"KAREN'S HEART"

Winter - 2005. I've been asked to teach a class for my Sun Stitchers's Guild, Sarasota, Florida.

Karen Tranter and I have been writing back and forth, planning the workshop. I thought that you might like to read the planning and use the ideas for your own creating.

The following is an edited version of our email 'discussions':

"Hi Rosalyn, Here is the canvas I made for you. Thirty ladies painted a canvas, some using the design of a heart, some did not. We painted on computer paper with heat transfer paints, then (when the paint was dry) we heat set it on to the canvas. This part was taught by Sun Stitchers Vice President Education, Helen Allen.

All the canvases are so individually created, that the fabrics which I had purchased just won't work with most of the designs. In that case, should they bring their own fabrics? What should they all be looking for. . . .textures, cottons, plaids, floral, etc? I also told them they could perhaps include some beading. What fibers should they purchase?
. . . . Karen"

"Hi Karen, It's a quiet cold sunny Saturday morning here and I'm having the pleasure of imagining that I'm sitting with 30 avid stitchers and enjoying the fun as they create their Canvas Collages!! Thank you again for sending me your own painted canvas . . . using it as my example, I will describe how I would embellish it:

I like to 'hang' the canvas in a place where I can see it 'by chance' as I walk past it, or, sit and ponder it a bit. What is it saying? What would I like to emphasize? What colors stand out as strongest? Is there a minor color that would be a good 'sparkle' of color to use somewhere? Remember your answers and even write them down.

Take your painting and the written color list to the Quilting store to shop for fabric. Two or three fabric choices would be all that you'd need for a small piece.

I like to have batik for the wonderful blending of color. Some of my collages are all batik, no prints. (See "Moonshine" for example, in my Crescendo Gallery).

Prints can be chosen for their graphic images which can be cut our exactly. Prints can also be cut at random, creating fabulous effects.

Keep in mind that the fabric print should relate to the feeling of your piece. For example, your painting has lots of rhythm and sweeping movement, so I would avoid plaid and geometric and think about batik, floral, scenes, trees, sky, clouds, music, kittens . . . in other words, a softer edged, more organic feeling.

The next part of the supply list is the threads. I like to couch with one strand (or two) of Splendor, DMC, Needle Necessities overdye. These are threads that are strong, will allow me to pierce through the canvas grid when needled and they don't fray. I'm sure that there are many on the market which can do this. Overdyes are wonderful for picking up a color and creating flow.

I like to couch threads such as Petite Very Velvet, Medici or other wool, metallic braid or ribbon, Trebezon perle silk, knitting yarn that's textured and could not normally be used on a needlepoint canvas. Beads that are petite will fill the mesh, larger beads can be used as random sparkle.

Your outline swirls suggests to me the use of ultra suede strips to be couched down, either using matching or contrasting thread or even overdye.

It's best not to use a formula for this art. When the thread is finished, I will often thread up with another 'mix' within the same area. It adds to the fun and the overall interest of the piece.

The Heart! This is the amazing focal part of your creation. I find that the painting has so much energy and movement, musical almost. The heart just floats! It's a bit like a full moon in the night sky. So . . . What to do?

I imagine beading the heart with fabulous beads; collage a heart cut from a floral print (but we don't want the heart to do disappear!)

Maybe the heart needs to be cut from a white spectacular print and let it glow. The couching threads could be white metallic and white silk. See what I mean?

Or . . . the heart could be couched with concentric heart rows of white velvet, maybe alternated with white beads.

Save space for 'needlepoint' on the piece after the embellishment is done. I imagine lots of French knots in some of the fill-in areas. I see this as 3 strands, one being an overdye and the others being silk or cotton, changing colors as the stitching moves along. You can see how I've used many knots in this detail of an area within my piece "In My Elements".

Have fun and just let the piece flow and take you to where it wants to go.
I look forward to hearing your comments.

Happy creating,

Rosalyn"