Monday 5 December 2016

A Little Scrap of a Tie - Week Forty-Nine


Wrapping Christmas presents
left the kitchen table strewn with lovely papers, silvery ribbons, and 
Santa Claus gift tags.
Seemed appropriate to photograph the Crumb against a
Christmas background.
But this week's Crumb does not yet reflect Christmas.
It reflects the Chiku-Chiku work of Japanese artist Akiko Ike
whose work I have been looking at lately.
She uses thick, thick thread in her work.


So this week I chose the thickest threads I could find in my baskets
and then I went to Judy's Journal
to find that she had used thick thread and large stitches
for her beautiful Stumbling Flag quilt.
Quite amazing.


The thread I chose was so very thick it took pliars to pull it through.
Won't do that again in a hurry unless I find some looser weave fabrics.

As I stitched I realized the little scrap of olive green and black tie
was well over twenty years old.
It took me back.....


....back to the early nineties when I made
 bears covered from head to foot in embroidery.
This, the first one I ever made was called
Woodland Bear.


And this glamorous girl was called
Bajan Bear


Those were the days when everything had to have a bit of glitz...


Silk ribbon and shiny beads


doodads


and flowers galore.
Not a toy, but
I might have to make one for the baby-grand when she is older!

 Hope your Christmas preparations are going swimmingly.

12 comments:

  1. I remember seeing that first bear at Quiltmakers. Memories! I made one as well, but took the class from another instructor. It's still sitting in pieces!!! Sigh! One day it will be completed, but my magpie mind has gone on to other things.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Isn't it amazing Penny, how we so often are doing the same things, even though we are miles apart. Chiku chiku companionship. Similar wave-lengths. xo

    ReplyDelete
  3. Stunning bears! The embroidery...shells and beads have me in such appreciation of your workmanship!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What gorgeous, glamorous bears!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely bears and memories.

    ReplyDelete
  6. beautiful colours in your Crumb piece. That pattern must have made it's way around the world, as I made one of those embroidered bears many years ago. Poor thing it's stuffed into a cupboard somewhere!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I laughed at your having to use pliers. My #3 grandgirl had to use them, with gpa's, help while pulling yarn through cardboard. I have a thing for pounding nails into things to make holes, and not just leather belts. Keep it in mind for next time you are struggling.....then you can laugh back at me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a treat! Lovely crumb and stunning bears. xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. What fun to see those bears! Of course you know they're right up my alley. And what would we do without our pliers when we're working with thick threads?

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment, your thoughts are most welcome.