Scraps, a needle and some thread

What’s not to like?

A couple of weeks ago, I joined a free workshop with Deb Cooper organized by TextileArtist.org.

The workshop was all about stitched marks and dyeing experiments. Very well organized. A lovely workbook and an e-book with work by Deb plus a community and great instructions.

Right up my alley. If you’ve been following along, you may have seen that I’ve been working with neutral fabrics lately to create work. And I’ve been working with this method for about 12-13 years now. It all started as part of a challenge with a group I belonged to, called “At the Edge”. And a challenge to create a traditional piece with a twist.

To make a long story short, I created work inspired by June Barnes and her “Stitching to Dye” technique, where you create a piece using neutral fabrics and then after stitching it, it goes in a vat of dye. Loved it! I started with a log cabin block and dyed it blue. By the time the challenge came to an end, I had created 7 pieces of different sizes and in different ways.

Deb’s technique brought it all to mind. It meant using different fabrics and stitching them together using different threads and stitches. And then adding bits and bobs of ribbons, lace, and even paper to complete the piece. Perfect timing as I had been using white and off white scraps to create a new piece of work. My basket of bits was right at hand so I didn’t need to go too far – there’s yardage of different linen and cotton-linen fabrics in the front room, and a cupboard with two shelves full of white and off-white fabrics downstairs in the basement. Loads to pick from.

Out came the scraps. I decided on 8″ wide – a bit wider than what she had suggested at 6″. Cut two pieces and stitched them together. I saw afterwards that some people planned the entire piece first and pinned it together and then stitched it. But I don’t really work that way. I stitched two pieces, embellished those and added some more, etc.

I always forget how much I enjoy hand-stitching. There’s a wonderful rhythm to it which allows for mindfulness and mindlessness at the same time. You concentrate on the ins and outs of the needle on the fabric while letting your mind wander … In and out, in and out, in and out, wrap around and pull … repeat.

I am using simple stitches that I use all the time. My favourite? A running stitch. There’s nothing wrong with the humble running stitch. You can make it longer, shorter, fuller, create rows of it. Endless possibilities. Cross stitches. Cretan stitch. Seed stitches and some lazy daisies.

The piece got so lovely I decided I did not want to dye it, but continue to work on it and leave it as is. I used some very important-to-me pieces of trim and lace belonging to my great grandmother and I felt it was important to leave them as they are – they have a wonderful yellowed patina of time and they smell just like my grandmother. They came to me through my mother while she was still alive. She would package some of these and put them in the mail so I would get a surprise. Well before computer, FaceTime and all that.

I went to my box where I keep them a few days ago and looked through them and pulled some more to incorporate in the piece. Unique, irreplaceable and full of wonderful memories. When I opened the box, there was, on the top, a paper “envelope” that my mom created with her handwriting on it. I can’t remember who visited from Buenos Aires and brought it to me.

Oh memories … that’s what these pieces invoke. When did you buy that fabric and why? Did you have a special reason? I have to say that when I go to a show somewhere, I still look for some unusual fabrics. Japanese silks of which I have quite a few purchased in Houston with friends, sari silk ribbon to couch, samples of decorator fabrics, vintage linen and I could go on and on.

I mentioned that I was loving my first piece so much I didn’t want to dye it, so I made another one, a bit narrower at 6″ and shorter at 37″. Out came the rusty bits which made me discover I don’t have any small rusty bits, but I used a rusted railway spike and some rusted washers. Wrapped it all tightly and put it in a jar with tea.

A few detail photos of the wrapped project, the jar and the final product once it came out of the tea solution.

Here’s the piece, dyed, dry and ready to hang. Different fabrics took the tea in a different manner. Some of these had polyester in them and that means that it did not take a lot of the tea solution even though it was really dark. But I love it because it adds all those yummy textures and layers of colour.

And if you are wondering, I am still stitching on the other one. Not sure how much longer I’ll make it. I have plans to stitch others and treat them similarly but different, you know what I mean? Each one of these pieces is unique: different fabrics, trim, one-offs, and new ideas of what to incorporate. It’s all an adventure.

I have people tell me that I am lucky because I have so much fabric already. I’ve been collecting for a while, even “hoarding” maybe? I always look for unusual bits in sales and thrift stores when I go to them, even garage sales.

I hear you. I do. When you talk I listen. So … drum roll please! … I have prepared kits of fabrics and lace so you can start your own. They are available in my store under Slow Stitching. I am very excited about these packages. I curated them with me in mind: everything that went into them is stuff that I am using myself: lace, ribbons, fabrics, buttons … The fabrics are cotton and cotton-linen blend, the threads are cotton and linen … See all of them here.

I also have some grab bags of smaller lengths of lace and ribbon and threads. The buttons are vintage and come in assorted packages. I hope you will check it all out in my store.

And in case you are wondering I am not sure how to start or what I am doing … I have you covered. I have set up an online virtual workshop for October 12th. That’ll give you enough time if you’d like to order some of the kits of fabric, lace or buttons. Check the class out here. I hope you will be able to join me.

I am off to do a bit more stitching on my piece. I am going to add some buttons that belonged to my grandmother. And then, maybe I’ll start on another one … I have ideas, you see? Oh! Did I mention that it is addictive? Yup!

Thanks for reading. Until I write again, keep stitching,

Ana