Thursday, July 08, 2010

Images to Inspire: More Beautiful Blogs

As I say so often, it's best to have POSITIVE images implanted in the mind, rather than looking at junk and "goop." As a designer, I know well that ideas that pop into my head sometime in the future, are strongly influenced by these images in some way.

I've been strongly influenced by the wonderful art crazy quilters and other great fiber artiss, whose blogs were the very first I found four years ago when I first was given a computer (and finally learned to use it without shedding tears.)

I'm not a quilter, but these people are doing art work - creating- and not using something mass produced in the thousands and then being told exactly where to put the needle with which thread via someone else's ideas of stitching.

The ones I look at daily have a wonderful talent and ability for using color and texture to lead the eye in a path where they want it to go.

The first photo is a piece Allison Aller is showing right now, and the entire process of putting it together is on her blog - do go see it, as it's an amazing piece of art and superb needlework with a lot of imagination.

The next two pictures are from a lovely project being worked by Lin Moon of Purple Fan.

She has made art bras for a project for raising funds for breast cancer research, which I think has been continuing for several years (Allison Aller sent me a calendar featuring these about four years ago when I first met her.)

These are absolutely beautiful - imaginative, innovative - true works of art. Whimsical, beautiful, and the colors are magnificent. (I find great color schemes looking at some of this).

There is a wonderful mermaid on this bra, and Lin Moon is showing the development of the design and it's embellishment.




This is the sort of thing that will send me right "back to the drawing board" for another of my own needlepoint pieces in which I've enjoyed using surface embellishment - as the art quilters do. I love attempting to replicate their stitches and effects! (but not copy them).

The cluster of flowers is also from Purple-Fan, and is her work inspired by Sharon B's (Pintangle) TAST work this year (Take A Stitch Tuesday)

This is "Raised Cup Stitch," which was last week's (I think) stitch. I haven't had time to do them, except the cloud filling I used on an ornament, but I never miss a Tuesday looking and learning! This raised cup thing already has me inspired with ideas!!

This is a lot of pretty stuff, but there is one more that is enchanting, that I only found today. Painted Threads. Again, I only found this one yesterday, and am hooked - it will be a regular with morning coffee for me. Take a look at her techniques and her use of color- again, it has already triggered some ideas for needlepoint design in my head.

Better this than spending my limited time checking out "goop," or what I call "eye shattering messes," which is seen on too many of the needlepoint stitching blogs. Those get me nowhere but upset and frustrated. I'm for the positive images!!

4 comments:

Anne Stradal said...

"Painted Threads" is amazing! Thanks for the link!

Cool City Stitcher said...

You're such a great resource for finding fantastic blogs! A totally different world of unique beauty, created by very talented artists. Thanks for sharing!

Rachel said...

Thanks for these links. Added to my blog reader...!

LIZ said...

Wonderful things! Great inspiration. You do find the best sites!