What Are You Stitching?

We’re taking a step into the great outdoors in What Are You Stitching? this week. The inspiration from the wonderful world of all things biological never ceases to tickle the strands of our embroidery threads. The natural world can interact with all our senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste) creating an all-encompassing experience for the stitcher and viewer.

Take a look at today’s selection and see if you have any sensory memory recall…

Mrunalini Nimbalkar

‘Covid in many ways taught me the ways of the cottagecore aesthetic. It has given me a new perspective of adorning my walls with my hand embroidery work that have remained blank for the longest of years. Embroidery was my way to de-stress, so I embroidered a countryside scene from one of the many embroidery books that were stacked in my library.’

‘This one really caught my eye. I named it Country Side instantly, as it gave me the feel of one! I did this after nearly two decades of not doing any hand embroidery. It took me a month to complete with limited thread supply because the stores were shut. It also inspired me to write a poem (I do love to write poetry as well).’

COUNTRY SIDE

*Wanderlust in the pristine greens to loose thy mind and find thy soul,*Snippets of joy, dotted with entrancing views!

*Air ripe with the dewy petrichor of the rains.*Sunbeams gleaming bright along the plains!

*Strolling through bouquet of pink and yellow lilies,**chirpy birdies and frisky reds,**Sheaves of wheat stacked in beds.**Chuckle of the kids running after the bunnies,*Lo behold! sights so funny.

*Giant windmills lined across the hills,**Soothing tintinnabulation of the distant church bells,Subtle milieux designa magical spells.**Red roofed home’s gay with Fuchsias, Daisy’s and Roses.*How glorious a greeting nature poses!

*Life is beautiful out there,**trimmed with colours and drama, ribbons and bows.*Filled with energy life glows!

Country-sides share vibes that always decorate the true essence life has in store, urging wanderers to come for more!

Wow, Mrunalini! We love that you picked up needle and thread to fill your time. Your ‘Country Side’ is bright, joyful and was the perfect way to transport yourself to a charming setting when traveling was difficult. We also greatly enjoyed your poem, written in such a fitting manner to its subject.

Sharlene Martin

‘I challenged myself to work an entire embroidery project in only blanket stitch. I also was keen to use up some felt scraps and some little bits of embroidery thread.’

‘This is the finished product, a seascape/skyscape in shades of blue. I think it’s a little bit like Hokusai ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’ (at least in my head it is!)’

What a great challenge to set for yourself, Sharlene! A rewarding way to stitch out of your comfort zone with a brilliant end result.

Therese Desjardins

‘I wish to share the results of part of the embroidery project started by our embroidery group this spring, called ‘The St-Lawrence River Embroiders/Les Brodeuses du St-Laurent’’, sub-group of the Canadian Embroidery Association (CEA).

Our goal for this project was gathering our talents in one huge banner showing our beautiful St-Lawrence River flowing into the Atlantic Ocean, using about 50 different embroidery stitches. Some members have volunteered to embroider pieces of famous sceneries along the St-Lawrence River. Each piece will become part of this two-year embroidery project, to be completed around the end of 2023.’

‘Here are two pieces already completed, one by myself and one by Johanne Lachance. With the original pictures from which we were inspired.’

Original Picture Used for Inspiration

‘This is my second experience with threadpainting. I tried to reproduce the picture of our famous Canadian lighthouse in Tadoussac (touristic region) called ‘Le Haut-Fond Prince’. I reproduced it during a sunny day with several details to capture the interest of spectators, such as the different stitches for the sky, using a bit of Wisper thread for the cloud.’

Completed Threadpainted Piece by Johanne Lachance

‘This is a representation of another well-known region along the St-Lawrence River called ‘Le Bic’, a National Park near Rimouski, on the south shore of the river. This is a beautiful region for sport activities and recognized as being one of the regions with the most beautiful sunsets in the world.’

Original Picture Used for Inspiration

‘This is Johanne’s first experience with threadpainting. I admire her talent in doing the beautiful sky and fir trees. It reminds her of a wonderful summer holiday with her family.’

This sounds like a superb project and no small feat, Therese! Both threadpainted pieces by yourself and Johanne are beautiful and have really captured the uniqueness of the St-Lawrence River. The thought and care you have both put into your works will surely be appreciated by all surrounding communities, as you preserve these natural landscapes in needle and thread forever. We look forward to seeing the project completed!

Do you visit the scenes that you stitch in your mind? Have you tried to challenge yourself with a stitching rule? Maybe you have participated in a community stitching project?

Whatever you are stitching, we’d love to see it! Email photos of what you’ve created with needle and thread along with a few details about your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com