inspiration
several years ago I picked up this printed cotton fabric at a charity shop
the pattern is an Inuit design of birds
cutting it would mean destroying the pattern so it sat in a drawer until I could think of something
looking for something to stitch I decided to copy the birds
and transfer them to fabric
the stitching went more quickly than I expected
the fabric is backed with old sheeting to give it more weight
2/8 cotton thrums are used for stitching thread
now what??
since finishing the boro experiment I’ve missed stitching beside the fire in the evenings
so — here I go again
this time with several handwoven fabrics and a splash of red
the red piece in the center is the first weaving I did at Kawashima Textile School in 1987
warp and weft kasuri
there is a piece of my Mom’s embroidery
a linen napkin with red fabric behind the open-work
and a treasured piece of e-gasuri (picture kasuri)
this is going to be fun and should take me into Spring evenings
www.onesmallstitch.Wordpress.com u 
Oh, how cool! I love the way you incorporate those bird designs AND find a way to use up thrums. Thrums drive me crazy–such a waste! I’ll look forward to seeing the progress on this!
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Kerry – thrums can add up!
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Another amazing piece of boro. What wonderful stitching and what patience , to wait for so long before working out what to do with that amazing printed fabric find. You are so prolific with all your experiments! And always such amazing results.
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Judi – thank you (I’m blushing). Still don’t know what I’m going to do with the original fabric.
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I really think you can take that “appropriation” thing too far though. The bird designs were already printed on fabric by a manufacturer so I would consider your use of them in another medium is fair. Your new piece is going to be fabulous. I loves me a multicultural mashup!
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Louisa – I felt the same about the pattern on the fabric, there was no copyright or makers mark in the selvege but I do try to respect individual/ethnic artwork and patterns.
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very pleasing composition.the sashiko birds are a great example of recycling images,something i’m currently thinking about.
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Neki – I think there is a very fine line between “recycling images” and copying. Here, on the West coast it definitely is not ok to use aboriginal designs, different groups and families “own” certain images that define their family or tribal affiliations.
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oh no, i was talking aboutrecycling my very own images. i have so many and.fortunately keep producing.
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Neki – oh, my misunderstanding. but I know what you mean,sometimes when I look back I don’t even remember things from a year ago. Think it is good that new ideas keep coming.
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i can totally understand why you wouldn’t cut the cloth with the Inuit bird. It will be interesting to see how this develops.
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Renee’ – it will come together in a similar way to the boro piece. I look at colour, shape, size and then fill in the smaller areas.
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those amazing birds…i love how this cloth is coming together. perfect with the red.
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thanks Velma – I know you liked the fabric, just couldn’t bring myself to cut it
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Those are some fabulous bird designs! And I love the carpenter’s square? kasuri on the red. I recently bought some kimono fabric very similar although a little more orange. How did you like weaving kasuri?
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Kristin – the red kasuri is called “well curb”. Good, traditional kasuri is technically complicated and there are many steps in the process before one gets to the weaving. Designing, resist tieing, dyeing, separating the individual threads etc. Then there are the different types – warp, weft, warp and weft together, picture and picture together with warp and weft. Some patterns are shifted, both warp and weft. Several of the steps need specialized equipment. I love the work and have tremendous respect for the craftspeople who do remarkable complex work. I spent 6 months working with expert sensei but don’t think I would ever get beyond the kindergarten level.
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I love the Inuit design done sashiko style. And how wonderful to include a piece of your first weaving, and other treasures. So many stories will be contained in this cloth.
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Heather – I have enough story cloths to fill a trunk, and I’m trying to downsize!
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