Stitchy Snippets - Dreamlike Embroidery

Canadian based artist - Amanda McCavour creates beautiful, dreamlike, large-scale embroideries. Her basis in drawing led her to experiment with various mediums to create line and she was intrigued to incorporate embroidery in her drawing. Shading and colour are worked into her embroideries as one would do with a paint brush or pencil. Drawing and line remain fundamental to her work 'I would describe my work as being drawings that are made out of thread. I am interested in thread as both drawn and sculptural line.'

Amanda uses a sewing machine to create her pieces and embroiders free-hand onto water soluble fabric. Once the fabric is dissolved in water only the thread is left and these thread lines form the structure of the installations. Amanda 'is interested in thread’s assumed vulnerability, its ability to unravel, and its strength when it is sewn together.' The embroideries appear delicate however the countless, layered stitches create a new fibre and the pieces hold strong without a base cloth.

Amanda's knowledge and experience of printmaking is also apparent in her work. One particular installation is influenced by doodling. Amanda explains 'I made more than 400 neon orange thread "scribbles" and hung each from the ceiling with a pin and a piece of thread. I was hoping that this repetitive imagery and action would create a mass of thread, a giant scribble. It was all of these similar repeating parts that created a larger whole. Some of the repetition in my work relates back to these ideas which are present in printmaking.'

Amanda talks about the impact of fibre in contemporary art. 'It seems to be that the possibilities for fibre in contemporary art are endless and that the role it might play is one of expanding and broadening the boundaries between art, craft and design.'

Friday Instagram Finds No. 4

Today I'm going to share with you three needle artists I "discovered" because they used the hashtag #feelingstitchyig on Instagram. You can click on any of their user names (at the beginning of each section, or on the Instagram photo) to go directly to their Instagram feed.

@cozyblue
Among other things, Liz, a.k.a. Cozy Blue, is an embroiderer and illustrator who creates detailed hand embroidery pieces. She uses texture and color to tell a story with each of the pieces she creates.

This beautiful piece is one she created based on a photo of a beautiful filed of yellow flowers with a backdrop of mountains in Asheville, NC. As a big fan of French knots, I just love all of the French knots, and the variation in the shades of yellow. It looks like she used paint on the fabric to create the beautiful clouds.

A photo posted by liz (@cozyblue) on Apr 25, 2015 at 1:57pm PDT

This beautiful closeup is a poppy that Liz designed. Isn't it neat when an artist creates something that isn't an exact replica of what it's supposed to be? I think this shows a high level of creativity and cleverness.

A photo posted by liz (@cozyblue) on Apr 14, 2015 at 11:07am PDT

This neat piece combines embroidery with weaving. Isn't it clever?! It reminds me of the sun.

A photo posted by liz (@cozyblue) on Apr 2, 2015 at 5:38pm PDT

@bustleandsew
Bustle & Sew is a mother (Helen) and daughter (Rosie) team who create original applique and embroidery designs and put out a monthly magazine. Their embroidery work features gorgeous florals, whimsical motifs, and beautiful color schemes.

This workroom hoop is so pretty, and would look great on any workroom wall (or door). The stitching is precise, and, again, I just love the colors Helen and Rosie use.

A photo posted by Bustle & Sew (@bustleandsew) on Mar 27, 2015 at 2:55am PDT

This pillow has an interesting blend of embroidery and applique, that Bustle & Sew is known for. They used freestyle machine embroidery to affix the applique and create stems.

A photo posted by Bustle & Sew (@bustleandsew) on Apr 15, 2015 at 10:15am PDT

This cute fox looks like felt applique with embroidery accents, and the texture is what gives it such great character.

A photo posted by Bustle & Sew (@bustleandsew) on Mar 23, 2015 at 12:35am PDT

@cotton_clara
Cotton Clara, a.k.a. Chloe, creates needlepoint kits that she sells, and her Instagram feed is filled with color and her cutie kids.

This little robin is made up of lots of seed stitches in different colors. I think it had to take a lot of patience and a vision for what it should and would look like in the end. Personally, I have a difficult time working with seed stitch, and I always end up making too many. Chloe has the perfect number, in the perfect alignment.

A photo posted by Chloe Hardisty (@cotton_clara) on Apr 18, 2015 at 6:55am PDT

I'm going to continue with the bird theme with these plastic canvas birds Chloe created. I have never tried plastic canvas needlepoint before, but these make me want to try!

A photo posted by Chloe Hardisty (@cotton_clara) on Apr 11, 2015 at 10:48am PDT

Here's another plastic canvas needlepoint design that Chloe created. This little bunny is super cute, and I think it would have made a great addition to an Easter basket or Spring-themed wreath.

A photo posted by Chloe Hardisty (@cotton_clara) on Mar 10, 2015 at 7:45am PDT

I hope you've enjoyed edition number four of Friday Instagram Finds (FIF) on Feeling Stitchy! Please leave comments below to let me know what you thought. If you'd like to be considered for FIF, or if you find a great embroiderer or stitch-related needle worker who you think I should feature, be sure to tag one of their pictures with #feelingstitchyig, and I'll take a look!

While you're on Instagram, make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We're @feelingstitchyish. We'd love for you to stop by and say hello :)

Friday Instagram Finds, No. 5 will be published Friday, May 15, 2015.