This is a new departure for me where I am manipulating the fabric with a hand pleater before I stitch the sample. I am hand stitching across the pleating, distorting the surface as I move along.  Some pleats are getting crushed together and the fold is becoming very active. Some areas are very quiet.

‘Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment’ (Rumi)

Sometimes you (I) can work too hard at the analytical process and forget what I am really doing.  I am reminded of a Buddhist story where a woman who had studied academic texts for many years and had come to the monk for further education and after discussions with her he said. ‘ You are like a woman who has chickens in her yard and you are picking up the droppings instead of the eggs.’

Are we sometimes missing the point, the essence of our work? (me that is)

The simple marks in the work have such strength

I have been busy curating an exhibition and then away on holiday.  I have been stitching but haven’t taken any images yet but will post in the next few days.  I am stitching a 10cm x 5m piece – two of them.  They are proving to be a challenge but are very mobile – I should be taking images as they move around the country with me. 

I want to say congratulations to Beverly for getting through her transfer – well done

Yippee !!!!!!!!

Kay

Yesterday, I went to a wonderful symposium called ‘Weave’ – part of Stroud International Textile Festival where Brunel Broderers are having an exhibition and I have work as part of the exhibition.

The symposium grounded me, told me that the weavers have some common ground with the stitchers, with similar questions and inspirations.  I am always impressed that the weavers know so much about their materials and the qualities of the materials that they are experimenting with.  I think thats why I am interested in weave as my somewhat ‘ simple’ elements of stitch, cloth and thread construct my piece for me, but a slight change in any of these can cause great changes in a piece.  These elements need much more investigation as individuals in order to know the impact of them on the collaboration.

It has quietened me, caused me to go back to the simple elements – investigate more, both through stitching and reading.