Meditation and Stitch.

I want to keep notes on this new piece and how it develops but if you are signed up for Susi and Kays second workshop best not to read this so you can do all the tasks for yourself with a clear mind.
So I did start again on a larger piece of cloth with different colours. I have begun with Winter colours because this will be the heart of the piece. I should explain - on the Meditation and Stitch workshop we were given short meditations and tasks. One was to think about the word FLOW and write down associated word and symbols to go with it. Because I am working on my project of The Enormous Field I associated FLOW with Natures life cycle, seasons, the flow of growth and death etc. I decided to make my circles have breaks in them because of the ebb being naturally integral to the flow. If its a large piece you need more than one stitch, for interest. When I first started I had drawn little arrows on my lines but I dispensed with those when I started stitching. I also had to choose whether to continue on one large circle or lots of smaller ones. All the choices you need to make when you start a piece of embroidery! But like Kays advice - you just have to start. I am stitching this slowly and quietly, thinking about my theme and letting the rhythm of the piece carry me.

Hedgerow harvest has colour!

 So I added some colour- it did not go well at first but finally I got it right. It is thin and long- 8cm x 55 cm.( so not good for photography) The sloes have been stitched- the rest awaits.............

This is a tiny cycle to represent FLOW. I started it at a Meditation and Stitch workshop last Saturday with Susi Bancroft and Kay Swancutt. The idea being to think about presence rather than technique or overall design. Now I have had time to ponder on it I want to start again on a larger piece of fabric and think about the colours of a year flowing into each other. Hopefully more to come about this, it's a different kind of work but one I would like to develop.

Autumn harvest in the hedgerows.

Just reminding myself of previous Autumn drawings as I start on the next piece and add colour.

Autumnal walk and brambles finished!

 At last finished this yesterday! All those leaves took time by hand but the variety of thread and colour was worth it.

 I am pleased with my raggedy line of growth to draw the eye in...........

and the birds flying out because winter is coming ( and it balances the composition!) ...........but really they are Fieldfares and Redwings that fly in for the Winter and feast on the berries. They are there in that corner of the field at the moment, they chatter noisily and are after the hawthorn berries.

Keeping on with the bramble leaves.

 It has been a strange week, with a funeral which was joyous, then a neighbours burglary, decorating the lounge ( still ongoing) and the Armistice Remembrances. Who steals money from a frail old lady in broad daylight on a Saturday morning in her own home? Someone who has been watching and knows she is vulnerable. Depressing all round. So I just keep on going with my leaves.

At least the birds are back at the bird cafe. This coal tit a frequent visitor with a mate. Oh yes and we locked ourselves out of the house yesterday morning trying to be so careful about security. We moved here 40 years ago and no one locked their doors. I think I am maudlin this week. Luckily I am reading nonsense poems with my new pupils- time to set to sea in a sieve I think.

A little bit of progress.

 Long thin hedgerow harvest (55cm x 8 cms) Now has 3 different fruits.

 Rose hips close up. Needs some more fruits or nuts and then- deep breath- some colour!

But mostly been working on this piece this week - a raggedy line of growth along the footpath here in loops and knots. Needs all the leaves finishing yet.

Hedgerow harvest - a beginning.

 Here are the blackberries, I just had to add some tiny black beads for a shine.

 Sketch book drawings- I began with the sloes.

 On Friday I had a whole day to myself in the studio - bliss! So I decided to begin a new piece. My first idea was to make a long concertina sketchbook in fabric. I started with a strip of calico and bonded (bondaweb) pieces of paper and fabrics to it for various textures.

 Silk, scrim, paper. I put some white free machine embroidery over the pieces to anchor them.(not shown)

 Now from here I began with an autumn leaf which I didn't like so covered over with more layers of fabric!

 But  I did like the sloes. So I decided to make it Autumn Hedgerow fruits or harvest. Collected more fruits, made the drawings above and yesterday put in the hawthorn berries. It will be a framed piece I think rather than a fold up book, so this way up.

 The hedgerows I collected from in the Enormous field. All part of my project to study a few fields near my house in detail. When we first moved here, 40 years ago there were more hedgerows. A lot were grubbed out to make the Enormous field. All the wildlife live in these edges and hedges. The more species the better and a clue to how old the hedgerow is. ( my shadow there taking the picture!)

Lovely sunny Autumn day.