Sunday, October 27, 2013

Free motion stitching from European Trip Sketches

Creston Card and Stationery Store sells local artwork and it is time for me to get some new fall textile cards to them. I started by looking through my hand dyed fabrics for suitable colours for fall and adding heavy interfacing to the back. I work on a 4 1/2" X 6 1/2" size for cards which can be placed in a standard 5 X 7 frame if desired.
I was having trouble visualizing what to place on the fabric rectangles having been away from free motion stitching for a few weeks. At first I thought the red and yellow one might work for a flamenco dancer... What do I know about drawing flamenco dancers? Nothing, so thinking that might not work out, I decided to turned to something I have some experience in drawing. I got out my sketchbook from a recent trip to Europe and looked for images that would fit the fabric. That ignited the creative fire and I away I went. I can't wait to spend a few hours stitching tomorrow.

A sketch I did as I was sitting on the bus waiting to go for a tour in Slovakia.

I've decided to add a window box in front of this window. I ran out of bobbin thread so will finish this image tomorrow.

Sketch of a Fisherman along the Rhine River. As he shifted positions, I placed both the sitting and standing position on this same sketch.

My husband, a fisherman, reassures me that this is easily identifiable as a man fishing.
 
I didn't get much sketched of this very old building in Vienna because I was having a wonderful conversation with a local woman, Clea, who was sitting next to me.


I have added some figures from memory of people sitting at an outdoor café. I haven't identified everything but I think it is enough.
"It is best to paint what we know", was said to me by a talented local artist. That advice really worked for me today as I felt engaged with the chosen image. Can't wait to start again tomorrow!

6 comments:

HollyM said...

These are going to very interesting, Eileen. Once done did I understand that you will have them printed into notecards? Do you photograph them yourself or send them away?

Win Dinn, Artist said...

These are lovely cards, Eileen. I'm particularly enamoured with the flower box one, unfinished or not! Those colours and free-form stitching really pull me in!

Watercolour and Textile Artist, Eileen Gidman said...

Holly, I actually sell the originals by lightly pasting the fabric onto card stock. They make a nice gift as the art can be framed or removed from the card sock and used in sewing projects.

Tabletree said...

Beautiful Eileen!! What a wonderful way to keep the memories alive!

Laura Leeder said...

I love these Eileen! Thanks for sharing with us.

Carli The Quilter said...

Interesting art you do, really happy to have finally found someone doing this type of art. I'd love to learn and we're in the process of selling our home. Maybe Creston?

PS. Thanks for commenting on my Smithers 2013 Centennial Quilt.