Pretty small

It's been a while since I stitched anything.

So, I thought, "be kind to yourself... start up again with something small."

HA!

Stenciled, on hand dyed cloth

Textile. © CatherineV. Bainbridge 2013

Pattern emerging

Textile. © CatherineV. Bainbridge 201313

Reverse side

Textile. © CatherineV. Bainbridge 2013

Half way

Textile. © CatherineV. Bainbridge 2013

Detail

Textile. © CatherineV. Bainbridge 2013

In spite of having an "active" area of just 14 x 8 cms, this little cloth has already swallowed several hours and made my fingers sore.

Currently looking just like a quilt designed for a contemporary doll's house, I'm convinced it wouldn't have taken me that much longer to stitch a full scale version ;)

Thinking small pouches.

???

Hamadryas - Progressing

Neki had the idea that this design could be printed and then stitched on top. That's what I think too. A silk screen print. A stamp even. Unfortunately, neither of those methods are options currently. 

So it had to be the hard way... cutting out each individual form... and building up the colors by layer! 

It's not like I either have a large stash of cloths to choose from. I found some scraps which were kind of the colors that I had in mind, but are not the easiest for this kind of work. Some thin linens, a heavier linen, and a poly-cotton mix, all of which refused to pass with grace through the blades of the scissors, [admittedly, this might have been easier had I not been using my scissors to cut branches recently!] the grain shreading off in all directions, giving everything a very un-uniform edge. But I decided not to let that put me off, and kept at it. Perhaps it will be more interesting because of that?

Now, I have a massive headache, and the first piece ready to be stitched in months. 

But will I?

Here it is under construction... layer-by-layer!

What do you think?