Ar Gor follow-up

Week 2 of my Blog-a-Week Challenge, and I'm going to finally post some pics of my finished piece for the exhibition Ar Gor, which took place in An Lab, Dingle, as part of Feile na Bealtaine, last May. I haven't any pics of the final piece framed, as the piece went into the framers before I went to Spain, went directly to the exhibition, and then was sold! Which I am delighted about...

The Tailor and Ansty, Blue Bags and a little Colour Theory

A book has been following me around for the past month or so. It began with a simple conversation with my mum over Christmas, about a possible workshop I might be doing in the Gougane Barra in Cork. (Will tell more soon!!). She told me a story about a trip she did, years ago, to see a play The Tailor and Ansty. There ensued an amazing conversation (with step-dad and friend joining in) about the Tailor and Ansty and a bag of blue.

Scythia (and a rambling love of metal and doodle embroidery)

Along with a love of all things fibre, I have a deep love for all things craft. I can still remember the excitement I felt, the first time I worked at the Body and Soul Festival in 2011. It’s one of the first times; I could really say I loved what I do. I don’t mean my work; I mean the work of craft, and the people who craft. Working alongside wonderful craft masters: a wood turner, blacksmith, felters, woodcarvers, and the willow weavers who were decorating our little craft area.

Embroidery Digital Commons

Embroidered Digital Commons, 2009 - 2013

An embroidery of the text 'A Concise Lexicon of / for the Digital Commons' by the Raqs Media Collective (2003)

Curated by Ele Carpenter

More information here: www.open-source-embroidery.org.uk/EDC.htm

(Previous blog posts in EDC here and here)

It's finished!! (Embroidery Digital Commons)

I'm trying (desperately) to do just one project at a time. To complete that project before I move on mentally and physically to the next. Something I'm not very good at at all, I have a tendency to juggle plans and projects.

So, because I've got a a big crafting session coming up, (making some decor for Dr Stokers Truly Macabre Circus of Horrors), I've had to cram embroidery over the past few days. Not an easy thing to do. (As I always end up saying "gentle needle-arts, my ***!!")

But after many hours of stitching, many meters of thread, I've finally finished embroidering all the words for  the Embroidery Digital Commons Project. An embroidery of the text 'A Concise Lexicon of / for the Digital Commons' by the Raqs Media Collective (2003) (see previous blog post). I've yet to photo all the pieces, I'll do that over the next week. But phew! what a relief to be finally finished.

I have to say, I really, really enjoyed this project, much more than I expected. Embroidering the words gave me the time to think about the term as a whole, the individual words, the project, and travel mentally far and wide. I love letters, font, words, textiles, and a little geekery thrown in, so it summed up everything I enjoy. There is something about stitching words that makes it strong, permanent, and very powerful. Maybe that's why it is becoming the craftivist weapon of choice.
 
http://www.open-source-embroidery.org.uk/EDC.htm

Post Dingle Harvest Picnic with the Kerry Bicycle Festival!

Incredible! That is the only way to describe the day that was the Dingle Harvest Picnic. We had sunshine, kids on bikes, chilled out parents, workshops, talks, and SUNSHINE!! Its amazing what a sunny day does to Irish people these days. It was almost overwhelming, to be able to organise something outdoors, and not have it cancelled or moved because of bad weather...We had an escorted cycle around the marina and town before heading up to the town park for a day of fun and frolics. Talks, workshops, music, and even the match (Del-boy style, a TV on top of a van!)

Embroidered Digital Commons

Embroidered Digital Commons, 2009 - 2013

An embroidery of the text 'A Concise Lexicon of / for the Digital Commons' by the Raqs Media Collective (2003)

I've just been given the official go ahead to co-ordinate the stitching of a term as part of Embroidered Digital Commons, a very interesting project curated by Ele Carpenter. 

"The 'Embroidered Digital Commons' is based on the beautifully crafted language of the Concise Lexicon of/for the Digital Commons written by the Raqs Media Collective, and published in the Sarai Reader 2003. The full lexicon is an A-Z of the interrelationship between social, digital and material space. It weaves together an evolving metaphorical language of the commons which is both poetic and informative."

In the next few weeks, I'll be organising a venue to have a public stitch-in, anyone who would like to get involved, meet up for a coffee, buns, and stitch some geekery, get in touch! There is approx 103 words to be stitched, so everyone is welcome. And considering how many times I have sewn my work to myself, stitching skills are a minimum...

More info about the project here:

www.open-source-embroidery.org.uk/EDC.htm

Ele's blog: http://www.eleweekend.blogspot.com/

 

Embroidered Digital Commons - YARN from Sophie McDonald on Vimeo.