Stitching A Story News

Hi Everyone 

Read back last week for more on the background to the Stitching A Story Project. Today, I’m preparing for the next stage of my latest project - Stitching A Story. I’m very excited about this one, I’m not sure why but it seems it’s been waiting to happen for years ? I’m preparing a Workshop version of the project but I’m also thinking about a number of additional Stitched Stories. I’d like to focus on something personal to me, incorporating my folk art dolls.  The Dolls are central to most of my work either directly or included in lots of my labels for things I’ve made and quite important to me.

 

Moving on from last week, I’ve started to experiment with writing words. One of my frequently used phrases with the Folk Art Doll is ‘All will be well’, I often add this phrase to dolls dresses (in paint) so am very familiar with the words. It was the first thing that I thought of, when wondering where to start with my new stitched story. I have a plan to stitch the words and add an image of Miss Mitchell (my favourite doll). I think, I will simply draw Miss Mitchell onto the fabric, she is a very simple shape and I will be able to use embroidery thread to add characteristics and colour. I’ll stitch the piece on my little hoop and trim, hem around my sample and stitch onto my backing fabric. I’m using a small fabric notions bag (pre made) as my backing fabric and a base for my story.

Here’s a quick look at the idea :

                       

As previously mentioned last week, Jessie Chorley is my inspiration for the Stitched Story approach. I love her work and will be thinking hard about ways in which I can add symbolic, personal elements in my piece. I love the different layers of patterned fabric as well as the buttons in the sample above. I especially like the patchwork look.

The little fabric bags will act as a base for attaching my stitched elements. I may deconstruct one of the bags but I do like the idea of using my completed story bag as a notions pouch. I knit all the time and always needs a new notions pouch.

I’m not sure exactly where a I will go with this project. I’d like to plan one step at a time and see where it takes me. However, I do need something more organised for the workshop version of the project. My experiments today will include finding ways of transferring images to fabric samples. More news about that tomorrow.

Thanks for calling in today.