Why Fables?

The original Red House book was published in 2008. It is the story of Claire and William and their home business Fables in Gables. 

Claire and William are on the front of my first casket.

Their business has grown and they are ready to take the fables on the road. That is where casket number 3 comes in. Welcome to “ Fables To Go”.
So far 4 fables are complete with 3 more planned for the sloped panels. In order to make the fables GO, I need Claire and William figures that can manipulate scenery and figures.

 Here is the new Claire.

Enough is a Feast. Happy Thanksgiving.

Enough is a feast.

Time and Ruthie wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

Casket Top Fable

The fable on the top of the casket is “ The Cock and The Fox.” I hope to finish the videos for 3 more fables soon. 

My First Fable Video

A short video of the fable The Hare and The Tortoise.
https://youtu.be/aba7imG3CIk

And another fable, The Lion and The Mouse.

https://youtu.be/y_BrwZRFDDc

A New Wanderscape

 

I've had a few stitching setbacks this year. The hands are working well right now.

 

This panel is the back of the Aesop's Fables casket.

Freedon of Stitch

The images of this post have been moved to my "Images" page. 

I didn't want to see that face every time I opened my blog. 

Thank You and Last Chance

 

A big thank you to the Embroiderer's Guild of America and Cheryl Christian for featuring my work in their September 2019 issue of NeedleArts.

What an honor. Thank you so much.

If any readers are feeling motivated to stitch a 17th century style casket of their own, now is the time! 

This is your last chance to be a part of an amazing project and community made possible by Tricia Nguyen at Thistle Threads.

The last time these boxes, threads, special trims and instructions were available was 400 years ago. It won't happen again in our lifetime that an intrepid energy like Tricia sources all the elements necessary for this opportunity to work.

 

Borders

 

Stitching all of the borders after the panels are complete can be rather overwhelming. This time I am trying to do the borders as I go. Above is a detail of how I make the needlelace borders. 

 

Here is the completed border just pinned on the panel. I am very happy with how it frames the image. But it is VERY labor intensive.

 

This technique uses three rows of Lacet secured to my work pad. As I stitch the tapes together I am couching the Crinkle Silk Gimp over the space.

 

Again this is just pinned in place but I love the finished border.

The Crow, The Fox and A Piece of Cheese

This is the fable about a crow with a piece of cheese and a very sweet talking fox.

The Ants and The Grasshopper

 

The Grasshopper shivers in the cold while the Ants are cozy below.

Completed Doors

 

The doors of my next casket are complete. The Hare is sound asleep in one of the Wanderscapes I have created for this series. 

 

Here is the Hare from a slightly different angle. His whiskers may still need a little trim. I trim cautiously, once they're gone there is no going back.

 

Here are the whiskers after they were first inserted. 

 

The next fable I am working on is 'The Grasshopper and The Ants'. The ants are warm and cozy underground. More ants will be added. Above ground a winter storm is raging. At the moment I have a silver mesh in place to add to the cold theme. I'm not sure if it will stay.

The Hare and Wanderscapes

 

Most of the background for the second door is complete.

I am loving the intensity of color I get from the detached buttonhole shapes.  

 

Here is the beginning of the sleeping Hare.

 

I haven't stitched the head yet. Here I am just checking to make sure everything fits as planned.

 

 

I am very happy with how the shape is turning out but the body has become so dense with stitches I am having a hard time working on the arm. My hand complains after just of few minutes.

Slow and Steady indeed. 

Slow and Steady

 

Aesop's Fables are the theme of my next casket. In the story of the Red House, Claire and William run a puppet theater of fables. 

 

The colors look rather gloomy. We haven't seen the sun in days.

But the colors glow in real life and when I get better photos I'll share. 

Back to Hand Stitching

 

I have started stitching casket 3. Here is the left hand door. I arrived at this place in the design process because of the experiments I did with freehand machine embroidery. 

 

This is the piece that sealed the direction I am taking with the casket. This image has nothing to do with the theme of the casket. 

When the first figure is ready I will reveal the theme! 

Why Not Use a Machine?

 

I have been playing with free motion machine embroidery.

 

I have used traditional casket designs for the Cabinet of Curiosities class and made a 21st century panel of stumpwork. 

 

I have already filled a notebook with the pros and cons of materials and techniques.

 

I stitched a jacket for Ruthie. Too stiff.

 

Here I had success using shades of green to mimic 17th century leaves. Some of this is stitched in place, some just placed unstitched. 

 

We'll see if it translates to a casket.

What do you think? 

An Overdue Update

 

I have been stitching.

Home Again

 

My "Once Upon A Time" casket is home!

Thank you Winterthur for the wonderful opportunity to be a part of your exhibit "Embroidery: The Thread of History".

It was a magical experience from beginning to end.

  

 

So now it is time to get to work on the next casket. 

 

Oops, I mean the next two caskets!

The Mountains

 

The mountains are taking shape at the top of the panel.

 

As I stitch I am making notes of all the details I will come back to later, details I will be adding in 3D or with beads.

Trying To Get It Right

 

I had fun stitching Bubbledom....

 

...until I stepped back and looked at it in context with the rest of the map. Too dark and gloomy so....

 

I took it out. Not only didn't I like the color but....

 

I decided I didn't like the design either. So I redrew and restitched.

 

I am happy.

 

I am still happy.

 

I had to tweak one tower. I am replacing the original figures with little 3D dolls. Here is the first prototype.

I am still happy!