Reminiscing 2010

I almost forgot to make a review of my blog in the year 2010. So here it is.

I finished 8 needlework projects and painted 11 tambourwork roses.

I won a competition too.

And got featured in Country Bumpkin´s Inspiration magazine.

I learned to do boutis quilting, appliqué quilting, silk thread painting, stumpwork and tambourwork embroidery. I also started to learn how to make a ball-jointed doll.

I went to Florence, Italy and went needlework store-hopping.

I got to finish projects I started last 2009.

I joined HEN´s online exhibition but didn´t know what happened to the results, because the whole thing just disappeared from the cyberworld. lol.

I promised to keep on painting, but finished only 2 watercolor paintings in 2010.

I also started a lot of new projects, but never got to finish them before the end of the year. Some of these might never be finished before I die and some of these might be finished this year.

Cherish Bear

White Tara Thangka

More Trees in Spring

I hope 2011 will be a better year.

worksofhands Berlin.

“Pau” Appliqué

Started: May 3, 2010

Finished: May 6, 2010

Number of hours: 21 hours

Materials: japanese cotton printed fabrics, cotton threads

Dimensions: 34cm x 48cm

Description: “Pau” is the Catalan word for peace. The iris stands for good communication and the helmet took over a new job as flower pot.

This is my first Appliqué project and I am learning a lot. It is hand-quilted and has hand embroidered details. I refer to the photos on the japanese books I bought from agomago in Florence. Though I do not understand japanese, the photos are easy to understand. You can read more about these books in my library and where to buy them.

Here´s the appliqué plan:

1. Choosing the fabrics

2.Ironing and Cutting the Fabrics (I used a light box, transfer papers, chalk pencils and (disappearing ink) textile pens on transfering the pattern to the fabrics.)

3. Making the bias tape

4.  Sewing the appliqués layer by layer.

Hand-sewing of all appliqué parts finished in one day:

All embroidery finished.

Quilting the pieces (frontpiece, batting and backing) comes next.

Finishing border with mitered corner.

My first appliqué quilt is finished:

Handarbeit / Stickerei in Berlin, Deutschland.

Images of appliquéd Thangkas online

Click on the photos to go to their cyber origins…

making an applique thangka (Norbulingka Institute, Sidhpur) copyright by arjunstc

 http://www.norbulingka.org/

Silk thangka pieces:

(copyright by Sina and Janina)

 

lots of small pieces to be assembled into a very fine thangka:

Fabric Thangka Norbulinka, India (copyright by ochatosushi)

 http://www.norbulingka.org/

 Almost finished:

(copyright by ConstanceandIris)

An appliquéd Thangka seamstress:

Norbulinka appliqué seamstress (copyright by genericavatar)

 http://www.norbulingka.org/

Mola – reverse applique technique of the San Blas Kuna Indians

While in Nordhorn, Germany, I found a Welt Laden (World Shop), which sells items of fair trade from industrial countries. Visit their german websites to see their “fair trade” products.

I wanted to buy a magnificent large quilt of batik scraps, but could not afford it. Fortunately, they have smaller appliques from the San Blas Kuna indians called mola. read more in Wikipedia.

They are so beautiful. The stitches and details are so fine. I swear I have not done so fine stitchery myself. The colors are pretty.

There are about 3-4 layers. The stitcher´s info are written on a piece of paper stitched at the back (you can see white stitches in front–they are not part of the design.)

Mola applique

I have been wanting to try applique and the San Blas Molas have always been inspiring me.

back of the applique

If you are interested to see larger molas, there are so many websites online. Like this one.