Tags
abstraction, Art, drawing, embroidery, galleries, landscape, skyscapes, stitch, thread
A long overdue post by me, so I thought I’d look at drawings and embroideries where I sometimes simply take a small aspect of something I’ve seen to translate. I always say that once I start a piece, the threads and machine seem to take over! I close the sketchbook up and then see what happens. Still working on skies, here are a couple of quick on the spot drawings and the work that came from them, with a selection of my threads as well.
The very quick drawing on the left helped me start the embroidery, 5in /13cm square. I started with the idea of form and colours, began to stitch and put the sketchbook away.
I was able to record these mountains in Palermo,and then had to try and remember the skies I had seen. The richness of the sun was my main interest, and the way the colours of the sky changed from pinks to pale yellow and blues. I love all my threads! I always make a limited selection to begin with, then add or subtract others as the stitching develops. I use heavyweight metallic threads, weights 8, 12 and 15, as well as metallic no 40, plus lots of rayon threads, mainly weight 30. Madeira classic no 12 is a huge favourite of mine, but Wonderfil also make some glorious threads and I love their rayons, weights 8 and 12. I use cotton embroidery threads of course, and woollen/acrylic mixes as well.
—and then sometimes I draw simply to record where I am. My sketchbooks are my diaries. I used to make architectural pieces, so maybe I’ll go back to looking at buildings, but I suspect they would be much more abstract!
My next post will record the development of a piece I am to make for the next touring exhibition of the embroiderers guild called “Home”, so look out for it although I have only just started it!
Beautiful Carol
Thanks so much Ann glad you liked it
Great article Carol. It’s wonderful to see the evolution of each piece.
Neroli, Thank you so much, really enjoyed writing it!