Needless post ~ round 1

a few months ago i spotted a link on Ray Stitch's facebook page about  collaborative embroidery project which intrigued me. once i had followed the link which stated that this was a 'pass it on postal embroidery project inviting collaboration through needlecraft between strangers' i was hooked, i signed up straight away for #needlesspost

my motivation for getting involved was that i love to collaborate. Also although i sew for a living i am not an embroiderer, so for me the idea of personal experimentation and engagement excited me too, you know, pushing myself outside my comfort zone, and of course i knew it would be fun. so i stepped into the unknown and made a start.

I wanted to use what i had. i am lucky to have built up supplies over the years of buttons and threads and it felt good to use them.  Each participant was asked to choose some fabric, no larger that 50cms x 50cms and to embroider something. the project embraces the 'slow' so we were to hand stitch whatever we wished on to about a third of the cloth leaving space for two further contributors to add to the art work we had started.

I found a piece of cotton which had once been part of a bed sheet and starting stitching.

Faced with a blank piece of cloth is rather like a blank page. it can feel intimidating, yet also full of possibility.

i started thinking about waves and sea as scrolls, perhaps with words embroidered, but then i felt the need to add a few scraps of fabric to cover some of the white. on reflection perhaps i needed this to  lessen my fear of the 'white page'.  a spiral started to emerge * i love spirals* so i then decided the best approach was to work instinctively without over thinking and to allow a design to  appear, and to enjoy experimenting with the type of stitching i am drawn to.  My personal embroidery inspirations are Jude Hill's beautiful stitched stories. I also  love sashiko and Japanese boro textiles and kantha quilting which all use  little rows of straight stitches, to either mend or add decorative detail.

The large embroidery hoop i was holding the cloth securely in, once removed, left a contour of a circle which i defined with couched down thread. it started to take on a moonlike feel... i stitched some 'craters' and then decided to add fabric behind and cut away...  it really was fun to just experiment, also adding rescued buttons from my stash.

i kind of didn't know when to stop then i wondered if i had used too much of the cloth, but no, two thirds were left.

when i had finished i packaged up the embroidery with some sunflower seeds from my garden for Steph who i was sending the piece to and dressed the parcel with some dried lavender also from my garden. i also made a card with one of my photos and wrote her a wee note.

round 1 was finished. i thoroughly enjoyed the process and loved that it felt expansive and non precious. Creating something that you know you will giveaway is really freeing, a gift. sewing love into each stitch.

i  can't wait to see where Steph takes the piece next and how it evolves over the next two rounds.

i then waited for a delivery of round two of #needlesspost which i will blog about shortly, and share with you how the process for me continued.

 

Comments

[willow]

This is lovely Ginny. I've never done embroidery like this. When I was growing up I did some embroidery with transfers, nearly always flowers so lots of lazy daisy, stem and sating stitch. I have a book of embroidery stitches that was my grandmothers - perhaps I will take a fresh look at it.

Hope all is well with you xx

[Super Mom - No Cape!]

For someone who says she's not an embroiderer you've done an amazing job creating this piece. I love how free form and imaginative it is!

I've started a new weekly Stitchery Link Party and I would love to have you come link up and share this post with my readers so they can see too. http://www.supermomnocape.com/2015/04/20/vintage-embroidery-monday-stitchery-link-party-2/

[driftwood]

oh that is truly gorgeous x

[myrtle]

Thanks Willow, it is a nice 'slow' way to pass the time. i really enjoyed doing it, much less manic than whizzing up something on the sewing machine. We are all well, hope you are too. Fancy a meet & coffee soon?

[myrtle]

thank you for your lovely comment Super Mom. yes that would be lovely to join your linky.
Ginny x

[myrtle]

thank you, hope all is well with you xx will pop over & see you x

[sally]

What a lovely, collaborative idea, and your work is just beautiful. It will be really interesting to see what happens to it next.