He's been extremely patient an so of course has had to wait a very long time for me to get around to doing it. He wanted the pieces to reflect the sea, beach and sky as they live in Cardiff and are very close to the sea at Cardiff Bay. Their apartment is very modern and has plain cream coloured walls so he wanted to add some colour, but nothing too overpowering.
I started with pencil sketches to get a rough idea of what he would like and worked to a scale of 4"X4"
Once these were agreed by my DS I finally started work on the embroideries. It took me a while to get going as I'm not a natural hand stitcher and tend to pick it up and then put it down again, quite a lot! Also I decided to do the sea first and use chain stitch to give it more of a feeling of rhythm. I don't find this stitch an easy one to do on auto pilot so it took a while.
Anyway after a few weeks of the 'on and off' it was finished, and this then spurred me on to start the second one, which I chose to be the beach as I love doing French knots. This also took a while as I'd forgotten how time consuming they are, but I was pleased with the textural effect when I'd finished.
The last one, sky , was the quickest to do as it was running stitch, as I thought this would give a feeling of moving clouds.
All the BG's were hand dyed open weave linen.
The work was framed in dark wood box frames to match the furniture in their home.
It was a steep learning curve as I've never done an embroidered commission before, but as it was for a family member that made it very personal and enjoyable. I don't think I would want to work for someone on a commercial basis, as I know from experience that I don't like working to someone else's brief.
I hope they like the end result and that it was worth the wait.
18 comments:
These are really effective, both as a group and individually, in close up. I have to say that I particularly like your beach repersentation.
Stunning Sharon. Lovely work
Regards
Karen
These are fantastic, very textural and well suited to a contemporary house.
More than worth the wait I think, the colours are glorious and the rhythm of the hand stitch makes you want to look at them again and again.
oh wow, they are wonderful, what a treasure for them, Jx
Congratulations Sharon on a wonderful job.
The texture and movement are breathtaking and I am sure they will be rapt.
Hi
They should be thrilled. The pieces are beautiful. Lovely texture in the stitching.
Cheers
Sharon, these are beautiful. I love the beach with the French Knots - its stunning. I should imagine they are very, very pleased with these. Well done.
Sharon these are incredible! Well worth the wait. All the details. I think my favorite is the french knots. Just beautiful with all the different varities for threads.
They're gorgeous. Wonderful work!
They look brilliant Mum! We're absolutely chuffed to bit with them. I love the way each one has a different stich, lovely attention to detail. They're gonna make us want to be at the beach everyday! We're so lucky having artwork done especially for our home!
Love Dan and Sue.
Ooooh, Sharon! These are lovely! I totally love the beach piece, the colours and the texture are completely evocative of the shore. I think your choice of sitches for all three pieces is just right. Are you sure you won't take a commission?!! :) Well done you! I hope your son and his fiance love them.
Lovely Sharon, each one has its own charm and evokes its element so well. That is a real sea side sky!
Lovely work Sharon, I am not surprised Dan was chuffed with them,I thought the french knots were delightful and the 3 work so well together, what a talented lady
Well all I can do is second everyone else's comments!! These are just incredible - so much detail and such beautiful texture and flow. Really really beautiful - you should feel very pleased with yourself!
My goodness these are just fabulous!! I'm sure your DS must be thrilled to have his Mum's work on the wall. I think anyone would love to have these - love your themes and the way you worked them each differently, so cool!
I love these pieces of art! They look great in their frames.
Corryna
These are gorgeous. All that hand stitching! As a hand stitcher myself I know how long they must have taken. Your DS will love them, and if he doesn't, tell him to send them on over here ;-)
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