Sewing Needles
10.5″ W x 12″ H (19″ W x 21″ H framed)
The bird in Sewing Needles began as a step-out for my book, Joyful Stitching. One of several steps showing how to stitch this happy bird, I had only completed the wing and tail for the book’s photo shoot. Years later, I decided to complete the bird on the swatch of blue wool fabric and place him in a different setting.
From that point on, the design was improvised. I stitched the bird’s head, belly, and legs. A tree branch made with heavy threads provides a perch for the bird. Finer threads made up the needles for the tree. Then it occurred to me that a touch of whimsy was needed and that the bird could be sewing needles to the tree. A needle was stitched to his beak, and the title Sewing Needles arrived.
Sewing Needles is an improvised design created on wool fabric, a cotton batik border, and hand-embroidered with cotton threads dyed by the artist.
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