Friday, September 2, 2011

squared

The square is a universal symbol for stability. Last time I came home from thrifting, I realized there's a square thing going. Below are two shirts, both large-sized, that have expanses of beautiful squares, just waiting to be filled, outlined or woven into. Or even cut out. Stable, maybe, but never boring. Gorgeousness squared, as Morna says.

The blue squares on the men's shirt are finely-stitched lines. Click on the photo to see the needle slid under a stitch.




And some other squares. Recognize these dishtowels below? Ikea.


And the mudra cloth.

Anyone else have a shape showing up in their lives?

Happy weekending. xo

17 comments:

  1. with me it is always spirals or circles.......xlynda

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  2. love that shirt with the blue stitching. at one time i avoided anything round---i wonder what that was all about. i don't think i favor one over the other anymore. i'll have to keep that in mind and see if one shows up more.

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  3. I love to go thrifting and find treasures for a "song".
    Yesterday 11:11 kept popping up in my day! I love when things like that happen...Sometimes I can decipher the meaning and other times I am not sure.

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  4. i love working with squares, love the look of circles & lately am stitching a lot of meandering spiraly shapes. i think i'm not quite focused these days.

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  5. Lynda, I usually lean towards spirals & circles, too, so this is sort of a change for me...? I'm up for anything though!

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  6. Thanks, Deanna -- it feels nice, too. It's interesting to see what seems to come to us when we're not thinking!

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  7. Marie, 11:11 is a great one, I think it's got specific meaning when it appears but I've forgotten what it was?

    I love a bargain but they are less and less frequent lately. Have you noticed how expensive even the thrift stores have gotten? Sometimes we joke that we could buy new stuff on sale for less than what they ask! Of course, that wouldn't be reusing...

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  8. Cindy, well that's good to not be so focused sometimes, I think. Maybe a lot of the time. Especially when you're creating something. Meandering 'round and 'round...

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  9. I so admire your stitching on the mudra cloth; I've been reading my kantha book this weekend, taking note of exactly this way of using it to define shapes within a single colour field. Your detail here is very helpful for me as I think about doing something this, thank you! And I loved the gooseberry post, so inspiring to see fruits that are otherwise overlooked.

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  10. Gracie, thank you! I didn't know there was a kantha book, I definitely need to check it out and will google it. Thanks for mentioning it -- I love to do this stitch, over and over . . .

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  11. A kantha book?? Let us know.

    Love the squares...and yes, thrifting is not always inexpensive...what's up with that!

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  12. I agree about the thrift stores not necessarily being a great deal. You really have to look around. Sometimes you can buy brand new things at nice stores on clearance for the same price. Oh and those big box discount stores are not necessarily a great deal either.

    p.s. on the day 11:11 appeared I had driven by a Catholic church and there was a funeral (my heart went out to the family) and when I came out of the library (near by) the church bells began ringing (symbolic of the soul being released) and when I got in the car I saw the 11:11 on my radio. Then I drove down the road a ways and a dear jumped out in front of me. 3 more were behind it but turned and ran back in the direction they came.
    I just pay attention to things like that! (details of life : )

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  13. I don't think I tend to work with one shape in particular, or avoid a particular shape. I do love circles though and stars, most of the projects that I make end up being those shapes, or flowers.

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  14. Thanks, Shishi! I've been looking for a kantha book but all I found on Amazon was one for over $190!! So I hope Gracie can tell us what the title of hers is...

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  15. Marie, what a cool experience. I think wonderful things are always happening and we're usually into our own selves and don't notice them. But you did. Yay!!!

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  16. Deb, I like that you include flowers and stars in your cloth. I am too much into my comfort zone -- hope to make some stars out of some squares. A la Jude! And that'll be wild and crazy for me. Ha.

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  17. Deanna7trees (her link is earlier in these comments) offered these titles on kantha stitching. Thanks, Deanna!


    Kantha: the embroidered quilts of Bengal from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz collection and the Stella Kramrisch collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art   Mason, Danielle
    Kantha: the traditional art of the women of Bengal  Chakrabarti, Asis K
    The art of kantha embroidery    Zaman, Niaz

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