Wednesday, April 9, 2008

First April TIF Challenge Finished


I'm counting this piece against April's challenge. The reason I think it "counts" for the April challenge is because it changed from the original thinking when I started it for the March challenge.

Here's what happened: I wanted to try out Oyster Stitch before I went any further with my plant lifecycle design, to see if it would "read" as seeds. I decided to try the stitch on the abandoned piece from March with some variegated knitting ribbon and chainette, but once started, I couldn't stop because I was enjoying the stitch so much. Then I decided to cut up and resew, et voila. I think it will be a strap on a bag which I have yet to design & make.
The two pieces on the left in the photo are offcuts - click on the photo to enlarge.

Back to the drawing board now...


I bought this set of Gardening Encyclopaedia in an antique shop in Topsham years ago.


It touched me because on the flyleaf of each book is the name of the original owner and the date, starting March 18, 1898 and going to 1890. S/he must have subscribed for it and received one each month. They are in remarkably good condition considering they're 110 years old - some foxing on some of the pages, that' all.

There are terriffic engravings of the plants and the occasional colour plate. Sometimes I look through it just to admire the drawings, which is what I plan to do next, to get some ideas for the plant lifecycle piece I think I want to do for the April Challenge. I don't believe in tracing directly from the book, instead, I use it as a guide for my own drawing, and to get inspiration.

2 comments:

Tanguera said...

The books look like a real find. How lucky to find something in such pristine condition.

Guzzisue said...

Gosh, don't you just love old books, the touch, the smell, the line drawings, I would be lost without books and find something sad about houses that I visit that don,t seem to have any around