Tag: hand embroidery

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Empty Nest

My latest piece Empty Nest is a change from my usual style. The idea started with a search through my vintage collection for suitable materials. Vintage bandages have a wonderful weave and were perfect for this project.

Gathering materials
Gathering materials

Vintage ‘white open wove’ bandage was layered, distressed and hand darned. Next came the scary bit – cutting into the stitches with some very sharp scissors.

Work in Progress
ork in Progress

The incision is repaired with a Cushing Suture stitched in vintage Sylko thread.

Empty Nest - completed
Empty Nest – completed

Size is 5 x 5 cm, hand stitched and hand darned. Features vintage ‘white open wove’ bandage, Madeira thread and vintage Sylko thread. Hand embroidered and hand darned.

The artwork: “It seems like only yesterday I held my newborn baby in my arms.” The rhythms of life and the status that motherhood brings come to a sudden end once the child leaves home and for some women ‘Empty Nest Syndrome’ occurs during menopause. Many women, including working mothers, go through emotions such as grief, anxiety and loss, feel redundant and challenge their sense of purpose and self-worth – feelings that can last up to 2 years as mothers adjust from the role of ‘mum’ and rediscover their own identity. Empty Nest Syndrome can affect both parents.

UPDATE:

The piece has been accepted into the House of Smalls ‘Scar‘ dollhouse exhibition.

Scar exhibition poster
Scar exhibition - Artworks
Scar exhibition – Artworks
Scar exhibition - Artwork
Scar exhibition – Artwork
Dollhouse
Dollhouse
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Darning Sampler

Darning Sampler - hand stitched red thread into a vintage white child's garment

There’s something about working with cloth, it’s thread count and how the cloth is woven that fascinates me. This was the starting point for my latest project Darning Sampler.

The piece started with a vintage child’s garment that’s been in my collection for a number of years and an idea that’s been swirling around my head for even longer.

Darning Sampler - hand stitched red thread into a vintage white child's garment
Work in progress

Next followed extensive research into vintage and antique darning samplers. Given the very fine cloth and the weave of the cotton, only a select number of stitches were chosen. Some patterns were also adapted for this project.

I experimented and sampled with different weights of thread and settled on a very fine thread called Madeira Cotona.

Darning Sampler - hand stitched red thread into a vintage white child's garment
Work in progress
Darning Sampler - hand stitched red thread into a vintage white child's garment
Darning Sampler complete

The piece took nearly two months to create. Hand darned. Size 28 x 28cm.

Darning Sampler - hand stitched red thread into a vintage white child's garment
Darning Sampler – detail

Completed with a tiny vintage Mother of Pearl button on the neck of the garment.

This piece is part of the Embroiderers’ Guild ‘ Layers’ Members Challenge.

You can find one of my previous Members’ Challenge artworks in this post.

Update July 2023:

I’m thrilled that Darning sampler has won a First Award in ‘The Artistic Director’s Category’ in the Members’ Challenge 2023. For more details please follow this link.

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Print It 2023!

Close up of the stitching - Giant Cauliflower Harvest - embroidered word, red thread about my father and his allotment

I’m pleased to announce that a digital print of Giant Cauliflower Harvest will be on exhibition at Print It 2023. The mixed-media exhibition takes place at Aire Place Studios, Unit 2C, Aire Place Mills, Kirkstall Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS3 1JL, 3rd February – 3rd March 2023.

Pop along and visit – selected pieces are for sale – including mine.

Print It 2023
Print It 2023
Giant Cauliflower Harvest
Giant Cauliflower Harvest

Now in its third edition, Print It! 2023 has showcased artists from London to Zimbabwe, Tokyo to the USA! Exhibiting is not always accessible to everyone. From printing costs, framing, transport, and room hire, it all adds up. Designed to be a show beyond the constraints, Print It! features examples of fine art, photography, design, sculpture and more. This inclusive show looks to reflect the creativity and diversity out there and with an astounding level of submissions received, we are featuring over 70 artists, displayed for four weeks in the APS Gallery. All works have been submitted in digital form, printed and displayed in our gallery; removing boundaries and bringing together fantastic works from regional, national and international artists. Alongside the exhibition each artist will receive a book which includes all of the artworks in the exhibition bringing the exhibition directly to the artists. Prints on display in the APS Gallery will be available to purchase from £25 and copies of the Print It! book will be available from the APS Shop from £10. Visiting times are Fridays 11am – 5pm

Exhibiting Artists: Leanne McWilliams , Basia Asztabska, Edith Young, HezronH, Jingkun Qi, Joe Fenna, Celeste Drouin-Davis, Ping L, Philip Westcott, Janet Stafford, Lita Doolan, Louise Wiseman, Mato Enki, Kayleigh Whelan, Helene Fiegl, Anderson James Hargreaves, Kate Marsden, Ben Sheppee, Ayan Aziz Mammadova, Cesar Mammadov, Beth Hinde, Kay Nyx, Keremy Aldis, Catherine Hill, John Walmsley, Teresa Schippel Hales, Marlene Jorge, Deirdre Kashdan, Sukhmani Kaur, Caleb Hernandez, Sharon Platt, Lois Palframan, Jude Lin, Jane Walker, Alison Dollery, James Mellor, HS.FataMorgana, Dolores Ros, Vicente Fos, Gerrit Hodemacher, Tallulah de Castro-Gray, Andi Balogh, Bahar Acharjya, Nicola Garvey, Frankie Bones, Chloe Henderson, Sophia Lindstrom, Mariia Tokar, Galen Chen, Evan Larson-Voltz, Kuan-Hsuan Lu, Beatrice Dina, Michael Trozzolo, Caitlin Morris, Dasha Shipukhina, Veronika Krämer, Jena Jerms, Valeria Roglinova, Rose Reuben, KruMaM, Alison Herbert, Lucien Torlot, Liliia Filina, Paul Maven

Aire Place Studios