Monday 30 June 2014

An Antique Collar, French Knots and Needle Felting

I have almost completed a piece of work I've had on the go for what seems like years - it just needs to be stretched and framed now.  The work is part of the decay and repair project I'm working on and it started life as a very badly damaged antique lace collar.  
Using a muslin background I needle-felted into some of the holes and embroidered around them with French knots, trying to create a drifting feeling of on-going repairs - I wanted to create a feeling of 'preciousness', and to capture the love and care that goes into preserving and restoring a treasured possession. 



 I simply had to photograph it with a moth - I love the idea that the beautiful and tiny moth caused such decay in the first place!  I now need to stretch and frame the embroidery - I am hoping to organize an exhibition around this theme of decay and repair in the new year - fingers crossed!
  
I also photographed some moths from my much treasured and very old collection as part of the same theme.




I am linking up with Mary over at Mosaic Monday.

12 comments:

  1. Absolutely so sweet and delicate. I love the moth on the lace. Beautiful post. xo Jenny

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  2. The lace is so pretty! Your images with the moth are beautiful. Lovely post, have a happy day!

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  3. Oh yes! You've done everything you set out to do. I love it with the moth!!! How wonderful that you have preserved the beautiful collar.

    I do hope you get to have an exhibition.... I'd love to see your work in 'real life'

    Fingers crossed here too!

    Karen x

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  4. These are lovely.The lace looks lovely with the moth. Would you include the moth in the final framed piece?

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    1. Thanks so much for that. I would love to include the moth in the final piece but I would be concerned about it getting destroyed over a period of time by live moths - I am constantly protecting my boxes of moths and butterflies with moth repellent!

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  5. What an interesting post and such lovely talent. Beautiful work.

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  6. Such stunning photography and embroidery Diana. Your posts are always a pure delight.
    Lynn x

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  7. This is so beautiful, Diana! That collar is so lovely and your idea to needlefelt it and embroider around it is brilliant! Very, very lovely!

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  8. Your photographs are always so, so beautiful. That collar and the work you've done on it is fabulous. The French knots remind me of tiny flower buds, like of baby's breath or something similar, budding out from the lace. All of this white on white is gorgeous and serene, too.

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  9. WOW these are awesome and who would have thought to include the moths...superb! They are exquisite too. You are so creative and I have not been so good at visits with not feeling so well in recent times, but I am back and trying to pay visits and so happy that I did not miss this post~

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  10. Oh wow Diana... this is truly gorgeous. I love the white-on-white theme, and the antique lace is so enhanced by the work you have done on it - the softness of the needle felting and the texture of the French knots. Needle felting is something in the pipeline for me, not as a stand-alone but in conjunction with other disciplines, and this post is truly inspiring... The pale coloured moth enhances the absence of colour and gives it an ageless look. Just beautiful.

    Shoshi

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  11. Oh my gosh, the hours you must have in that, it's amazing. I love what you're doing here, and what a wonderful theme for an exhibition - it will kill me not to be able to come if you have it!

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