The list is getting longer!

Textile Artist.org has a free set of workshops on-line with Sue Vikery.  This one is stitching portraits and goes for 5 days.  And of course, I have signed up for the course.

Five days of indulgence!

WIPW - January Sonnets

While the hearts will be on going I needed a special focus for my second piece.  I saw reflections of my second son, Guy, in the first 4 sonnets.  All my children are special to me but Guy is a special gift.

As a baby, only 4 weeks old, he contracted a virus.  He was one of the first to contract it in our city of Cairns, which is in north Queensland.  It didn't present as a virus, rather  in babies and children it looked like Pneumonia.  He was given a half penicillin injection and almost immediately suffered cardiac and respiratory arrest, he had inherited the autoimmune gene that I have, which we didn't know then.  He was clinically dead for 50 minutes, although was having resuscitation in only seconds, which continued  till they got him on a ventilator.  (This had arrived at the hospital that day and it had to be assembled to hook him up.)   The next 3 weeks, until he regained consciousness, were the worst of my whole life.  But, he lived. 

They told me he would be a brain damaged.  I spent the next years looking for this.  Yes, he had trouble with co-ordination but grew up to be a normal child, if a bit withdrawn.   It did not effect his intellect.  He now works as a Analyst Programmer and has done so since he graduated from University.

I look at that photograph of us when he was given back to me and sonnet No 4 "Thou art thy mother's glass " rings so true.  The section that I have selected reads:

"Thou art thy mother's glass,  And she in thee calls back the lovely April of her prime."

I have an old piece of cross stitch that I picked up on a sale table.  It was partly stitched and my thought was to unpick some of the stitching and use it in a sampler.

I immediately ran into problems.  The original stitcher had not been consistent with her direction of stitch, they went in all directions, were over sewn, pulled tight and just couldn't be unpicked.  The fabric was old and ended up with pulls and lumps.  But I have kept at it and am finishing the leaves.  For the verse I have had to replace the thread with a thinner version than in the image above but kept the same colour.  I intend to make the leaves into a wreath to frame the text.

These first set of sonnets are addressed to a young man and the sentiments and context do not ring true in our modern world.  But, there are sections in every one that are timeless.  I'm sure every mother can resonate with these lines.  As yet I haven't been able to find any embroidery or textile item inspired by this sonnet.

The Sonnets

As I continue reading Shakespear's sonnets I now understand why only 'selected pieces' were included in the curriculum.  Some are 'not quite' suitable for young people. And I also understand that we just didn't have the 'life experience' to appreciate the sentiments expressed.  So much was left unsaid. We were told they were wonderful, but not why.

I have spent all these years with no clear understanding of what was written, and now, in old age, I have opened this wonderful box of beauty.  I am reading the sonnets at https://nosweatshakespeare.com/sonnets/#read. Watching Patrick Stewart read each sonnet is a delight, even when he makes mistakes and has to start again.

 

He makes you 'feel' each word.

This is a personal journey I am undertaking, although Bear seems to think he is included!

My little blind shadow is with me all the time.

This took sooo long to stitch

I bought this little cross stitch in a Op Shop for $1months ago and have been stitching it ever since.  Only a few more stitches and it will be finished, finally.

Things I have learnt about buying kits from Op shops.

1. The threads are usually not too good.  I should have just found new cottons and not tried to use the original.
2. They look as though they will be easy to stitch, they are not.                                                            .
3. You really should have a plan on how you are going to use them in advance.                                  
4. Think very carefully before you buy one, even it it is cheap.                                                            
                                                                 

 

 

Back to Music

A music friend (I have embroidery, patchwork, teaching, academic, all kinds of catagories of friends) attended a Jacob Collier concert and said I would like his work. Oh Boy!!! What an artist?   I LOVE his work.  Not just the music or performance but the way he 'swims' through the emotions, feelings, techniques and explores music in the fullest sense.  You can find lots of videos of his work on You Tube.  But in this video, which is quite long, I got the opportunity to look into his soul.  This man is a great, a one off and I look forward to looking at everyone of the videos he has and will produce.  I might even get out a guitar again because he has made me look at music so differently, or rather made me recognise, by putting into words, what it is about music I love so much.

 

 

Toys and Quilts

As per my list of things to do this year making donation quilts and toys are high on my list.  I was a toy maker in my youth and had  a small business making softies before there were softies.  I still have all my patterns but have given away or sold all my toys.

I wanted something easy to make to be included with my donation quilts and chanced up on the website of "The Red Boot Quilt Company". This would be perfect and the pattern is free, although I wouldn't need a pattern to make these.

Have a look at the website and her Etsy shop.

Some really interesting quilt patterns and toys for kids.

January's Sonnets - 1

Happy New Year!

I didn't think that I would find a lot of inspiration in these pieces on first reading but I was wrong.  I have to admit there are one or two of the sonnets I have selected for this month that I just can't think of any type of anything, but there was lots of inspiration in most of the first 12 sonnets.

Some brought up very personal ideas inspired by family and friends, some a bit too personal to share here.  But I don't think that I will restrict myself to just one piece for the month.  What a surprise?

So the first design for January is the Lavender Heart.  I have included a pattern. Download Heart Pattern

Not very original but many of the pieces are written from the heart or about the heart.  These hearts are also my "Emotional Support" project for 2025.  What is "Emotional Support"?  Well I read about this concept on White Arbor Quilting where Bethanne uses the concept for quilting.  I have now decided to use it for my sewing this year, so look forward to lots of hearts.  I will add them to coat hangers and donate them to charity.

Thinking about my challenge for 2025

The Sonnets

Next year I want to take another direction.  I was thinking back to my school years and about how I loved Shakespear's plays. Poetry however, his and a lot of other authors, was not my thing.  Time and experience has made me reconsider this and I will take part of next year to study his sonnets.  There is so much information on the internet that I can access, including performances, in depth discussion and analysis of his work.

(source National Portrait Gallery UK)

I would like to use each sonnet to inspire a piece of embroidery or other textile related piece, that's over 150 designs!  I have a sketch book set aside to put my ideas in.  From these designs I will select 12 to stitch out, one for each month. His writting has inspired many embroiderers over the years and I intend to write about some of these people as well.  Now, this is a strange thing for me to even think about but I'm kind of looking forward to this project.  Oh I just remembered I will have to get my head around that old English language!

Review of 2024 and Plans for 2025

I didn't really set myself any goals for this year other than to recover from the cancer, and, I seem to have done that.  My last review said I was all clear.  But, I have decided, after reflecting on this year, that I will refuse all treatment in the future.  I intend to just live for each day.

I also thought that I had retired from involvement in social issue but somehow or other ended up on a committee to celebrate the 50th anniversary of International Women's Day.  I stepped back into my old shoes, dealing with government bodies etc, and found that is no longer me.  I will complete this assignment but will then permanently step away from involvement in this kind of thing again.

Added to that, I had retired from all kinds of teaching but was persuaded to take on a couple of classes.  Maybe I will teach a few classes next year but if I am not asked I will not mind turning my back on that also.

I belong to three fabric related groups.

The Embroiderers' Guild of Queensland.  - I will try to attend a meeting every second week.  It is a long journey to and from the city but I have a great group of friends.

Star Seas Quilters -  This is only for a few hours on a Monday and close to home.  Here I am involved in charity work, which I love, and I am the librarian for the group.  This one stays.

Mayberly Quilters Cottage Group -  This may be my last year.  They meet twice a month, which is do-able, but it is a long way to travel and the traffic on the highway is very heavy.  I will take this year to consider this one.

So, to projects for 2025

1.  Continue with the charity quilts I am making and designing.
   
2.  Continue designing and making toys for charity.
3.  Complete the gift for friend Marion.
4.  Complete the booklet on the Pagoda Project
5.  Commence the Shakespeare Sonnet project.*
6.  Commence King Sized quilt for my Daughter.
7.  Commence memory books for my Grand daughters.

(* More on this one in a future post.)

I thought I was winding back, but I'm not, am I?

(Those hearts should be on the list for next Xmas.)

 

Merry Xmas

Here we are at Christmas once again.  I didn't think I would see this one and I almost missed due to health issues. But after all the disruptions I find myself at Xmas Eve.  I got the shopping done, the presents bought, wrapped and under the tree waiting to welcome the celebrations.

I hope everyone has a happy and healthy Christmas for 2024.