Wednesday 22 February 2012

Working in the Shadow of the Sun


Dappled stitching stretching back towards the sun.


Kisses and crosses hide in the shadows.


Every new stitch affects the whole.
There is a push and a pull to balancing my work.
As the stitches in the shadows increase
that first row of tiny flames around the sun have faded into insignificance.
So as I stitch my mind wanders back to them
thinking through how to bring them back into balance. 


And you will remember the beginnings of this piece involved
a million pale stitches for silver birch tree trunks.
This too is now out of balance creating a distraction rather than
adding to the whole story.
Darker, more like a shadow,  would be better.
The thought of unpicking  all that fills me with dread!
Perhaps painting/dyeing each stitch would work?!

17 comments:

  1. or enhance each of those stitches by stitching in a color of your choice real close to the original...

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  2. Or weave other threads through it.

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  3. I like the idea of stitching right over it - or over just some of it - it would give depth and color all at one time. I can't wait to see this completed - its going to be very 'rich'.

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    1. There are some parts of those tree trunks that are not yet stitched, so I'll be using dark threads there and then we'll see how that affects the piece.

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  4. That's a really interesting idea, to paint them...

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  5. This is stunning. I wonder if Shiva Paintsticks would work to darken the stitches?

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  6. Deb...I have seen some lovely work where the artist has done their stitching and then painted over the whole piece.

    Marie...Yes, I've thought of Shiva and might well try them.

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  7. Naturally dyed and marked fabric is so difficult to stitch. I am humbled by it.
    I had to do a big unpick - and eventually gave up.

    Paint everything.

    xx

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    1. That sounds so harsh.
      I want to take it back, because of the beauty of the colours of threads and the marks you've made.

      But....I bet you would be pleased with the risky, result.

      I love you, Penny.

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  8. Or maybe wrap those stitches, as many times as you like on as many stitches as you like...
    Beautiful work to me, as usual :)

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  9. Stitch over the stitches, with some finer thread in a couple of subtle, darker colours, to help continue the "rippling" feeling.

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  10. Dear Penny, if you used a whatsoever screen and then rolled colour with a house painter roll, since the stitches are protruding, the paint should cover only them and not the background. (Did I make myself clear?)
    Not only you would change the colour of those stitches, but maybe also obtain an interesting effect, according to the screen you use.

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  11. Pin the work up.
    Look at it over a day or two.

    then decide if you need to do anything.

    ONLY YOU can make a decision about this.
    And that is the beauty of art making. It is you.

    Don't listen to any of us.
    Do what you think.
    Even Better, do what you feel.
    xx

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  12. Perhaps you could use a permanent marker to colour some of the stitches? Overstitch would be do-able too.

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Thank you for taking the time to comment, your thoughts are most welcome.