11.09.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 7:00 am by deRomilly
“Heirloom” may mean different things in different contexts.
When I look at my y embroidery collection, pieces I have that were made by my great-grandmother classify as heirloom in my mind – I never knew her, and they are all I have left. But most of them were intended to be used – and much to the horror of some of my friends, I have used them!
My mother was a graphic design major in school. Among my things I have several “kitschy” cocktail napkins that she stenciled, and a few that she hand-stitched. These are heirlooms to me, but probably wouldn’t be to others. They actually haven’t been used since i was a child – cocktail parties aren’t a thing in my group of friends, and I haven’t had a use for them. I’d post photos, but they are living in a storage unit with my piano. Soon I hope to have them home safe. 
When we think of stitching an heirloom today, we often think of an elegant, framed piece for the wall. This is very well and good, but most of us only have so much wall space. I find, personally, that most of the heirlooms I cherish most are the things that weren’t made to be heirlooms – the things that were made to be used.
I cherish the black velvet dress my grandmother made me for Christmas in the 1st grade. I cherish (even as I use them) my great-grandmother’s table toppers, my mother’s napkins. The fisherman knit sweater Mom made herself that disappeared in college. (I took it with me to college after she died. Someone stole it soon after. I hope they were cold and it helped, but I doubt it.)
This has colored my view on heirloom gifts I give. I try to use materials appropriate for the item to be used – washables for tableware, high quality threads for wall art, things children can use and enjoy, knowing they will wear out but still be loved and remembered. I still have that little velvet dress – unfortunately, the rainbow dress from earlier the same year was worn into oblivion, but it still lives in my memory!
MY definition of heirloom?
“A tangible reminder of wonderful memories.”
Use the best and most appropriate materials you can — then send your work off to be loved and used. The pieces that survive truly are the heirlooms.
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08.26.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 7:00 am by deRomilly
I am really enjoying my foray into the deeper levels of Crazy Quilting. It will likely remain something I do mainly for myself: it’s extremely time consuming, but also very satisfying.
It has also renewed my interest in my little band sampler – I got it into my head to work all the stitch combinations in Carole Sample’s Crazy Quilt Stitches book in thread of some sort. Of course, choosing different thread and spacing can make the exact same stitch combination look completely and utterly different. Currently, though, I’m using what’s easy – the cottons in my “traveling” box with few, if any, beads or embellishments. I’m changing the weight of the thread by adjusting the number of strands, and I’m mostly only stitching each stitch combination once, in one color or thread-weight scheme. I may amend that as I go, but this is a DENSE book that will keep me busy for years as it is!
And then there are the historic works available online for free, like this book, which has nice, clear diagrams that “pop.”
Some of these techniques could be adapted to embellishing clothing – without the “crazy” element. Maybe that’s my next step… I do have this tunic in progress… and there’s that velvet choli top I need to finish so I have something to teach in….
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07.31.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 3:08 pm by deRomilly
Working my way through my box… also on the “decorate a bathroom in my house” concept, there are three of the Kats by Kelly designs all stitched. These are actually stitched with the KbK signature in the corner, rather than my initials, because I feel Kelly’s signature is very much a part of the design, and they ARE her artwork. I love these. In particular, Gone Fishin’ reminds me of my own baby Rhys, gone now for a bit over a year. I miss that cat. He used to “fish” just like that on our dinner plates in college when we didn’t have a table to eat at. And if you called him on it, he would get this look like “What? Oh dear. How DID that paw get THERE?!” As if we didn’t know.
Yeah. Rhys. I miss him.
Click to see the entire image in a larger format.
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Gone Fishin’
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Paperwork
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Purrnina
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07.21.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 7:37 pm by deRomilly
I have a box full of “half-finished” needlework. What I mean by “half-finished” may not be what you expect.
You see, what I mean is that the embroidery is finished, but the product isn’t. So. Half-finished. You see, I hate prep work and “finishing” work with a passion. the prep work has to be done or I don’t get to stitch. but the finishing work — which entails either “real” sewing (and me terrified I’m going to ruin a piece I stitched and love) or more work similar to the prep work (for example, lacing to a board for framing), or paying someone else to do these things is something I often don’t get around to doing. So, I have a box of unfinished finished objects in my studio that is getting close to overflowing, and none of my own work on the walls or chairs in my house.
Anyway, I noticed last week that the box was getting overly full, and something had to be done. So instead of tackling the main problem – the finishing work — I took photos of the work to share here over the course of the next few weeks. Yup. I’m still procrastinating about finishing them.
The first one is a piece that I did to hang in our bathroom, which is supposed to, in the long run, gain a Gothic Castle theme. There’s a shower curtain that is most definitely a UFO and will probably stay that way as well… I’m still considering whether to admit that I bit off more than I can chew with that one. I may go ahead and start a different one in a technique that’s more likely to actually get finished! LOL Click on the images for details.
Remember that I’m a horrible masochist when it comes to needlework. This is done in mostly satin and stem stitch… on cotton muslin, and measures about six or seven inches wide. When you look at the details — all of that satin stitch is done with one strand of DMC floss. I told you I was crazy…
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Full Gothic piece
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Gargoyle detail
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Detail of base
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07.15.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 7:00 am by deRomilly
Needlework is my calming technique, as well as my business — needlework is repetitive, slow, and therefore easily becomes a moving meditation.
This isn’t to say that it can’t be frustrating at times — when I miscount the same area of pattern 8 times — when I get 1/2 way through a sock only to realize my gauge is so off that it won’t fit my 12 year old godson, let alone the EO for whom it was intended!
If blogging can be considered a form of “talk therapy” (If I didn’t have y’all to babble at about my current projects I’d drive my non-shimmying-non-stitching friends and family absolutely batty! All right, I probably do that anyway (but it would be so much worse!), then needlework is a kind of meditation therapy, at least for me. I’m fond of the slow craft movement — I like the way it encourages us to slow down and enjoy the time we have. I feel the same way about the slow food movement — though I do tend to multi-task while I’m cooking!
I guess what I’m trying to say as I babble onto the keyboard here is — try taking some time while you are stitching or cooking, or walking the dog or shimmying or whatever you do, just to notice what and how you’re doing it — and to enjoy the process, not the finished product. You may find yourself a little awed at the little pieces of control that go into doing it — how your hand controls the needle and thread, how your body doesn’t fall over when the dog pulls on the leash because it instinctively balances the weight… Feel free to be in awe of yourself. We’re pretty amazing creatures, in the end.
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