Connecting to Memories: The Stitched Word: Mapping Memories

 

Carolyn L.: Memories of her grandparent's farm

The third session of Connecting to Memories: The Stitched Word, focused on creating Memory (mind) Maps around a memory connecting to place. This was interpreted in many different ways...from memories of a "touchstone" place such as a family farm or the ocean (Atlantic and Pacific) to a more recent memory of "the debate stage".  

Carolyn L.: Mind Map about her grandparent's farm. Focus on color.

I demoed a number of different applique and reverse applique techniques and was excited to see how the students incorporated a number of these techniques in their pieces.

Here are some of Jill B.'s applique samplers...

Again...I just love how the challenges mined precious gems of memories and the stitched results. 

Bobbie D.: What is Home? Twenty-nine in 5 different states and 3 different countries!

Sue W.: Love of Cape Cod (same with me!) and her new granddaughter whose initials are SEA and whose middle name means "star".

Vicki F-L.: The calmness and inspiration of the Pacific Ocean

Debra L.: "Pool". Summers there and swim team.

Rebecca S.: The sound of the winter wind at night. 

Jill B.: Her father's giant garden and her more modest one.

Jill B.: The elements needed to grow the garden.

Roberta A.: On Safari in Botswana.

Roberta A.: Following the tracks to find the animals.

Judy P.: Jazz band camp...an extended family affair.

Judy P.: Jazz and Summertime

Barbara B.: Three pieces to represent the three debates (Shut Up Man!, Throwing Shade, So Cute). These were eventually sewn together into a final piece called "Leading Voices" (and yes, the fly made an appearance) that will be part of the Tiny Pricks Project.

I will be teaching this class again in the Winter session at The Art League School. Click here for more information and to register.

Play-with-Your-Fabric-Stash!

Chris V.: Swatch book sample to learn binding.

Yesterday, I taught my Play-with-Your-Fabric-Stash Cloth Book class at Artistic Artifacts. In this class, we haul out our stashes of fabric, threads and other goodies and learn some applique and layering techniques to put together a unique cloth book. I also teach a simple "stab" stitch binding that is based on a Japanese cloth swatch book that a friend of mine gifted me (she's in Japan for 3 years!).

Beth R.: Stab stitch binding sample

Kathy S.: Swatch book sample with turned applique.

Here are some of the pages that students completed during class...along with others that are works in progress.

Beth R.: Trapunto teacup!

Chris V.: Layering with turned and cut away applique. Love the cat fabric!

Chris V.: Trapunto stuffing with some reverse applique. This fabric is one that Chris made (in another class) using PaintStiks.

Etta S.: Layers of painted cheesecloth, Trapunto and stitching.

Etta S.: Reverse side of previous page. Silk threads captured in cheesecloth with stitching.

Etta S.: Trapunto and cut away layers.

Etta S.: Etta designed a "window" page to get peeks of other pages.

Kathy S.: A soft velvet patch layered with netting and stuffed to give it dimension.

Kathy S.: Reverse side of previous piece. Stuffed with stitching details.

Lindy M.: Lindy turned her binding sampler into her book with the addition of a raw-edge applique patch and stitching.

Lindy M.: Another book page with reverse applique windows using dyed lace.

Lindy M.: Some of Lindy's hand-dyed lace fabric stash.

Lindy M.: Trapunto with layers and cut-aways.

Thanks students! I really enjoyed my day with you!

Stitchy Stuff Part 2

Jodie F.: Layers piece completed at the beach!

Yesterday, I showed you images of some of the completed pieces from the spring Hand Stitching class. Today, I'm going to show you some of the pieces from students in the winter Hand Stitching class. These are either new pieces or ones from class that were completed. I get goosebumps handling them! I feel so fortunate to have such great students!

Jodie F.: Layers piece completed.

Jodie F.: Layers piece completed (at the beach!)

Jodie F.: New piece created at the beach. Jodie saw the waves breaking on the shore and just had to capture it in stitch!

Jodie F.: Texture piece still in process (just a reminder that this is a 4" square!).

Erika C.: A piece that I missed but ingenious! She cut away one piece to reveal the back of the piece behind it.

Jan B.: Playing with the printed pattern.

Jan B.: Couched yarns become and angel

Jan B.: More Bullions!

Lee W.: A new layers piece.

Me!: A two-sided layers piece side one.

Me!: A two-sided layers piece side two.

Hand Stitching: Layers

Peggy G.

Class #4 of my Hand Stitching class focused on Layers. Students combined stitching with applique techniques to build up their stitched pieces. Hope you enjoy viewing the rich details and use of different fabrics and textures to create these pieces all within 4" squares!

Peggy G.

Lee W. The light gray circle is all hand stitched...I thought it was printed fabric!

Judy B.

I just noticed that Peggy, Lee and Judy all have pieces with a similar format. This is fascinating to me because these are all pieces that they stitched at home, between class sessions!

Judy B.

Judy B.

Judy B.

Ann Z.

Ann Z.

Erika C.

Erika C.

Jan B.

Jan B.

Jan B.

Jan B.

Jodie F.

Jodie F. Detail. I thought this stitched fabric was a print until I looked more closely!

Jodie F. Detail of cover. I'll show the full shot in the next post.

Amy L.

Sarah H.

Sarah H. Detail. Very long Bullion knots.

Sarah H.

In the next post, students start to put their books together. Stay tuned!!