Inspiration Strikes!

Last week, I was wearing a a pair of pants I made many years ago out of a serene batik cotton print. All day long, while I was wearing them I kept looking down at the patterns on the fabric and thought they would make a very cool stitchery design.

See what I mean?

Finally I couldn't stand it any more. I stopped what I was supposed to be doing and sat down and drafted a composition that incorporated a few of the simple fabric patterns, plus a few other motifs that would create the look and feel of a tropical Hawaiian piece.

I scanned the drawing into my Adobe Illustrator program and started working out the graph lines and project dimensions. Once satisfied with the rough layout, I pulled out a handful of blue, aqua and teal threads and started stitching.

I spent all day yesterday sitting on my covered patio stitching, while Katie snoozed on the lawn. And here's what I got done:

I intended to just get the main areas established (so I could take this project to a friend's stitch-in this coming weekend), but I had so much fun stitching each of the areas, I couldn't stop working on it and sheesh, I might have it almost finished by the time the weekend comes around! All that remains to be designed is the Hawaiian-type floral motif in the lower diamond... but no worries! I'm confident that I can create just the right flower motif to finish this piece.

(Psst: Although the photo makes it look like I'm stitching on sage green canvas, I'm really working on the brighter aquamarine canvas, so I have an aqua background on the unstitched areas...)

Anyway, I'm hoping I'll be able to complete the graph and text instructions just as quickly as I can, so I can release this design while the summer is hot and cool projects are a stitcher's necessity! Until then: "Aloha, Stitchers -- and stay cool and serene wherever you are..."