At last he is finished, except for his eyes.
A bit of an anti climax really.
He sits there looking quite ordinary.
No indication of the difficulties I have experienced trying to make him. Trying to find a seagull, taking photos and all the delaying tactics I used. I knew he would be difficult to make and give me lots of problems to solve. He did.
Wished at one point I could carve with wood as thought that might be an easier option. It would have presented its own series of problems, I suspect.
I am pleased with the way he sits in his place and have promised him I will fix his eyes.
What do you think?
Next decision is what background will I give him.
One of my photos?
One of my drawings?
It is always about the correct decision.
The seagull has brought the cabinet together.
From the discovery that the cabinet had been made in the wrong size, till here we are almost finished. I would like to find a shell stencil or stamp. Normally I
make my own but have not been happy with the results so far.
A few more postcards to be stitched.
"Coastline" needs to be ready to be juried on the 10th December as I am hoping he will be in an exhibition in January.
3rd piece of work in the "Coastline" series is started
I planned to make the 3 pieces the same size but this one had other ideas and is slightly longer,
Still to be stitched but should be finished for the deadline 10th December.
Plan for next week
1 Finish bits and bobs for Cabinet
2 Finish Debris
3 Think about presentation for Seaweed, Seaglass
and Debris
Big Big sighs of relief. The Seagull is made
BYE BYE.
The seagull is being wrapped in white felt. This will smooth all the lumps and bumps out of him-- he is a he.
I wish wrapping in felt whatever colour would smooth my lumps and bumps.
He looks a bit odd but I am hoping it will all come together in the end.
I didn`t want to make a stuffed fabric bird, I didn`t want him looking a bit Walt Disneyish, nor did I want a perfect replica of a seagull. I couldn`t make that anyway.
Hope the vision inside my head works.
If you have followed my blog from the begin you will know I like texture and this is a method I have used before to construct a textured fabric.
Strips of hand dyed materials a selection of threads and my embellisher.
This will become the wings. Trust me but keep your fingers and toes crossed that this all works.
Look in next week to see the bird, at last , coming together and about time everyone is saying.
I can hear you.
BYE BYE
This week I have been reading
A rant coming.
I have very mixed views about the stitching I do, being labeled, Slow Stitching. Why does it need a name at all. The fashion for stitching old used fabric with straight stitching doesn`t speak to me at all.
I am of the age when make do and mend - darning - reusing fabric was a necessity. Poverty - lack of easily obtainable materials - wartime.
I now use the technical skills, learned from my mother, darning, patching etc in my work where appropriate.
I enjoy looking at old worn materials, researching the history and construction of them but I don`t wish to produce work based on nostalgia.
It just looks to me like samples I have in my workbook.
I enjoy hand stitching, it allows one to be reflective when working but - Slow Stitching.
This of course may all be sour grapes as Claire has written a book and it is a lovely book.
This is a personal view and I may return to this theme of everything needing to be named.
Anyone else out there got a view on this?
Here is the Seagull at last.
About time too I hear folks say.
I just could not get the proportions right. It did not sit correctly inside the space. It came together when I made the bird face backwards.
It has a wire frame, covered with builders scrim dipped into gesso. I thought plaster would be too hard to stitch into.
I meant to photo the stages but battery on camera was dead so bashed onto next stage while muse was on my shoulder and before scrim disintegrated.
I may place it on a small piece of doweling but I quite like it on the piece of driftwood.
What do you think?
I will try to get him covered for next week. He needs and eye and the beak is a bit like an eagles, at the moment but HEY HO he has landed,
I am taking part in a workshop, next weekend, lead by Kim Gunn. It is being held for S.E.T tutors.
Scottish Embroidery Tutors.
The theme is collections.
Looks interesting. I am taking debris from the beach as my collection. No surprise there.
My grandchildren, 10 and 9 year old girls have been staying for a few days.Bedrooms have been rearranged since their last visit. This is their way of laying claim to their new room.
and all the other bedrooms. I am keeping them on the doors as they make me smile every time I pass by.
Plan for next week
1 Enjoy the weekend workshop
2 More work on the seagull
Look in next week and see if I get him finished.
BYE BYE
