Friday 16 October 2009

On Hand stitch



As I work on struggling to regain my creativity and meet deadlines, I envy those who are able to sit and hand sew.
Please, don't misunderstand this..I love my tiny machined adventures in textile art, each one a new beginning and and as exciting to me as the one before. You just never know where the line will take you. Where the colour will take you or where the texture will take you.
But I cast my mind back to earlier days. Days when I earned my crust by other means..and a much bigger crust it was, but left me hungry for creativity.
In those days if I had the time, I could sew just for pleasure.


I still used the machine but the fun was in the rhythm of the needle.
And the sound. That sound..even on a machine. That' in and out' of the needle and the thread is magical, entrancing and addictive.
But best of all by hand.
You have probably seen these before but they illustrate my point. Th ephotographs are old and not great but you can enlarge them by clicking on them.


Machine sewn felt, in much the same way as I do my current work, finished with gorgeous Stef Francis hand dyed threads handstitched.

I made 15 for this screen.
Heads from Ancient Greek 'Attic' Vases.


These led on to other Faces.

Apologies for repeating this.
A while later I was working to a group theme of 'Arabian Nights'.
This was my Scheherazade.

Good in parts (but I hated the hair)
I learned lessons from this piece. Tiny pieces of chiffon and velvet held down by running stitch.
I discovered a technique which I promised myself I would return to.


I was reminded of this when I caught up with Spirit Cloth today.
Jude is the Doyenne of the hand stitch. She needs no introduction and reigns supreme in the realm of 'Slow cloth'.

Other lessons were learned.



Stored up for future use.
You learn something with every piece you make.

32 comments:

JP said...

I just love hand stitching - the machine always seems to run away with me whereas I can handstitch anywhere and everywhere - listen to the radio and just think thoughts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - but I am not good on the machine but you are!

Kim said...

I feasted my eyes on these images. Totally gorgeous. Thank you.

Gina said...

Beautiful stithing... beautiful work Jackie.

Jan said...

These are beautiful, I can hardly believe the amount of work that went into them. I'm glad you are back and hope things are well with you and yours.

vintagerockchick said...

Wow Jackie, you are very talented -I love everything about your Scheherazade piece - particularly the colours & the lettering - (and the hair!)

lilylovekin said...

Your work is beautiful hand stitched or machine. And a joy to look at. Hand stitching has always been my favorite of all the arts.

Pam said...

Such beautifully intricate work Jackie! Don't think I'd have the patience for it. Lovely. :-)

jeanette mistress of longears said...

So amazing to see your handwork! Having just started to try machine embroidery, your work amazes me even more!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Gorgeous!!

A time to dance said...

I am bowled over Jackie, I would love to be able to do something as beautiful as those amazing faces...I am still building up courage to experiment with my machine! hope you and yours are well...you are still in my prayers...love H

menopausalmusing said...

You do indeed learn from the pieces that don't quite make it from your head and out through the hands the way you would like them to. It was lovely to see these faces and heads Jackie, as I have only seen your mechine embroidered pieces up until now.

Heather said...

Your stitching is beautiful whether by hand or machine. I love all those faces - the hair and lettering too. Your screen is wonderful. Perhaps you have been working too hard lately and are feeling a bit as if you are on a treadmill with deadlines and orders to be met. When you have time for a little break I think your creativity will be renewed. Take care, best wishes and thankyou for sharing these lovely images with us.

Mary Wadsworth said...

Your work is magnificent!

beadbabe49 said...

Lovely trip into your past...I do love handwork too and jude is a marvel, isn't she!

DILLY said...

Dilly think all be bootiful!
Dilly fayvrit be angel.
(An hair be luvly!)

Mweah!

¬"

Julie said...

Exquisite stitching Jackie, stunning figures.

Catharina Maria said...

I love all the things in your post !
Love from the Netherlands RINI

silverpebble said...

The close ups of these little areas of your work are so exciting. The detail is wonderful to see. The leaves in that little Greek wreath have to be my favourite. It's like getting up close to moss or liverworts on a damp stone.

Joei Rhode Island said...

Some of this I've seen from your Flikr pix....but always always a joy to look again. So much life and movement Jackie....Glad to see you blogging again.

LOVE STITCHING RED said...

Hi Jackie, it's lovely to see these wonderful pieces of hand stitched work again, I was admiring them on flickr only the other day, when I visited your whole photostream

So much love in these :o)

Carolyn

Victoria said...

Maybe these feeling are pointing you towards where your next step should be... Maybe some hand stitching is going to re-enter your life soon... maybe it will find ways to coexist with your current machine work and maybe it will be just the thing to help you feel a bit more re-invigorated. But whether by machine or by hand, your work always is lovely, original and meticulously crafted. xo

eszterda said...

i like your works wery very much!!!

sea-blue-sky & abstracts said...

Beautiful faces, all of them, I love the opulence of the Angel embroidery.

sharon young said...

As I'm fairly new to your blog I hadn't seen these pieces before, and wow!! what a treat, they're really lovely.
I know just what you mean about earning your living from your craft, it changes things even if you love what you make.

ju-north said...

Wish I was eating cake in your kitchen!

Rosie said...

I LOVE hand embroidery and find it so relaxing, but your work is just AWESOME. I so wish I could do such beautiful work ... must get a book of basic embroidery stitches. Wonder if Santa is listening ....?

Kerryfelter said...

Gorgeous embroidery work! I am in awe.....I need to develop mine more but time is the problem....

Corinna Nitschmann said...

I caressed your work virtual and could feel the asperity and structure of the material and technique and the love you had put in it.
I love making embroidery on my felt works by hand and I'm on learning machine embroidery...

Best regards from Hungary

Corinna

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Love your hand stitching.x

rosiepink said...

Love the images - thank you for posting them. Agree with you - machine stitching is brilliant but not really relaxing, however, sit yourself in the garden under dappled shade in a comfy chair with some hand embroidery on your lap....that's relaxing!

Judy Martin said...

Jackie
What wonderful imagery and stitching. I am very impressed.

Linda Vincent said...

Its lovely to see these pieces again Jackie (I often visit your 'flickriver' for inspiration). I especially like that green and blue cretan stitch (my favourite).
Your talent is awesome!
X



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