In progress – some very brassy gold lame overlaid with some very fine black nylon organza and then some other segments added over that. Both these metallics look as if they could be great, but I had to pause the audition because I was expecting a visitor and needed to straighten up a couple of things before she arrived.

Work in progress led to this 20cm piece.

I have several 20cm sq stretched artist canvases, and the small experimental works will be mounted on these. It’s a nice way to work, a bit fiddly, but could be scaled up a bit, which might then require much more stitchery, I think. At that point hand stitchery might become preferable, and the thickness of the remaining ~5km neon red, green and yellow threads might be appropriate 🙂 I’m on the lookout for a major way to use up this considerable thread resource!

I am currently making some small works, partly for a change of scale which I enjoy now and then, but also because I am waiting to take delivery of a floor standing embroidery/quilting frame I’ve had a local carpenter here in Uruguay make up for me, basing it on the pics of one commercially available up in the USA, which would cost me a large amount of money to import. I’ve seen the pictures of what PJ has made up for me, and I just have to be patient until it arrives in a few days’ time. I have some small artist canvas frames that I had big plans for several years ago but never got round to using, so I’ll be mounting this week’s creative output on those.

I saw an idea on Pinterest some time ago, which suggested I could use layers of sheer fabrics, overlaid and set in place with Misty Fuse, that wonderful bonding web stuff, and in some way stitched into place.

In the first sample, left, the black running stitch is dramatic, but the gold running stitch isn’t very interesting. But in the sample on the right, the gold machine stitching is striking, and probably more interesting than if it were in black or dark grey. These little blocks are about the size they will be on the actual work, so I think I’ll go with the gold machine stitchery.

Choosing another spot on the sampler that is developing, I did this little sample and like the stitched applique effect on a bit of paint that is about the size of a thumb print.

Continuing my love affair with gold glitter, I took some of the gold lame I’ve had languishing for some time in a box of exotic fabrics, added some Misty Fuse bonding web to it and pressed some shapes of it onto black cotton and some of the neon orange nylon (which I have in abundance)

Around the curved part of the shape on black, I did stiches alternating in black and gold, and rather like that effect compared to the all gold stitching. It’s an interesting option even though it means stitching around the shape twice, of course.

A few posts back I blogged an initial sample using stitch around some gold shapes I stencilled on a piece of black fabric, https://www.alisonschwabe.com/weblog/?p=6724 Those first little bits of stitching were pretty tame and tentative, really, but I’ve kept the sample piece on my design wall, and yesterday went back to add some more interesting gold stitchery onto it:

Now, I can envisage using that stencil again and getting exactly the same shapes, or doing some freehand splotches or even finger prints, or using a paintbrush … To be seen and appreciated of course, gold needs to be against a dark colour for the best result. And I love gold and glitter thread, so there’s something brewing somehow.

However, I also have some earthy tan fabric that might lend itself to some of that treatment with say browns/greys to form a background for some little landscapes left over from the bunch I made to use in Sunburnt Country. I didn’t use them all for this piece, and feel the need to go to this subject again, but perhaps larger.