Working with Bits and Pieces

This is a very early experimental piece where I wanted to explore both recycled materials and avoiding the use of nice straight edges - something I still tend to struggle with. The substrate is strips of old jeans woven together and free machine stitched in a pebble design. The diamonds at the top are cheese wrappers and textured yarn sandwiched between layers of organza and free machined in a random stitch. The black and red circles are two buttons that have been stitched with red embroidery floss to create the windmill look. I have used part of a satin table napkin on the left hand side with couched korus. Over the bottom of this I have applied a small crocheted doily with the print of an old farm house. This print is on foil - another experiment at the time. The top is suspended through a branch to provide a hanging sleeve.

We all need to push our boundaries from time to time and this piece became a jumping off project for many later recycled pieces. There is a circular emphasis contrasted against the squares of the weave, the cheese wrappers on point, the foil print and the side napkin.