Slow progress

Halo #2

Quilting

Close up.

The the second halo I used some cotton fabric that has gold foil print on it. I started to do a runing stitch starting at the centre and working spiralling out so as to be circling Mary's head, but this then created a mound. So I decided to stop and create small mounds all over to create a textured and interesting, also intricate, piece. I love how the stitching manipulates the fabric like this!

The background:

Well I have just completed the top background of my icon. I'm going so slow! And I need to post this to Lerwick on tues/wed so not sure if it will actually get done on time. Not quite sure how to continue either as I've tried to do Jesus's face and it just didn't work at all so I need to try again.

Halos and background, I have so much still to do!

There is two fabrics I have hand dyed making up the background and I've stitched them together and then tried to hide the fold with stitching...

The back looks so interesting :)

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Our Lady Of Częstochowa

Well the excitement of London and graduation is over. I have completed my four year degree which I'm thrilled with... the only thing I am a little annoyed over is my grade. I lost my motivation after third year and so my 4th year work suffered. I still passed with a BA Hons though :D
Now I'm back in Aberdeen searching for my next turn in my life's path. Textiles has taken a little bit of a back seat so far, well that is until I found out about this competition  which the Catholic church are doing. We have to design and make our own icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa.
So I am embroidering my version.

Inspiration from pinterest.

My Golden Materials.

Begining of Jesus' halo with buttons and embroidery.

Finished halo - with a section of a poem I had written "You believe in not one thing, I in [everything]".

Close up of different stitches and buttons.

Stitching, holy medals and buttons.
I am just trying to put in my personality into the icon using small buttons and trinkets as well as meaningful words, holy medals and stitching. I'm not sure if I will finish in time but I will try and work on it everyday. I am thinking of adding in some quilting and padding too so that it will be very much a hand crafted piece and have many techniques in it.
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