Unless you get a little.....crazy

I went crazy with 'free cross stitch', totally bonkers in fact. Not like me at all, no neat lines, no structure just Julia Caprara's mantra of not using the same colour thread twice in a row. I worked from a jumbley pallet of fibres, including plastic and ribbon. Unfortunately, for my course, it was a bit too much- I'm hoping that the additional more buttoned up sample I have now completed will soon see 'not quite so' free 'thanks' cross stitch signed off. 

I have been reading a bit in bed. This quote from the slightly twisted but cool 'The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag' by Alan Bradley struck a chord;

"inspiration from outside one's self is like heat in an oven. It makes passable Bath buns. But inspiration from within is like a volcano; it changes the face of the world"

I have tried before to express myself on the subject of 'copying'. I think this quote sums it up so neatly. Taking and reproducing someone else's idea makes a 'passable bun' but only by working from within can something truly 'new' emerge. I tried to work a bit 'in the style of' with the above sample. The rich overlay of stitch that one sees from some big embroidery names but really my voice from within is quieter. So this doesn't really work for me. It's not who I am.

I will be sharing a few of my new found favourite blogs here over the next few posts and now seems a good point to share 'Plays with Needles'. If ever I need reassurance that a slow, considered, restrained,  circumspect approach to stitching is just fine then a visit here is guaranteed to give it. Enjoy.