My Tiny Great Curve

I finished my Tiny Great Curve self-portrait today. Ah....

Tiny Great Curve, 2012.

Been working on this piece for a long time, in fits and starts. It's based on a photo that my I designed and my friend Alex shot of my last year.

Detail of layered feather stitch for my hair.


I made it just for me. And I realized that I've been making things mostly for other people, which I love to do more than anything, but it is nice to have something I can keep for myself.

Stitching various edits of the fantasy jungle.

When I first started the piece I hadn't expected it to feature the dream-jungle background. In the last few months I've been sketching for the piece quite a lot -- the wild riot of fantasy plants and vines just felt right. I think it's my dream of living in a wild, natural place, which has certainly been my life in the last year.

Detail of leaves and blanket on my hip.

I really pushed myself to use stitches that I haven't in a while... or ever. The piece includes stem, fishbone, feather, french knots, chain, Pekinese, back, blanket, button hole and closed fly stitch. The ground fabric is Kona cotton and the thread is a limited palette of Valdani perle cotton in size 12. 

I feel like I know my own hips better after stitching them for so long!

My dream framed.

And here is a song for you, my friends. Sometimes, the world moves on a woman's hips.