postcards from paradise

I have been working on a small series of postcards inspired by a holiday in the Cook Islands a couple of years ago.    They are to form part of a travelling exhibition with Stitchers Plus next year.

It is great to work on a small context but any thing that is not right really sits out to me.  I think I spent as much time ripping this little piece as I did stitching it.  

I am trying to use stitches that I saw in the embroidered quilts that are traditional to the Cook Island ladies who do such amazing work.    There is an earlier post on tivavae if you are interested in seeing them.

Cheers  

on the travials of markets and exploration of tivaivai

Photo from Atui Fibre Arts Studio - Polynesian Patterns

I spent yesterday with a small stall at a local market - not one bite - even though the next day was Mothers' Day. I spoke to other stall holders and they said it was sometimes like that and markets could be capricious. This was the third time I've had a stall with a nil result and I have decided not to lose another Saturday at this at this particular market again and will review my thoughts about another stall closer to Christmas.

In the interim I have been researching tivaivai- quilts made by ladies of the Cook Islands. I came across this site of the studio of contemporary quilt maker and artist Andrea Eimke - I think the work is really interesting and exciting and I appreciated how Andrea shared her thoughts aspects of her life and exploration of her medium - more about Andrea here. I have taken the liberty of posting a photo which is also linked to the studio from the website as well just to tease you a bit. Wish I had had this to share with Stitches Plus when we played with shape last time we met.