Colour

Colour

a closeup from Pieced and Patched bag

The importance of colour in a piece of work can never be underestimated.

This a from a letter from Vincent Van Gogh to his brother Theo

'This time its just simply my bedroom, only here colour is to do everything and giving by its simplification a grander style to things, is to be suggestive here of rest or of sleeping in general. In a word, to look at, the picture ought to rest the brain or rather the imagination.

The walls are of pale violet, the floor is of red tiles, the wood of the bed and chairs is the yellow of fresh butter, the sheet and pillows very light lemon green. The coverlet scarlet, the windows green, the toilet table orange, the basin blue, the doors lilac.

At that is all - there is nothing in this room with closed shutters.'

Follow that with 'Open your mind, open your imagination' and you will see where I am coming from!

Sharing your blog

Bird Tree

Based on Yoraba beaded headdresses

Stitched with a 100 year old Willcox & Gibbs chain stitch sewing machine

When I teach students 'face to face' I often use sayings and quotes.

I haven't put any in the Modules for Distant Stitch, but thought I would share them with you on this blog.

One of my favourite, and one I always use at the beginning of a course is this:

'We all live under the same sky,

But we do not all share the same horizons.

Always remember to use what talents you possess,

For the woods would be very silent,

If the only birds that sang there

Were those that sang best'

Author unknown

As, I hope, you will share your Distant Stitch work with the other students on the course I hope you think it appropriate.

Today is the day

After many weeks of trying to start a blog today has to be the day!

I thought I would start with showing some images of my textile work

Indigo Spice Jar

Indigo Spice Jar was one of a series of vessels. It was constructed using basketry techniques, with wire as the 'uppers' and indigo and madder dyed raffia, sisal, french knitting, with some leather and handmade felt and paper.