Living with Stitch

I'm pondering the difference between the process of creating stitched pieces and working with media on paper. There are no quick gestural strokes with stitch. It is a process of making design choices and then stitching. While the stitch is happening there are small strokes and dawning ideas. Wandering, meandering. 

And time to ponder. Jude Hill called it "ripening" recently. 

There is a deep intimacy with stitch as you handle the fabric, the threads. The needle is the only tool between you and the piece you are working on. There are no fast ways (with hand stitch) and there are no tricks. Simple ages-old techniques that you only need to be reminded of and instinct.

A constant touching, feeling. I'm sure to need a break from all of this pondering and get back to the action-oriented random acts of journaling and art making. Perhaps tomorrow. Taming the Critic is up tomorrow. 

Comments

[Myrta Harris]

Beautiful piece Diana. Love the colors!

[deb]

Don't forget the "undo" process available with stitching cloth - not easy or possible with paint and other mediums. I do a lot of undoing when the process gets mindless (all too easy to allow) and good design is ignored in favor of the pleasure of the doing.

[Diana Trout]

Thank you, Myrta. And as Deb mentioned (below) there has been "undoing" as well.

[Diana Trout]

Construction, destruct. yes indeed. There has been a good bit of that on this piece! And I'm in a place with the stitch process that I don't mind that, it is satisfying in fact. I like what you said about "mindless." It is a mindful process - the stitching.

[Aloquin]

Fantastic pictures... seems to draw you in and calm you, all at once. Do you sell your pieces?

[Wendy @ the Late Start Studio]

One day, I'll be playing with dye again . . . I can feel it in my bones. My first explorations were tie-dying my son's singlets/vests and my daughter's nappies/diapers . . . they're 40ish now!

[Aloquin]

LOL Wendy, that's adorable! I still dye my jean jacket with bleach, but I know that's much simpler than your process :)

[Diana Trout]

You tie-dyed diapers?! You are crazy (she says with a big smile)

[Sarah Anderson]

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeousness! Love it - the colours, the texture, the stitches... I love the tactile nature of working with cloth and stitches, the time to 'pause', and I love this in my art journals too, the feel of the stencils, the book itself, the paint .... and those moments of 'hmm, what next'.

[Glenda]

Looking at this piece and reading your post are cementing my desire to start hand stitching, now to get over the fear and just try. How did you get started?

[Diana Trout]

Thank you, Jen. At the moment, selling is on hold as I am letting things "ripen." :)

[Diana Trout]

That moment can be full of wonder, Sarah or sometimes it is a bit more frantic :)

[Diana Trout]

So simple to begin, Glenda. I've been hand stitching for so many years. I started about 20 years ago stitching on (good) felt with collage and just winging it. Most recently, I've taken classes with Jude Hill and read many books. Will link some up soon for you, so keep an eye out.