Happy Java

The last time I embroidered was at least a decade ago... using a combination of the cutesy iron on patterns and my own designs. As I moved around a lot those days my embroidery supplies were packed and forgotten.

I've been keeping busy since the online art journal class with Red Velvet Art has ended. One neat thing I tried this summer was entering three pieces of my original works in the Stevens Point, WI Riverfront Art Center 2010 Visions show. They chose my Sushi Hat for the show, which was very cool and I was so happy I was bouncing off the walls for several days.The place was so packed I couldn't get a photo of opening night, but it was fun. It was a milestone for me as it was the first time I've ever shown my work! I was very nervous but I got lots of positive feedback. 

One item I tried entering in the show was Happy Java, an embroidered piece. Even though it was not accepted to the show I wanted to share it with you all here, because I am rather fond of it. This embroidery was the first I've created in over a decade! When dreaming it up I knew I wanted to create something that was a familiar topic for the medium but simple enough so I could reacquaint myself with the skill. After looking over an embroidery stitch book I felt I could master the simple stitches required for my simple design.

First I chose this lovely fabric which reminds me of blue sky days. (I also made a cloud pillow, for my niece, from the same fabric.) I knew I wanted to have a rainbow but rather than having the rainbow over a landscape I chose to anchor the image with one of my favorite things: coffee, complete with a marbled fabric cuff. I balanced the design out at the last minute with a cute cloud.... what do you think?

Rediscovering embroidery has been fun and I do think I may need to make many more... I must say there is something very captivating about creating something stitch by stitch. Maybe it's the infinite possibility of design and color combinations, maybe it's the taught fabric between two circular hoops or perhaps it is the meditative quality of embroidery itself... whatever it is I hope to develop it further to see where I can take it.

xoxo,
Blueberry Blonde