Instinctive embroidery

-
Inspiration from Rebecca Ringquist's Embroidery Workshops book

Doodled embroidery - flowers and vines - French knots and stem stitch and back stitch

French knot allium

This embroidery is growing like weeds! I have found so much inspiration from the wonderful Embroidery Workshops book. Along with the book my Ma had gifted me this flowery fat quarter, three exquisite skeins of thread and notions. When I opened it on Christmas Day I had everything to hand but I wasn't quite sure what to start as I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it. So when I read the advice from the final chapter to "..please remember: Along the road of making things, it can be freeing not to worry too much about the end result." it was exactly the permission I needed. It freed my simple brain from the old trap of trying to get to the end before I've even started. 

I'm still not sure how I'll use or display this work but it has given me such enormous pleasure this month to just doodle on these flowers, simply stitching what I feel like stitching. With the gentle pull of the thread, I can get in to that peacefully present place, beyond the dictats of my antsy mind, just letting the piece unfold.

Comments

Kel said…
Yes, yes, yes! I'm very much feeling the call of slow hand work, and I love the idea of work that is allowed to unfold in its own way.
21 January 2016 at 09:52:00 GMT
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas TIME

-
Image
I've hit the December point known as - "if only there were more time" - I think it about a thousand times a day as I have yet another crazy idea of something to make/cook/do for Christmas. I like to think that if I could just abandon the job for December that I'd get it all done. I'd get more done for sure but it could never be 'all' as the inspiration out there ensures fresh supplies of schemes for wintery delights - like learning to crochet just to make snowflakes or building my own snow village or... well I'm sure you all get the idea and have a billion things bubbling over that you'll never quite get to. So it's prioritise like crazy, craft for sanity (and if it is as simple as wrapping some berries and mistletoe round a heart shaped wreath - jump for joy) and I try to remember that seeing the people I'm making the presents for is the most important thing of all! I don't think I'll be back here before I head down to the wilds...
Read more

The Keeping Cosy Winter Shawl

-
Image
  Pattern: Springtime Bandit   Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend, Colour: Atlantic Started: November 2010 Finished: January 16th 2011 Ravelry page I think photographing this shawl has been ten times the challenge that knitting it was! I've taken several shots over several days to try and capture the glory of this red yarn, I'm calling it a day now though I haven't quite got what I wanted as in these grey, dingy days I don't think I will. Happily I feel the absolute opposite about the actual garment, it's everything I dreamed it could be when I saw the inspiring version A Girl In Winter made in the Manos Silk Blend and this shade, evasive though it may be to the camera is so uplifting that it's been the perfect companion for dark, winter days. It's a warm, deep multi-toned red with a pinky blue base, a real treat for the eye. The shawl is big and grand, but cosy and homely all at once. A wonderful pairing of yarn and pattern. I didn't manage to get the...
Read more

Ooh la la...

-
Image
Elle est fini :o) My little beret has finally made it over the finishing line. The peloton have long since disbanded so I can't claim any colour jersey for this but I loved being part of the knitalong so I'm really just pleased I wasn't months behind. Pattern: Verity Yarn: South West Trading Company Karaoke - Mermaid; just under two balls Needles: 4.5mm dpns and 40cm circular Started: 1 July 2008 Finished: 6 August 2008 What's that - you want to see a modelled shot? Well only on one condition - you have to give me your honest opinion as to whether I can rock this hat or not. I am not convinced and the 1TB is being no help - when I say I think it suits me he agrees, when I say I think it doesn't - well yep he agrees! So let's have a vote on it - my head will be adorned by Verity or not depending on the results of the poll [ETA - this is now a blogger poll at the top of my sidebar - happy voting] , and don't worry if you think I look a fool - there are a c...
Read more