After working on the Autumn piece and reveling in the freedom of so many different stitches, I was ready to work on something softer, more controlled. I began to sort through my linen strips for inspiration. There is an article in a recent issue of Quilting Arts Magazine about a quilt block made of woven fabric strips, and I had that in mind as I sorted. Instead of soft cotton, though, I prefer to stitch on linen, and I save scraps of this wonderfully versatile fabric in all sizes and shapes. These soft colors came from dyeing and/or painting the linen. Two of the strips started life as trousers, and another is a remnant from a linen shift I made many moons ago. And except for the two cotton prints and the natural silk weaving in the upper left corner, all the little linen bits came from small boxes I use to store (hoard?) the bits and pieces that I cannot bear to part with. The shapes themselves are interesting starting points for thinking of design, and I rummage in these small boxes quite frequently for ideas.
After I got the strips woven and the pieces laid in place, I used flower thread and some vintage tatting thread to stitch things down and add more texture. It is a pleasure to look at this grid (about eight inches square, I believe) and see old clothes and painting projects there. Though it is "green" embroidery, it is only by accident. The pieces are from years of loving even the smallest scrap of linen fabric and saving it for another project!
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