Saturday 25 February 2012

TAST Challenge week 8 - Chain stitch


If I'm honest, I have really struggled with the challenge this week. The stitch was chain stitch which I have used many times before: most recently on the cover of my 2012 diary.


I like chain stitch but I really struggled to think beyond the straight or wiggly lines that are familiar. So here is my attempt - I didn't manage to fill the space but may have another go if inspiration strikes!



I had a go at a few shapes...


and patterns...



I will have to check out everyone else's ideas to see if there's anything else I can use this stitch for.

TAST Challenge week 7 - Detached chain stitch

 

Detached-chain stitch or lazy-daisy stitch is the stitch that first brought me to Pintangle and introduced me to the TAST challenge! I was originally looking for a way to decorate a felt elephant reminiscent of the painted elephants of India.



So as you can see I am fairly familiar with making flower shapes with this stitch but hadn't explored much beyond that.

So here is my sample of detached chain stitch...


 

I did a few more flowers to get warmed up to the stitch....





and then started creating some different shapes...



I like the shape created by these stitches - the area bounded by the chains is interesting. I think I'd like to do some work with stronger contrast colours making geometric patterns. We'll see what happens...
As I'm so late posting, here are Sharon B's highlights.

Sunday 12 February 2012

Compilation of TAST stitches so far

My samples so far have been been very regular and linear so I've been meaning to complete a more creative piece to push my stitching further.

So here it is: a picture including all six stitches so far, using the various stitches as a way of filling flowers. I have chosen yellow mainly because the weather has been so cold and miserable and because I had some very lovely cut daffodils smiling at me from the table.

So here we go...


...a chevron stitch flower...


...a herringbone stitch flower...


 ... a cretan stitch flower...


... a feather stitch flower...


... a buttonhole stitch flower...


... and fly stitch to fill in the spaces and form a background.


Here's the finished picture. Granted, some of the stitches work better than others but I am quite pleased with the textures and the overall result is pleasing.

Looking forward to the next six stitches...


Saturday 11 February 2012

TAST Challenge week 6 - Chevron stitch


This week's stitch is Chevron stitch. I have never tried this stitch before and was a tiny bit daunted by Sharon's description to be honest. I also had to find an on-line clip of someone doing the stitch as I just couldn't get my head round it. After that I actually found it to be quite an interesting stitch.
 
Here's my sample of Chevron stitch...
 

...and the close up version.


And here are all the variations I've tried this week...










I quite like the star - an effect found completely by accident! I sometimes find that is the best way!

I have finished a more creative piece using the six stitches so far... you can see it here.

Friday 10 February 2012

Taking time to appreciate small things...

In my attempts to declutter and get organised, I found myself sorting through my sewing box and spent time really looking at some of the tools and objects I have accumulated over the years.

I read a lovely article recently that has made me think about the value of objects in my life. The article is here and it describes the Japanese festival of Hari-Kuyo (Festival of Broken Needles). On the 8th of February, women attend ceremonies in shrines and temples to honour their worn out needles and pins. The broken needles are "laid to rest", often in soft jelly or tofu cakes, in appreciation of their service. It also seems to be a time to appreciate other small, everyday items which so often escape notice.

When I first read the article this seemed like a nice idea but a very complicated ritual for such a tiny thing.

So I thought about it some more. I thought about how it must have been when the festival began 400 years ago - needles and pins would have been made by hand and would have been treasured. I know that they were often given as gifts in England. To break one must have been a sad occasion: maybe a ceremony to honour these doesn't seem so strange. 

After all, our earliest ancestors laid broken tools into the ground with funereal respect. The act sums up the appreciation of all that the object stands for: the raw materials that made it; the time and skill taken in its construction; the length of its service; the things it has enabled its owner to accomplish. It is as if these tools had become part of the owner: extending his abilities beyond the natural strengths of the human body.

In the modern world, where needles and pins (and most other things) are mass produced by machines, it is easy to forget what an object means, what it 'stands for'. Our possessions are so many that we scarcely notice them and they are so easily replaceable that we barely spare a thought for their components, who made them or what they have helped us to achieve.

So on Wednesday (the 8th) I celebrated my own little Festival of Broken Needles to try and reconnect a little with these small objects. 


A little stuffing serves as a soft "resting place"....


I decorated the container with a small piece of embroidered linen before putting in the needles and pins and closing the lid over them...


And during all this, I thought about what they have helped me to achieve. I thought about all the things that I have sewn recently. I thought about how much my skills have improved over the years.  For all that, I am very thankful.

Our tools help us to be who we are and we may even feel lost without them. Whether the tool is a needle or a favourite pen, paintbrush or knife it seems fitting to honour all that it has helped us to become, before consigning it to the dustbin!


What is your favourite tool? And how do you feel when it comes to the end of its life? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Friday 3 February 2012

TAST Challenge week 5 - Herringbone stitch


A new month, a new week, a new TAST challenge and a new linen page to work on.


This week's stitch is Herringbone. This is a stitch I've heard of but I don't think I've ever actually tried it!
Here's the close up of my sample...

 

I had a bit of a play with the basic stitch, changing the stich lengths, spacing and regularity. 



I particularly enjoyed layering different stitch "frequencies" in the different colours. 


 

It's an interesting stitch this one; I like the effect of the contrasting colours. I enjoyed it although I did struggle a little to fill the space this time.

I'm really inspired by the work of everyone again this week. It's wonderful to be able to see all the different interpretations. I absolutely love these! Two beautiful herringbone designs on Temari (kumo temari and Japanese Temari) - never seen them before... wonder how they're done..... No, mustn't start thinking that, I do NOT need a new craft!!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...