What Are You Stitching?

A little while back, a reader mused whether the shape of the frame you were stitching on affected how you thought about your stitching. In particular, she wondered whether using a round hoop caused you to think in curves and circles. It seems that our contributors this week all provide evidence that thinking in circles is very fruitful, as these designs attest.

Sue Davies

‘I have just finished a fun project I am calling Amethyst Hearts.’

‘The pattern is by Mary Corbet of Needle ‘n Thread. I loved the design and was inspired to do it in February. The purples make me think of February’s birthstone, the amethyst.’

It is a lovely design and a fantastic colour palette, Sue. It would be perfectly suited as a February birthday gift.

Nicole Martin

‘When I finish an embroidery, the question ‘what are you going to do with it?’ frequently comes up. Excellent question as I have no wall space left to hang any more framed items.’

‘I bought Hazel Blomkamp’s Mandala kit at the last Beating Around the Bush. It sat completed on the dining room table for months until I had a eureka moment – make it into a bag! Fortunately, Hazel had supplied enough fabric in the kit for the front and I then matched the black linen for the back of the bag. It is lined with white fabric with a small black spot.’

Wow, the result is very elegant, Nicole we love it! Who knew that Hazel’s design would be so perfectly suited to an evening bag? Well done.

Jenny Capper

‘I thought you might like to see these mandalas which I made for my daughter.’

Thank you for sharing these Jenny, they are fabulous and look so good framed in their circular hoops.

Josie Kirk

*‘*Our family loves the Junee Railway Roundhouse Museum (located in NSW, Australia), as well as all things related to trains and rail travel, so our daughter suggested to mount an exhibition to mark that.

She is a printmaker, my husband is an artist, our son is a musician and I am a lover of cross stitch.’

‘The exhibition was titled ‘Rhythm and Rust’ and was in the E3 Art Space in Wagga Wagga, NSW in 2013.’

‘On our visits to the roundhouse we sought out various aspects of light and colour, shapes, shadows, and sound. I focussed on the myriad circular motifs I found on, in and around the engines and rolling stock stored there.

My love of cross stitch allows me to enjoy the geometry and discipline of its rhythm and the speed with which I can make it grow.

Although, I hadn’t appreciated the complexities involved in representing round objects with a square stitch, so the first pieces I produced were a bit wobbly. My technique improved as I progressed and my design processes became more stylised and appropriate to the stitch.’

‘I found that using the descriptors ‘rhythm, regularity and speed’ in association with my stitching, I managed to enhance the history and romance of train travel throughout Australia.’

Thank you for the wonderful story and the fascinating interpretation you made of your beloved place with needle and thread, Josie. You are very lucky to have such an artistic family, and to be able to come together to express a shared passion.

Do you love the regularity of circles, or do you prefer the geometry of squares? Or are you more interested in fluid, random shapes which defy definition? Whatever shape you prefer to stitch, we’d love to see your work. Please send us pictures as well as a brief note about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com.au