This feels weird - I haven't blogged for a couple of years. I've still been crafting / making / sewing etc but just haven't been blogging about it all.
However, this seems a good time to resume -
a great cause called the 'Gathering Memories Project' in aid of the Alzheimer's Society.
Here's some links about the project
In short, you pay £5 (or more if you wish) and receive the above project kit.
With the kit you then
"create (your) own interpretation of memories through the medium of textiles and mixed media."
The memory I decided to use to create my little piece of fabric art came from these
old photographs.
The photos were taken on a family holiday in St Ives, Cornwall (UK).
The little girl is me with my baby brother. I don't know the exact year,
but guess it was about 1967.
Here's what I made based on the sea / landscape.
Here are some step by step photos showing how I made this.
This is a rough sketch of what I wanted the finished piece to look like.
I started adding (machine stitching) the silk ribbon from the kit to represent the sand.
Continued adding the ribbon and lace and other fibres to build
up the sand dune.
Also added some blue ribbon for the sea in the distance.
Using embroidery thread (3 strands) I hand stitched the land.
For the sky I used several layers of organza and needled felted
(by hand) some white wool clouds.
I added some beads to represent rocks on the land.
Then finally the grasses - which I hand needled felted on,
but also used a couple of machine stitches too.
.... a couple of close ups
I remember vividly how high the sand dunes were and reaching the top of one,
decided I didn't like it and had to slide my way back down!
There were a lot of clumps of fine grasses in the silky golden soft sand.
A lovely memory.
