This is continuing...but in the background for now...
...and this piece....
..will be the last of it's kind (for a while).
My little trip to Morocco was an absolute joy! So much to take in...so little time...
...but I'm going back there now - via the studio anyway :-)
The necessary winter task of shifting tonnes of firewood took it's toll over the last couple of weekends. And a long-standing affliction - carpal-tunnel-syndrome - reared it's ugly head and dictated that no-way could I do any stitching for about 4 days! Flaming nuisance!...
..but...
...it spurred me on to get up to my elbows in the dye pot....with the following results....
...inspired by some of the colours I encountered in Morocco.
And where am I going with it....?
...well, here's a clue.....
I'm also thinking of switching other things...
...by trying to work "less fussy".
Most of what I've done up to now has been very labour intensive, with LOADS of surface decoration....stitches upon stitches, and hundreds of beads....
I can't continue with this....mainly because my eyesight isn't what it used to be, and I'm finding that I can't focus for too long without discomfort.
The carpal-tunnel is also becoming a more persistent problem - maybe it's time to get it sorted - finally. So much of what I do relies on my hands - not just stitching, but drawing, painting and playing music - all of which give me such immense joy that I cannot bear to think what life would be like if I couldn't do them.
A blog-friend sent me some links the other day...
...which made me think that it might just be possible for me to change to a more "understated" way of working...
..that might also allow me to produce much larger pieces....
...without the pain.
I have to give it a go, but I'm not expecting it to be easy....
...old habits die hard.
