penny-studionotes-2

--> I'm continuing with hand-stitching, using it to make new work that focuses on the shape of a bowl. I've used this shape before, working from about a dozen stamps in variations of a bowl shape that I used to make a screen used for cloth napkins . I've also used these stamps to make cards: I decided to use the stamps as a base for stitching, rather than to do a drawing and then stitch it. Here are eight bowls stamped on tan linen. I used varying amounts of pressure, and I also varied how I applied the ink to the stamp--sometimes with a brush, sometimes with a sponge. (I used Versatex water-based screen-printing ink.) And here are the same eight bowls, with three of them stitched (2nd row middle bowl, 3rd row first and third bowls). Here are the three isolated; each is about 3x4". The third has just a small amount of red thread added to the stamped image (click on the image to see the detail). For thread I used some hand-dyed 20/2 perle cotton that I had on hand f...

Early in October, I took a two-day hand-stitching workshop at the Pacific Northwest Art School with  Christine Mauersberger , someone whose work I have long admired. The image above (about 6" high) combined two stitching exercises. The first was to stitch a circle. The second was to draw lines that captured a series of breaths, transfer the lines to the fabric, and stitch them. I decided to use this as an opportunity to try out a variety of ways of making a line with stitches. My enthusiasm for hand-stitching was re-ignited by the workshop, and when I got home I decided to explore further the variety possible in line-making. I started a sampler using all one type of thread, varying the stitches. I got up to about 45 and paused to do some further trials and a project. I'll pick this up again sometime later to explore further types of lines. (You can click on an image to enlarge it.) About 45 different ways to stitch a line. Close-up of top right column One stitch, dif...