The Winter Term of 2018-2019 Guild Program was create your personal maps… literal (using a local map), bird’s eye view (as seen from above), architectural (using image(s) of homes you’ve lived in), long perspective (exaggerating perspective between the ground and sky), knot garden (surrounded by frames). Below you will find member interpretations of this program.
Deb – All four of these works are the same basic technique. Google Maps provided images of my cousins’ homes and neighbourhoods that I composed and then printed onto linen through my inkjet printer. The linen had been prepped by ironing it onto freezer paper, trimming it to size to fit through the printer, then feeding it through using the cardstock option. Each image was embellished with wildflowers that grew in their garden or environs using surface stitches, plus a little added personalization. The finished embroidery was then laced onto mat board and presented as a thank-you for putting us up when we went on our “sponge tour”, visiting all the cousins in Britain.
This 4th one (to the right) is a similar interpretation, except I used an old roadmap to print onto the linen. It’s called “All Roads Lead to Home”, as all the major highways and bi-ways are stitched in yellow and all arrows point, eventually, to my house on the shore of one of the numerous Kawartha lakes.
Mary Anne – The idea of a “Pirate” map was on my mind – something that could be rolled up or folded into a swashbuckler’s pocket! I printed a picture of my childhood home in South Africa as a starting point and then stitched the memories around it. It was a small hobby farm which my parents started from scratch laying out the property. My mother was a keen gardener and grew daffodils and Dutch iris for several florists in the city of Durban. Two cows (Chrysanthemum and Pineapple), a lamb (Lulu), pigs and chickens were all part of the scene. Of course it needed a legend but unfortunately no “X” marking a spot where treasure might be buried! It was stitched on natural linen which I painted lightly and backed it with a typical tourist traycloth depicting South African wild flowers which was destined for the charity shop. I covered a tube in fabric to roll the map around and found it fitted beautifully into a cylindrical case that had contained a gift of ice wine. This I covered with an antique map of Africa and so the pirate theme was complete.
I covered a tube in fabric to roll the map around and found it fitted beautifully into a cylindrical case that had contained a gift of ice wine.
This I covered with an antique map of Africa and so the pirate theme was complete.
Suzanne – I decided to create a map of my own neighbourhood, entitled “MY HOOD”.
In my stash I found what I thought to be a perfect background for a rural community – a light green linen.
I started by consulting Google Maps to get an overview of the area.
I used a variety of embroidery stitches, straight stitches, French knots, stem stitches, chain stitches and backstitches.
To add even more colour I used fabric markers to indicate the roadways, driveways. stream and ponds.
Wenda – This project is an aerial version of the neighbourhood I have lived in since starting my family. As our families age it is fun to connect to such an important part of our past. The blue rectangles represent the homes we have lived in. The other rectangles are coded according to whom in my family most visited those properties. I love the colour green, and as many of you know am partial to black as well. Since I am not a quilter most of the fabrics are upholstery pieces or bits I have collected over the years….our stashes do come in handy! The properties and roads are done in silk. This map now hangs on a wall in my guest bedroom adorned with works of art produced by my children and my grandchildren. I love this wall and what it represents….family!
