Sunday 1 March 2015

A sprinkling of snowdrops

I've been working on some textile pieces around the theme of snowdrops. I am enthralled by them & I was trying desperately to finish them before the snowdrops disappeared!


Above is a narrow sketchbook given to me by a friend - I gessoed the brown pages & will use it as a flower book, as they come out in my garden, helped hopefully by the inspiring DMTVvideos by Linda & Laura Kemshall that I subscribe to, small bite size clips that I plan to work thru.....


All the rest of the photos are looking decidedly sepia - I guess they are that color & I don't always have access to good daylight ;) Above I layed out & loosely stitched down some varying textures of white, gold & lacy recycled fabrics - I didn't use bondaweb as it's getting hard for me to stitch into.


 I'd been round the shops in Edinburgh when we had a stop over picking up the Youngest for our journey to Wales for Christmas & found this wonderful collection of lace for a very reasonable price


Above is a 'small hanging', about 5" x 13" In the middle, not desperately clear, is a sprig of Pussy Willow using scrim & bits of tea dyed silky fabric for the 'whisps'. I may need to define it somehow & also add a couple of stems to make the snowdrops 'nod'


Above is an abstract version, needs more hand stitching, (about 5 x 5" as are the next 2)


 I made a total of 15 little drop petals, using the miss shapen ones for my sample piece. I learned to use a stablising fabric for the 'silky' ones as they obviously just curve in - I did stuff the one in my sample piece, a little bit of stmpwork! I've used lacey bits too in the willow above.



 I left the middle petal half free & knowing someone might take a peek used a textured fabric for the underside.

 
 There's gold organza for the top or crown  of the flower.



 A couple of small brooch sized patches & all the bits I cut the petals from I turned into a flower


Here it is in my 'main' sketchbook page - a drawn & gold painted layout - oh how I love that gold acrylic! a ref pic from a mag - I'm trying to sort my piles of gardening mags useful for reference but I reaslise you just don't need to keep them ALL ;) & my sample piece about 4 x 4 so good to be able to touch what you've made in your sketchbook when the 'real' pieces are either covered up or sold, what a favour I did myself when I started to make samples!

I'm off the the Creative Stitches Show this week at the Glasgow SECC, which they've changed to the Quilting, Stitching & Sewing show or something  like that, can't wait, books to buy, stitchers to see, it'll be fun!

13 comments:

Rustic Vintage Country said...

Brilliant idea for the samples and what lovely samples they are! Suzy x

ju-north said...

Love seeing the new ideas you are trying out with great results! Enjoy the show!

Odile said...

these snowdrops are very beautifull. I like . Congratulations.

Linda Vincent said...

Lovely pieces Emma....but most of all I LOVE your sketchbook page; so full of interest and inspiration!

Anni - My Creative Life and Mixed Media Books said...

Emma your drawn and sewn snowdrops are so beautifully made, I love snowdrops they are so lovely.
Anni

Beverley said...

These are lovely samples, looking forward to seeing this develop.

Anonymous said...

Love your snowdrops Emma. I'm afraid ours will come and go under the blanket of snow and we won't see them this year. Sad really, they are so wonderful. Oh well. I can look at all of yours. Nice work and glad to "see" you. xox

suziqu's thread works said...

Love those sketched snow drops Emma on the gessoed brown pages.
What a great lace hanging and love those drop down petals with the organza.
Spring is coming slowly to you believe it or not!

mano said...

I am in love with your beautiful sketchbook pages! snowdrops are so wonderful - and your stitching and sewing too!
thank you for your nice comment - I was very glad about it!

Anonymous said...

I love these gorgeously textured little pieces and the sketchbooks are lovely. I really must use mine more often.

Maggi said...

These are such beautiful pieces. Have a good time at the show.

Iz said...

Absolutely beautiful work Emma, really inspirational. Just love that old lace, it works really well with the delicate snowdrops :)

layers said...

what a wonderful idea to use the snow drop flower as your inspiration for your collage and textile pieces... all very lovely.