Stitch piece

Still Growing...

Underbelly stitch work

Thought I had better photograph the underneath before it all disappears. Background first then some more overlaying of thread and fabric maybe glue and paint and maybe glitter - ooohhh :-D and definitely some flocking.

Glad thimbles were invented.

My favourite so far is re-remembering couching. Drawing with thread.

Stitch therapy 6 degrees

For me the point of this workshop is to engage with cloth paint and stitch in a free way. And remember how good it is to use a needle and thread to create. Kelly suggests mixing it up a little if you feel like it..push through a few boundaries and use some mixed media, including found objects recycled etc.
Kelly Darke  http://kellydarke.com

I have started this workshop a few times and stopped. I have been completely over thinking it and missing the point really. I majored in textiles at Art school and went back back to a place of complex and conceptual..and ever so slightly result driven.So to break myself out of this and just appreciate the action of thread and needle, I chose a place of comfort.T he sock monkey. I made 10 of these last christmas for my family members during the last 6degrees but never made one for myself. So here the monkey is. And I love him. He is a solid comfort. I had fun with the stitch..tartan backside (my family tartan) and a shepards singlet which I wear all the time in my outdoor studio to keep warm. I have now started my other piece :-)

Beautiful face makes me smile each time I look at him

I am loving this part..I like the texture and stitch

 And the view from my window where the computer desk is..not too shabby hey?

Gluebook 6 degrees with Gretchen Miller

This was so absorbing. I had trouble in the beginning figuring out what I was going to do and how to get started. Collage is not natural for me, I paint and draw. So I just got cracking and kept going. Once I added old wallpaper from our house and some material off an old shirt of Garys I was away..such a good thing to do. It captured and contained for me some lovely moments of the last week. Ones that also had history attached. 

Gary is building me a deck for my studio. It is gorgeous but it also made me anxious for a lot of reasons. Primarily it is a tangible act of love from Gary and if I have to sell the house when he is gone I cant take it with me. So I made this wee book with pictures of him building it and love notes he wrote me that week.(a few random presents arrived from him also.They were thoughtful and had a settling effect.) 

Making this book has helped with my fear and anxiety around the issue of letting go. It was lovely at the end just being with the process and adding what else was needed.

Simple journal making