Friday, March 9, 2012

Stuff I liked at FNF 2

I was happy to see another quilt by Mary Ruth Smith at this year's Form, Not Function show.  She has been in the show in the past and her work never fails to amaze! 

Mary Ruth Smith, Crossover


















She constructs a two-layer ground of sheer fabrics, french-seamed together to conceal the raw edges, and embroiders obsessively until almost the entire surface is covered with stitches.

From across the room you're not sure what method was used to execute the subtle cross pattern interrupted by white lines.  Up close you see the handwork.

I'm intrigued by the interplay of small patterns (each little segment has its own motifs and color scheme) and large (the dark cross shape overlaid with light rectangles).  And since I am doing a lot more hand-stitching myself this year, I can't help be impressed by the sheer time and effort that goes into all this handwork.

Walk into a quilt show this decade and you're overwhelmed with surface design -- all the ways you can put pattern or image onto fabric with painting, printing, dyeing, discharge, etc.  It's nice to see somebody doing it the old-fashioned way, and with such masterful technique and results.

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing that. Very inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is truely A-MA-ZING !!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is a perfect example of why detail pictures are important when working with textiles. Had this piece been created solely to be appreciated from afar, it would most likely been at the expense of the gorgeous stitching seen up close. All the white fabric showing through, and the even coverage make it a bit flat looking in the first shot, but wow, what a pleasant surprise up close. And what's fabric and thread as a medium if it's not going to take advantage of stitch as well?

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is my maiden voyage into your blogsite.
    Mary Ruth Smith .... knocked me out cold!
    As I donʻt get out much, I am ignorant of this needle diva. So, thank you for ʻintroducingʻ her to me/us.

    Iʻll be back!

    ReplyDelete