Years Ago I Was Gonna Get This Carved Into My Skin In Ink

But I changed my mind. Phew! It would have looked like a blob around my arm. Imagine Bingo Wings with trees all the way around.

It says:

'Awake O north wind; and come, thou South; blow upon my garden, that the spices therof may flow out.

Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat its choice fruits.'

...only in Welsh, which is such a pretty language. Then I decided that... well, it was all about being there just for a fella huh?? And if you have a tattoo around your arm you're stuck with it. I think it's wise to get any design done in Henna or ink just so you live with it for a month or two and see if the novelty wears off. Only my opinion.

Anyway, I always planned to do an embroidery of a treeline like this, without the decorative stylised base. Still might one day??? Probably not. Damn! I missed my moment.

I Don't Mean To Gloat... But...

It's so pretty here. I took these in the near-dark while I was waiting for the bus to go to work. The sheep watch you walk past and murmer to each other... nice dress... what's she looking at... etc. Peace and quiet before the onslaught.

This Is My First Embroidery 1988-89

I'd done a couple of little flowers on kiddies dresses, and when I was 16 I'd made a long flowing dress (we're talking about 1974) upon which I embroidered a tree. Done 'in situ' as I recall, while I was sitting on a hill in Mullumbimby. It had a sun on it too... which reminds me that I did the same sun on a dress for my first daughter Claire... might get a photo...

Anyway, this picture I did without preparation and had some difficulty bringing it together. The figure on the swing I added later, because it didn't feel right...

The ground is solid with many many greens, all one thread. Then Bullions for the textural grass. I'd used a scrap of calico, which gave no contrast at all to the clouds, OBVIOUSLY!! So I painted in a blue sky, and then went over the embroidered clouds in white.

I didn't consider it finished, but intend to leave it alone.

I suppose it measures about 6 inches across and I hate the colour of the mat board, must get a new one. White or off white is always best.

Oh, and this is my second embroidery...

Little Trees Not Finished

I'd thought I'd lent this piece to someone from my classes... looked and looked and LOOKED!! Months ago. Then, not even looking, just browsing on the surface of my fabric shelves... there it was! So annoying. How many other things are right in front of me and I can't see? I suppose I'll finish this piece, although what for?? Have to think about it. Maybe if I put a rabbit in there...

Anyway, here's more...

This Is The Piece That Started It All...

...Well, not really. Not really really, but it was the first time I'd seen an embroidery that was freely designed and madly and wildly worked. It's been added to or fixed or something which makes me wonder why. Oddly. Oddly fixed, that is. Look at the back and you can see where it's had extra fabric put in and embroidered. Who can say why? Is it very old? Very special to someone?

The fixed up bit adds to it and makes it a little bit bizarre. The colours used in the repairs don't match very well although to be fair the greens of the lawn may have aged differently.

The thing about this embroidery is that you could say it wasn't very well made. Or it's heavy-handed and rough, but there's a wind in the trees, the grass is finely mowed. Your eyes is taken through the gate because of the block of green in finer stitching than the rest, smoothly and closely worked rows of Stem stitch.

One flat corner of the design, reflected (stylistically) by a flat sky.

$25 in 1979 and I bought it with some 21st birthday money. It inspired a picture I did, my first real embroidery. Can't imagine why I havn't posted that one here before either?? Tomorrow.

But what I want to say and I'm distracted by a show on tele that I want to watch... BUT we ought to remember the beauty of this piece when we are hyper-critical of our own stitching and accept the truth that roughness and clumsiness have their own charm.