Tiny Tartan.

May 7th 2021, Puddle Cottage, Cornwall.

My most recent makes are a patchwork of the smallest workroom remnants. The 'scraps'. Each with its own history of wear and tear, its own stitch-shadows and gentle, or harsh, fades. I spend a long time deliberating the layout. A balancing act in colour, tone and texture. Hours of thoughtful placements.
Sewing up is an organised, efficient affair. A plan, a procedure, each seam trimmed and clipped, pressed, made sharp, made flat.
For my 'Tiny Tartan', I wanted to bring in the colours I was seeing and enjoying so much in the meadows. The unmistakable colours of Spring. Pink campion, white stitchwort, bluebells, yellow dandelion. Colours to 'pop' from the denim.
The tartan stitching takes a little time. Each design has at least 5 colours to it. All the lines are chalked out first and it is a mindful practice and absorbing work. Every time the thread is changed, the new colour is tied onto the last at the spool, and pulled through the whole threading system, needle and all. A time saver. Zero-waste, even the minutes.
It is immensely satisfying to see my 'tartan' come together. It binds the patchwork in more ways than strength, it creates a whole new piece of cloth with shared depth and texture. The stitched lines which cut and run across the many seams, the play of different coloured threads over hues of denim. Colours popping and blending, dancing. It really is a delightful thing. I like to think of it as conversations and discussions, of many different stories being told.