitch away until it feels complete .  It is lovely to be working with more vibrant colours.  Having said that I have just received some wonderful bright red Indian cotton – yum!

What’s occurring ………….

For some time I have been thinking to post more frequently  rather than waiting until completing a full section, or a whole piece, spread etc etc.  Many thanks to Lori for the nudge.  I shall endeavour to post on a much more regular basis.

I have started on the second block for Gaia’s Garden – this is the ground for whatever may come next – I have not planned this cloth out at all – I am wanting to see what evolves if I try not to think too much – overthinking being a strong characteristic of mine.

closer:

Again I have woven strips of fabric to make the ground – I really like the feel and look of the result.  This block again is a 12″ square, each little section therefore being 2″ square.  At this point I am thinking I shall either couch leaves onto the surface or another tree – I am trying not to think about it and just enjoy the stitching!

Block 1 – Tree 1

I have decided that this time I am going to work in blocks as some may well  be experiments and/or new tryings on my part.   I have a sense of the overall theme but  realise that it is a huge one and encompasses so much on all sorts of different levels, elements etc and I don’t want to limit myself in any way.  My initial feeling is that once I have created lots of blocks I can then piece them together in various ways to see what works best, if they work at all, together.  What I really want to do is to just enjoy the process of this wonderful medium, a slow, slow cloth  – suits my being at present very well.

I have made the first block although it is not complete – if it becomes part of the/a whole it will have more stitching to link it with others to which it is joined.  Whilst making quilties (5″x5″ creations) over the past year or so I have often woven strips of fabric to make the ground.  I really love the effect of this and have used it for this first block and am using it on the second, which is in process – i am thinking weaving will be an essential part of this project as Gaia always speaks to me of web weaving both literally and metaphorically.

Strips of linen cut for weaving the ground:

these were attached to calico, basted  into place:

stitching then began:

the tree comes from a dress which I have had for more than twenty years – a gift from a friend – i love the design of it and although  it is not actually a tree within the design of the fabric, cut out it looks like one to me:

basted:

the finished for now block which measures 12″x12″:

Winter Quiltie

Actually the theme was Christmas but, well, we are coming into Winter so this is my offering :

The “snowflake” I cut from a vintage cloth – table setting I think.  The ground is calico onto which I layered pieces of organza and netting, placing the snowflake on top, then stitching the whole.  I really liked the result

Endings/Beginnings

The cloth I began at the beginning of the year is finished, complete …. backed and bound and ready to hang.

On returning to the initial story of the cloth  I read the last words:

“These are the seeds of possibilities, of dreams, stories, tales and wishings which can be made real by your creative hand”

“You know this cauldron is one of regeneration and inspiration.  It is where fears are put to death allowing the energy that is released to be born again in a new and fruitful form.  If a person has the courage to come to the cauldron, then that person has the courage to continue their journey.  And so you have”.

“All that is required of you is that you sit by the fire burning within Hestia’s Hearth and let the creative flame that she placed within you at your birth, bear its fruit.  Nothing more”.

I will be staying close by Hestia’s Hearth, it is the place for me right now.  The seeds for my next endeavours were planted during this last year in Gaia’s Garden where, I realised, all things are possible:

Wild Things

Presently at Soul Food Heather, the creatress and wonder-woman, is taking us on a tour of the many and varied delights to be found within the SF vaults.  I would encourage all of you to give it a whirl – you will find a link, click, perhaps be inspired by that first click, perhaps follow that link to another and another.  The site is an absolute treasure chest of all sorts of prompts, inspirations and creative ideas whatever medium you work and play in.  Do give it a go – here !

This is my first offering from the prompt: The Wild Things.   I had and have so many thoughts on this so there may be more to follow, maybe not .

The text reads:

The wild things are

those thoughts unbidden

tumbling from my mouth;

those thoughts which maybe

should have stayed

well and truly hidden!

Finished?

I think I have finished this cloth – deciding against background stitching as the figure is stitched directly into the cloth she may well disappear if I add more.   The cloth is hanging at the foot of my bed and I have been looking at it and looking at it for days and days.  A procrastinator at heart I have been trying to make up my mind whether, in fact, this is truly finished.  I feel that if I keep fiddling and adding bits here and there I will lose the essence of what I have already.  To make this into a truly completed work it has yet to have a backing attached and the edges bound, which I will also do by hand.  I have not done so already  because of my lack of a final final decision.   Life may be a spiral, my mind certainly follows that route over and over .

I have added more stems and completed the stream at the base of the cloth – it is there that I am undecided about – should there be more?????

This would be it, in its raw state …. I am delighted to have managed to focus on this for the whole year …. already I have in mind where I am going next, creatively speaking.

October 09 Quiltie

The theme this month was “Africa” – very broad,  so much choice for this procrastinator.   This is my offering.  The cotton is hand painted using wax resist and layering which I then hand stitched.

Crow Moon

Well, I really didn’t  anticipate that this would take me a month to do but it has.  However crow number two is now flying into the blue moon.   I stitched the crow off-cloth thinking it would be easier and, whilst the actual stitching of the crow was more manageable, the attaching took so long I think working on-cloth in future is the way I shall go.  All good learning!

slightly different view:

I think I have just about finished the pictorial aspects of this cloth, what remains to do are more stems and a lot more stitching/quilting of the cloth itself.    I am hoping I make my self-imposed deadline of the end of the year – I do appear to be on course.

Once we have a dry and non-windy day I shall take a picture of the full cloth as it is now.

Flames of renewal, seeds of beginnings

have been added – they sit comfortably in her left hand, the shoots have begun to sprout, more may follow.

Seeds:

Fire and seeds:

In the meantime another crow is being created off-cloth – just as labour intensive but a little easier to manage.