Category Archives: improvising

Planner or Improviser? Reimagining Art #1

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Are you a planner or an improviser? For a large piece of artwork, I’m a planner. Sketching the design and then creating a pattern gives me a sense of control. These boundaries help define my vision of the piece.

But with smaller artwork, I’m an improviser. A good example is the FrankenStitch Story seen here. The spontaneity of the improvisational process fills me with a sense of freedom and joy!

And if you enjoy the process and challenge of improvisational embroidery, why not make more?

The trigger for my next embroidery is a leftover step-out from the Tasty Apple project in Joyful Stitching. (I was thinking of calling the project Daughter of FrankenStitch! Ummm… maybe not.)

The stages or step-outs for the Tasty Apple project are stitched on a rich purple felted wool. My friendly wool provider, Tracy Trevethan, hand-dyes beautiful colors. I should know I own a lot of it!

I have four swatches with partial hand embroidery to choose from.

And this is the one I picked for the embroidery project. Why? Because the leaf is already filled in with lots of lazy daisy stitches. Don’t you love how the variegated size 8 Lime Frappe changes color across the leaf shape, adding interest and zing?

I hope you’ll join me and follow the process for this next improvisational embroidery. Who knows what will happen? Think of the possibilities!

Rethinking Embroidery #6

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The holidays have shrunk my stitch time and expanded my waistline.

But now I’m back to work rethinking this step-out from the Yellow House project in Joyful Stitching.

As I waddle over to my chair (cookie in hand) to stitch, I long for the sights and smells of my summer garden.

And suddenly, a basket of flowers appears on the shore to cheer me up!

The flower basket is stitched with size 8 Sunflowers and Sunrise threads using tight rows of chain stitches and stem stitches. And the joyfully variegated Asters thread creates dozens of lazy daisy petals around a simple French knot to make the flowers.

Original Yellow House Design by Laura Wasilowski from Joyful Stitching

You’ll note that the basket has replaced the boat in my re-make of the Yellow House from Joyful Stitching. It’s my theory that 3 elements make a pleasing design. So along with the house and tree, the basket draws the viewer’s eye around the piece.

Soon I’ll reveal the final version of my new Yellow House design. But first, another cookie!

Rethinking Embroidery #5

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The famous blue trees stitched along the horizon line are complete.

What’s the next adventure in rethinking this step-out from the Yellow House project in Joyful Stitching? Maybe a pond to dip your toes into?

A refreshing pond is made with curved lines of Stem Stitches using a size 12 Aquamarine thread. Along the bank of the pond, I’ve spent many happy hours creating plants using a variety of stitches and size 8 and 12 threads. Not sure what these plants are called but I sure enjoyed stitching them!