An elbow's length of thread: December 2016

Saturday 31 December 2016

New Years eve

Only my third day of stitching; I'm still pondering how this will work, but trying not to overthink, just let it become what it wants to become.

People are getting ready for the New Year celebrations, during my evening walk, as dusk began to settle and the jackdaws clattered about in the trees finding their roost for the night,

an enthusiastic burst of fireworks sent them all, en masse, into the sky whirling and swooping in great fluid motions. Fly stitch seems to lend itself to expressing this.

Friday 30 December 2016

Small beginnings

It makes sense to bring this little exercise into a place of its own - it may flourish here, it may founder after a month or so, but at least it has somewhere to begin.

There are a number of initiatives at establishing a daily practice, be that in art practice, or meditation, or any endeavour really; unless you are doing it, well, you're not really are you?

So, how to establish a daily stitch practice? There are a number of fine souls out there in blogland who do this already, and I take inspiration from them, but have never managed to find a framework that fits. Then two groups that I belong to, both in the real world and the virtual, posted this idea.

I wanted to give it a slightly more personal twist, and focus on the moon and her phases, something I am always aware of.

Another layer of symbol added, by using the yin yang emblem to encompass that balance between light and dark which is at the heart of all our being.

This then gave me a framework to work with; stitch according to the moon's phases. One group member suggested threading up a selection of threads in preparation; so why not select colours accordingly? I'm not going to try to include elements from the moon image above, that would be just too complicateed and I did it as a bit of fun. I'll use a variety of stitches and a single length of floss, blend the shades in the lights and dark sides, and stitch mindfully, aware of where the moon is, when she rises and sets, when she is visible.

The thought pleases me.

Today (29th) is the Dark Moon, the New Moon, the time when her illuminated face is turned away from us and we cannot see her. So start with this, and with two strands of my darkest embroidery floss, cut to the length from my thumb to my elbow, and let's see where it takes me ......

Thursday 1 December 2016

A wedding

Back in the summer, I had the chance to make use of some of that shibori I mentioned in my last post. Remember those bits I bundled up; a silk scarf clamped with tool packaging and another piece of silk scrunched into a mesh laundry bag with a marble or two for extra interest? Well, the scarf came out like this

with lovely flashes of turquoise

little inadvertent birds, where the crescents were clamped at the edge - excuse the lack of ironing!

and the other piece of silk was transformed into a ring pillow - with a pocket on the front made from a piece of my Mum's wedding dress when she married my Dad

and some Celtic spirals in silk velvet for the back - not the easiest of material to sew - I nearly got rather cross after the n'th time of unpicking .......

All the angst was worth it though, as it meant that my daughter and new son-in-law's rings could be transported safely and presented to them at their wedding at the end of August in Bodiam Castle

The day was beautiful in all sorts of ways, the weather was glorious, the location so very right for them, the guests were terrific fun and the rather lovely medieval attire that some of us wore gave the whole ceremony the perfect atmosphere.

Here's Jen with her groom, best man and her Dad looking proud

me doing my mother of the bride bit

the ring bearer, bridesmaids, man of honour and Jonathan's sister looking properly medieval

and Jen and Jonathan exchanging rings and looking very much in love

What a wonderful day it was, and what a pleasure that I could contribute with little bit of hand dyed, hand stitched frivolity to hold the symbols of thier vows. Something new and blue, Jen's dress - something borrowed, the chaplet of flowers kindly donated by our neighbour, and something old, that little bit of wedding fabric, folded and stitched into a pocket so that Jen's much loved Granny Rose could be there in spirit.

Today it is her birthday - 30 years since she wriggled and slid into this world. Ganna and Mum used to recite this slightly twee Victorian poem by George MacDonald to each other, adn me - twee but heart warming - I can still hear their voices, smiles in the reciting - poetry was a great love of thiers

Baby

George Macdonald (1824–1905)

WHERE did you come from, baby dear?

Out of the everywhere into the here.

Where did you get those eyes so blue?

Out of the sky as I came through.

What makes the light in them sparkle and spin?

Some of the starry spikes left in.

Where did you get that little tear?

I found it waiting when I got here.

What makes your forehead so smooth and high?

A soft hand strok’d it as I went by.

What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?

I saw something better than any one knows.

Whence that three-corner’d smile of bliss?

Three angels gave me at once a kiss.

Where did you get this pearly ear?

God spoke, and it came out to hear.

Where did you get those arms and hands?

Love made itself into bonds and bands.

Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?

From the same box as the cherubs’ wings.

How did they all just come to be you?

God thought about me, and so I grew.

But how did you come to us, you dear?

God thought about you, and so I am here.