Friday 9 August 2013

Flower Circle – A Circle of Friends

It seemed to me that the Flower Circle was a quick project. In terms of time on the frame, for me at least, it was a quick project. My Japanese embroideries are usually on the frame for a year or more; this piece was on the frame for a mere 2 months and 4 days! So I was somewhat surprised when I totalled my time sheet to find that I had put in 74 hours of stitching. That just shows how 15 minutes here and there, and an hour or two at the weekend can add up!

© Shizuka Kusano/Carol-Anne Conway

The Flower Circle was also stitched by several others and the completed pieces were displayed together in the same room as the recent exhibition of Kusano-san’s work in Ferndown. Since I began learning Japanese embroidery in 2005, the stitchers of those other versions have become some of my dearest friends. We have spent many pleasant hours together; stitching, chatting, pawing over books and the internet, and admiring each other’s work.

© Shizuka Kusano/Carol-Anne Conway

When I returned home with my Flower Circle, it occurred to me that the Flower Circle reminds me of the friends I have made through Japanese embroidery. Although unique and individual, like the flowers themselves we all have one thing in common – our love of Japanese embroidery. Within the circle one flower might be closer to some than others, and some even overlap. Our group is like that, because of proximity or other interests, one person might be more closely associated with another but sometimes more, or all, of us are able to come together. And sometimes life might mean we do not have as much time for Japanese embroidery and our friends as we might like and we fade into the background like my purple flower. But a circle is an amazing thing. It is eternal with no beginning and no end. And made of the right stuff a circle is very hard to break, put under pressure and it may bend and distort but it remains intact.

© Shizuka Kusano/Carol-Anne Conway

I have decided to rename my Flower Circle "A Circle of Friends".

Happy Stitching

4 comments:

Cath said...

It sounds like this lovely piece has had a lot of meaning for you. Time flies when we do the things we enjoy :-)

Rachel said...

Which just goes to show that there is so much more to embroidery than needles and thread!

jane said...

What a great idea, I'll put that title on mine when it's on display at Event City. Thank you my friend :-)

Moonsilk Stitches said...

What a delightful thought! Thanks for sharing your work on this piece.