One year after starting, I finished my Japanese Bead Embroidery Phase 2 piece, Calm Flow. The majority of this piece is black or silver tri-cut beads strung on black thread, couched down with black thread. I found this a very calming technique - forgive the pun. The weekend after I finished Calm Flow, while shoe shopping for my daughter, Jen, I spotted a beaded bag with the same flowing design for £50. On the shop bag, the silver beads were bugles and and the black beads were regular seed beads rather than the tricuts but the it had the same flowing lines. Initially I was mortified and it made me think about the time I had spent doing it. But that is the point. While I was embroidering Calm Flow, I was in my quiet space, doing what I wanted to do. Working full-time with 2 school age daughters, there are a lot of things that lay claim on my time and energy. The time I get to spend on my hobbies is my treat to myself.
5 comments:
You have done a really great job on this. Reading your comment about how calming you found it and how beading is your treat reminded me of how much I enjoyed theis piece. Couching those flowing lines is just so relaxing.
Will you be doing Poppy Pouch next? Which colour scheme are you going to do. I love the red/black, it is so dramatic but after Calm Flow, I wanted a change from black.
Thanks you. Yes I will be doing the Poppy Pouch. I will probably do the read and black colour way. I do like the blue flowers but I thought I would be more likely to actually use the black and red colour way as a bag.
Before that I'm planning to do Japanese embroidery phase 1. I've wanted to do it for some time but I haven't felt up to the commitment until now. I'm lucky enough to have a teacher close by, so I'll be starting it at the beginning of March.
This is a beautiful piece of beadwork Cath. I think it would look lovely next to my Reflections piece. Seems as if we were both working with the same color palette. It's nice to meet another Japanese embroiderer...I just started back myself after a five year hiatus...but that's a story for another day. Thanks for your nice comments regarding my finish today...Susan
Thanks Susan. I'm not sure I consider myself Japanese embroiderer yet. I've now started Hanazume as my Phase 1 piece but I know I have a long way to go. At least I'm enjoying the journey.
HI Cath, I received your question about the furoshiki. I had someone else ask too so I'll post all the various options that some of our die hard students have been using for over 10 years. I like the traditional nature of the furoshiki but it doesn't protect your work from puncture or water...that being said, I just use a super big Ziploc XXL bag which fits my frame perfectly for a rainy day...
The measurements of the furoshiki cloth are 1.5mx1.5m. Good luck!
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