time for thread

My Art Exhibition

It has been almost 2 years since I last posted.  Life has a way of taking over.  My beloved grandson Elliott was born in March 2013.  I waited a long time for him to come along and I am lucky I get to see him almost everyday.

 

In June I retired from being a Kindergarten teacher.  It was a big decision because I love my K Kids so much.   But I was finding that my patience was running thin and I wanted to leave the classroom before I became that "crabby old teacher"

I have been working with Gail Harker for the last 8 years.  She teaches a series of two year long classes for fabric art people.  I have learned so much from her over the years, many different techniques including how to dye my own fabric and threads.  She also has taught me about the elements of art and design.  This last course that I just completed with an exhibition was all about art and design.  We worked in paint and paper which for me was a huge stretch.  Unlike my K Kids I would freeze everytime I tried to put paint to paper.  But at the same time I learned so much about design.  Gail has given me more words to describe my process.

My inspirational source for this two year study was birds, bugs and beasts.  For some reason I became fascinated by beetles.  I loved their legs, the division of space of their bodies and the diverse colors.  I made these early in the course.  

We were to make a big piece.  I call this my bug wall.  Believe it or not the inspiration for these four strips came from the back of a beetle.  I immediately loved the negative and positive space between the strips and worked hard to get variation in size and shape.  Then I had to face my nemesis of painting paper.  We were asked to analyze an artist and I chose Eric Carle the children's author.  I loved his bold animals and that he loves primary saturated colors like I do.  Through my research I discovered that he painted on tissue paper.  Well that gave my way in.  I could easily play on 30 sheets of tissue paper that I had purchased for $1.99.  But my tissue paper was so busy that I soon determined that it was not going to work for my bug wall.  So I started painting on expensive paper and amazingly I really like it.  Next I set out to make all the bugs.  Cutting shapes out of paper is something I grew to really enjoy and look forward to more exploration in this area.

There is one last 2 year course in the series with Gail.  We get to take this body of work into stitch.  Hurray!  I am not sure I will continue my exploration of bugs.  Right now my mind is full of  ideas of how to put my design work on birds into stitch.  

We will see but now that I am retired I am planning on posting more frequently.  And I will let you see what I come up with.

There Is A Story

Being inspired by Jude I've been working on small pieces all fall.   They are "my size job" at this point because starting school is always so time consuming.  So working small makes it possible for me to find a few moments here and there to stitch. These pieces eventually will be sewn onto my bigger covering cloth.

Then having spent the morning reading a number of ragmates blogs I realize that there is actually a story here that is emerging from all these pieces.  I feel both a sense of excitement but also vulnerability to reveal my internal places. But here goes.

Fear has always been a large part of my life from the very beginning.  In fact the stitching, creative process is one of the few places I don't feel as much fear.  So I decided to stitch fear.

Then I realized that I had actually stitched fear about 8 years ago.  I immediately thought of how often Jude talks about how one can see the trail of ones ideas in their work over time.  The subject of fear has been present all the while in my work.

For me it is interesting to look at both of these pieces and see where there are similarities and differences.  Being caught in the circle of fear is an image that continues to stay with me.  But somehow I feel hopeful that the warm bright colors of my recent stitching shows more opening and possibility.  That I might be a little less imprisioned by my fear.

But then much to my amazement I realized that the other things that I have been stitching are actually part of the story of fear.  That the beasts I have been stitching are big, strong and magical that might be able take on the fear.  

And te next part of the story is swans. Swans are for beauty.  The story of the Ugly Duckling has always resonated in my life.  I create things that I consider beautiful but have a hard time finding that same beauty inside of me.  Swans have an "S" swoop of their necks and manifest a stately grace.  

 And then there are hearts.  There are always hearts in my life.  Heart shaped rocks, stitched hearts, paper hearts.  Hearts are about love and creating a container of safety for me.  There are five more ready to be stitched.  I don't think I can ever have enough hearts.  The dance of fear and love, ummm

So amazingly it is a story.  I've been stitching a story that helps me in ways that I don't think I can begin to express.  But it is a good thing.  And even better that there is a visual way to share.  Thanks for visiting!

Calvin's Been Invited

I can't believe it but Calvin has been invited to an art show!

I've been working with a fabric art teacher, Gail Harker for the last 6 years.  Our assignment was to make a 3-D object.  Being the Kindergarten teacher that I am along with the inspiration of the patterns and colors in caterpillars Calvin emerged. I wanted him to be jaunty, "hungry caterpillarish" and moveable so that the children could gently arrange him the way they wanted to.

His metamorphysis was a long and sometimes arguous process.  There were so many steps that had to be thought out.  I actually took Calvin completely apart 2 times to finally get him right.  I learned alot in the process especially to stay playful, in the "what if" mode and not too become attached to a particular outcome.  All great lessons but not easily learned.

Getting the top notch just right and figuring out the embellishment on the side was a challenge but I am happy with how Calvin turned out.  I shared with the children as I went along so that they could see me as a learner who could be discouraged not give up.  Sharing Calvin with the children was lovely.  They were so interested and careful.  It made my heart beam!  

And now Calvin has been invited to an art show.  It seems pretty amazing indeed!

Pin Cushions and Needle Case

First thing in the morning I love to read blogs from our stitching community.  It feels so luscious to see the beauty and read what others are thinking about and to be part of the conversation.  

I was on Cindy's blog at Handstories and she had these pictures of pin cushions that just made me smile.  It was the contrast of a brand new pin cushion of someone just starting out on the sewing adventure and then two of her pin cushions that were totally loved.  It got me to thinking.  I have been doing a deep clean of all sewing things and discovered many pin cushions.  And had been wondering what to do with them.  In my desire to reduce clutter should I throw them away or ....... But Cindy's pictures gave me new appreciation for these pin cushions.  They are like the Velveteen Rabbit, well loved, with holes patched and not, even with saw dust coming out. Several of them I don't even know where they came from so they have been touched by many hands of people who loved or needed to stitch. So I have decided to keep them all.  Putting some to use but keeping them in a group where I can see the reflection of time and love that is held within.

Then I was visiting Doris's Dopplestitch blog and she was also inspired by Cindy's pin cushions and showed a picture of her needlecase that she had stitched as a child.  I have also made my own needle case that I take everywhere with me.  Each page has a different kind of needles.

A friend brought me this mola from her travels.  I hope that I make it to Panama someday so that I can actually see women making molas.  I have always been attracted to the shapes and colors they use.  And having tried stitching one myself and now I know how difficult it is.

Hearts are a symbol for me and I absolutely love red and purple together!  Beading needles on left and embroidery needles on right.  

The page on the right is made from the cloth of an old coat that I truly loved.  It had stains on the front and I didn't have Jude to inspire me to patch over the stains.  So took it apart and have used the cloth for a number of projects so that the coat is still with me.

On the last page I created a thin strip to hold my pins and then separate little pockets to hold my tapestry needles.  I love having all my needles in one place and even more that I stitched it myself.

Thanks Cindy and Doris for the inspiration for this blog.

My Grandson Henry

Today is Henry's birth/death day! A year ago my grandson Henry came into this world and then left it before any of us had a chance to know and share our love with him.  He was only 5 months in utero and his organs were not developing properly.  Though Henry is not with us in body he was a gift, a lesson for each of us.  

It took my daughter 64 hours to have Henry.  The staff at the hospital where she delivered were so kind and supportive.  Though Henry's body was compromised by all the fluid he was carrying, the nurse was able to get foot prints which seems like a miracle and such a gift.  His little feet were so small but he did have all of his toes.

Today I am terribly sad that the promise of Henry never happened.   As my first grandchild I was so looking forward to that unique relationship that happens across generations.  Every year I fall in love with my Kindergartners and I was so looking forward to falling in love with my very own Henry.

Why is it that the beauty of flowers helps soothes ones grieving heart?  I love the color, the vibrancy and the aliveness.  

I have loved Jude's thought provoking blogs on Spirit Cloth the past two days.  The whole consideration of space inside/outside me is an idea that I have been working with for awhile.  Being brave enough to allow there to be a space.  It is especially hard for me today because in the space is my terrible saddness.  And so I am trying to use Jude's words from today of "simply looking".  Simply looking at the beauty that is around me.  Hoping to see the spirit of Henry in the beauty in the simply looking.

Namaste Henry

Color and Trees

Thank you to everyone who has visited my blog.  This seems like a big endeavor to create and then for you to come visit is just amazing.  I am so grateful!

Though I love all the effects that many of you get with eco-dyeing I am in love with brillant colors.  Last week I decided I didn't have enough purple, magenta and orange for my wrapping cloth so I spent a pleasant day dyeing fabric and threads in my backyard.  Once I have all the prep work done I really enjoy the process of dyeing.  It always seems like magic when I wash the fabric out the next day.

Trees have always been an important part of my life.  Growing up in the Pacific Northwest I spent many hours playing among the big fir trees that live here.  They were my friends.  So I have added trees to my covering cloth.  I especially like how jaunty the left tree is.

Here is a picture of a kantha story cloth that I made several years ago.  You can see the trees.  That year I made my daughters wedding dress and the wheelbarrow and rake represent my love for my garden.

This is a bigger picture of my wrapping cloth.  It is fun how one section leads into another.  Besides trees, I love hearts which I plan to add more to the blank areas.  I am going to review Jude's Whispering Heart class for inspiration.

Again a huge thanks for visiting.  I appreciate your support as I enter this new world of blogging.

 

Wow I Have A Blog!

I have my very own blog!  I am in total amazement.  My friend Linda helped me to set it up.  Without her help I am not sure I could have done it.  We are spending the most glorious time at her cabin on Lesquiti Island.  

This is a picture of part of my wrapping cloth. I was inspired to make it from being part of Jude Hill's Magic Diaries class.  I love bright primary colors which is reflected in my stitching.  I recently discovered that my attraction to bright colors comes from having grown up in a bleak house that was devoid of color and loving emotions.  I look forward to wrapping myself up whether I'm happy or sad.

 I absolutely love doing running kantha stitch.  I recently completed a banner inspired by a butterfly wing and I almost cried when I put the last stitch in.  So my wrapping cloth gives me a new place to stitch.   I am so happy!