It was a very hot day today and despite the ancient aircon pumping out coolish air, by 2 pm, its was a bit too hot to work in the studio.
So I sat inside and began to pull apart some of the Thai skirts I bough a few weeks ago.
They had to be washed. I don’t think they had ever seen water and they were possibly worn for years and years.
So I sat inside and began to pull apart some of the Thai skirts I bough a few weeks ago.
They had to be washed. I don’t think they had ever seen water and they were possibly worn for years and years.
Call me strange, but I just love this piece, what was she thinking when she mended it with these fabrics and in this way? But stop and think Pamela… this is probably all she had, an old worn T shirt.
As I pulled them out of the washing machine the colours came to life. Years of grime were left behind. This panel has cross stitch and then tiny appliquéd blocks just 2″ square. Each panel is 7 meters long.
I can’t imagine how long it would take to do.
I can’t imagine how long it would take to do.
How about the repairs to this piece.!!!!
The Indigo looks wonderful and I did put a colour catcher in the wash, but very little colour came out. This is the back and you can see her red appliqué stitches.
The red is appliquéd following the pattern on the indigo fabric. This has been hand printed and isn’t one of the new factory made panels.
When i as younger I used to love to see the nappies on the line, (diapers) for those of you in the USA… lines of beautiful white squares… now I love to see my fabric bits.. lines of colours. Everything else goes in the dryer.!!!!
This is an old skirt. I have two more to dismantle and they will become part of a quilt and will come to life again.
This is an old skirt. I have two more to dismantle and they will become part of a quilt and will come to life again.
Are those repairs to the indigo fabric really on the right side of the fabric?! Wow! Such a contrast to the meticulous tiny stitching! I’m amazed and intrigued by the need to embellish and make beauty, even in (or perhaps because of) poverty. It seems sometimes that the poorer the circumstances, the richer the spirit. I don’t want to make it sound noble to be poor, which would be very condescending of me, but I do admire how resilient people can be even in difficult circumstances.
Irene, yes they are, such a contrast.